- Published on
Faithful to the Finish
2 Timothy 4:6-8
Intro: I was sitting in a repair center waiting patiently (well, not Real patiently) for our van to be fixed so we could get Home! The shop was decorated with Finish Line Flags. Everywhere I looked I saw those Black and White finish line flags. It caused my mind to go to the Spiritual Race we are taught about in the Bible; the Race that every person is supposed to Run; the Race that every Christian IS Running.
I. The Start Which is Exciting
The start of this Race to Heaven is certainly exciting!
I thought of Paul, who was still known as Saul, as he journeyed to Damascus to persecute Christians. A bright Light from heaven shined down on him and he heard the voice of Jesus Christ. He was smitten with blindness, was convicted of his sin, and was convinced that Jesus was Alive and really was God the Son.
Saul/Paul was SAVED. He was changed from being Religious to having a Relationship with Jesus- A Child of God. The Start is Exciting! Remember? Do you remember when you first felt conviction? Do you remember when you first repented and surrendered to the Lord? Remember when your sin was forgiven and cleansed away? Remember when the guilt was removed? When your heart and spirit were Born Again by the Holy Spirit of God? When you became a new creation in Christ Jesus? Have you ever heard someone who has just been saved say:
“Everything is Brighter”
“ I Feel as Light as Feather”
“ I Love Everybody”
“ I’m so Happy, I just can’t describe it.”
Uncle Bud Robinson, a early Holiness preacher, said it like this: “It was like Heaven kissed the earth and I was right in the middle of the smack.”
One of our favorite songs says, “When I was drifting out in sin, I had no peace, no joy within, BUT Jesus came & made me Glad, He’s the dearest Friend I’ve ever had.”
Another song says, “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart. I have joy in my soul for which long I had sought since Jesus came into my heart”.
There is no greater experience than Salvation! The Start of this race is exciting.
II. The Suffering Which Must be Endured.
Paul says in the text, I had a Course to Finish; I had a War to Fight.
More than most Paul knew from the very start that this Race had suffering.
When Ananias was sent by the Lord to pray for Paul he was told that God would show him “what great things he must suffer” for the cause of Jesus Christ. AND Suffer he did!
He suffered shipwrecks; beatings; stonings; poverty; weariness; afflictions; sorrow in relationships; grieving over the back sliding of dear friends and fellow laborers.
Not just Paul but Every Christian in this Race faces Suffering! We all have trials of life; sickness & disease; family troubles; financial difficulties; sorrow in relationships; lost loved ones; the back sliding of friends and associates... But, we must Endure!
No one has an Easy Life; not Saints; not Sinners. No one has a Trouble Free Life.
No one has a Life of Roses with no Thorns; a Life of Sunshine with no Storms; Life of Abundance with no Lack. We must CARRY ON!
You probably heard about the Olympic runner who broke his leg while running his quarter mile lap with the relay team. He ran for over half the lap with a broken leg!
There was one runner from South Africa who had had both legs amputated at the knee and was fitted with steel braces. It’s amazing to think about that: he was not just walking but running; not just running but running Races; not just running any race but running in the Olympics!
The Start which is Exciting; The Suffering which we must Endure, and:
III. The Salvation Which is at the End.
When the suffering gets bad; when you are so overwhelmed with trouble that you are about to give up; WAIT! Remember the salvation which is at the End!
We are not running a pointless race. We are not running just for the sake of running; or because we have nothing else to do. We are Running to Heaven!
Paul was excited when his race began and he committed himself to preach the gospel of Jesus for the rest of his life. He soon found out that this race brought suffering. Still, he endured and persevered. He wrote to the Philippians and told them that he did not consider himself to have already won his race. Also, he was not giving up either in frustration or in self satisfaction. He was Forgetting the things that were behind; He was Reaching Forth to those things which were before; and He was Pressing toward the Mark for the Prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Forgetting- Reaching- Pressing That’s a great recipe for Victory!
Keep Your Eyes on the Finish Line; There is Salvation at the End.
We know right now the joy of salvation and the joy of sins forgiven. Then we will know the Fulness of our salvation for not only our spirit and soul will be saved, but our body will be saved also. We hear Paul rejoice in the fact that there is a Crown of Righteousness at the Finish Line with his name on it. We rejoice with Paul that there is one waiting at the Finish Line with OUR Name on it. Jesus said, “He that endureth to the End, the same shall be SAVED.” A song said, “It’s not the one who runs the swiftest; or the one who shines for a day; but the one who endureth to the end, he shall be saved.” Finally, the words of yet one more song: “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ; one glimpse of his dear face all sorrows will erase; so Bravely Run the Race till we see Christ
Be Faithful to the Finish!
2 Timothy 4:6-8
Intro: I was sitting in a repair center waiting patiently (well, not Real patiently) for our van to be fixed so we could get Home! The shop was decorated with Finish Line Flags. Everywhere I looked I saw those Black and White finish line flags. It caused my mind to go to the Spiritual Race we are taught about in the Bible; the Race that every person is supposed to Run; the Race that every Christian IS Running.
I. The Start Which is Exciting
The start of this Race to Heaven is certainly exciting!
I thought of Paul, who was still known as Saul, as he journeyed to Damascus to persecute Christians. A bright Light from heaven shined down on him and he heard the voice of Jesus Christ. He was smitten with blindness, was convicted of his sin, and was convinced that Jesus was Alive and really was God the Son.
Saul/Paul was SAVED. He was changed from being Religious to having a Relationship with Jesus- A Child of God. The Start is Exciting! Remember? Do you remember when you first felt conviction? Do you remember when you first repented and surrendered to the Lord? Remember when your sin was forgiven and cleansed away? Remember when the guilt was removed? When your heart and spirit were Born Again by the Holy Spirit of God? When you became a new creation in Christ Jesus? Have you ever heard someone who has just been saved say:
“Everything is Brighter”
“ I Feel as Light as Feather”
“ I Love Everybody”
“ I’m so Happy, I just can’t describe it.”
Uncle Bud Robinson, a early Holiness preacher, said it like this: “It was like Heaven kissed the earth and I was right in the middle of the smack.”
One of our favorite songs says, “When I was drifting out in sin, I had no peace, no joy within, BUT Jesus came & made me Glad, He’s the dearest Friend I’ve ever had.”
Another song says, “What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought since Jesus came into my heart. I have joy in my soul for which long I had sought since Jesus came into my heart”.
There is no greater experience than Salvation! The Start of this race is exciting.
II. The Suffering Which Must be Endured.
Paul says in the text, I had a Course to Finish; I had a War to Fight.
More than most Paul knew from the very start that this Race had suffering.
When Ananias was sent by the Lord to pray for Paul he was told that God would show him “what great things he must suffer” for the cause of Jesus Christ. AND Suffer he did!
He suffered shipwrecks; beatings; stonings; poverty; weariness; afflictions; sorrow in relationships; grieving over the back sliding of dear friends and fellow laborers.
Not just Paul but Every Christian in this Race faces Suffering! We all have trials of life; sickness & disease; family troubles; financial difficulties; sorrow in relationships; lost loved ones; the back sliding of friends and associates... But, we must Endure!
No one has an Easy Life; not Saints; not Sinners. No one has a Trouble Free Life.
No one has a Life of Roses with no Thorns; a Life of Sunshine with no Storms; Life of Abundance with no Lack. We must CARRY ON!
You probably heard about the Olympic runner who broke his leg while running his quarter mile lap with the relay team. He ran for over half the lap with a broken leg!
There was one runner from South Africa who had had both legs amputated at the knee and was fitted with steel braces. It’s amazing to think about that: he was not just walking but running; not just running but running Races; not just running any race but running in the Olympics!
The Start which is Exciting; The Suffering which we must Endure, and:
III. The Salvation Which is at the End.
When the suffering gets bad; when you are so overwhelmed with trouble that you are about to give up; WAIT! Remember the salvation which is at the End!
We are not running a pointless race. We are not running just for the sake of running; or because we have nothing else to do. We are Running to Heaven!
Paul was excited when his race began and he committed himself to preach the gospel of Jesus for the rest of his life. He soon found out that this race brought suffering. Still, he endured and persevered. He wrote to the Philippians and told them that he did not consider himself to have already won his race. Also, he was not giving up either in frustration or in self satisfaction. He was Forgetting the things that were behind; He was Reaching Forth to those things which were before; and He was Pressing toward the Mark for the Prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Forgetting- Reaching- Pressing That’s a great recipe for Victory!
Keep Your Eyes on the Finish Line; There is Salvation at the End.
We know right now the joy of salvation and the joy of sins forgiven. Then we will know the Fulness of our salvation for not only our spirit and soul will be saved, but our body will be saved also. We hear Paul rejoice in the fact that there is a Crown of Righteousness at the Finish Line with his name on it. We rejoice with Paul that there is one waiting at the Finish Line with OUR Name on it. Jesus said, “He that endureth to the End, the same shall be SAVED.” A song said, “It’s not the one who runs the swiftest; or the one who shines for a day; but the one who endureth to the end, he shall be saved.” Finally, the words of yet one more song: “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus, Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ; one glimpse of his dear face all sorrows will erase; so Bravely Run the Race till we see Christ
Be Faithful to the Finish!
- Published on
Magnifying the Lord
Ps. 34:1-3
Intro: Magnify= the Hebrew word is gadal (gaw dal) and means to promote or praise; the Greek word is megaluno and means to enlarge! To make conspicuous; to declare the greatness of.
We do understand that to Magnify something does not change the object; does not actually make it any bigger than it is BUT it makes it Appear Bigger; easier to see; more visible.
We are to Magnify the Lord!
We are to promote Him.
We are to Enlarge him.
We are to make him more conspicuous and declare his greatness.
Oh, Magnify the Lord with me!
How can we magnify the Lord?
1) By Praising Him.
O magnify the Lord with me and let us Exalt His Name together.
By speaking out our Praises of God, we Magnify Him; we declare his greatness and promote him; we enlarge him in the eyes of those around us.
Ps 69:30 I will Praise the name of God ...and will Magnify him with thanks giving.
In Psalm 40 David told how the Lord inclined his ear and heard his cry; he told how the Lord brought him up out of a horrible pit and out of the miry clay; how he set his feet on a rock and established his goings- then he said, He has put a new song in my mouth even Praise unto our God- Many shall see it..and shall trust in the Lord.
David realized that when he Praised the Lord and declared his greatness, it caused Others to See the Lord better- AND when they saw him better they were convinced to trust in him.
O how we Christians; we children of God; we who have been saved by his grace; cleansed by his blood; born again by his Spirit; O how we should Magnify Him to those around us.
They need to Hear about how great our God is!
In Acts2 we read about the Powerful and Supernatural Outpouring of the Holy Ghost in the Upper Room. We are told that they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Then in vs 11 we read that those who heard these believers said this- “we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”
They were speaking out Praises to God!
In Acts 10 when the Holy Ghost fell upon the household of Cornelius, Peter said that he and Jews with him “heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”
Think about how powerful that is! When the Holy Ghost filled believers and spoke through them, they were Magnifying God; declaring his greatness; promoting HIM; exalting him; enlarging him.
I found it interesting (and a little sad) that out of the 19 times the word Magnify is found in the Bible- 9 of those times it speaks about People who were Magnifying THEMSELVES!
How tragic- they were declaring their own greatness and enlarging themselves instead of magnifying the Lord!
Let’s Magnify the Lord by Praising Him!
2) By Telling Others About Him.
We certainly do magnify the Lord when we tell other people about him; about his love; his grace; his mercy; his forgiveness; his compassion; his healing power; his saving power; his purity.
