- Published on
Three “Appearings” of Jesus
Heb. 9:24-28
Intro: Notice the word “appear” in these verses:
24 -now to appear
26- hath he appeared
28- shall he appear
Three appearings in the Life and Ministry of Jesus.
I. He Hath Appeared. (26)
Thank God Jesus Christ has already appeared! It is a historical fact that Jesus was born as baby in Bethlehem.
He has appeared as a Human Man. Though he was Deity, he became a human man. Jesus was in the beginning with the Father and created all things. John said that “without him was not anything made that was made. “ Col. 1:15-19 Who is the image of the invisible God... by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
- He is the Image of the Invisible God
- By him all things were created
- He is Before all things
- By him all things consist (stay together, cohere)
- He is the Beginning and the firstborn from the dead.
Yet he has appeared as a human man. According to Heb. 2:16 he did not take on the nature of angels [that would have been a great step down] but he took on the nature of Man. Paul wrote that he made himself of no reputation; took on the form of a servant; was made in the likeness of man; he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He became a partaker of flesh and blood and appeared as a human man. Yet...
He has appeared As the Son of God.
He was not Just a human man, he was still God the Son. He did not lose his identity; he did not lose his deity; he did not cease to be divine. Jesus did not claim to be just a Good Man or just a Teacher or just a Prophet or just an Example for mankind to imitate. He claimed to be the Very Son of God. That’s why the Jews rejected Him and reviled Him and refused to accept Him. That’s why they tried many times to kill him and finally were allowed to Crucify Him on Calvary. “He made himself equal with God.” (Jn 5:18)
Yes, Jesus Hath Appeared! He Has Appeared as God’s Sacrifice for Sin and As the World’s Savior.
II. He Now Appears. (24)
“Now to appear...”
He Appears Now as our High Priest and Mediator.
Jesus took our sins to Calvary, then He took the Offering of His blood to heaven as the payment for the sins of the world. As our High Priest, he offered his sacrifice to the Father and made the atonement.
He represented God to Us.
He represents Us to God. He is The ONLY mediator between God and Man.
He Appears Now as our Advocate.
He not only acted as our High Priest before the Throne of God in heaven, he also sits on the right hand of the Throne and speaks on our behalf to the Father. John said that if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Remember, Satan is called the “accuser of the brethren.” The Book of Job records how the Devil accused Job before God. When Satan accuses us, Jesus Christ appears as our Legal Counsel, our Advocate, our Divine Lawyer to plead our case.
He Appears Now as our Intercessor.
Not only does Jesus plead our case for us, He Prays for us. Rom 8:34 ... It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
When Jesus warned Peter of Satan’s desire to sift him as wheat, he told him, But I have prayed for you that your Faith fail not.
What a tremendous truth. to realize that Jesus Himself prays to the Father for us. Do you believe that the Father hears and answers the prayers of Jesus?
He has appeared; He now appears, and ...
III. He Shall Appear. (28)
Oh what a glorious truth! Jesus shall yet appear the second time unto them that look for him.
He Shall Appear in the Rapture.
1 Thess. 4:16- For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch angel and with the trump of God; and 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.
1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God... Beloved, now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.
In Acts 1 Luke told of the Ascension of Christ, how he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. Then angels said to them, “This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Jesus will appear In the Clouds in the Air. He shall appear to Rapture, Catch Away, all Believers.
He Shall Appear at His Revelation to Israel and the World.
The Rapture is the first part of what we call the Second Coming of Christ. At the Rapture he comes For His Saints; At his Revelation he Comes With his Saints.
At the Rapture he comes in the Clouds in the Air; At His Revelation he comes down to the Earth [ his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives- Zec.14:4].
At the Rapture those who have believed on Him as Savior and Lord will be taken into his holy presence.
At the Revelation he comes to deliver Israel from the armies of the anti-Christ and to reveal himself as their Messiah. Israel will believe on Christ at that time and be redeemed as his children.
Zec. 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.10 And I will pour upon the house of David, & upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace & of supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Zec. 13:1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
Rom. 11: 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
YES- Jesus Has Appeared; Jesus Now Appears; and Jesus Shall Appear! Are you ready for his future appearing?
Heb. 9:24-28
Intro: Notice the word “appear” in these verses:
24 -now to appear
26- hath he appeared
28- shall he appear
Three appearings in the Life and Ministry of Jesus.
I. He Hath Appeared. (26)
Thank God Jesus Christ has already appeared! It is a historical fact that Jesus was born as baby in Bethlehem.
He has appeared as a Human Man. Though he was Deity, he became a human man. Jesus was in the beginning with the Father and created all things. John said that “without him was not anything made that was made. “ Col. 1:15-19 Who is the image of the invisible God... by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
- He is the Image of the Invisible God
- By him all things were created
- He is Before all things
- By him all things consist (stay together, cohere)
- He is the Beginning and the firstborn from the dead.
Yet he has appeared as a human man. According to Heb. 2:16 he did not take on the nature of angels [that would have been a great step down] but he took on the nature of Man. Paul wrote that he made himself of no reputation; took on the form of a servant; was made in the likeness of man; he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. He became a partaker of flesh and blood and appeared as a human man. Yet...
He has appeared As the Son of God.
He was not Just a human man, he was still God the Son. He did not lose his identity; he did not lose his deity; he did not cease to be divine. Jesus did not claim to be just a Good Man or just a Teacher or just a Prophet or just an Example for mankind to imitate. He claimed to be the Very Son of God. That’s why the Jews rejected Him and reviled Him and refused to accept Him. That’s why they tried many times to kill him and finally were allowed to Crucify Him on Calvary. “He made himself equal with God.” (Jn 5:18)
Yes, Jesus Hath Appeared! He Has Appeared as God’s Sacrifice for Sin and As the World’s Savior.
II. He Now Appears. (24)
“Now to appear...”
He Appears Now as our High Priest and Mediator.
Jesus took our sins to Calvary, then He took the Offering of His blood to heaven as the payment for the sins of the world. As our High Priest, he offered his sacrifice to the Father and made the atonement.
He represented God to Us.
He represents Us to God. He is The ONLY mediator between God and Man.
He Appears Now as our Advocate.
He not only acted as our High Priest before the Throne of God in heaven, he also sits on the right hand of the Throne and speaks on our behalf to the Father. John said that if we sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Remember, Satan is called the “accuser of the brethren.” The Book of Job records how the Devil accused Job before God. When Satan accuses us, Jesus Christ appears as our Legal Counsel, our Advocate, our Divine Lawyer to plead our case.
He Appears Now as our Intercessor.
Not only does Jesus plead our case for us, He Prays for us. Rom 8:34 ... It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
When Jesus warned Peter of Satan’s desire to sift him as wheat, he told him, But I have prayed for you that your Faith fail not.
What a tremendous truth. to realize that Jesus Himself prays to the Father for us. Do you believe that the Father hears and answers the prayers of Jesus?
He has appeared; He now appears, and ...
III. He Shall Appear. (28)
Oh what a glorious truth! Jesus shall yet appear the second time unto them that look for him.
He Shall Appear in the Rapture.
1 Thess. 4:16- For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch angel and with the trump of God; and 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.
1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God... Beloved, now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.
In Acts 1 Luke told of the Ascension of Christ, how he was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight. Then angels said to them, “This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Jesus will appear In the Clouds in the Air. He shall appear to Rapture, Catch Away, all Believers.
He Shall Appear at His Revelation to Israel and the World.
The Rapture is the first part of what we call the Second Coming of Christ. At the Rapture he comes For His Saints; At his Revelation he Comes With his Saints.
At the Rapture he comes in the Clouds in the Air; At His Revelation he comes down to the Earth [ his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives- Zec.14:4].
At the Rapture those who have believed on Him as Savior and Lord will be taken into his holy presence.
At the Revelation he comes to deliver Israel from the armies of the anti-Christ and to reveal himself as their Messiah. Israel will believe on Christ at that time and be redeemed as his children.
Zec. 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.10 And I will pour upon the house of David, & upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace & of supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
Zec. 13:1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
Rom. 11: 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
YES- Jesus Has Appeared; Jesus Now Appears; and Jesus Shall Appear! Are you ready for his future appearing?
- Published on
A Few Good Men
Ezekiel 22:30
Intro: We will soon be celebrating Father’s Day and honoring the good men in our families and in our lives. I know that the Marines have used this title as a slogan for recruiting, and I know I’m not a candidate for the Marines for their definition of a good man majors on physical condition and ability. God told Ezekiel that he was Seeking for a man who would make up the hedge and stand in the gap. Clearly, there’s more here than God just looking for any man; any male member of the human race, for there were men all over the nation of Israel but God was looking for a Good Man; for Good Men; for men who loved God and would stand up for truth.
So, what is a Good Man?
I. A Good Man is a Man who has Learned to Lean.
Pro. 3:5 tells us to Trust in the Lord and warns us NOT to lean on our understanding, but in all our ways we are to acknowledge God and he will direct our paths. Any man who has not learned to Lean on the Lord is not a Good man and as a matter of fact, he will be good for nothing.
A. We Must Learn to Lean on the Lord for Salvation.
A Good man must be a Saved man. Looks are not near enough. Abilities are not near enough. Good qualities are not near enough to qualify you as a good man. You need to be Saved from sin; turned from darkness to light; from an eternity in hell to an eternity in heaven. For by Grace are ye saved, Through Faith, and that not of yourselves it is the Gift of God. You must Lean on the Lord for salvation.
B. We Must Lean on the Lord for Strength.
Is. 40 said that even youths and young men would be weary and would faint and would fall down, BUT those that would Wait upon the Lord would Renew their strength and would mount up with wings like eagles. There is no Do it Yourself way to strength in life; the gym won’t do it for building muscles alone does not build real strength. We need strength of Character; strength of Convictions; strength in our Heart, in our Mind, in our Soul.
II. A Good Man is a Man who has Learned to Lead.
Not only are we called to Lean- to be dependant on the Lord; We are also called to Lead.
A. We are to Lead our Homes.
Whether we like it or not, God has ordained that the man is the Head of the Home; the wife is not; the children are not. You may abdicate the throne of your home here on the earth but you will answer to God for it on judgment day.
The Husband and Father is commanded to Provide Physically and Materially for his family.
The husband and Father is commanded to Protect his family. We are to protect them physically; protect them socially; protect them mentally; protect them emotionally; protect them spiritually.
The husband and father is commanded to Prepare his Family Spiritually. We are to train our children in the ways of the Lord and discipline their behavior according to the Word and Will of God.
B. We are to Lead our Church.
God has ordained that men take the leadership in the local church. Yes, I believe that God sometimes calls women to preach or to teach and to fulfill roles in the local church, But God calls for the men to take the Lead in the church. Ever wonder if all the women were removed from your local church what the church would be able to accomplish or if it could even survive?
A Good Man as Learned to Lean and to Lead.
III. A Good Man is a Man who has Learned to Love.
A. We are to Love God Supremely.
Jesus stated the first and greatest commandment was this: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength. Our love for God must be supreme; above all other loves in our life; above all other affections; above all other desires; above all other loyalties.
B. We are to Love our Families Unconditionally.
Every time the husband is addressed in the New Testament, he is commanded to Love his wife. The love commanded is agape in the Greek which is sacrificing love, committed love. We are to love our children the same way; with sacrificing love and committed love.
C. We are to Love Others Sincerely.
After the first and great commandment came the second great commandment: love thy neighbor as thyself. The truly Good Man will love others and not just himself. Selfishness will not be part of the good man’s character. May God help us all to love not only our precious Lord and our wonderful family but all those that God has created in his image.
The Good Man has learned to Lean, to Lead, and to Love.
God’s still seeking for a Few Good Men! Will you be one?
Ezekiel 22:30
Intro: We will soon be celebrating Father’s Day and honoring the good men in our families and in our lives. I know that the Marines have used this title as a slogan for recruiting, and I know I’m not a candidate for the Marines for their definition of a good man majors on physical condition and ability. God told Ezekiel that he was Seeking for a man who would make up the hedge and stand in the gap. Clearly, there’s more here than God just looking for any man; any male member of the human race, for there were men all over the nation of Israel but God was looking for a Good Man; for Good Men; for men who loved God and would stand up for truth.
So, what is a Good Man?
I. A Good Man is a Man who has Learned to Lean.
Pro. 3:5 tells us to Trust in the Lord and warns us NOT to lean on our understanding, but in all our ways we are to acknowledge God and he will direct our paths. Any man who has not learned to Lean on the Lord is not a Good man and as a matter of fact, he will be good for nothing.
A. We Must Learn to Lean on the Lord for Salvation.
A Good man must be a Saved man. Looks are not near enough. Abilities are not near enough. Good qualities are not near enough to qualify you as a good man. You need to be Saved from sin; turned from darkness to light; from an eternity in hell to an eternity in heaven. For by Grace are ye saved, Through Faith, and that not of yourselves it is the Gift of God. You must Lean on the Lord for salvation.
B. We Must Lean on the Lord for Strength.
Is. 40 said that even youths and young men would be weary and would faint and would fall down, BUT those that would Wait upon the Lord would Renew their strength and would mount up with wings like eagles. There is no Do it Yourself way to strength in life; the gym won’t do it for building muscles alone does not build real strength. We need strength of Character; strength of Convictions; strength in our Heart, in our Mind, in our Soul.
II. A Good Man is a Man who has Learned to Lead.
Not only are we called to Lean- to be dependant on the Lord; We are also called to Lead.
A. We are to Lead our Homes.
Whether we like it or not, God has ordained that the man is the Head of the Home; the wife is not; the children are not. You may abdicate the throne of your home here on the earth but you will answer to God for it on judgment day.
The Husband and Father is commanded to Provide Physically and Materially for his family.
The husband and Father is commanded to Protect his family. We are to protect them physically; protect them socially; protect them mentally; protect them emotionally; protect them spiritually.
The husband and father is commanded to Prepare his Family Spiritually. We are to train our children in the ways of the Lord and discipline their behavior according to the Word and Will of God.
B. We are to Lead our Church.
God has ordained that men take the leadership in the local church. Yes, I believe that God sometimes calls women to preach or to teach and to fulfill roles in the local church, But God calls for the men to take the Lead in the church. Ever wonder if all the women were removed from your local church what the church would be able to accomplish or if it could even survive?
A Good Man as Learned to Lean and to Lead.
III. A Good Man is a Man who has Learned to Love.
A. We are to Love God Supremely.
Jesus stated the first and greatest commandment was this: Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength. Our love for God must be supreme; above all other loves in our life; above all other affections; above all other desires; above all other loyalties.
B. We are to Love our Families Unconditionally.
Every time the husband is addressed in the New Testament, he is commanded to Love his wife. The love commanded is agape in the Greek which is sacrificing love, committed love. We are to love our children the same way; with sacrificing love and committed love.
C. We are to Love Others Sincerely.
After the first and great commandment came the second great commandment: love thy neighbor as thyself. The truly Good Man will love others and not just himself. Selfishness will not be part of the good man’s character. May God help us all to love not only our precious Lord and our wonderful family but all those that God has created in his image.
The Good Man has learned to Lean, to Lead, and to Love.
God’s still seeking for a Few Good Men! Will you be one?
- Published on
Intro: A Model mother; that word “model” has taken on a whole new meaning in our world. Now it means someone who is Glamorous, with breath taking beauty, perfection of face and figure, a model.
That definition is not so when it comes to being a model mother. The last thing your child needs is a mother who is vain about her appearance; (careful about it, yes; but Vain? No) Some mothers are more concerned about their appearance than they are their children’s well being!
Hannah was a model mother. Now I have no idea how much she weighed; or if she was considered beautiful; or if she would have ever been featured on the cover of any magazine; but she is a great Example of Motherhood and would be a great Model for all young ladies to pattern themselves after.
I. She Considered it a Privilege to be a Mother.
Goodness, we have come to a time where many women consider it a Burden to be a mother, something to be avoided; it would Cramp their lifestyle; restrict their freedom and independence.
Hannah was unable to have children and longed to be a mother. She wanted to bear children and to care for them and to love them. She longed for the thrill of nurturing them through the various stages of life: infancy, childhood, adolescence, teen, young adult and into their own adulthood.
Motherhood is a Privilege! The Bible says that children are the Heritage of the Lord! When God gives children to a man and his wife, he is giving them a BLESSING; giving them an inheritance; a Legacy.
What a privilege to bring another human being into the world to experience life.
What a privilege to bring another Eternal Soul into the world to experience not only earthly life but hopefully to become a child of God and experience Eternal Life as well!
Think how poor our heritage as a nation would be if we had been deprived of such great men and women like George Washington, Ben Franklin, Patrick Henry, Betsy Ross, or Clara Barton.
Think how poor our religious heritage would be without men like Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, John Wesley, D L Moody, OR without Harold and Maurine Essary, L D Moore, Ralph Cox, Gail Myers, and a host of others. Thank God for those faithful ladies who considered it a Privilege to be a Mother.
II. She Considered it Important to Pray.
Hannah went to the tabernacle at Shiloh every year to worship God. As the years went by she continued to pray for a child. In our text passage, she had become so overwhelmed in her spirit with the burden of being childless that she was “in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore.” She was so intense in her praying that Eli thought she was drunk and rebuked her.
Hannah didn’t really care what others thought; she was serious; she was desperate; she was persistent in her prayer. She knew that only God could do what she needed done; no one else could meet her need. She longed for a child so much that she wept sore before the Lord and made her petition known. We don’t read a lot about Hannah’s life later but it seems pretty certain that anyone who prayed like this Before a child was born, certainly prayed like this at times After children were born.
Anyone who has been a parent knows about those crisis times when a call to your mom or dad will not be sufficient; when even a call to 911 will not be sufficient. Any parent who does not know the Power of Prayer is at a terrible disadvantage. Any parent who does not Pray is at a terrible disadvantage. Any parent who does not live in such a way that He or She CAN pray with assurance is at a terrible disadvantage. Our responsibilities are demanding; our tasks are difficult; we NEED God’s help on a regular basis.
III. She Considered it Important to Present Her Child to the Lord.
As she prayed for a child she vowed to the Lord that she would dedicate her child to the Lord for his Service. She promised God that if he gave her a son, her son would be consecrated as a Nazarite for his entire life. He would be consecrated to serve God for his whole life.
Every mother needs to Present her children to the Lord. That doesn’t automatically mean that every boy or girl you have will have to be a preacher, a pastor, a missionary, or an evangelist, [though it may be that God will call them into Ministry]. It does mean that YOU are consecrating Yourself to Bring them up with the Knowledge of God, and that you are dedicating them to God that they will come to love God and live for Him;
After all, what’s most important? That your son or daughter be rich or famous; that they be a corporate executive or a sports star; OR that they be Saved and know what it is to live for God?
Clearly its much more important that a child grow up to love God and live for Him than to be considered successful in this world. All the money my children make will vanish like vapor; (some of it now and all of it later). All the social and business positions my children attain will be forfeited eventually. Any houses, lands, and possessions they may own will be forever lost.