In Mark 7 Jesus healed a man who was deaf and could not speak. Mark records that those who witnessed this mighty miracle, instead of keeping it to themselves, Published It. The Greek word means to Herald; to Proclaim abroad. They magnified the Lord by telling others about his mighty healing power. Later in that same chapter Mk 7 it states that Jesus “arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.”
There was no keeping him under wraps; there was no keeping him hid; he had been Promoted- Praised- Proclaimed and everyone Knew who he was when he came.
Think just for a moment- do you magnify the Lord by telling anyone about him?
Are there people in your circle of life who need to know how Great your God is? How wonderful Jesus is?
Let’s magnify the Lord by Praising him and by telling others about him.
3) By Living for Him.
As great as it is to tell others about the Lord, Living For him every day is an even greater way of Magnifying the Lord. Many times the Lord is promoted and enlarged and made more noticeable not by what we say, but by what we DO.
When Paul went to Ephesus in Acts 19 he spent some time every day telling people about Jesus Christ and his saving power, AND no doubt many believed because of what he said. BUT then we read about the miracles that the Lord used Paul to do and that the Spirit of God empowered him to bring deliverance to some who were possessed by demons. Then the account says, “fear fell on them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.”
You and I really don’t realize how many people are impacted by our every day life for the Lord.
They see your appearance; it’s very obvious in our culture. They also see your countenance; they see your face which reflects your Attitudes. They see how you react to normal events of life: in the workplace; in the grocery store; in that public place of business; in your dealings with your children; in your dealings with others you meet throughout the day. They will be affected by your Christian behavior and it will Magnify your Lord.
Let your light so shine among men Jesus said; they will see your good works; and they will glorify your Father in heaven.
What does it mean to let your light shine?
It means to Live for the Lord everywhere you go; to live for the Lord every day; to live for the Lord in every circumstance and in every situation.
Paul expressed his great desire in Phil 1:20 that “Christ be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death.” Paul was serious about declaring Christ with his life; about promoting Christ with his life; about enlarging Christ with his life. He was so serious about it that he wanted to Magnify the Lord even in his Death!
O Magnify the Lord with me! Let us Exalt his name together!
Ps. 34:1-3
Intro: Magnify= the Hebrew word is gadal (gaw dal) and means to promote or praise; the Greek word is megaluno and means to enlarge! To make conspicuous; to declare the greatness of.
We do understand that to Magnify something does not change the object; does not actually make it any bigger than it is BUT it makes it Appear Bigger; easier to see; more visible.
We are to Magnify the Lord!
We are to promote Him.
We are to Enlarge him.
We are to make him more conspicuous and declare his greatness.
Oh, Magnify the Lord with me!
How can we magnify the Lord?
1) By Praising Him.
O magnify the Lord with me and let us Exalt His Name together.
By speaking out our Praises of God, we Magnify Him; we declare his greatness and promote him; we enlarge him in the eyes of those around us.
Ps 69:30 I will Praise the name of God ...and will Magnify him with thanks giving.
In Psalm 40 David told how the Lord inclined his ear and heard his cry; he told how the Lord brought him up out of a horrible pit and out of the miry clay; how he set his feet on a rock and established his goings- then he said, He has put a new song in my mouth even Praise unto our God- Many shall see it..and shall trust in the Lord.
David realized that when he Praised the Lord and declared his greatness, it caused Others to See the Lord better- AND when they saw him better they were convinced to trust in him.
O how we Christians; we children of God; we who have been saved by his grace; cleansed by his blood; born again by his Spirit; O how we should Magnify Him to those around us.
They need to Hear about how great our God is!
In Acts2 we read about the Powerful and Supernatural Outpouring of the Holy Ghost in the Upper Room. We are told that they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Then in vs 11 we read that those who heard these believers said this- “we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”
They were speaking out Praises to God!
In Acts 10 when the Holy Ghost fell upon the household of Cornelius, Peter said that he and Jews with him “heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.”
Think about how powerful that is! When the Holy Ghost filled believers and spoke through them, they were Magnifying God; declaring his greatness; promoting HIM; exalting him; enlarging him.
I found it interesting (and a little sad) that out of the 19 times the word Magnify is found in the Bible- 9 of those times it speaks about People who were Magnifying THEMSELVES!
How tragic- they were declaring their own greatness and enlarging themselves instead of magnifying the Lord!
Let’s Magnify the Lord by Praising Him!
2) By Telling Others About Him.
We certainly do magnify the Lord when we tell other people about him; about his love; his grace; his mercy; his forgiveness; his compassion; his healing power; his saving power; his purity.
In Mark 7 Jesus healed a man who was deaf and could not speak. Mark records that those who witnessed this mighty miracle, instead of keeping it to themselves, Published It. The Greek word means to Herald; to Proclaim abroad. They magnified the Lord by telling others about his mighty healing power. Later in that same chapter Mk 7 it states that Jesus “arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.”
There was no keeping him under wraps; there was no keeping him hid; he had been Promoted- Praised- Proclaimed and everyone Knew who he was when he came.
Think just for a moment- do you magnify the Lord by telling anyone about him?
Are there people in your circle of life who need to know how Great your God is? How wonderful Jesus is?
Let’s magnify the Lord by Praising him and by telling others about him.
3) By Living for Him.
As great as it is to tell others about the Lord, Living For him every day is an even greater way of Magnifying the Lord. Many times the Lord is promoted and enlarged and made more noticeable not by what we say, but by what we DO.
When Paul went to Ephesus in Acts 19 he spent some time every day telling people about Jesus Christ and his saving power, AND no doubt many believed because of what he said. BUT then we read about the miracles that the Lord used Paul to do and that the Spirit of God empowered him to bring deliverance to some who were possessed by demons. Then the account says, “fear fell on them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.”
You and I really don’t realize how many people are impacted by our every day life for the Lord.
They see your appearance; it’s very obvious in our culture. They also see your countenance; they see your face which reflects your Attitudes. They see how you react to normal events of life: in the workplace; in the grocery store; in that public place of business; in your dealings with your children; in your dealings with others you meet throughout the day. They will be affected by your Christian behavior and it will Magnify your Lord.
Let your light so shine among men Jesus said; they will see your good works; and they will glorify your Father in heaven.
What does it mean to let your light shine?
It means to Live for the Lord everywhere you go; to live for the Lord every day; to live for the Lord in every circumstance and in every situation.
Paul expressed his great desire in Phil 1:20 that “Christ be magnified in my body whether it be by life or by death.” Paul was serious about declaring Christ with his life; about promoting Christ with his life; about enlarging Christ with his life. He was so serious about it that he wanted to Magnify the Lord even in his Death!
O Magnify the Lord with me! Let us Exalt his name together!
- Published on
Intro: For decades now story writers and comic books and movie makers have created characters with so called Super Powers. The List of “common” super powers includes such things as:
- invisibility
- x-ray vision
- bones that cannot be broken
- able to talk to animals
- super sonic hearing
- ability to Leap over tall buildings
- ability to Climb tall buildings
- unaffected by extreme cold
- unaffected by extreme heat
- night vision
- able to Fly
- able to breathe underwater
Well, I do not have any of those super powers; and to the best of my knowledge, no dad I know has any of them either. One man said, “When you’re young you think your dad is Superman. Then you grow up and you realize he’s just a regular guy who wears a cape.”
Well, even though we are not Super Heros in earthly life, in the plan of God, every dad can be a super hero; you probably won’t get a Cape or Costume as part of your power, but you do get God’s Spiritual Armor and that’s better than all the make-believe stuff anyway.
I. Dad’s Can be Super Heros of Trust.
We are told to put on the helmet of Salvation; in order to do that you and I must Trust in the Lord alone! We cannot trust in ourselves; in our goodness; in our abilities or strengths; We must Trust in the Lord Alone! Dad’s who exercise this Trust in the Lord are Super Heros. Dad’s who are Saved by Grace through Faith; who have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus, and born again by the power of the Holy Ghost are super heros.
A child could have no better role model than a dad who Trusts in the Lord for Salvation.
Not only do we get a helmet of salvation, we also get a Shield of Faith. Paul says that with this mighty shield, we can “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one...” Talk about a super power!
Being able to Trust in the Lord to the point that your Faith overcomes ALL the fiery darts of the devil that come against your soul and against the souls of your family- that’s a Great super power and makes a Dad a super hero.
We are all well aware of the devil’s attacks on us personally and on our families. We know that he is shooting fiery darts of Doubt; fiery darts of Confusion; fiery darts of Compromise; fiery darts of Distraction and Discouragement. We need this Shield of Faith to quench those darts; to neutralize them; to render them ineffective; to Protect our life and our family.
Are you exercising your Faith and Trust in the Lord?
Are you Saved and Protected by your Faith and Trust in the Lord?
Are you a Super Hero of Trust?
II. Dad’s Can be Super Heros of Truth.
We are told there is a Belt of Truth that we are to put on. This belt of truth holds all of the pieces of the armor in their right places; it holds everything together.
Every Dad needs to be a super hero of Truth!
We need to Find the Truth for our own lives and be Persuaded in our own Minds. We need to Believe the Truth; we need to Live the Truth; we need to Hold to the Truth and never be turned away from it. So that, while the world staggers around in confusion and doubt and uncertainty, we can Stand Strong and Sure on the Truth that God has given.
Our wives need for us to be Strong in the Truth! They need our leadership and direction; they need our firm determination; they need our settled confidence in the Truth of God’s Word.
Our children need for us to be Strong in the Truth. They are being bombarded by our Culture; by Social Media; by Peers; by the World around them. They often feel confused and in doubt and can easily lose their way if they do not have a Leader in the Home that is a Strong in the Truth.
Come now DAD, if you are unsure about your salvation; your wife and children will feel unsure too. If you are unsure about the Authority of the Word of God- they will be unsure too. If you waver and are wishy-washy about the Truth of Holy Living and the truth of the Holy Ghost and the Truth of heaven and hell, they are going to be uncertain and unstable too.
Be a super hero of the Truth!
Put on that Belt of Truth!
Put on that Breastplate of Righteousness.
Put on the armor of God for yourself and for your family.
III. Dad’s Can be Super Heros of Training.
We can be the leaders in our home when it comes to the Spiritual Training of our children.
We are told to have our feet shod with Gospel of Peace.
We are told to take up the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
How about it Dad? Are you diligently teaching you children the ways of God?
Are you teaching them by example?
Are you teaching them by your words?
Are you Training them in the Way that they should go, so that later in life they will have a proper foundation and not depart from it?
Paul wrote in Eph 6:4 that fathers, are to “bring (their children) up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” To bring them up in the Nurture of the Lord means to Instruct them; to Feed them truth; to nourish their soul with God’s Word and God’s Ways. To bring them up in the Admonition of the Lord means to Correct and Discipline them; to tell them when they do wrong and show them how to do right; to direct their steps and their lives.
Every husband and father will give account to God for himself first; then he will give account for his relationship with his wife; then he will give account for how he brought up his children.
I know that I am not a super hero when it comes to being an earthly dad; and neither are you.
BUT we can all be super heros of the Faith when it comes to the Spiritual leadership we provide for our families.
Be a super hero of Trust.
Be a super hero of Truth.
Be a super hero when it comes to Training your children.
And May God help us with our faults and failures as we strive to do his will.
- invisibility
- x-ray vision
- bones that cannot be broken
- able to talk to animals
- super sonic hearing
- ability to Leap over tall buildings
- ability to Climb tall buildings
- unaffected by extreme cold
- unaffected by extreme heat
- night vision
- able to Fly
- able to breathe underwater
Well, I do not have any of those super powers; and to the best of my knowledge, no dad I know has any of them either. One man said, “When you’re young you think your dad is Superman. Then you grow up and you realize he’s just a regular guy who wears a cape.”
Well, even though we are not Super Heros in earthly life, in the plan of God, every dad can be a super hero; you probably won’t get a Cape or Costume as part of your power, but you do get God’s Spiritual Armor and that’s better than all the make-believe stuff anyway.