If you do not train your children to love God and live for Him you are setting them up for Failure, not just earthly failure but Eternal Failure. For when God’s divine program is completed every soul that ever lived will be alive in either heaven or hell. Live for God and lead your children to the Lord so you can have an eternal family reunion!
Happy Mother’s Day!
That definition is not so when it comes to being a model mother. The last thing your child needs is a mother who is vain about her appearance; (careful about it, yes; but Vain? No) Some mothers are more concerned about their appearance than they are their children’s well being!
Hannah was a model mother. Now I have no idea how much she weighed; or if she was considered beautiful; or if she would have ever been featured on the cover of any magazine; but she is a great Example of Motherhood and would be a great Model for all young ladies to pattern themselves after.
I. She Considered it a Privilege to be a Mother.
Goodness, we have come to a time where many women consider it a Burden to be a mother, something to be avoided; it would Cramp their lifestyle; restrict their freedom and independence.
Hannah was unable to have children and longed to be a mother. She wanted to bear children and to care for them and to love them. She longed for the thrill of nurturing them through the various stages of life: infancy, childhood, adolescence, teen, young adult and into their own adulthood.
Motherhood is a Privilege! The Bible says that children are the Heritage of the Lord! When God gives children to a man and his wife, he is giving them a BLESSING; giving them an inheritance; a Legacy.
What a privilege to bring another human being into the world to experience life.
What a privilege to bring another Eternal Soul into the world to experience not only earthly life but hopefully to become a child of God and experience Eternal Life as well!
Think how poor our heritage as a nation would be if we had been deprived of such great men and women like George Washington, Ben Franklin, Patrick Henry, Betsy Ross, or Clara Barton.
Think how poor our religious heritage would be without men like Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, John Wesley, D L Moody, OR without Harold and Maurine Essary, L D Moore, Ralph Cox, Gail Myers, and a host of others. Thank God for those faithful ladies who considered it a Privilege to be a Mother.
II. She Considered it Important to Pray.
Hannah went to the tabernacle at Shiloh every year to worship God. As the years went by she continued to pray for a child. In our text passage, she had become so overwhelmed in her spirit with the burden of being childless that she was “in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore.” She was so intense in her praying that Eli thought she was drunk and rebuked her.
Hannah didn’t really care what others thought; she was serious; she was desperate; she was persistent in her prayer. She knew that only God could do what she needed done; no one else could meet her need. She longed for a child so much that she wept sore before the Lord and made her petition known. We don’t read a lot about Hannah’s life later but it seems pretty certain that anyone who prayed like this Before a child was born, certainly prayed like this at times After children were born.
Anyone who has been a parent knows about those crisis times when a call to your mom or dad will not be sufficient; when even a call to 911 will not be sufficient. Any parent who does not know the Power of Prayer is at a terrible disadvantage. Any parent who does not Pray is at a terrible disadvantage. Any parent who does not live in such a way that He or She CAN pray with assurance is at a terrible disadvantage. Our responsibilities are demanding; our tasks are difficult; we NEED God’s help on a regular basis.
III. She Considered it Important to Present Her Child to the Lord.
As she prayed for a child she vowed to the Lord that she would dedicate her child to the Lord for his Service. She promised God that if he gave her a son, her son would be consecrated as a Nazarite for his entire life. He would be consecrated to serve God for his whole life.
Every mother needs to Present her children to the Lord. That doesn’t automatically mean that every boy or girl you have will have to be a preacher, a pastor, a missionary, or an evangelist, [though it may be that God will call them into Ministry]. It does mean that YOU are consecrating Yourself to Bring them up with the Knowledge of God, and that you are dedicating them to God that they will come to love God and live for Him;
After all, what’s most important? That your son or daughter be rich or famous; that they be a corporate executive or a sports star; OR that they be Saved and know what it is to live for God?
Clearly its much more important that a child grow up to love God and live for Him than to be considered successful in this world. All the money my children make will vanish like vapor; (some of it now and all of it later). All the social and business positions my children attain will be forfeited eventually. Any houses, lands, and possessions they may own will be forever lost.
If you do not train your children to love God and live for Him you are setting them up for Failure, not just earthly failure but Eternal Failure. For when God’s divine program is completed every soul that ever lived will be alive in either heaven or hell. Live for God and lead your children to the Lord so you can have an eternal family reunion!
Happy Mother’s Day!
- Published on
Shaken but Safe
Luke 22:31,32
I. Our Lives Will be Shaken
Jesus said that Satan desires to “sift us as wheat...” To Sift means to shake; to agitate; it speaks of a commotion; a disturbance; a turmoil or turbulence. The devil will try to shake our lives until we are separated from our Faith. He wants our Faith in God to blow away like the chaff blows away from the wheat. He wants our Trust in God to blow away like the chaff. He wants to separate us from our Dependence on God. He knows that as long as we Hold tight to God we will be SAFE; He knows that as long as our Faith is strong we will be SAFE; He knows that as long as our Trust in God remains true, we will be SAFE. He Shakes our lives in every way possible.
He shakes us with Sickness and Affliction.
Sickness is part of the human experience. When Adam & Eve sinned, they fell from their perfect state to a fallen state and sin entered into the world. Sin brought sickness and death into the world. As long as we are in this human form, in this physical state, in this natural body, we will be shaken by sickness and afflictions.
I know God heals; I have experienced it myself. Numbers of people I know and numbers from our own church have experienced healing. I believe in divine healing! Still, the devil wants to shake you so with sickness and affliction that you no longer believe that God is a Healer. The devil wants to shake you so that you no longer believe God is concerned about you; that God really loves you for if he did he would take care of that sickness and affliction.
He Shakes us with Sorrow and Anxiety.
The devil has brought such evil into the world that every life knows Sorrow and Anxiety. We have loved ones who die and we are often overcome with sorrow. Then the sorrow causes anxiety and we worry about ourselves; we worry about our children; we worry about our future; we worry about our security; we worry about God’s plan for our life from here on.
The devil loves to shake the Christian with anxiety and worry. He will try his best to separate you from your faith when sorrow comes your way. He will try his best to separate your from your trust in God and cause you to doubt God’s goodness and God’s care.
He Shakes us with Situations that bring Adversity.
Sometimes he shakes our life with financial hardships; loss of employment; loss of income; loss of Job security.
Sometimes he shakes our life with family difficulties; friction in the family; strife among those who should be closest; Sometimes he shakes our families with division or divorce; sometimes with rebellion.
Shaken! Shaken! Shaken! That’s the bad news- our lives will be shaken.
Hebrews 12 speaks of the fact that everything will be shaken (the heavens, the earth and everything on the earth) not with just physical earthquakes but with spiritual earthquakes. Those things that are not secure will be Removed by the Shaking. Some have been removed by the shaking. They have been separated from their faith; separated from their trust in God; separated from their devotion; from their doctrine; from their convictions; from their holy lifestyle.
BUT Hebrews 12 also said that there are things Which Cannot Be Shaken and they will Remain, That we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved.
Thank God that even in the Shaking we can be SAFE.
II. Our Lives will be SAFE.
Safe in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said to Peter, Satan has desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat, BUT I...
I know that Satan is a powerful enemy. I know he is a greater being than I am. I know he is an angelic being while I am a human being, BUT my safety is not in myself but in my LORD.
Satan was Created; Jesus is the Creator.
Satan is Controlled; Jesus is the Controller.
Satan is mighty; Jesus is the ALMIGHTY.
We are Safe in the Person of Jesus for he has never been defeated by Satan and he never will be.
Safe in the Prayers of Jesus
I have prayed for you that your faith fail not.
I feel better when people pray for me, especially people that I have confidence in.
- As a child I felt better when dad and mom prayed for me.
- In my growing up years in Granite City, I had faith in the prayers of Bro. Stewart, Bro. Wolfe, Bro. Tripp, Bro. Brimm, Sis. Norma Miller.
- As a teen and young adult, I had faith in the prayers of Bro. Claude Ely, Bro. Havis Crawford, Bro. Gene Huff, Bro. LD Moore.
I have faith today in the prayers of great men and women of God like Bro. John Gabbard, Sis. Shirley Lester, Bro. L D Savage, Bro. Don Rich.
I have faith in the prayers of people right in this church.
How much more can we have faith in the prayers of JESUS? He really is praying for us! He is at the right hand of Father making intercession for us. SAFE!
Then Jesus said to Peter, “When you are converted, strengthen the brethren.” Notice Jesus said, “When,” Not IF. When you are brought out of this Shaking; brought out of this Sifting; brought out of this Situation; Then Strengthen Someone Else. Help them through their shaking and sifting. Encourage them; Lift them up; Comfort them; Build their Faith and trust in the Lord.
We will be Shaken but we will be SAFE.
Safe in the arms of Jesus Now, and safe on heaven’s shore then!
Luke 22:31,32
I. Our Lives Will be Shaken
Jesus said that Satan desires to “sift us as wheat...” To Sift means to shake; to agitate; it speaks of a commotion; a disturbance; a turmoil or turbulence. The devil will try to shake our lives until we are separated from our Faith. He wants our Faith in God to blow away like the chaff blows away from the wheat. He wants our Trust in God to blow away like the chaff. He wants to separate us from our Dependence on God. He knows that as long as we Hold tight to God we will be SAFE; He knows that as long as our Faith is strong we will be SAFE; He knows that as long as our Trust in God remains true, we will be SAFE. He Shakes our lives in every way possible.
He shakes us with Sickness and Affliction.
Sickness is part of the human experience. When Adam & Eve sinned, they fell from their perfect state to a fallen state and sin entered into the world. Sin brought sickness and death into the world. As long as we are in this human form, in this physical state, in this natural body, we will be shaken by sickness and afflictions.