I. Dad’s Can be Super Heros of Trust.
We are told to put on the helmet of Salvation; in order to do that you and I must Trust in the Lord alone! We cannot trust in ourselves; in our goodness; in our abilities or strengths; We must Trust in the Lord Alone! Dad’s who exercise this Trust in the Lord are Super Heros. Dad’s who are Saved by Grace through Faith; who have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus, and born again by the power of the Holy Ghost are super heros.
A child could have no better role model than a dad who Trusts in the Lord for Salvation.
Not only do we get a helmet of salvation, we also get a Shield of Faith. Paul says that with this mighty shield, we can “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one...” Talk about a super power!
Being able to Trust in the Lord to the point that your Faith overcomes ALL the fiery darts of the devil that come against your soul and against the souls of your family- that’s a Great super power and makes a Dad a super hero.
We are all well aware of the devil’s attacks on us personally and on our families. We know that he is shooting fiery darts of Doubt; fiery darts of Confusion; fiery darts of Compromise; fiery darts of Distraction and Discouragement. We need this Shield of Faith to quench those darts; to neutralize them; to render them ineffective; to Protect our life and our family.
Are you exercising your Faith and Trust in the Lord?
Are you Saved and Protected by your Faith and Trust in the Lord?
Are you a Super Hero of Trust?
II. Dad’s Can be Super Heros of Truth.
We are told there is a Belt of Truth that we are to put on. This belt of truth holds all of the pieces of the armor in their right places; it holds everything together.
Every Dad needs to be a super hero of Truth!
We need to Find the Truth for our own lives and be Persuaded in our own Minds. We need to Believe the Truth; we need to Live the Truth; we need to Hold to the Truth and never be turned away from it. So that, while the world staggers around in confusion and doubt and uncertainty, we can Stand Strong and Sure on the Truth that God has given.
Our wives need for us to be Strong in the Truth! They need our leadership and direction; they need our firm determination; they need our settled confidence in the Truth of God’s Word.
Our children need for us to be Strong in the Truth. They are being bombarded by our Culture; by Social Media; by Peers; by the World around them. They often feel confused and in doubt and can easily lose their way if they do not have a Leader in the Home that is a Strong in the Truth.
Come now DAD, if you are unsure about your salvation; your wife and children will feel unsure too. If you are unsure about the Authority of the Word of God- they will be unsure too. If you waver and are wishy-washy about the Truth of Holy Living and the truth of the Holy Ghost and the Truth of heaven and hell, they are going to be uncertain and unstable too.
Be a super hero of the Truth!
Put on that Belt of Truth!
Put on that Breastplate of Righteousness.
Put on the armor of God for yourself and for your family.
III. Dad’s Can be Super Heros of Training.
We can be the leaders in our home when it comes to the Spiritual Training of our children.
We are told to have our feet shod with Gospel of Peace.
We are told to take up the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
How about it Dad? Are you diligently teaching you children the ways of God?
Are you teaching them by example?
Are you teaching them by your words?
Are you Training them in the Way that they should go, so that later in life they will have a proper foundation and not depart from it?
Paul wrote in Eph 6:4 that fathers, are to “bring (their children) up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” To bring them up in the Nurture of the Lord means to Instruct them; to Feed them truth; to nourish their soul with God’s Word and God’s Ways. To bring them up in the Admonition of the Lord means to Correct and Discipline them; to tell them when they do wrong and show them how to do right; to direct their steps and their lives.
Every husband and father will give account to God for himself first; then he will give account for his relationship with his wife; then he will give account for how he brought up his children.
I know that I am not a super hero when it comes to being an earthly dad; and neither are you.
BUT we can all be super heros of the Faith when it comes to the Spiritual leadership we provide for our families.
Be a super hero of Trust.
Be a super hero of Truth.
Be a super hero when it comes to Training your children.
And May God help us with our faults and failures as we strive to do his will.
- Published on
No Ostrich Mothers Here!
Job 39:13b- 17
Intro: God was rebuking Job and his friends for their multitude of words but lack of true wisdom and understanding. God reminded them that He Alone was the Sovereign of the Universe and He Alone Created all there is, including the diversity of creatures that filled the earth. Here God spoke about the Ostrich; that strange creature that is considered a Bird but cannot fly. It is large in size but little in “smarts.” God described how the ostrich would produce the eggs that contained its young, then she would scrape away a little dirt, make a shallow depression, place the eggs in it, and cover it back with dirt.
What a thing for any mother to do- animals included.
The ostrich has no real understanding and though she brought these young into the world, she can’t be bothered by sitting on some nest for days or weeks until these eggs hatch and her young ones come out to live their life on the earth. So, she puts them in a shallow hole and walks away, leaving them unprotected. God said, the ostrich doesn’t even consider the dangers that exist for her young in those eggs. Someone may simply be walking in the area and accidently step on those eggs and crush them. Some wild beast may come along and discover those eggs and rejoice that they found such a tasty treat in such an unexpected place and devour those eggs so that the young are destroyed.
God said that the ostrich is “hardened” or calloused in regard to her young. Her attitude toward them is as if they were not really hers at all. She does not feel any obligation to them; feels no responsibility for their well being.
How Tragic! I know, its an ostrich; but still how tragic to think of the lack of consideration of Any mother for her young.
You know as sad as it is, the facts bear out the point that much of the evil in our own world that brings hurt and even destruction to the children of America can be laid directly at the feet of mothers.
Abortion! What abortion can take place without a mother’s consent and decision?
Immorality! Current statistics show that 40% of babies are born to unwed mothers; who made that decision to have sexual relations without being married?
Abuse! Child abuse reports from 2022 involved 7.2 million children; 90.6% of them were abused by one or both parents. Mothers obviously carry a lot of the blame for these sorrowful actions.
Drug dependent babies! 1 baby is born every hour in America that is already drug dependent. That’s 24 a day and almost 9000 a year. Of course this statistic does not include the babies who are Affected by their mother’s drug use; that would multiply this number explosively. Sadly our nation has too many Ostrich Mothers.
There are no ostrich mothers here!
Motherhood is a great responsibility and a demanding task. This new baby is not only a new life on the earth but a new soul that will live for eternity some where. Our children are helpless and vulnerable; totally dependant on us as parents to care for them and nurture them in life.
We cannot feel unduly burdened by our children; they are here because of Our Decisions and Actions! We cannot just put their well being off on someone else be it a daycare, grand parent, friend or hired care. I know there are times we need the help of these folks in supervising our children, but They did not bring them into the world and they are Not responsible for their care and well being- DAD and MOM are.
That’s why God designed the family like he did. A man and a woman are to marry in a life long commitment of love; they then are often blessed with children since God designed for the man and woman to be able to reproduce the human race. Then the child born has both a dad and a mom and as parents they are personally responsible for the care and well being of their child.
What a great design! What a wonderful plan!
When a mom says, I’m worn out; I’m losing sleep; I’m getting callouses on my hands; I get angry sometimes; I’m even getting some gray hair... those are all GOOD things for a mom because it shows she is fulfilling her responsibility properly!
God included chapter 31 of Proverbs in the Bible to give a portrait of what the Virtuous Woman and Faithful Mother looks like.
Her most critical characteristics have to do with the following:
1) The Fear of the Lord.
The Biblical model of the mother is a woman who reverences the Lord and obeys his Word. Her life and actions are not dictated by this sinful world but by the Holy Word. She does not seek her approval from her peers or coworkers or siblings or from Hollywood, she seeks to please the Lord with her own personal life.
2) The Family she Loves.
She loves her husband exclusively. There is no other man who attracts her attentions; her husband can rest safely in her love.
She loves her children sincerely. She sacrifices her time and effort for their benefit and well being. They are the priority of her life and she “looks well to the ways of her household.”
3) The Food she Prepares.
She cares for the physical needs of her household including meals and clothing. She is industrious and not lazy. She sees to it that her family has food to eat and clothing for every season.
4) The Faith she Plants.
Because of her fear of the Lord, she plants Faith in the hearts of her household. She teaches them the wisdom of the Lord and his Word, in her mouth is the “law of kindness.” Her husband and her children recognize the strength of her faith and they “rise up and call her blessed.”
Thank God for Mothers who do not walk away and leave their children on their own. Thank God for mothers who do not leave their children in dangerous spiritual places where they can be Stepped on by sin or devoured by Satan.
Thank God for mothers like Jochebed the mother of Moses who saw his potential and did everything in her power to protect and direct his life.
Thank God for mothers like Hannah who first dedicated herself to the Lord and then dedicated her son to God and his service.
Thank God for mothers like Mary who actually bore the very Son of God and brought him up in the synagogue where he learned the Word and Will of God.
Thank God for mothers like Eunice and grandmothers like Lois who gave their lives to the Lord and then passed their faith down to Timothy who became a fellow laborer of the apostle Paul and a great man of God who ministered faithfully throughout his lifetime.
Thank God, there are No Ostrich Mothers Here!
Job 39:13b- 17
Intro: God was rebuking Job and his friends for their multitude of words but lack of true wisdom and understanding. God reminded them that He Alone was the Sovereign of the Universe and He Alone Created all there is, including the diversity of creatures that filled the earth. Here God spoke about the Ostrich; that strange creature that is considered a Bird but cannot fly. It is large in size but little in “smarts.” God described how the ostrich would produce the eggs that contained its young, then she would scrape away a little dirt, make a shallow depression, place the eggs in it, and cover it back with dirt.
What a thing for any mother to do- animals included.
The ostrich has no real understanding and though she brought these young into the world, she can’t be bothered by sitting on some nest for days or weeks until these eggs hatch and her young ones come out to live their life on the earth. So, she puts them in a shallow hole and walks away, leaving them unprotected. God said, the ostrich doesn’t even consider the dangers that exist for her young in those eggs. Someone may simply be walking in the area and accidently step on those eggs and crush them. Some wild beast may come along and discover those eggs and rejoice that they found such a tasty treat in such an unexpected place and devour those eggs so that the young are destroyed.
God said that the ostrich is “hardened” or calloused in regard to her young. Her attitude toward them is as if they were not really hers at all. She does not feel any obligation to them; feels no responsibility for their well being.
How Tragic! I know, its an ostrich; but still how tragic to think of the lack of consideration of Any mother for her young.
You know as sad as it is, the facts bear out the point that much of the evil in our own world that brings hurt and even destruction to the children of America can be laid directly at the feet of mothers.
Abortion! What abortion can take place without a mother’s consent and decision?
Immorality! Current statistics show that 40% of babies are born to unwed mothers; who made that decision to have sexual relations without being married?
Abuse! Child abuse reports from 2022 involved 7.2 million children; 90.6% of them were abused by one or both parents. Mothers obviously carry a lot of the blame for these sorrowful actions.
Drug dependent babies! 1 baby is born every hour in America that is already drug dependent. That’s 24 a day and almost 9000 a year. Of course this statistic does not include the babies who are Affected by their mother’s drug use; that would multiply this number explosively. Sadly our nation has too many Ostrich Mothers.
There are no ostrich mothers here!
Motherhood is a great responsibility and a demanding task. This new baby is not only a new life on the earth but a new soul that will live for eternity some where. Our children are helpless and vulnerable; totally dependant on us as parents to care for them and nurture them in life.
We cannot feel unduly burdened by our children; they are here because of Our Decisions and Actions! We cannot just put their well being off on someone else be it a daycare, grand parent, friend or hired care. I know there are times we need the help of these folks in supervising our children, but They did not bring them into the world and they are Not responsible for their care and well being- DAD and MOM are.
That’s why God designed the family like he did. A man and a woman are to marry in a life long commitment of love; they then are often blessed with children since God designed for the man and woman to be able to reproduce the human race. Then the child born has both a dad and a mom and as parents they are personally responsible for the care and well being of their child.
What a great design! What a wonderful plan!
When a mom says, I’m worn out; I’m losing sleep; I’m getting callouses on my hands; I get angry sometimes; I’m even getting some gray hair... those are all GOOD things for a mom because it shows she is fulfilling her responsibility properly!
God included chapter 31 of Proverbs in the Bible to give a portrait of what the Virtuous Woman and Faithful Mother looks like.
Her most critical characteristics have to do with the following:
1) The Fear of the Lord.
The Biblical model of the mother is a woman who reverences the Lord and obeys his Word. Her life and actions are not dictated by this sinful world but by the Holy Word. She does not seek her approval from her peers or coworkers or siblings or from Hollywood, she seeks to please the Lord with her own personal life.
2) The Family she Loves.
She loves her husband exclusively. There is no other man who attracts her attentions; her husband can rest safely in her love.
She loves her children sincerely. She sacrifices her time and effort for their benefit and well being. They are the priority of her life and she “looks well to the ways of her household.”
3) The Food she Prepares.
She cares for the physical needs of her household including meals and clothing. She is industrious and not lazy. She sees to it that her family has food to eat and clothing for every season.
4) The Faith she Plants.
Because of her fear of the Lord, she plants Faith in the hearts of her household. She teaches them the wisdom of the Lord and his Word, in her mouth is the “law of kindness.” Her husband and her children recognize the strength of her faith and they “rise up and call her blessed.”
Thank God for Mothers who do not walk away and leave their children on their own. Thank God for mothers who do not leave their children in dangerous spiritual places where they can be Stepped on by sin or devoured by Satan.
Thank God for mothers like Jochebed the mother of Moses who saw his potential and did everything in her power to protect and direct his life.
Thank God for mothers like Hannah who first dedicated herself to the Lord and then dedicated her son to God and his service.
Thank God for mothers like Mary who actually bore the very Son of God and brought him up in the synagogue where he learned the Word and Will of God.
Thank God for mothers like Eunice and grandmothers like Lois who gave their lives to the Lord and then passed their faith down to Timothy who became a fellow laborer of the apostle Paul and a great man of God who ministered faithfully throughout his lifetime.
Thank God, there are No Ostrich Mothers Here!
- Published on
Wanted! Luke 14:25-33
Intro: When you read the Gospels you constantly read about “multitudes” of people who followed the Lord as he journeyed through the land. Matthew uses the term multitude 40 times; Mark 16 times; Luke 20 times and John 4 times making a total of 80 times; the Point Being this- there was a crowd of people constantly surrounding the Lord and following him as he traveled. Obviously, not Everyone in the multitude was a True Disciple or Follower of Jesus.
So on this occasion as at other times, Luke said that Jesus stopped Walking- He Turned to Face the multitude of people following him and began to speak directly to them. What he told them was what he Wanted from them; What he was looking for in those who followed him; what he expected from those who would be his True, Genuine Disciples.
WANTED!
1) Disciples Who Will Follow.
He was not interested in people claiming to Follow Him but actually be going in their own way; living in their own way; directing their own life.
Jesus made it clear that this matter of Following was SERIOUS. It was not just a matter of someone physically walking behind him as he traveled to the next village. It was not even just a matter of someone walking along with him to More than two or three villages; this was not just about physically following the Lord around; it was a Matter of :
- Relationship!
Jesus told them that if they “followed” him but did not “hate” his father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life- he Could Not be a True Disciple.
Was Jesus telling these people literally to Hate their earthly families and relatives???
NO! If he meant those words to be taken literally, then anyone who wanted to be a true disciple would have to commit suicide for he said they must hate their own life also.
He was pressing the point that a true Disciple would Follow Jesus in a Primary Relationship that would take Priority over all other earthly relationships; it would take priority over all other Loyalties and Allegiances. (Even the love of one’s own self)
How many times did Jesus tell his followers that they would have to Deny themselves? Tell their own desires, NO; tell their own plans, NO; tell their own will, NO?!
So Jesus said what I want are Disciples who will follow me by surrendering their Relationships; AND those who will surrender their
- Reputations
For, Jesus said, anyone who will not Bear His Cross and follow me, cannot be my disciple. We all know that the Cross was a symbol of utter humiliation and degradation and shame.
So Jesus said I’m looking for Disciples who will follow me Completely in Full Surrender; those who are willing to make their relationship with me first and foremost and those who are willing to sacrifice their own reputation for my sake.
Are you a Disciple who Follows?
2) Builders Who Will Labor.
In vs. 28 Jesus began to speak about a Builder who was intending to build a tower.
Jesus told these followers that he Wanted Builders who would labor in his kingdom and the first priority was that they must; Count the Cost!
There must be some meditation and consideration before anyone launches out into being a follower of Jesus. He had already made it clear that it would cost them in the area of earthly relationships; he had already told them that it would cost them in the area of their reputation; so he reminds them that they should not rush into this commitment for it WAS a commitment! Not just a fling; not just a fad; not just the latest fashion.
Jesus is looking for Builders who will Labor. They will Count the Cost and make the Commitment necessary to build their life on the Rock of Jesus Christ. He reminded them of the reproach that comes upon anyone who Started an impressive Building and then could not or did not Finish it!
Jesus wants you and I to Count the Cost and then he wants you and I to Complete the Building!
Count the cost of commitment and then follow through on the commitment.
Count the cost of dedication and then fulfill the dedication.
Are you a Builder who will Labor?
3) Soldiers Who Will Fight.
Lastly, Jesus talks to them in vs. 31,32 about a king and his army who are being threatened by an enemy and must make serious plans for the coming battle.
A true Soldier of the Lord will always Realize that he has an enemy. The enemy is not those other soldiers in the Lord’s army; the enemy first and foremost is the devil!
He is described as an Adversary or Opponent.
He is likened to a Thief who steals, kills and destroys.
He is likened to a Lion who walks about seeking whom he may devour.
He is likened to a Dragon who tried to devour not only Jesus himself but also the chosen people of God.
We have an Enemy and Jesus Wants Soldiers who will Fight! We must:
Face the Foe, and
Fight the Good Fight of Faith.
Peter told us that when the devil comes around we are to Resist him Steadfast in the Faith; in other words we are to Fight Against him Resolutely and with Determination; having our Trust in our Mighty God.
Paul told us that we must Wrestle against these principalities, and powers, and rulers of darkness. We must Fight against them with Courage and Endurance.
I guarantee you, no one can fight an enemy or an adversary Without Facing Him! You can’t fight with your back turned. You can’t fight while running away. So James writes this: Submit yourselves therefore to God! Resist the devil! And he will Flee From YOU. (Not you fleeing from him)
Paul told Timothy in 1Tim 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life...
Then Paul gave this testimony as he neared the end of this earthly life: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
WANTED!
Disciples who will Follow
Builders who will Labor
Soldiers who will Fight
Intro: When you read the Gospels you constantly read about “multitudes” of people who followed the Lord as he journeyed through the land. Matthew uses the term multitude 40 times; Mark 16 times; Luke 20 times and John 4 times making a total of 80 times; the Point Being this- there was a crowd of people constantly surrounding the Lord and following him as he traveled. Obviously, not Everyone in the multitude was a True Disciple or Follower of Jesus.
So on this occasion as at other times, Luke said that Jesus stopped Walking- He Turned to Face the multitude of people following him and began to speak directly to them. What he told them was what he Wanted from them; What he was looking for in those who followed him; what he expected from those who would be his True, Genuine Disciples.
WANTED!
1) Disciples Who Will Follow.
He was not interested in people claiming to Follow Him but actually be going in their own way; living in their own way; directing their own life.
Jesus made it clear that this matter of Following was SERIOUS. It was not just a matter of someone physically walking behind him as he traveled to the next village. It was not even just a matter of someone walking along with him to More than two or three villages; this was not just about physically following the Lord around; it was a Matter of :
- Relationship!
Jesus told them that if they “followed” him but did not “hate” his father, mother, wife, children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life- he Could Not be a True Disciple.
Was Jesus telling these people literally to Hate their earthly families and relatives???
NO! If he meant those words to be taken literally, then anyone who wanted to be a true disciple would have to commit suicide for he said they must hate their own life also.
He was pressing the point that a true Disciple would Follow Jesus in a Primary Relationship that would take Priority over all other earthly relationships; it would take priority over all other Loyalties and Allegiances. (Even the love of one’s own self)
How many times did Jesus tell his followers that they would have to Deny themselves? Tell their own desires, NO; tell their own plans, NO; tell their own will, NO?!
So Jesus said what I want are Disciples who will follow me by surrendering their Relationships; AND those who will surrender their
- Reputations
For, Jesus said, anyone who will not Bear His Cross and follow me, cannot be my disciple. We all know that the Cross was a symbol of utter humiliation and degradation and shame.
So Jesus said I’m looking for Disciples who will follow me Completely in Full Surrender; those who are willing to make their relationship with me first and foremost and those who are willing to sacrifice their own reputation for my sake.
Are you a Disciple who Follows?
2) Builders Who Will Labor.
In vs. 28 Jesus began to speak about a Builder who was intending to build a tower.
Jesus told these followers that he Wanted Builders who would labor in his kingdom and the first priority was that they must; Count the Cost!
There must be some meditation and consideration before anyone launches out into being a follower of Jesus. He had already made it clear that it would cost them in the area of earthly relationships; he had already told them that it would cost them in the area of their reputation; so he reminds them that they should not rush into this commitment for it WAS a commitment! Not just a fling; not just a fad; not just the latest fashion.
Jesus is looking for Builders who will Labor. They will Count the Cost and make the Commitment necessary to build their life on the Rock of Jesus Christ. He reminded them of the reproach that comes upon anyone who Started an impressive Building and then could not or did not Finish it!
Jesus wants you and I to Count the Cost and then he wants you and I to Complete the Building!
Count the cost of commitment and then follow through on the commitment.
Count the cost of dedication and then fulfill the dedication.
Are you a Builder who will Labor?
3) Soldiers Who Will Fight.
Lastly, Jesus talks to them in vs. 31,32 about a king and his army who are being threatened by an enemy and must make serious plans for the coming battle.
A true Soldier of the Lord will always Realize that he has an enemy. The enemy is not those other soldiers in the Lord’s army; the enemy first and foremost is the devil!
He is described as an Adversary or Opponent.
He is likened to a Thief who steals, kills and destroys.
He is likened to a Lion who walks about seeking whom he may devour.
He is likened to a Dragon who tried to devour not only Jesus himself but also the chosen people of God.
We have an Enemy and Jesus Wants Soldiers who will Fight! We must:
Face the Foe, and
Fight the Good Fight of Faith.
Peter told us that when the devil comes around we are to Resist him Steadfast in the Faith; in other words we are to Fight Against him Resolutely and with Determination; having our Trust in our Mighty God.
Paul told us that we must Wrestle against these principalities, and powers, and rulers of darkness. We must Fight against them with Courage and Endurance.
I guarantee you, no one can fight an enemy or an adversary Without Facing Him! You can’t fight with your back turned. You can’t fight while running away. So James writes this: Submit yourselves therefore to God! Resist the devil! And he will Flee From YOU. (Not you fleeing from him)
Paul told Timothy in 1Tim 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life...
Then Paul gave this testimony as he neared the end of this earthly life: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
WANTED!
Disciples who will Follow
Builders who will Labor
Soldiers who will Fight
- Published on
Easter, Jonah & Jesus
Mt. 12:38-41
Intro: The religious leaders of Israel refused to believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One whose coming had been prophesied by the Prophets of the Old Testament. They opposed him at every turn. They ridiculed him. They constantly harassed him with questions designed to confuse and humiliate him. They acted as though they would believe that He really was the Messiah if he would “prove” it with “signs.”