I know God heals; I have experienced it myself. Numbers of people I know and numbers from our own church have experienced healing. I believe in divine healing! Still, the devil wants to shake you so with sickness and affliction that you no longer believe that God is a Healer. The devil wants to shake you so that you no longer believe God is concerned about you; that God really loves you for if he did he would take care of that sickness and affliction.
He Shakes us with Sorrow and Anxiety.
The devil has brought such evil into the world that every life knows Sorrow and Anxiety. We have loved ones who die and we are often overcome with sorrow. Then the sorrow causes anxiety and we worry about ourselves; we worry about our children; we worry about our future; we worry about our security; we worry about God’s plan for our life from here on.
The devil loves to shake the Christian with anxiety and worry. He will try his best to separate you from your faith when sorrow comes your way. He will try his best to separate your from your trust in God and cause you to doubt God’s goodness and God’s care.
He Shakes us with Situations that bring Adversity.
Sometimes he shakes our life with financial hardships; loss of employment; loss of income; loss of Job security.
Sometimes he shakes our life with family difficulties; friction in the family; strife among those who should be closest; Sometimes he shakes our families with division or divorce; sometimes with rebellion.
Shaken! Shaken! Shaken! That’s the bad news- our lives will be shaken.
Hebrews 12 speaks of the fact that everything will be shaken (the heavens, the earth and everything on the earth) not with just physical earthquakes but with spiritual earthquakes. Those things that are not secure will be Removed by the Shaking. Some have been removed by the shaking. They have been separated from their faith; separated from their trust in God; separated from their devotion; from their doctrine; from their convictions; from their holy lifestyle.
BUT Hebrews 12 also said that there are things Which Cannot Be Shaken and they will Remain, That we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved.
Thank God that even in the Shaking we can be SAFE.
II. Our Lives will be SAFE.
Safe in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said to Peter, Satan has desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat, BUT I...
I know that Satan is a powerful enemy. I know he is a greater being than I am. I know he is an angelic being while I am a human being, BUT my safety is not in myself but in my LORD.
Satan was Created; Jesus is the Creator.
Satan is Controlled; Jesus is the Controller.
Satan is mighty; Jesus is the ALMIGHTY.
We are Safe in the Person of Jesus for he has never been defeated by Satan and he never will be.
Safe in the Prayers of Jesus
I have prayed for you that your faith fail not.
I feel better when people pray for me, especially people that I have confidence in.
- As a child I felt better when dad and mom prayed for me.
- In my growing up years in Granite City, I had faith in the prayers of Bro. Stewart, Bro. Wolfe, Bro. Tripp, Bro. Brimm, Sis. Norma Miller.
- As a teen and young adult, I had faith in the prayers of Bro. Claude Ely, Bro. Havis Crawford, Bro. Gene Huff, Bro. LD Moore.
I have faith today in the prayers of great men and women of God like Bro. John Gabbard, Sis. Shirley Lester, Bro. L D Savage, Bro. Don Rich.
I have faith in the prayers of people right in this church.
How much more can we have faith in the prayers of JESUS? He really is praying for us! He is at the right hand of Father making intercession for us. SAFE!
Then Jesus said to Peter, “When you are converted, strengthen the brethren.” Notice Jesus said, “When,” Not IF. When you are brought out of this Shaking; brought out of this Sifting; brought out of this Situation; Then Strengthen Someone Else. Help them through their shaking and sifting. Encourage them; Lift them up; Comfort them; Build their Faith and trust in the Lord.
We will be Shaken but we will be SAFE.
Safe in the arms of Jesus Now, and safe on heaven’s shore then!
- Published on
Planted by God
Jer. 17:5-8
Intro: These verses declare the trouble that comes to the man who trusts in man and whose heart departs from the Lord. It’s a terrible thing to trust more in the creature than in the Mighty Creator!
Those who trust in man are likened to a bush in the desert that has to exist in an arid, dry, and parched land. Sounds like a desolate existence!
These verses also declare the blessings that come to those who Trust In the Lord and whose Hope the Lord is. Jeremiah states that the Righteous will be as a Tree Planted by the Waters. Planted! Planted by God! What a great concept; what a great comfort for every one of us to consider that our life is Planted by God.
Being Planted speaks of least two great blessings:
- Personal Attention
- Divine Planning
For someone to Plant a tree, they have to be personally involved; they have to be in close proximity; they have to be holding the tree in their hand. Being Planted by God reminds us that God is NOT far away and distant; he is not indifferent to us; he knows us individually; he cares for us individually; he loves us individually.
I’m glad that the righteous are planted with God’s personal attention and with his divine planning. The farmer that is planting seeds in his field does not go along and poke an individual hole in the ground for each seed of grain. But we are planted like a tree. When someone plants a tree, they look around carefully and choose the right spot. Then they dig the hole, prepare it and Place the tree in it. Thank God for his personal attention and for his divine planning for our lives. Even though every circumstance is not good and pleasant, every circumstance will be used by our God for our Good.
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is. He shall be as a tree planted by the waters that spreads her roots by the river.
Being planted by God has great benefits. Living a life planted by God has great blessings.
1) The Planted Life has Permanence.
This life is Rooted! There is Permanence and Stability. Jeremiah said that this tree “spreads forth its roots by the river...”
It is great to have a life that is established in the Lord; a life that is grounded in the Lord; a life that is Steadfast in the Lord. Some are tossed to and fro and in the words of Paul are “carried about by every wind of doctrine...” Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace...”
When you trust in the Lord and hope in the Lord you will be planted and be Rooted.
2) The Planted Life is Prosperous.
I do not use this word in just the financial or material sense; but of a Life that is Flourishing, Growing, Progressing.
Notice what vs 8 says about this Tree- it shall not see when the heat comes but her leaf shall be Green... It will not be Brown in dryness and death, but Green in Life and Growth. This is a great promise that even though times of extreme heat Do come; and though times of drought Do come; the life that is planted by God will not be destroyed by them.
Ps. 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. To Flourish means to sprout, to send out shoots, to blossom, to spread out, to grow abundantly.
If you will trust in the Lord and make the Lord your Hope, your life will be Planted by God; and it will have Permanence and it will Prosper.
3) The Planted Life will be Productive.
Vs. 8 says that this Tree will not cease from yielding fruit.
That is a wonderful promise! Even though times of extreme heat come and trials press us sore; even though times of spiritual drought seem to trouble us; if our life is Planted by God it will NEVER cease to bring forth fruit.
- This planted life will continue to bear the Fruit of the Spirit.
[Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance.]
A life of Christlike character can be lived even in times of fiery trials. A life of Christlike character can be lived even in times of spiritual drought. Keep bearing the fruit of the Spirit; keep producing the attitudes that the Spirit of God desires.
- This planted life will also bear the Fruit of Souls.
When your life is planted by the Lord, those around you will notice the difference in your life. Some will mock, some will ridicule, and some will even be antagonistic; BUT some will be influenced, some will be interested, some will be impacted.
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is. He shall be as a tree planted by the waters that spreads out her roots by the river. It shall not see when the heat comes and its leaf shall be green. It shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall it cease from yielding fruit.
Jer. 17:5-8
Intro: These verses declare the trouble that comes to the man who trusts in man and whose heart departs from the Lord. It’s a terrible thing to trust more in the creature than in the Mighty Creator!
Those who trust in man are likened to a bush in the desert that has to exist in an arid, dry, and parched land. Sounds like a desolate existence!
These verses also declare the blessings that come to those who Trust In the Lord and whose Hope the Lord is. Jeremiah states that the Righteous will be as a Tree Planted by the Waters. Planted! Planted by God! What a great concept; what a great comfort for every one of us to consider that our life is Planted by God.
Being Planted speaks of least two great blessings:
- Personal Attention
- Divine Planning
For someone to Plant a tree, they have to be personally involved; they have to be in close proximity; they have to be holding the tree in their hand. Being Planted by God reminds us that God is NOT far away and distant; he is not indifferent to us; he knows us individually; he cares for us individually; he loves us individually.
I’m glad that the righteous are planted with God’s personal attention and with his divine planning. The farmer that is planting seeds in his field does not go along and poke an individual hole in the ground for each seed of grain. But we are planted like a tree. When someone plants a tree, they look around carefully and choose the right spot. Then they dig the hole, prepare it and Place the tree in it. Thank God for his personal attention and for his divine planning for our lives. Even though every circumstance is not good and pleasant, every circumstance will be used by our God for our Good.
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is. He shall be as a tree planted by the waters that spreads her roots by the river.
Being planted by God has great benefits. Living a life planted by God has great blessings.
1) The Planted Life has Permanence.
This life is Rooted! There is Permanence and Stability. Jeremiah said that this tree “spreads forth its roots by the river...”
It is great to have a life that is established in the Lord; a life that is grounded in the Lord; a life that is Steadfast in the Lord. Some are tossed to and fro and in the words of Paul are “carried about by every wind of doctrine...” Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace...”
When you trust in the Lord and hope in the Lord you will be planted and be Rooted.
2) The Planted Life is Prosperous.
I do not use this word in just the financial or material sense; but of a Life that is Flourishing, Growing, Progressing.
Notice what vs 8 says about this Tree- it shall not see when the heat comes but her leaf shall be Green... It will not be Brown in dryness and death, but Green in Life and Growth. This is a great promise that even though times of extreme heat Do come; and though times of drought Do come; the life that is planted by God will not be destroyed by them.
Ps. 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. To Flourish means to sprout, to send out shoots, to blossom, to spread out, to grow abundantly.