We know that they had seen many “signs” of his power: restoring sight to the blind, curing leprosy, causing the lame to walk and the dumb to talk, healing the deaf, raising the dead, calming the storm, multiplying the loaves and fishes......on and on and on.
Still they would not believe!.
Now they were again demanding a SIGN that he was the Christ, the Messiah, the Redeemer.
It was in this setting that Jesus made an unusual statement. He told them that they had already been given a SIGN; It had happened almost 800 years ago; it was a story they all knew by heart; it was one of the most unusual incidents in the Scriptures; it was the Account of Jonah and the Whale.
Not just Once, but Twice Jesus stated that the Sign God had given to Israel that they might believe in Jesus Christ was the Prophet Jonah and what had happened to him. (Text in Mt. 12, also Mt. 16:4) This calls for us to pay attention to this incident in the Old Testament and take a look at it in Comparison and Contrast.
1) Jonah had been sent from Israel to the Gentiles.
(Arise, go to Ninevah that great city and cry against it for their wickedness is come up before me)
- Jesus had been sent from Heaven to the Earth.
(In the fulness of time God sent his Son, made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law)
2) Jonah went “down” in disobedience.
(Down to Joppa, down into a ship, down into the sides of the ship, down into sleep, down into the sea, down into the belly of the whale, down to the bottom of the sea.)
- Jesus Came down in Obedience.
(In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God, the same was in the beginning with God...The Word became flesh and dwelt among men...Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.)
3) Jonah was cast overboard by the Sailors on the ship
They found him guilty of displeasing God and threw him overboard to get peace.
- Jesus was “cast overboard” or rejected by the religious leaders of Israel because they were convicted by Him, by his teachings, by his life, by his Spirit.
4) Jonah Prayed to Repentance.
(In the whale’s belly, Jonah remembered the Lord, prayed toward God’s holy temple, confessed his sin, and promised to pay the vows that he had made.
- Jesus Prayed to Redemption.
(Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son that thy son may glorify thee...I have declared unto thy name and will declare it...I pray also for them which shall believe on me... ; Father forgive them for they know not what they do.)
5) Jonah descended into the depths of the Sea.
(Thou hast cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas, the floods compassed me about, thy billows and waves passed over me...the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped around my head, I went down to the bottoms of the mountains and I cried, out of the belly of hell cried I)
- Jesus descended into the depths of the Earth.
Jesus was carefully removed from the cross, wrapped tenderly in linen with spices, and placed in Joseph’s new tomb, a sepulcher hewn out of rock. In Acts 2, Peter quoted Psalm 16- “thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption” Eph 4:9 says that “he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth”
Christ was placed in a tomb, dead and buried. In the heart of the earth. He was not just asleep; he was not just unconscious; he was not just in a coma brought on by the torture and crucifixion. He was dead and buried and his body remained there in the tomb until the third and glorious day of resurrection.
6) Jonah Came forth to a Second Chance in Earthly Life.
(Jonah prayed unto the Lord- “the Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” Jonah said it like this, “I went down to the bottoms of the mountains, the earth with her bars was about me for ever, yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.”)
- Jesus Came Forth to Eternal Life.
Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
1 Cor. 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
So, Jesus said in effect: You believe that Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, remained in the depths of the sea for 3 days and then came out of the whale and the sea and preached the gospel of repentance, and Ninevah believed, repented, and was spared.
An even greater than Jonah is here.
Jesus was crucified, died on the cross at Calvary, was buried, and on the third day came out of the tomb and the depths of the earth, preaching the gospel of repentance.
Praise God! Jesus is Alive Today. He is Seated at the Right Hand of the Father in Heaven. He is Interceding on our behalf. He is waiting for the command to step out in the clouds and call his children home. And So shall we ever be with the Lord.
Mt. 12:38-41
Intro: The religious leaders of Israel refused to believe in Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One whose coming had been prophesied by the Prophets of the Old Testament. They opposed him at every turn. They ridiculed him. They constantly harassed him with questions designed to confuse and humiliate him. They acted as though they would believe that He really was the Messiah if he would “prove” it with “signs.”
We know that they had seen many “signs” of his power: restoring sight to the blind, curing leprosy, causing the lame to walk and the dumb to talk, healing the deaf, raising the dead, calming the storm, multiplying the loaves and fishes......on and on and on.
Still they would not believe!.
Now they were again demanding a SIGN that he was the Christ, the Messiah, the Redeemer.
It was in this setting that Jesus made an unusual statement. He told them that they had already been given a SIGN; It had happened almost 800 years ago; it was a story they all knew by heart; it was one of the most unusual incidents in the Scriptures; it was the Account of Jonah and the Whale.
Not just Once, but Twice Jesus stated that the Sign God had given to Israel that they might believe in Jesus Christ was the Prophet Jonah and what had happened to him. (Text in Mt. 12, also Mt. 16:4) This calls for us to pay attention to this incident in the Old Testament and take a look at it in Comparison and Contrast.
1) Jonah had been sent from Israel to the Gentiles.
(Arise, go to Ninevah that great city and cry against it for their wickedness is come up before me)
- Jesus had been sent from Heaven to the Earth.
(In the fulness of time God sent his Son, made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law)
2) Jonah went “down” in disobedience.
(Down to Joppa, down into a ship, down into the sides of the ship, down into sleep, down into the sea, down into the belly of the whale, down to the bottom of the sea.)
- Jesus Came down in Obedience.
(In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God, the same was in the beginning with God...The Word became flesh and dwelt among men...Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.)
3) Jonah was cast overboard by the Sailors on the ship
They found him guilty of displeasing God and threw him overboard to get peace.
- Jesus was “cast overboard” or rejected by the religious leaders of Israel because they were convicted by Him, by his teachings, by his life, by his Spirit.
4) Jonah Prayed to Repentance.
(In the whale’s belly, Jonah remembered the Lord, prayed toward God’s holy temple, confessed his sin, and promised to pay the vows that he had made.
- Jesus Prayed to Redemption.
(Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son that thy son may glorify thee...I have declared unto thy name and will declare it...I pray also for them which shall believe on me... ; Father forgive them for they know not what they do.)
5) Jonah descended into the depths of the Sea.
(Thou hast cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas, the floods compassed me about, thy billows and waves passed over me...the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped around my head, I went down to the bottoms of the mountains and I cried, out of the belly of hell cried I)
- Jesus descended into the depths of the Earth.
Jesus was carefully removed from the cross, wrapped tenderly in linen with spices, and placed in Joseph’s new tomb, a sepulcher hewn out of rock. In Acts 2, Peter quoted Psalm 16- “thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption” Eph 4:9 says that “he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth”
Christ was placed in a tomb, dead and buried. In the heart of the earth. He was not just asleep; he was not just unconscious; he was not just in a coma brought on by the torture and crucifixion. He was dead and buried and his body remained there in the tomb until the third and glorious day of resurrection.
6) Jonah Came forth to a Second Chance in Earthly Life.
(Jonah prayed unto the Lord- “the Lord spake unto the fish and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.” Jonah said it like this, “I went down to the bottoms of the mountains, the earth with her bars was about me for ever, yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.”)
- Jesus Came Forth to Eternal Life.
Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
1 Cor. 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
So, Jesus said in effect: You believe that Jonah was swallowed by a great fish, remained in the depths of the sea for 3 days and then came out of the whale and the sea and preached the gospel of repentance, and Ninevah believed, repented, and was spared.
An even greater than Jonah is here.
Jesus was crucified, died on the cross at Calvary, was buried, and on the third day came out of the tomb and the depths of the earth, preaching the gospel of repentance.
Praise God! Jesus is Alive Today. He is Seated at the Right Hand of the Father in Heaven. He is Interceding on our behalf. He is waiting for the command to step out in the clouds and call his children home. And So shall we ever be with the Lord.
- Published on
Vigilance is Vital
1 Thess. 5:1-11
Intro: When we come to this passage in ch. 5, Paul had just completed the most powerful passage concerning the Rapture in the entire Bible. At the end of 1 Thess 4 we read about the Lord descending from heaven into the clouds; there will be a great shout, the voice of the arch angel, and the blast of God’s trumpet; those who have died while Saved through faith in Jesus Christ will be raised from the dead; those who are living on the earth who are Saved through Faith in Jesus Christ will be “caught up” with those resurrected and together we will all meet the Lord in the Air.
What a tremendous passage! What powerful truth! What a glorious end for every true Christian; to be resurrected from the dead with a glorified body and taken to heaven to be forever with the Lord; or to be Raptured with a glorified body and taken to heaven to be forever with the Lord.
Then here in the first part of ch. 5 Paul continues his theme about the coming of the Lord and the coming of the Day of the Lord which is a day of judgment on the world.
Paul says in verse 6 that in light of the Truth we know about the Rapture, the Resurrection and the coming Day of the Lord, We Must be Vigilant!
Paul said that we must Not Sleep as do others. This is not a metaphor of death; this is a state of spiritual slumber and unconsciousness; speaking of people who should be Ready and Watching for the Lord to come but instead of being Alert and Aware they are dozing off; unaware of how dangerous our times are and how near the coming of the Lord is.
So Paul said to Us who are Christians, Don’t Sleep like others do.
Instead- Let us WATCH and be SOBER.
Watch here in the Greek is gregoreo- meaning be Awake; be Alert; be Vigilant. That same Greek word is used by Peter in his famous verse about the devil being a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour. Remember what Peter said? He said be Sober, Be VIGILANT!
To Watch is be Vigilant; not drowsy, not dozing off spiritually; not having your senses dulled by sleep; being Awake, and Alert, being Vigilant.
Paul also told us to be Sober. The word Sober in the Greek is nepho and means to be Alert and Sharp; not to have your senses dulled with any intoxicant; again be Vigilant.
That’s the call of God and his Word to all of us- We must be Vigilant!
There are three things Paul writes about in this chapter in regard to our Christian Vigilance.
I. We must be Aware of the Season.
No one knows the “day or the hour” when Jesus will step out in the clouds and call his people to heaven, but we should all be aware of the Season of his coming.
Paul says here that these believers are expected to be aware of the times and the seasons in which they live and to understand that when the day of the Lord comes, it will come like a thief in the night. All those who are unaware and unprepared will be claiming that Peace and Safety are eminent when in reality sudden destruction is near!
That’s why Jesus gave all those “signs” we read about in Mat. 24. Those factors have been used by God throughout man’s history as signs of his displeasure and in order to get men’s attention and prompt them to Turn back to God in true repentance and obedience.
Numerous times in the OT God used wars, famines, pestilence, and earthquakes to punish sin and to warn his people of their waywardness.
Through history since the OT days there are numerous instances again of wars, famines, pestilence and earthquakes.
In our days these factors are not only evident but Increasing both in numbers of Occurrence and Intensity.
When the Great Tribulation begins these same terrors will be evident in the opening of those first 6 seals:
1- Deception
2- War
3- Famine
4- Pestilence/ death
6- Great earthquakes
Listen friends, we are in the SEASON of the coming of the Lord and we must be Vigilant; Aware of the Season that we are living in.
II. We must Walk in the Light.
Paul spoke of those who cry out, “Peace and Safety,” but find sudden destruction and he makes the point that all those who are overcome and destroyed are walking in Darkness.
But, Paul says, you children of God should NOT be walking in darkness for you are Children of the Light and you should be Walking in that Light.
What does it mean to be Walking in the Light?
It means to be walking or living in the Truth; knowing the truth and living accordingly.
When we say that someone is “in the dark” about something we are saying they are ignorant or not in the know; they don’t know about it and are totally unaware. So it is that the majority of the world is “in the dark” when it comes to their future. They don’t really know about the Rapture and Resurrection; about Christians being caught up into heaven; about the judgment and wrath that are coming upon this world. They are walking in the dark! We are walking in the Light!