If you will trust in the Lord and make the Lord your Hope, your life will be Planted by God; and it will have Permanence and it will Prosper.
3) The Planted Life will be Productive.
Vs. 8 says that this Tree will not cease from yielding fruit.
That is a wonderful promise! Even though times of extreme heat come and trials press us sore; even though times of spiritual drought seem to trouble us; if our life is Planted by God it will NEVER cease to bring forth fruit.
- This planted life will continue to bear the Fruit of the Spirit.
[Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance.]
A life of Christlike character can be lived even in times of fiery trials. A life of Christlike character can be lived even in times of spiritual drought. Keep bearing the fruit of the Spirit; keep producing the attitudes that the Spirit of God desires.
- This planted life will also bear the Fruit of Souls.
When your life is planted by the Lord, those around you will notice the difference in your life. Some will mock, some will ridicule, and some will even be antagonistic; BUT some will be influenced, some will be interested, some will be impacted.
Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is. He shall be as a tree planted by the waters that spreads out her roots by the river. It shall not see when the heat comes and its leaf shall be green. It shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall it cease from yielding fruit.
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Quick Commands for Christian Living
1 Thess. 5:16-18
Intro: Paul’s epistles are filled with amazing doctrine, deep theology, concepts and truths that we are all still trying to sort out after 1950 years or so. Still, I love Paul’s epistles because they are also filled with tremendous Practical truth, personal exhortations and straight forward commands, like the three found in these three verses:
Rejoice Evermore
Pray Without Ceasing
In Everything Give Thanks
I call these: Quick Commands for Christian Living.
I. Live Joyfully (Rejoice evermore)
You do realize, don’t you that it is God’s Plan and Design and Will for Christians to live joyfully? There is no Biblical precedent for Christians to be constantly Sad; perpetually Sorrowful; living in a Fog of Doom and Gloom. God has done everything he can to provide every Christian with a Joyful Life.
1) Salvation Brings Joy
Ps. 21:1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
Ps 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation...
Ps 132:16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Hab 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
If you are a Christian, you should live joyfully. In order to be a Christian you must have experienced Salvation and everything about Salvation is Joyous.
2) The Holy Ghost Brings Joy
Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
1Thess 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
How about that??! Every one who experiences the presence and power of the Holy Ghost knows about JOY.
If you are saved, you should be Living Joyfully.
If you have been born again by the Spirit of God you should be living Joyfully.
If you have been Filled with and baptized in the Holy Ghost you should be Living Joyfully.
II. Live Prayerfully (Pray without ceasing)
Again, the teaching of Jesus himself and of the Bible as a whole is that every Christian should Pray. We should Pray privately. We should Pray publically. We should Pray regularly. We should Pray fervently. We should Pray patiently.
“Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.”
“Praying in the Holy Ghost.”
“Pray without ceasing” You know that this command does not mean that we must quit our job so we can spend all day, every day on our knees praying. We are not to let the house turn into a landfill so we can spend all day every day praying. What it does mean is this: we should Live All Day, Every day in an Attitude and Atmosphere of Prayer.
D L Moody said that a Christian should be able to Preach, Pray or Die at a moment’s notice.
Live Prayerfully.
Certainly we need to Set aside specific time for personal prayer and devotion. BUT after that “duty” is fulfilled, we should live the rest of each day in a prayerful way.
Praying for God’s will and direction.
Praying for God’s blessing and protection.
Praying for God’s presence.
Praying for our family, our friends, our church.
Praying for our lost loved ones.
Praying for our community and our nation.
Live Prayerfully.
III. Live Thankfully. (In everything give thanks...)
Oh, how every Christian should live thankfully. After all, if we are living Joyfully, we realize its only because of God’s grace and blessings. AND if we are living Prayerfully, we are constantly aware of God’s great Care for us. Therefore, every Christian should be living Thankfully.
How sad it is for a professing Christian to be Pouty and Ungrateful.
How sad it is for a professing Christian to be Moody and Complaining.
How sad it is for a professing Christian to be Irritable and Unhappy.
There are at least 50 verses that exhort us to give Thanks to God from 1 Chron. - Rev. There are at least 45 more that tell us to give thanks to the Lord; from Lev.- Rev. According to Eph 5:20- we are to be “Giving Thanks always FOR All things unto God....”
Thanking God FOR all things.
James said that every good and every perfect gift comes from our Father above. God gives all good things and should be Thanked and Praised for them. The devil is responsible for sin, sickness and death and should be Blamed and Despised because of them. Because we are living a Human Life, we will have sickness and sorrow and disappointments and troubles that we must endure. However, God has already promised that he would Work all things together for our Good if we love him and are called according to his purpose.
Thank God FOR all things. And...
Thank God IN all things.
Thank God in the midst of all things; while going through all things. The old song says, “in the good times, Praise his Name; in the bad times, Do the Same, In Everything, give the King of kings all the praise.”
Paul says that living Thankfully is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning YOU. YOU are to live thankfully. Yes you;
Even though life has given you some bumps and bruises.
Even though affliction has laid you low.
Even though your relationships have not turned out like you desired.
Even though your family has troubles and trials.
Even though your earthly life seems far from perfect.
In everything give God Thanks.
Live Joyfully; Live Prayerfully; Live Thankfully.
1 Thess. 5:16-18
Intro: Paul’s epistles are filled with amazing doctrine, deep theology, concepts and truths that we are all still trying to sort out after 1950 years or so. Still, I love Paul’s epistles because they are also filled with tremendous Practical truth, personal exhortations and straight forward commands, like the three found in these three verses:
Rejoice Evermore
Pray Without Ceasing
In Everything Give Thanks
I call these: Quick Commands for Christian Living.
I. Live Joyfully (Rejoice evermore)
You do realize, don’t you that it is God’s Plan and Design and Will for Christians to live joyfully? There is no Biblical precedent for Christians to be constantly Sad; perpetually Sorrowful; living in a Fog of Doom and Gloom. God has done everything he can to provide every Christian with a Joyful Life.
1) Salvation Brings Joy
Ps. 21:1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
Ps 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation...
Ps 132:16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
Isa 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Hab 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
If you are a Christian, you should live joyfully. In order to be a Christian you must have experienced Salvation and everything about Salvation is Joyous.
2) The Holy Ghost Brings Joy
Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
1Thess 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
How about that??! Every one who experiences the presence and power of the Holy Ghost knows about JOY.
If you are saved, you should be Living Joyfully.
If you have been born again by the Spirit of God you should be living Joyfully.
If you have been Filled with and baptized in the Holy Ghost you should be Living Joyfully.
II. Live Prayerfully (Pray without ceasing)
Again, the teaching of Jesus himself and of the Bible as a whole is that every Christian should Pray. We should Pray privately. We should Pray publically. We should Pray regularly. We should Pray fervently. We should Pray patiently.
“Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.”
“Praying in the Holy Ghost.”
“Pray without ceasing” You know that this command does not mean that we must quit our job so we can spend all day, every day on our knees praying. We are not to let the house turn into a landfill so we can spend all day every day praying. What it does mean is this: we should Live All Day, Every day in an Attitude and Atmosphere of Prayer.
D L Moody said that a Christian should be able to Preach, Pray or Die at a moment’s notice.
Live Prayerfully.
Certainly we need to Set aside specific time for personal prayer and devotion. BUT after that “duty” is fulfilled, we should live the rest of each day in a prayerful way.
Praying for God’s will and direction.
Praying for God’s blessing and protection.
Praying for God’s presence.
Praying for our family, our friends, our church.
Praying for our lost loved ones.
Praying for our community and our nation.
Live Prayerfully.
III. Live Thankfully. (In everything give thanks...)
Oh, how every Christian should live thankfully. After all, if we are living Joyfully, we realize its only because of God’s grace and blessings. AND if we are living Prayerfully, we are constantly aware of God’s great Care for us. Therefore, every Christian should be living Thankfully.
How sad it is for a professing Christian to be Pouty and Ungrateful.
How sad it is for a professing Christian to be Moody and Complaining.
How sad it is for a professing Christian to be Irritable and Unhappy.
There are at least 50 verses that exhort us to give Thanks to God from 1 Chron. - Rev. There are at least 45 more that tell us to give thanks to the Lord; from Lev.- Rev. According to Eph 5:20- we are to be “Giving Thanks always FOR All things unto God....”
Thanking God FOR all things.
James said that every good and every perfect gift comes from our Father above. God gives all good things and should be Thanked and Praised for them. The devil is responsible for sin, sickness and death and should be Blamed and Despised because of them. Because we are living a Human Life, we will have sickness and sorrow and disappointments and troubles that we must endure. However, God has already promised that he would Work all things together for our Good if we love him and are called according to his purpose.
Thank God FOR all things. And...
Thank God IN all things.
Thank God in the midst of all things; while going through all things. The old song says, “in the good times, Praise his Name; in the bad times, Do the Same, In Everything, give the King of kings all the praise.”
Paul says that living Thankfully is the Will of God in Christ Jesus concerning YOU. YOU are to live thankfully. Yes you;
Even though life has given you some bumps and bruises.
Even though affliction has laid you low.
Even though your relationships have not turned out like you desired.
Even though your family has troubles and trials.
Even though your earthly life seems far from perfect.
In everything give God Thanks.
Live Joyfully; Live Prayerfully; Live Thankfully.
- Published on
Triumphant in Christ
Col 2:13-15
Intro: The Christian life is Not a life of misery and sorrow; it is not a life of depression and defeat; The Christian life is a life of Triumph! Victory! Conquering! There is a very Good reason the Christian life is a life of Triumph, Victory and Conquest: JESUS CHRIST! He IS our triumph!
In these three verses Paul points out three reasons why the Christian life is a life of Triumph.
I. Our Debt of Sin has been Cancelled. (13)
You (and I) were dead in our sins. BUT Christ has quickened us together with himself; has made us Alive; brought us to Life;
“Having forgiven you all Trespasses.” Jesus has forgiven all our trespasses. The Debt of Sin has been cancelled. The Biblical and theological word for this is Justification. It is a Legal word and it means that when you repented of your sins and accepted Jesus as your Savior, God took the Payment of Jesus’ blood on Calvary and applied it to your Account. Your sins were a Debt that you could not pay; but Jesus paid your debt that he did not owe; and you and I have been Justified- our debt of sin has been cancelled.
The story is told a young Russian soldier who was away from home for the first time in his young life. He had fallen in with wrong company and gotten involved in gambling. He got deeper and deeper in debt until the gamblers were threatening his life if he didn’t pay up. Late one night, he sat at his little table in the barracks with his list of debts before him and he wrote in despair, “Who could pay so much?” He took his service revolver and decided that his only way out of debt and humiliation was to take his own life. While he sat there in sorrow he fell asleep. In the early morning hours, the Russian commander went quietly through the barracks checking on his troops. When he came to the young soldier asleep at his table he stopped and looked at the list of debts and read the sorrowful question, “Who could pay so much?” He took up the pen, wrote, “I can” and then signed his own name.
Thank God, Jesus looked at our debt list and saw our desperate memo, “Who could pay so much?” He then signed his name at the bottom of that list and forgave all our trespasses. Our sins have only been forgiven because of Jesus Christ. Our debt of sin has only been cancelled because of Jesus Christ.
This is the beginning of our Triumph in Christ; our debt of sin is cancelled.
II. The Guilt of Sin has been Removed. (14)
Paul stated that Jesus “blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and was contrary to us,” and that Jesus Christ “took it away by nailing it to his cross.” Jesus took all the sins that we had committed and nailed them to his cross. Jesus took all the Guilt that we were suffering and removed it; took it away.
The Guilt of our sins was Real and it was Intense. The record of our sins and wrong doings was Against us; the record was Contrary to us; We were guilty and condemned. But Jesus forgave us our sins, then he took all those “ordinances” or accusations that were against us and nailed them to his cross, thereby Removing our Guilt. We Were and Are no longer Guilty for those forgiven sins.
Justification was the Legal cancelling of our sin debt. Now, there is Redemption where God removes the actual Guilt of our sins from us. We stand redeemed! We stand Not guilty. We stand un-condemned.
Jesus paid the debt for our sins, then he removed the evidence that convicted us and made us not guilty.
Remember when Peter acted rashly in the Garden of Gethsemane and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant? Peter was guilty of assault and even attempted murder. He could have been arrested and condemned and punished. BUT Jesus stooped down, took up the ear, placed it back on the man’s head and it was made completely whole. Jesus had removed all evidence of wrong doing on Peter’s behalf. He was no longer guilty of assault or attempted murder. There was No Proof it had ever happened! So Jesus removed all the evidence against us and by doing so removed our Guilt. Thank God for the triumph we have In Christ.
Our debt of sin has been cancelled;
Our guilt of sin has been removed. And...
III. The Power of Satan has been Conquered. (15)
Jesus “spoiled principalities and powers.” Jesus plundered all the forces of evil. Jesus disarmed them; stripped them of their authority.
When John saw his amazing vision of Jesus in Rev. 1, Jesus told him, “I am he that lives and was dead and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen! And I have the keys of hell and of death.”
Peter wrote that while Jesus’ body was in the tomb, he went in the Spirit into the “prison;” the abode of the spirits of the dead at that time. Jesus “preached” unto them; proclaiming himself to be the Lamb of God who paid the price for all sins; proclaiming himself to be the Lord of all and the Victor who had conquered Satan and Sin forever.
Paul said in Eph 4 that Jesus “descended...into the lower parts of the earth” and that he then “ascended up on high,” and “led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.” So, Jesus not only proclaimed to those departed souls his Payment for sin and his Victory over Satan, but he also led all the souls of the Righteous into the Glories of Heaven and Began Giving Gifts to his Body on the earth, the Church made up of all who have been saved, washed in his blood and cleansed from sin.
Paul stated in our text that Jesus “made a show of them (those principalities and powers) openly, triumphing over them in it.”
In ancient days, when a king fought against a city or another kingdom and won, he would take the defeated king and all his royal host and dress them in torn and dirty rags. He would parade them down the Main Street of his own Capital city and show everyone that he had defeated them and conquered them completely. They no longer had any authority; they no longer had any position; they no longer had any riches or honor. He made a Show of them Openly, Publically.
Jesus has already defeated Satan; Jesus has already defeated the fallen angels; Jesus has already defeated the host of demons. They are all Conquered Foes. They only have authority when someone grants it to them. They only have power over those who allow them to have such power. They have no Eternal Riches and they have no Eternal Honor; their eternal destiny is already Decreed; their eternal doom is already Sealed.
Peter declared that the angels who sinned with Satan have been placed in “chains of darkness” and “reserved unto Judgment.” Then John wrote in Rev.19 that the devil was “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone...and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Rev 11:15 “... there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev. 19:6 “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him:” Triumph in Christ!
The Debt of Sin Cancelled; The Guilt of Sin Removed; The Power of Satan Conquered!
Col 2:13-15
Intro: The Christian life is Not a life of misery and sorrow; it is not a life of depression and defeat; The Christian life is a life of Triumph! Victory! Conquering! There is a very Good reason the Christian life is a life of Triumph, Victory and Conquest: JESUS CHRIST! He IS our triumph!
In these three verses Paul points out three reasons why the Christian life is a life of Triumph.
I. Our Debt of Sin has been Cancelled. (13)
You (and I) were dead in our sins. BUT Christ has quickened us together with himself; has made us Alive; brought us to Life;
“Having forgiven you all Trespasses.” Jesus has forgiven all our trespasses. The Debt of Sin has been cancelled. The Biblical and theological word for this is Justification. It is a Legal word and it means that when you repented of your sins and accepted Jesus as your Savior, God took the Payment of Jesus’ blood on Calvary and applied it to your Account. Your sins were a Debt that you could not pay; but Jesus paid your debt that he did not owe; and you and I have been Justified- our debt of sin has been cancelled.
The story is told a young Russian soldier who was away from home for the first time in his young life. He had fallen in with wrong company and gotten involved in gambling. He got deeper and deeper in debt until the gamblers were threatening his life if he didn’t pay up. Late one night, he sat at his little table in the barracks with his list of debts before him and he wrote in despair, “Who could pay so much?” He took his service revolver and decided that his only way out of debt and humiliation was to take his own life. While he sat there in sorrow he fell asleep. In the early morning hours, the Russian commander went quietly through the barracks checking on his troops. When he came to the young soldier asleep at his table he stopped and looked at the list of debts and read the sorrowful question, “Who could pay so much?” He took up the pen, wrote, “I can” and then signed his own name.
Thank God, Jesus looked at our debt list and saw our desperate memo, “Who could pay so much?” He then signed his name at the bottom of that list and forgave all our trespasses. Our sins have only been forgiven because of Jesus Christ. Our debt of sin has only been cancelled because of Jesus Christ.
This is the beginning of our Triumph in Christ; our debt of sin is cancelled.
II. The Guilt of Sin has been Removed. (14)
Paul stated that Jesus “blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and was contrary to us,” and that Jesus Christ “took it away by nailing it to his cross.” Jesus took all the sins that we had committed and nailed them to his cross. Jesus took all the Guilt that we were suffering and removed it; took it away.
The Guilt of our sins was Real and it was Intense. The record of our sins and wrong doings was Against us; the record was Contrary to us; We were guilty and condemned. But Jesus forgave us our sins, then he took all those “ordinances” or accusations that were against us and nailed them to his cross, thereby Removing our Guilt. We Were and Are no longer Guilty for those forgiven sins.
Justification was the Legal cancelling of our sin debt. Now, there is Redemption where God removes the actual Guilt of our sins from us. We stand redeemed! We stand Not guilty. We stand un-condemned.
Jesus paid the debt for our sins, then he removed the evidence that convicted us and made us not guilty.
Remember when Peter acted rashly in the Garden of Gethsemane and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant? Peter was guilty of assault and even attempted murder. He could have been arrested and condemned and punished. BUT Jesus stooped down, took up the ear, placed it back on the man’s head and it was made completely whole. Jesus had removed all evidence of wrong doing on Peter’s behalf. He was no longer guilty of assault or attempted murder. There was No Proof it had ever happened! So Jesus removed all the evidence against us and by doing so removed our Guilt. Thank God for the triumph we have In Christ.
Our debt of sin has been cancelled;
Our guilt of sin has been removed. And...
III. The Power of Satan has been Conquered. (15)
Jesus “spoiled principalities and powers.” Jesus plundered all the forces of evil. Jesus disarmed them; stripped them of their authority.
When John saw his amazing vision of Jesus in Rev. 1, Jesus told him, “I am he that lives and was dead and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen! And I have the keys of hell and of death.”
Peter wrote that while Jesus’ body was in the tomb, he went in the Spirit into the “prison;” the abode of the spirits of the dead at that time. Jesus “preached” unto them; proclaiming himself to be the Lamb of God who paid the price for all sins; proclaiming himself to be the Lord of all and the Victor who had conquered Satan and Sin forever.