We KNOW- We are aware- we are not stumbling in the darkness of ignorance and rushing headlong into judgment and destruction.
We must Walk in the Light!
We must be Aware of our times and Walk in the Light.
Vigilance is Vital!
III. We must Wear the Armor of God.
Ephesians ch. 6 details the entire outfit of the armor of God but here Paul gives a brief sketch of it mentioning a breastplate of Faith and Love and the Helmet of Salvation.
In Eph. 6 we are told that God has provided a complete Christian armor that we are Put On!
- Helmet of salvation
- Breastplate of righteousness
- Belt of Truth
- Shoes of the Gospel
- Shield of Faith/ Sword of the Spirit
- Power of Prayer
We must be equipped for the times that we are living in AND we must be prepared for the times that are Coming!
Paul reminds us that God has Not appointed His Children; his sons and daughters; to suffer His Wrath. God has appointed us to Obtain Salvation- total and complete salvation- salvation in its final form where we are changed from mortal to immortality to live forever in God’s presence.
These verses point out to us that even though there is some leeway for opinion in regard to the doctrine of the Rapture, there is no Biblical support for a view that puts the Church, the Bride of Christ through the wrath of God. We certainly may suffer the wrath of man before the Lord returns in the clouds (many Christians have already suffered like that and many are suffering like that even today) But we will never suffer the wrath of God- only the unbelieving world and the wicked nations of the world will suffer God’s wrath.
So Paul said in vs. 10 that whether we Live in the Faith or die in the faith we will All Live together with the Lord.
And we are told to Comfort ourselves and Edify or encourage one another with this Truth-
Jesus is Coming!
He will take all of his children home to heaven with him whether they are dead or alive.
We will all be changed from mortal to immortality to live forever in the presence of the Lord.
We must Watch and be Sober- ready for His Coming.
Vigilance is Vital!
1 Thess. 5:1-11
Intro: When we come to this passage in ch. 5, Paul had just completed the most powerful passage concerning the Rapture in the entire Bible. At the end of 1 Thess 4 we read about the Lord descending from heaven into the clouds; there will be a great shout, the voice of the arch angel, and the blast of God’s trumpet; those who have died while Saved through faith in Jesus Christ will be raised from the dead; those who are living on the earth who are Saved through Faith in Jesus Christ will be “caught up” with those resurrected and together we will all meet the Lord in the Air.
What a tremendous passage! What powerful truth! What a glorious end for every true Christian; to be resurrected from the dead with a glorified body and taken to heaven to be forever with the Lord; or to be Raptured with a glorified body and taken to heaven to be forever with the Lord.
Then here in the first part of ch. 5 Paul continues his theme about the coming of the Lord and the coming of the Day of the Lord which is a day of judgment on the world.
Paul says in verse 6 that in light of the Truth we know about the Rapture, the Resurrection and the coming Day of the Lord, We Must be Vigilant!
Paul said that we must Not Sleep as do others. This is not a metaphor of death; this is a state of spiritual slumber and unconsciousness; speaking of people who should be Ready and Watching for the Lord to come but instead of being Alert and Aware they are dozing off; unaware of how dangerous our times are and how near the coming of the Lord is.
So Paul said to Us who are Christians, Don’t Sleep like others do.
Instead- Let us WATCH and be SOBER.
Watch here in the Greek is gregoreo- meaning be Awake; be Alert; be Vigilant. That same Greek word is used by Peter in his famous verse about the devil being a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour. Remember what Peter said? He said be Sober, Be VIGILANT!
To Watch is be Vigilant; not drowsy, not dozing off spiritually; not having your senses dulled by sleep; being Awake, and Alert, being Vigilant.
Paul also told us to be Sober. The word Sober in the Greek is nepho and means to be Alert and Sharp; not to have your senses dulled with any intoxicant; again be Vigilant.
That’s the call of God and his Word to all of us- We must be Vigilant!
There are three things Paul writes about in this chapter in regard to our Christian Vigilance.
I. We must be Aware of the Season.
No one knows the “day or the hour” when Jesus will step out in the clouds and call his people to heaven, but we should all be aware of the Season of his coming.
Paul says here that these believers are expected to be aware of the times and the seasons in which they live and to understand that when the day of the Lord comes, it will come like a thief in the night. All those who are unaware and unprepared will be claiming that Peace and Safety are eminent when in reality sudden destruction is near!
That’s why Jesus gave all those “signs” we read about in Mat. 24. Those factors have been used by God throughout man’s history as signs of his displeasure and in order to get men’s attention and prompt them to Turn back to God in true repentance and obedience.
Numerous times in the OT God used wars, famines, pestilence, and earthquakes to punish sin and to warn his people of their waywardness.
Through history since the OT days there are numerous instances again of wars, famines, pestilence and earthquakes.
In our days these factors are not only evident but Increasing both in numbers of Occurrence and Intensity.
When the Great Tribulation begins these same terrors will be evident in the opening of those first 6 seals:
1- Deception
2- War
3- Famine
4- Pestilence/ death
6- Great earthquakes
Listen friends, we are in the SEASON of the coming of the Lord and we must be Vigilant; Aware of the Season that we are living in.
II. We must Walk in the Light.
Paul spoke of those who cry out, “Peace and Safety,” but find sudden destruction and he makes the point that all those who are overcome and destroyed are walking in Darkness.
But, Paul says, you children of God should NOT be walking in darkness for you are Children of the Light and you should be Walking in that Light.
What does it mean to be Walking in the Light?
It means to be walking or living in the Truth; knowing the truth and living accordingly.
When we say that someone is “in the dark” about something we are saying they are ignorant or not in the know; they don’t know about it and are totally unaware. So it is that the majority of the world is “in the dark” when it comes to their future. They don’t really know about the Rapture and Resurrection; about Christians being caught up into heaven; about the judgment and wrath that are coming upon this world. They are walking in the dark! We are walking in the Light!
We KNOW- We are aware- we are not stumbling in the darkness of ignorance and rushing headlong into judgment and destruction.
We must Walk in the Light!
We must be Aware of our times and Walk in the Light.
Vigilance is Vital!
III. We must Wear the Armor of God.
Ephesians ch. 6 details the entire outfit of the armor of God but here Paul gives a brief sketch of it mentioning a breastplate of Faith and Love and the Helmet of Salvation.
In Eph. 6 we are told that God has provided a complete Christian armor that we are Put On!
- Helmet of salvation
- Breastplate of righteousness
- Belt of Truth
- Shoes of the Gospel
- Shield of Faith/ Sword of the Spirit
- Power of Prayer
We must be equipped for the times that we are living in AND we must be prepared for the times that are Coming!
Paul reminds us that God has Not appointed His Children; his sons and daughters; to suffer His Wrath. God has appointed us to Obtain Salvation- total and complete salvation- salvation in its final form where we are changed from mortal to immortality to live forever in God’s presence.
These verses point out to us that even though there is some leeway for opinion in regard to the doctrine of the Rapture, there is no Biblical support for a view that puts the Church, the Bride of Christ through the wrath of God. We certainly may suffer the wrath of man before the Lord returns in the clouds (many Christians have already suffered like that and many are suffering like that even today) But we will never suffer the wrath of God- only the unbelieving world and the wicked nations of the world will suffer God’s wrath.
So Paul said in vs. 10 that whether we Live in the Faith or die in the faith we will All Live together with the Lord.
And we are told to Comfort ourselves and Edify or encourage one another with this Truth-
Jesus is Coming!
He will take all of his children home to heaven with him whether they are dead or alive.
We will all be changed from mortal to immortality to live forever in the presence of the Lord.
We must Watch and be Sober- ready for His Coming.
Vigilance is Vital!
- Published on
Let’s Soar in 2024
Isaiah 40: 29-31
Intro: This is a very familiar passage but I think it holds a very relevant message for all of us as we begin a brand new year.
I know that entering a New Year does not change everything in life.
If you were sick on Dec 31 you were probably still sick on Jan 1.
If you were having trouble with a relationship on Dec. 31 it probably hasn’t resolved just because a new year started.
If you were struggling financially; if you were going through a difficult time; if you were discouraged; or whatever else you might have been experiencing on the last day of 2023 you are probably facing those same issues here in 2024.
So- starting a new year and opening a new calendar doesn’t automatically clear away all the troubles of life.
BUT- starting a new year and a new calendar gives all of us an opportunity to DO BETTER; to make changes that need to be made in our lives; to get a new perspective and get a second wind, a new energy, to move forward in the new year.
So, Isaiah wrote the words of God and told us the following important truths:
- God is Everlasting (he will never die or cease to exist)
- God is the Creator of all things even to the end of the earth.
- God never becomes weary and never faints; there is nothing that he doesn’t know and understand.
AND- This eternal, powerful God Gives Power to Humble Human Beings!
God gives Power to those who are Weak and Fainting.
God gives Strength to those who are Weary and Failing.
- No person and no age group is exempted from the condition of being Faint and Weary and Weak; even young people will be Weary; will Faint; will Fail.
But All who will Wait on the Lord (all those who will Look to the Lord for their help; all those who will Reach out to the Lord for help; all those who will Patiently Wait for the Lord to answer and to act) Those will have their Strength renewed; Those will Mount up with Wings like Eagles; They will SOAR Like Eagles in the Bright Blue Sky!
They will Continue to Run the Race of Life and will not be Weary.
They will Continue to Walk through Life and not Faint.
What a Glorious Passage!
What Great Promises!
This passage is for US! These truths are for YOU!
If you are feeling Weary Spiritually, I have good news for you; if you will Look to the Lord Patiently and Faithfully- He will Renew Your Strength.
If you are Fainting Spiritually and feel like you have Failed I have good news for you; If you will Look to the Lord Patiently and Faithfully- He will Lift You Up and You Will Soar like an Eagle.
Let’s Soar in 2024!
1) Let’s Soar over our Doubts in 2024.
Have you been beset with doubts like John the Baptist?
Has life’s circumstances caused you wonder if God is Real; if God really does have all Power; if God really Cares about You.
That’s the way John felt. But when he Waited on the Lord, he received encouragement and strength his Doubts faded away as he Soared in Faith.
Have you been beset with Doubts like Thomas?
Have the circumstances of life caused you to wonder if Jesus is really alive and if the Word of God is really true?
That’s the way Thomas felt. But when he Came and Met the Lord again all of his Doubts faded away and He Soared above them in Faith.
You need to Soar above your doubts in 2024.
2) Let’s Soar over our Discouragement in 2024.
Have you been discouraged like Elijah?
Have your situations overwhelmed your Mind? Overwhelmed your Feelings? Caused you to feel Down, to feel Defeated?
That’s the way Elijah felt. BUT when he made his journey to the Mount of God and waited patiently for God to speak to him, He was Lifted Up by the Presence of God; he was Lifted Up by the Promises of God; His discouragement faded away and He Soared above it in Confidence and Hope.
You need to Soar above your Discouragement in 2024!
3) Let’s Soar over our Defeat in 2024.
Have you been defeated like Peter and felt like a total failure?
That’s the way Peter felt. He had denied the Lord after Boasting about how Faithful and Courageous he was. Now he felt so Defeated and like such a Failure. BUT when he got alone and Prayed it through, he found Forgiveness and Grace. Jesus came to him personally and renewed his Courage and his Purpose in life.
Did you fail in some of your decisions in 2023?
Did you fail to keep some of your promises to God?
Did you fail to maintain your Christian convictions and testimony?
Did you deny the Lord by some of your actions?
Well- you need to humble yourself and seek the Lord’s forgiveness. Then you can Soar above your Defeat and Fly high in Victory.
God told Israel in Exodus 19 that He had Borne them up on Eagle’s Wings and had Brought them to himself. When you don’t feel like you have Eagle’s wings- God still does! And he will Bear you up on His Wings until you get your Wings.
David said in Psalm 103:5 that God will Satisfy us with Good things and Renew our Youth like the Eagle’s.
Let’s Soar in 2024!
Soar over your Doubts; Soar over your Discouragement; Soar over your Defeats.
Isaiah 40: 29-31
Intro: This is a very familiar passage but I think it holds a very relevant message for all of us as we begin a brand new year.
I know that entering a New Year does not change everything in life.
If you were sick on Dec 31 you were probably still sick on Jan 1.
If you were having trouble with a relationship on Dec. 31 it probably hasn’t resolved just because a new year started.
If you were struggling financially; if you were going through a difficult time; if you were discouraged; or whatever else you might have been experiencing on the last day of 2023 you are probably facing those same issues here in 2024.
So- starting a new year and opening a new calendar doesn’t automatically clear away all the troubles of life.
BUT- starting a new year and a new calendar gives all of us an opportunity to DO BETTER; to make changes that need to be made in our lives; to get a new perspective and get a second wind, a new energy, to move forward in the new year.
So, Isaiah wrote the words of God and told us the following important truths:
- God is Everlasting (he will never die or cease to exist)
- God is the Creator of all things even to the end of the earth.
- God never becomes weary and never faints; there is nothing that he doesn’t know and understand.
AND- This eternal, powerful God Gives Power to Humble Human Beings!
God gives Power to those who are Weak and Fainting.
God gives Strength to those who are Weary and Failing.
- No person and no age group is exempted from the condition of being Faint and Weary and Weak; even young people will be Weary; will Faint; will Fail.
But All who will Wait on the Lord (all those who will Look to the Lord for their help; all those who will Reach out to the Lord for help; all those who will Patiently Wait for the Lord to answer and to act) Those will have their Strength renewed; Those will Mount up with Wings like Eagles; They will SOAR Like Eagles in the Bright Blue Sky!
They will Continue to Run the Race of Life and will not be Weary.
They will Continue to Walk through Life and not Faint.
What a Glorious Passage!
What Great Promises!
This passage is for US! These truths are for YOU!
If you are feeling Weary Spiritually, I have good news for you; if you will Look to the Lord Patiently and Faithfully- He will Renew Your Strength.
If you are Fainting Spiritually and feel like you have Failed I have good news for you; If you will Look to the Lord Patiently and Faithfully- He will Lift You Up and You Will Soar like an Eagle.
Let’s Soar in 2024!
1) Let’s Soar over our Doubts in 2024.
Have you been beset with doubts like John the Baptist?
Has life’s circumstances caused you wonder if God is Real; if God really does have all Power; if God really Cares about You.
That’s the way John felt. But when he Waited on the Lord, he received encouragement and strength his Doubts faded away as he Soared in Faith.
Have you been beset with Doubts like Thomas?
Have the circumstances of life caused you to wonder if Jesus is really alive and if the Word of God is really true?
That’s the way Thomas felt. But when he Came and Met the Lord again all of his Doubts faded away and He Soared above them in Faith.
You need to Soar above your doubts in 2024.
2) Let’s Soar over our Discouragement in 2024.
Have you been discouraged like Elijah?
Have your situations overwhelmed your Mind? Overwhelmed your Feelings? Caused you to feel Down, to feel Defeated?
That’s the way Elijah felt. BUT when he made his journey to the Mount of God and waited patiently for God to speak to him, He was Lifted Up by the Presence of God; he was Lifted Up by the Promises of God; His discouragement faded away and He Soared above it in Confidence and Hope.
You need to Soar above your Discouragement in 2024!
3) Let’s Soar over our Defeat in 2024.
Have you been defeated like Peter and felt like a total failure?
That’s the way Peter felt. He had denied the Lord after Boasting about how Faithful and Courageous he was. Now he felt so Defeated and like such a Failure. BUT when he got alone and Prayed it through, he found Forgiveness and Grace. Jesus came to him personally and renewed his Courage and his Purpose in life.
Did you fail in some of your decisions in 2023?
Did you fail to keep some of your promises to God?
Did you fail to maintain your Christian convictions and testimony?
Did you deny the Lord by some of your actions?
Well- you need to humble yourself and seek the Lord’s forgiveness. Then you can Soar above your Defeat and Fly high in Victory.
God told Israel in Exodus 19 that He had Borne them up on Eagle’s Wings and had Brought them to himself. When you don’t feel like you have Eagle’s wings- God still does! And he will Bear you up on His Wings until you get your Wings.
David said in Psalm 103:5 that God will Satisfy us with Good things and Renew our Youth like the Eagle’s.
Let’s Soar in 2024!
Soar over your Doubts; Soar over your Discouragement; Soar over your Defeats.
- Published on
-Trinity.
The word “Trinity” is a term used to express the Unity of 3 persons as 1 God. This is a word not found in Scripture, but the doctrine is certainly there. This word was first coined by Tertullian, an early church father and theologian in the 2nd Century. It expresses in one word the Doctrine of 3 persons as 1 God as it is presented in the Bible. While others claim to be following “apostolic doctrine,” actually the Trinity was the doctrine of the early church; the doctrine of Jesus himself; even the doctrine of the Old Testament!
1) There is One God- one Divine Nature.
2) There are 3 Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
3) These 3 are 1 God; one in nature; one in essence; one in majesty; one in purpose; One God.
Some ask how 3 can be referred to as 1? Well, how can 2 be referred to as one: Man, Wife=One Flesh? How can 2 distinct dreams of Pharaoh (one about cows; one about corn) be referred to as “one?” Joseph said by the inspiration of God that the dreams were One! The word “one” as it is used in these instances is a word of compound unity. The man and woman do not become one person; they become one marriage with one purpose. The dreams of Joseph were not one singular dream but two dreams with the exact same meaning; therefore one. Our God is not “one” person, but one Mighty God in three persons.
This is proved by the Bible in the:
- Creation
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth; Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters; Let US make man in OUR image. Who was there with the Father when he said Let US? The Son of God was there; for John said that In the beginning was the Word; the Word was With God (with the Father) and the Word was God; (was Deity just like the father); the same was in the beginning with God; All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made.
The Trinity was present and powerfully working in the Creation.
- Conception of Jesus Christ.
In Lk1:26 the Father sent a message to Mary by Gabriel.
Lk 1:35 “the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee; power of the highest shall overshadow thee.”
Lk 1: 35- “the holy thing born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Father planned it and proclaimed it; Holy Ghost performed it; The Son became Jesus in Mary’s womb.
- Baptism of Jesus;
Jesus was physically in the water; the Father spoke audibly from heaven; the Holy Ghost descended visibly in the shape of a dove.
- Great Commission- Jesus said in Mt. 28:19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father; and of the Son; and of the Holy Ghost.
- Benediction of Paul in 2 Cor. 13:14- The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ; and the Love of God; and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all.
Trinity! A word not in the Bible, but a Great word.
II. Rapture!
The word “rapture” is a term used to describe the catching away of all believers to be with the Lord. Some refuse to use this word since it is not in the Bible; BUT the truth of it is there! The doctrine of it is there! The word simply means to “seize or snatch or catch up.”
Paul said in 1 Thess. 4:16,17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
We will be “caught up!” That’s why the word Rapture became associated with the coming of the Lord For his saints. The word “rapture” is not in the Bible but the doctrine is and it is our Blessed Hope!
III. Christmas!
No the word Christmas is not in the Bible but the EVENT is there! There is some question as to the exact day and date Jesus was born. Some say it was Jan 6, some say April 20, some say May 20. Does it really matter? No, it doesn’t really matter What the date was; what really matters is that there is A DAY already set aside and designated to Celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ so who cares what day or date it is? I know some hold their nose in the air and claim that “Christmas” is a pagan holiday but I beg to differ. Christmas or any other day for that matter Can be a pagan holiday, but Christmas the way I celebrate it is Not a Pagan Holiday, it is a Holy Day!
This day celebrates the greatest Miracle ever Performed!
God’s Son, the Second Person of the Trinity who existed as God with the Father and the Holy Ghost from eternity past was conceived in the womb of Mary! The Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Almighty, Christ became a human being! He was born as a baby boy in the town of Bethlehem and was placed in a manger for his crib.
Gal. 4:4- In the fulness of time God sent forth his Son, made of a woman and made under the law to redeem them that were under the law.
Phil. 2:6,7 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Heb. 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
How can anyone NOT celebrate Christmas?
Especially when you KNOW Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior?
Christmas a Pagan holiday? You must be kidding? Now if its only about Santa Claus, Reindeer and Elves, then it might be a pagan holiday, but when its about JESUS, it is truly a Holy Day.
No doubt you’ve read the story of the Grinch who stole Christmas? The Grinch hated the celebration; hated the people’s trees and decorations and presents and feasts and especially their singing of carols. He decided to steal Christmas so he stole the trees, decorations, presents, and food; AND Guess what he heard the next morning? The people were still singing! Why? Because Christmas is not just about trees, decorations, food, presents or even Family!
It’s not just about time off of work or school. It’s the Birthday of Jesus Christ, God’s Son who came to be the Savior of the World.
While you enjoy all the festivities that go along with the Christmas season, don’t forget what it’s really all about. The old saying is right: Jesus is the Reason for the Season.
Merry Christmas!
The word “Trinity” is a term used to express the Unity of 3 persons as 1 God. This is a word not found in Scripture, but the doctrine is certainly there. This word was first coined by Tertullian, an early church father and theologian in the 2nd Century. It expresses in one word the Doctrine of 3 persons as 1 God as it is presented in the Bible. While others claim to be following “apostolic doctrine,” actually the Trinity was the doctrine of the early church; the doctrine of Jesus himself; even the doctrine of the Old Testament!
1) There is One God- one Divine Nature.
2) There are 3 Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
3) These 3 are 1 God; one in nature; one in essence; one in majesty; one in purpose; One God.
Some ask how 3 can be referred to as 1? Well, how can 2 be referred to as one: Man, Wife=One Flesh? How can 2 distinct dreams of Pharaoh (one about cows; one about corn) be referred to as “one?” Joseph said by the inspiration of God that the dreams were One! The word “one” as it is used in these instances is a word of compound unity. The man and woman do not become one person; they become one marriage with one purpose. The dreams of Joseph were not one singular dream but two dreams with the exact same meaning; therefore one. Our God is not “one” person, but one Mighty God in three persons.
This is proved by the Bible in the:
- Creation
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth; Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters; Let US make man in OUR image. Who was there with the Father when he said Let US? The Son of God was there; for John said that In the beginning was the Word; the Word was With God (with the Father) and the Word was God; (was Deity just like the father); the same was in the beginning with God; All things were made by him and without him was not anything made that was made.
The Trinity was present and powerfully working in the Creation.
- Conception of Jesus Christ.
In Lk1:26 the Father sent a message to Mary by Gabriel.
Lk 1:35 “the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee; power of the highest shall overshadow thee.”
Lk 1: 35- “the holy thing born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
Father planned it and proclaimed it; Holy Ghost performed it; The Son became Jesus in Mary’s womb.
- Baptism of Jesus;
Jesus was physically in the water; the Father spoke audibly from heaven; the Holy Ghost descended visibly in the shape of a dove.
- Great Commission- Jesus said in Mt. 28:19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father; and of the Son; and of the Holy Ghost.
- Benediction of Paul in 2 Cor. 13:14- The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ; and the Love of God; and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all.
Trinity! A word not in the Bible, but a Great word.
II. Rapture!
The word “rapture” is a term used to describe the catching away of all believers to be with the Lord. Some refuse to use this word since it is not in the Bible; BUT the truth of it is there! The doctrine of it is there! The word simply means to “seize or snatch or catch up.”