Paul said in Eph 4 that Jesus “descended...into the lower parts of the earth” and that he then “ascended up on high,” and “led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.” So, Jesus not only proclaimed to those departed souls his Payment for sin and his Victory over Satan, but he also led all the souls of the Righteous into the Glories of Heaven and Began Giving Gifts to his Body on the earth, the Church made up of all who have been saved, washed in his blood and cleansed from sin.
Paul stated in our text that Jesus “made a show of them (those principalities and powers) openly, triumphing over them in it.”
In ancient days, when a king fought against a city or another kingdom and won, he would take the defeated king and all his royal host and dress them in torn and dirty rags. He would parade them down the Main Street of his own Capital city and show everyone that he had defeated them and conquered them completely. They no longer had any authority; they no longer had any position; they no longer had any riches or honor. He made a Show of them Openly, Publically.
Jesus has already defeated Satan; Jesus has already defeated the fallen angels; Jesus has already defeated the host of demons. They are all Conquered Foes. They only have authority when someone grants it to them. They only have power over those who allow them to have such power. They have no Eternal Riches and they have no Eternal Honor; their eternal destiny is already Decreed; their eternal doom is already Sealed.
Peter declared that the angels who sinned with Satan have been placed in “chains of darkness” and “reserved unto Judgment.” Then John wrote in Rev.19 that the devil was “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone...and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
Rev 11:15 “... there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
Rev. 19:6 “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him:” Triumph in Christ!
The Debt of Sin Cancelled; The Guilt of Sin Removed; The Power of Satan Conquered!
- Published on
A Growing Child of God
1 Peter 2: 1-5, 9
I. A Growing Child of God Is Feeding on the Word.
A. A New Birth.
To become a child of God we have to experience a New Birth. We must be Born Again, regenerated, our spirit reborn by the Spirit of God; then we become a child of God, a newborn child of God. A Growing child of God must be feeding on the Word.
1) MILK- desire the sincere milk of the Word.
We must Desire the word of God like a newborn baby desires milk. A baby becomes cranky and cries until it gets milk. So, we must feed on the milk of the Word.
Read the stories- (Creation; Adam & Eve; Noah; Abraham offers Isaac; Joseph; Moses & Red Sea; David & Goliath; 3 Hebrew Boys; Daniel & Lion’s Den; Jonah)
Read the gospels- (life of Christ- Christmas story; miracles; ministry; arrest; trial; crucifixion; death, burial, resurrection)
Read the book of Acts- (stories of early disciples filled with Holy Ghost: Peter, Paul)
2) MEAT- We must also feed on the MEAT of the Word.
Heb. 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection...
These believers had become Sluggish- Stagnant- Not Growing
- Ignorance- ye have need that one teach you again the first principles...
- Immaturity- have need of milk- unskilful in the word of righteousness- babes.
- Inactivity- not exercising their senses to properly discern good & evil
We must Not only READ Bible, we must STUDY it. Look up words you don’t understand. Look up topics you don’t understand. Use a concordance to find other places where a word is used, like a Strong’s or Cruden’s. Use a Bible Dictionary like Ungers & Vines Expository Dictionary. Use a Commentary like Matthew Henry. Use a Bible Program on the computer like Online Bible or E Sword. Study Doctrine- Issues of Theology- matters of Prophecy- Great words of the Bible- Outstanding people in the Bible- Focus on a Book of the Bible-
Study for your upcoming Sunday School Lesson.
We not only have a New Birth but we become part of:
B. A New Building.
We are no longer part of this world system and we are no longer building our lives into the world’s structure.
NOW, we are built up a Spiritual House, where Jesus Christ is the Chief Corner Stone and we are Lively (Living) Stones. Vs. 9 says that we are a “Chosen Generation; a Royal Priesthood (kings & priests); a Holy Nation; a Peculiar (peri-poie-sis) People (God’s Own Possession); Showing forth the Praises of God who called us out of darkness into marvelous Light.”
A Growing Child of God is Feeding on the Word.
II. A Growing Child of God Is Forsaking the World.
Vs. 11, 12- Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation
Physically we are Earthly Citizens but Spiritually we are Heavenly Citizens. We have a Heavenly Nature inside our Earthly Body. There are earthly desires that war against our soul but A Growing Child of God is Forsaking the World; not loving it; not desiring it; not longing for it; not playing with it but abstaining from it; forsaking it; refusing it; avoiding it.
We will be Honest in our conduct (12)
Practicing Good Works (12)
Submitting to man’s laws for the Lord’s sake (13,14)
With well doing we will put to silence the ignorance of foolish men (15)
Not using our Spiritual freedom as a license to do wrong (16)
Honoring all men (17) (honor here means “placing a price or a value on;” we are to consider others “valuable” and have proper respect for them; those in positions and those Not in positions)
Loving our Brothers and Sisters (17 “brotherhood”)
Fearing God (17)
Honoring our leaders (17)
Patiently suffering even when wrongfully treated for the sake of Jesus Christ (19,20)
A Growing Child of God is Feeding on the Word and Forsaking the World.
III. A Growing Child of God Is Following the Lord.
Vs 21-24 - For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Jesus Christ is our Ultimate Example and we are to Follow His Steps:
A. Humility
- Suffering- rejection; misunderstanding; hatred; slander; physically- smiting, spitting, scourging
piercing; Crucifixion & death
- Silence- when reviled; reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; committed himself to God- the righteous judge.
- Sacrifice- he suffered for US; in his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree; he died that we might live; he suffered stripes that we might be healed
We must follow him in Humility. We too must be willing to suffer and to suffer patiently, not with revenge and retaliation; not with anger and violence. We must be willing to sacrifice for the sake of others; for our spouses, for our children, for our family, for our friends, for our brothers & sisters in the Lord, for our church, for our country, For our GOD.
A Growing Child of God is Following the Lord in humility and...
B. Holiness-
-who did no sin
- neither was guile found in his mouth. (Guile- deceit; trickery; hidden evil; “bait”)
NO we are not God in the flesh. We know that we do have a human nature and we do not achieve a status where it is IMPOSSIBLE for us to Sin. However, we do achieve the status in God that it is POSSIBLE NOT to SIN.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
A Growing Child of God is Feeding on the Word- Forsaking the World- and Following the Lord.
Are you a Growing Child of God?
1 Peter 2: 1-5, 9
I. A Growing Child of God Is Feeding on the Word.
A. A New Birth.
To become a child of God we have to experience a New Birth. We must be Born Again, regenerated, our spirit reborn by the Spirit of God; then we become a child of God, a newborn child of God. A Growing child of God must be feeding on the Word.
1) MILK- desire the sincere milk of the Word.
We must Desire the word of God like a newborn baby desires milk. A baby becomes cranky and cries until it gets milk. So, we must feed on the milk of the Word.
Read the stories- (Creation; Adam & Eve; Noah; Abraham offers Isaac; Joseph; Moses & Red Sea; David & Goliath; 3 Hebrew Boys; Daniel & Lion’s Den; Jonah)
Read the gospels- (life of Christ- Christmas story; miracles; ministry; arrest; trial; crucifixion; death, burial, resurrection)
Read the book of Acts- (stories of early disciples filled with Holy Ghost: Peter, Paul)
2) MEAT- We must also feed on the MEAT of the Word.
Heb. 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection...
These believers had become Sluggish- Stagnant- Not Growing
- Ignorance- ye have need that one teach you again the first principles...
- Immaturity- have need of milk- unskilful in the word of righteousness- babes.
- Inactivity- not exercising their senses to properly discern good & evil
We must Not only READ Bible, we must STUDY it. Look up words you don’t understand. Look up topics you don’t understand. Use a concordance to find other places where a word is used, like a Strong’s or Cruden’s. Use a Bible Dictionary like Ungers & Vines Expository Dictionary. Use a Commentary like Matthew Henry. Use a Bible Program on the computer like Online Bible or E Sword. Study Doctrine- Issues of Theology- matters of Prophecy- Great words of the Bible- Outstanding people in the Bible- Focus on a Book of the Bible-
Study for your upcoming Sunday School Lesson.
We not only have a New Birth but we become part of:
B. A New Building.
We are no longer part of this world system and we are no longer building our lives into the world’s structure.
NOW, we are built up a Spiritual House, where Jesus Christ is the Chief Corner Stone and we are Lively (Living) Stones. Vs. 9 says that we are a “Chosen Generation; a Royal Priesthood (kings & priests); a Holy Nation; a Peculiar (peri-poie-sis) People (God’s Own Possession); Showing forth the Praises of God who called us out of darkness into marvelous Light.”
A Growing Child of God is Feeding on the Word.
II. A Growing Child of God Is Forsaking the World.
Vs. 11, 12- Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation
Physically we are Earthly Citizens but Spiritually we are Heavenly Citizens. We have a Heavenly Nature inside our Earthly Body. There are earthly desires that war against our soul but A Growing Child of God is Forsaking the World; not loving it; not desiring it; not longing for it; not playing with it but abstaining from it; forsaking it; refusing it; avoiding it.
We will be Honest in our conduct (12)
Practicing Good Works (12)
Submitting to man’s laws for the Lord’s sake (13,14)
With well doing we will put to silence the ignorance of foolish men (15)
Not using our Spiritual freedom as a license to do wrong (16)
Honoring all men (17) (honor here means “placing a price or a value on;” we are to consider others “valuable” and have proper respect for them; those in positions and those Not in positions)
Loving our Brothers and Sisters (17 “brotherhood”)
Fearing God (17)
Honoring our leaders (17)
Patiently suffering even when wrongfully treated for the sake of Jesus Christ (19,20)
A Growing Child of God is Feeding on the Word and Forsaking the World.