Paul said in 1 Thess. 4:16,17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
We will be “caught up!” That’s why the word Rapture became associated with the coming of the Lord For his saints. The word “rapture” is not in the Bible but the doctrine is and it is our Blessed Hope!
III. Christmas!
No the word Christmas is not in the Bible but the EVENT is there! There is some question as to the exact day and date Jesus was born. Some say it was Jan 6, some say April 20, some say May 20. Does it really matter? No, it doesn’t really matter What the date was; what really matters is that there is A DAY already set aside and designated to Celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ so who cares what day or date it is? I know some hold their nose in the air and claim that “Christmas” is a pagan holiday but I beg to differ. Christmas or any other day for that matter Can be a pagan holiday, but Christmas the way I celebrate it is Not a Pagan Holiday, it is a Holy Day!
This day celebrates the greatest Miracle ever Performed!
God’s Son, the Second Person of the Trinity who existed as God with the Father and the Holy Ghost from eternity past was conceived in the womb of Mary! The Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Almighty, Christ became a human being! He was born as a baby boy in the town of Bethlehem and was placed in a manger for his crib.
Gal. 4:4- In the fulness of time God sent forth his Son, made of a woman and made under the law to redeem them that were under the law.
Phil. 2:6,7 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Heb. 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
How can anyone NOT celebrate Christmas?
Especially when you KNOW Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior?
Christmas a Pagan holiday? You must be kidding? Now if its only about Santa Claus, Reindeer and Elves, then it might be a pagan holiday, but when its about JESUS, it is truly a Holy Day.
No doubt you’ve read the story of the Grinch who stole Christmas? The Grinch hated the celebration; hated the people’s trees and decorations and presents and feasts and especially their singing of carols. He decided to steal Christmas so he stole the trees, decorations, presents, and food; AND Guess what he heard the next morning? The people were still singing! Why? Because Christmas is not just about trees, decorations, food, presents or even Family!
It’s not just about time off of work or school. It’s the Birthday of Jesus Christ, God’s Son who came to be the Savior of the World.
While you enjoy all the festivities that go along with the Christmas season, don’t forget what it’s really all about. The old saying is right: Jesus is the Reason for the Season.
Merry Christmas!
- Published on
Grace in Three Time Zones
Titus 2:11-14
Intro: One of the hassles of travel are the time zones. Pretty well every trip we’ve ever made to visit my wife’s family has been from the Central into the Eastern time zone so we always “lost” an hour. Of course, when you head home, you “gain” the hour back but it can be a “pain” in traveling. Did you know that there are 40 times zones around the world? However, to narrow things down a bit, really all of time is divided into Three Time Zones: Past, Present, Future.
So let’s take a look at Grace in Three Time Zones.
I. Grace in the Past
“The grace of God that bringeth salvation HATH appeared to all men...”
In Eden man was separated from God by sin. When Adam and Eve sinned, they realized they were naked (they lost their clothing of light and innocence) so they tried to cover themselves by sewing fig leaves together. When God arrived on the scene, he sacrificed animals and used their skins to cover the nakedness that sin had caused, but the human race inherited a nature that was Depraved and Contaminated with sin.
There was NOTHING man could do to Reconcile himself to God; there was NOTHING man could do to change his sinful nature; to rid himself of sin.
God was absolutely HOLY- Man was altogether Sinful;
Thank God- God took the initiative to reconcile man to himself!
Yes, a Price had to be Paid for sin; it could not just be over looked or ignored; AND the price had to be a PERFECT sacrifice; one not depraved and contaminated by sin like the rest of the human race.
God so loved the World that he Gave his only begotten Son; Jesus was born of a virgin and came to be the Sinless Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the whole world.
Jesus took our punishment upon himself; he was tortured and Crucified; his blood was shed to pay for our sin; He was wounded for OUR transgressions and bruised for our iniquities; chastised for our peace; and took stripes for Our Healing.
Thank God for Grace in the Past- Grace that brought Salvation!
II. Grace in the Present
“The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men... Teaching US that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.”
Grace in the Present brings Sanctification and Holiness to our lives.
Teaching US— right now; in the present.
Many in our day use God’s Grace as an EXCUSE for worldliness and ungodliness. They claim that since we are “under grace” we have no obligations in regard to our conduct or how we live. They usually say to anyone who believes in holiness of life, “You are under the law; but we are under Grace.”
How ridiculous is that?!!! Anyone who is saved is under grace; no one can be saved without God’s Grace. AND the same Grace that saves us also teaches us; the same grace that saves us also works to sanctify us.
Jeremiah faced the same attitude in his ancient day: Jer. 7:9,10 Will ye steal, murder, & commit adultery & swear falsely, & offer incense to baal & walk after other gods AND come and stand before me in the house which is called by my name and Say, “we are delivered to do all these abominations?”
How tragic that people will use God’s grace as an excuse to disobey God’s Word; to disrespect God’s House; to deny God’s holiness.
I live a life of holiness, not because I am under the law, but because I AM under Grace!
Grace teaches us to have a PURE MIND- grace will not allow the mind to feed on filth- on pornography; on indecency; on the perversion of homosexuality; on fornication, adultery, and immorality.
If you watch shows and videos that portray these things you are not listening to the teaching of Grace. If you are listening to music that promotes these things you are not listening to the teaching of Grace.
Some people evidently need to stop all use of the internet; on the home computer, the lap top and the cell phone because they clearly cannot control what sites they frequent. By some of the pictures people post for the whole world to see they are making it evident that they are NOT listening to the teaching of Grace.
At least this seems to be the case when when they are on “Vacation” or at Halloween. Can you imagine? Does anyone remember like I do when halloween was a KIDS day to dress up like a cowboy or princess and get a little candy in the neighborhood? Now adults have taken it over and made it the Ultimate Dress Up Holiday; of course many of them take the opportunity to “dress up” in costumes that are Not Modest and often include Cross Dressing. Grace will teach us to have our emotions and feelings under the control of the Word of God and the Holy Ghost.
Grace will teach us to have our Body submitted to the truths and principles of God’s word.
Grace will teach us to Dress Modestly, not revealing the body either by lack of clothing or by clothing that is form fitting and tight.
Grace will teach us to maintain gender distinction and we will dress appropriately. Men will dress and behave as men; women will dress and behave as ladies.
Remember, modest dress is Not Traditional; it is Biblical!
Grace in the present teaches us to live Holy.
Are you denying ungodliness and worldly lusts?
Are you living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world?
III. Grace in the Future
“The grace of God that bringeth salvation Hath appeared to all men; Teaching Us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; LOOKING for that Blessed Hope, the Glorious Appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
Grace in the future takes us from this earth to heaven when Jesus comes in the clouds.
1 Thess.4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God; the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The same grace that brought salvation in the past is the same grace that teaches us to live holy in the present and that same grace keeps us Looking for the blessed hope of the Rapture. It’s by God’s Grace that we will be caught up to be with the Lord and enjoy the glories of heaven while living forever in the presence of the Lord!
Thank God for His Marvelous Grace!
Titus 2:11-14
Intro: One of the hassles of travel are the time zones. Pretty well every trip we’ve ever made to visit my wife’s family has been from the Central into the Eastern time zone so we always “lost” an hour. Of course, when you head home, you “gain” the hour back but it can be a “pain” in traveling. Did you know that there are 40 times zones around the world? However, to narrow things down a bit, really all of time is divided into Three Time Zones: Past, Present, Future.
So let’s take a look at Grace in Three Time Zones.
I. Grace in the Past
“The grace of God that bringeth salvation HATH appeared to all men...”
In Eden man was separated from God by sin. When Adam and Eve sinned, they realized they were naked (they lost their clothing of light and innocence) so they tried to cover themselves by sewing fig leaves together. When God arrived on the scene, he sacrificed animals and used their skins to cover the nakedness that sin had caused, but the human race inherited a nature that was Depraved and Contaminated with sin.
There was NOTHING man could do to Reconcile himself to God; there was NOTHING man could do to change his sinful nature; to rid himself of sin.
God was absolutely HOLY- Man was altogether Sinful;
Thank God- God took the initiative to reconcile man to himself!
Yes, a Price had to be Paid for sin; it could not just be over looked or ignored; AND the price had to be a PERFECT sacrifice; one not depraved and contaminated by sin like the rest of the human race.
God so loved the World that he Gave his only begotten Son; Jesus was born of a virgin and came to be the Sinless Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the whole world.
Jesus took our punishment upon himself; he was tortured and Crucified; his blood was shed to pay for our sin; He was wounded for OUR transgressions and bruised for our iniquities; chastised for our peace; and took stripes for Our Healing.
Thank God for Grace in the Past- Grace that brought Salvation!
II. Grace in the Present
“The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men... Teaching US that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.”
Grace in the Present brings Sanctification and Holiness to our lives.
Teaching US— right now; in the present.
Many in our day use God’s Grace as an EXCUSE for worldliness and ungodliness. They claim that since we are “under grace” we have no obligations in regard to our conduct or how we live. They usually say to anyone who believes in holiness of life, “You are under the law; but we are under Grace.”
How ridiculous is that?!!! Anyone who is saved is under grace; no one can be saved without God’s Grace. AND the same Grace that saves us also teaches us; the same grace that saves us also works to sanctify us.
Jeremiah faced the same attitude in his ancient day: Jer. 7:9,10 Will ye steal, murder, & commit adultery & swear falsely, & offer incense to baal & walk after other gods AND come and stand before me in the house which is called by my name and Say, “we are delivered to do all these abominations?”
How tragic that people will use God’s grace as an excuse to disobey God’s Word; to disrespect God’s House; to deny God’s holiness.
I live a life of holiness, not because I am under the law, but because I AM under Grace!
Grace teaches us to have a PURE MIND- grace will not allow the mind to feed on filth- on pornography; on indecency; on the perversion of homosexuality; on fornication, adultery, and immorality.
If you watch shows and videos that portray these things you are not listening to the teaching of Grace. If you are listening to music that promotes these things you are not listening to the teaching of Grace.
Some people evidently need to stop all use of the internet; on the home computer, the lap top and the cell phone because they clearly cannot control what sites they frequent. By some of the pictures people post for the whole world to see they are making it evident that they are NOT listening to the teaching of Grace.
At least this seems to be the case when when they are on “Vacation” or at Halloween. Can you imagine? Does anyone remember like I do when halloween was a KIDS day to dress up like a cowboy or princess and get a little candy in the neighborhood? Now adults have taken it over and made it the Ultimate Dress Up Holiday; of course many of them take the opportunity to “dress up” in costumes that are Not Modest and often include Cross Dressing. Grace will teach us to have our emotions and feelings under the control of the Word of God and the Holy Ghost.
Grace will teach us to have our Body submitted to the truths and principles of God’s word.
Grace will teach us to Dress Modestly, not revealing the body either by lack of clothing or by clothing that is form fitting and tight.
Grace will teach us to maintain gender distinction and we will dress appropriately. Men will dress and behave as men; women will dress and behave as ladies.
Remember, modest dress is Not Traditional; it is Biblical!
Grace in the present teaches us to live Holy.
Are you denying ungodliness and worldly lusts?
Are you living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world?
III. Grace in the Future
“The grace of God that bringeth salvation Hath appeared to all men; Teaching Us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; LOOKING for that Blessed Hope, the Glorious Appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.”
Grace in the future takes us from this earth to heaven when Jesus comes in the clouds.
1 Thess.4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God; the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The same grace that brought salvation in the past is the same grace that teaches us to live holy in the present and that same grace keeps us Looking for the blessed hope of the Rapture. It’s by God’s Grace that we will be caught up to be with the Lord and enjoy the glories of heaven while living forever in the presence of the Lord!
Thank God for His Marvelous Grace!