III. A Growing Child of God Is Following the Lord.
Vs 21-24 - For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Jesus Christ is our Ultimate Example and we are to Follow His Steps:
A. Humility
- Suffering- rejection; misunderstanding; hatred; slander; physically- smiting, spitting, scourging
piercing; Crucifixion & death
- Silence- when reviled; reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; committed himself to God- the righteous judge.
- Sacrifice- he suffered for US; in his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree; he died that we might live; he suffered stripes that we might be healed
We must follow him in Humility. We too must be willing to suffer and to suffer patiently, not with revenge and retaliation; not with anger and violence. We must be willing to sacrifice for the sake of others; for our spouses, for our children, for our family, for our friends, for our brothers & sisters in the Lord, for our church, for our country, For our GOD.
A Growing Child of God is Following the Lord in humility and...
B. Holiness-
-who did no sin
- neither was guile found in his mouth. (Guile- deceit; trickery; hidden evil; “bait”)
NO we are not God in the flesh. We know that we do have a human nature and we do not achieve a status where it is IMPOSSIBLE for us to Sin. However, we do achieve the status in God that it is POSSIBLE NOT to SIN.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
A Growing Child of God is Feeding on the Word- Forsaking the World- and Following the Lord.
Are you a Growing Child of God?
- Published on
The Committed Life
Psalm 37:1-5
Intro: This is another great Psalm of David that encourages all of us to Trust in the Lord. David first talks about how Christians should never be envious or jealous of sinners because they will soon be cut down and perish. Remember, John 3:16 said that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever would believe in Him would NOT PERISH, but have everlasting life. Those who do Not believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord Will Perish. We should never envy the sinner, for whatever prosperity they may have is only temporary and will never be worth the eternal punishment they will suffer.
Then David encourages God’s People to Trust in the Lord and Do Good. For God will always bless his people both here on the earth, and especially in the life to come!
Vs. 5 is my focus here as I talk to you about the committed life.
5- Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.
I. An Act of Committal.
“Commit thy way unto the Lord.”
There must be a time when a true believer; a genuine Christian; actually “Commits” his way to the Lord. Commits his life to the Lord.
Salvation is not something to be added to one’s life while everything else goes on the same. Salvation brings God’s Spirit into our spirit and from that moment on, we are to Belong to the Lord.
Have you really Committed your Way to the Lord?
Have you really Committed your Life to the Lord?
Have you Placed it in his hands?
Have you, in the words of Paul in Romans 12, “presented your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service?”
The Committed Life requires an Act of Committal.
You Must Give God your Spirit- your innermost being; that invisible part of you that only God can fill and satisfy.
You must Give God your entire Soul- that inner part of you that is the REAL You; the You that’s living in that body you have.
You must Commit your Mind to the Lord.
You must Commit your Will to the Lord.
You must Commit your Feelings, your emotions to the Lord.
You must Commit your Body to the Lord.
Commit your Actions to the Lord; Your Attitudes; Your Associations; Your Appearance;
You must commit your Relationships to the Lord.
You must commit your Talents to the Lord; Your Time to the Lord; Your Potential to the Lord.
You must commit your Abilities, Your Ambitions, Your Resources, YOUR ALL.
For you are not your own, you are bought with a price; therefore Glorify God in your body and your spirit which are God’s. (1 Cor. 6:19,20)
II. An Attitude of Trust
“Trust also in him”
Once you have made the act of committal, you must LEAVE Your Life in God’s Hands.
Bro. Joseph Dutka, the academic at FGBI when I attended there, used to preach a message called Scarred Hands. He preached about people who put their life on the altar of God and then change their minds and reach out and pull their life back off the altar. In doing so, he said, they ended up with burned and scarred hands. I wonder, if we were allowed to see like God sees, how many people would be walking around with Scarred Hands? How many of Us might have Scarred Hands from taking back our own sacrifice that we one time made to God?
When you commit your Life to the Lord, Don’t Pull it Back.
Don’t take it back out of Doubt.
Don’t take it back out of Fear.
Don’t take it back out of Selfishness. (My own way)
Or Compromise; or Disobedience; Frustration with life.
Paul said in 2 Tim 1:12 ...I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Let’s imagine that you Inherited a Million dollars in cash. You know you need a safe place to keep it. You think about putting it under the bed, or in the closet, or in your underwear drawer. Still, you know those are not really safe places. Then you hit on a brilliant idea- the Bank! There is an Act of Committal: you actually go to the bank with the money and deposit it. Then you walk away and leave it in their care. Now, there must be an Attitude of Trust where you trust them to take care of it and YOU leave it there! You don’t need to be taking it out the next day and carrying it around or hiding it in your house or yard and then taking it back to the bank and then the next day take it out again and so on. Leave it there!
Put your life in God’s hands and Leave it there!
He is Able to Keep what you Commit to Him. All the way to the Day of the Rapture; all the way to the Day of the Judgment Seat of Christ; all the way to the day of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb; all the way to the Day when we all move into the New Heaven and the New Earth. He is able to Keep it!
III. The Accomplishment of God “He shall bring it to pass”
What will he bring to pass? Well, you committed your WAY to the Lord; your life; your ambitions; your desires; your future; your eternity; He will bring it to Pass.
He will lead you; guide you; keep you; direct you; provide for you; protect you; strengthen you; comfort you and when this life is over he will Welcome you HOME.
God’s Will always brings Blessings; God’s Will always brings Dividends; God’s Will always brings Rewards. We receive Abundant Life NOW and Eternal Life then.
Commit your way to the Lord; Trust in Him; He will bring it to Pass.
Psalm 37:1-5
Intro: This is another great Psalm of David that encourages all of us to Trust in the Lord. David first talks about how Christians should never be envious or jealous of sinners because they will soon be cut down and perish. Remember, John 3:16 said that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever would believe in Him would NOT PERISH, but have everlasting life. Those who do Not believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord Will Perish. We should never envy the sinner, for whatever prosperity they may have is only temporary and will never be worth the eternal punishment they will suffer.
Then David encourages God’s People to Trust in the Lord and Do Good. For God will always bless his people both here on the earth, and especially in the life to come!
Vs. 5 is my focus here as I talk to you about the committed life.
5- Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.
I. An Act of Committal.
“Commit thy way unto the Lord.”
There must be a time when a true believer; a genuine Christian; actually “Commits” his way to the Lord. Commits his life to the Lord.
Salvation is not something to be added to one’s life while everything else goes on the same. Salvation brings God’s Spirit into our spirit and from that moment on, we are to Belong to the Lord.
Have you really Committed your Way to the Lord?
Have you really Committed your Life to the Lord?
Have you Placed it in his hands?
Have you, in the words of Paul in Romans 12, “presented your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service?”
The Committed Life requires an Act of Committal.
You Must Give God your Spirit- your innermost being; that invisible part of you that only God can fill and satisfy.
You must Give God your entire Soul- that inner part of you that is the REAL You; the You that’s living in that body you have.
You must Commit your Mind to the Lord.
You must Commit your Will to the Lord.
You must Commit your Feelings, your emotions to the Lord.
You must Commit your Body to the Lord.
Commit your Actions to the Lord; Your Attitudes; Your Associations; Your Appearance;
You must commit your Relationships to the Lord.
You must commit your Talents to the Lord; Your Time to the Lord; Your Potential to the Lord.
You must commit your Abilities, Your Ambitions, Your Resources, YOUR ALL.
For you are not your own, you are bought with a price; therefore Glorify God in your body and your spirit which are God’s. (1 Cor. 6:19,20)
II. An Attitude of Trust
“Trust also in him”
Once you have made the act of committal, you must LEAVE Your Life in God’s Hands.
Bro. Joseph Dutka, the academic at FGBI when I attended there, used to preach a message called Scarred Hands. He preached about people who put their life on the altar of God and then change their minds and reach out and pull their life back off the altar. In doing so, he said, they ended up with burned and scarred hands. I wonder, if we were allowed to see like God sees, how many people would be walking around with Scarred Hands? How many of Us might have Scarred Hands from taking back our own sacrifice that we one time made to God?
When you commit your Life to the Lord, Don’t Pull it Back.
Don’t take it back out of Doubt.
Don’t take it back out of Fear.
Don’t take it back out of Selfishness. (My own way)
Or Compromise; or Disobedience; Frustration with life.
Paul said in 2 Tim 1:12 ...I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Let’s imagine that you Inherited a Million dollars in cash. You know you need a safe place to keep it. You think about putting it under the bed, or in the closet, or in your underwear drawer. Still, you know those are not really safe places. Then you hit on a brilliant idea- the Bank! There is an Act of Committal: you actually go to the bank with the money and deposit it. Then you walk away and leave it in their care. Now, there must be an Attitude of Trust where you trust them to take care of it and YOU leave it there! You don’t need to be taking it out the next day and carrying it around or hiding it in your house or yard and then taking it back to the bank and then the next day take it out again and so on. Leave it there!
Put your life in God’s hands and Leave it there!
He is Able to Keep what you Commit to Him. All the way to the Day of the Rapture; all the way to the Day of the Judgment Seat of Christ; all the way to the day of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb; all the way to the Day when we all move into the New Heaven and the New Earth. He is able to Keep it!
III. The Accomplishment of God “He shall bring it to pass”
What will he bring to pass? Well, you committed your WAY to the Lord; your life; your ambitions; your desires; your future; your eternity; He will bring it to Pass.
He will lead you; guide you; keep you; direct you; provide for you; protect you; strengthen you; comfort you and when this life is over he will Welcome you HOME.
God’s Will always brings Blessings; God’s Will always brings Dividends; God’s Will always brings Rewards. We receive Abundant Life NOW and Eternal Life then.
Commit your way to the Lord; Trust in Him; He will bring it to Pass.