Tomahawk Missionary Baptist Church

8/18/2019
What Are You Anchored To?
Hebrews 6:18-20

A ship or boat has to be anchored or it will drift away.  The other day we were on our boat and we saw a very nice spot on the lake and decided to anchor there and enjoy the beach area.  I thought I had my boat anchored.  I looked up and without even realizing it we had drifted way down the shore line.  Well I then re-anchored.   The boat finally seemed secure.  A little while later several boats sped by and the wake tossed our boat around as is usual when boats pass by.  No problem I thought.  A few minutes later to my shock we had drifted down the shore line again.  This time we went even further down the shore line.  We decided to leave that area and anchor somewhere else.

The point is this….. Practically, If you are not anchored properly in a boat you will drift away. 
Spiritually, if you are not anchored properly in Jesus you will drift away.  It’s not the anchor’s fault.  It‘s not the boats fault.  It’s the one who chooses to let down the anchor who must assure that the boat is anchors securely. There are three reasons we are anchored safely in Christ.   2:00

1.  God Have Placed our Anchor With God.

Hebrews 6:18 That by two immutable things…. There are these two things, then, here are these two things, that cannot change.  Immuntable means unchangeable.  Two unchangeable things about God are His promise and His oath.

The Lord confirmed His oath to Abraham by swearing by Himself (v. Hebrews 6:13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,) because He alone is beyond deceit. The two immutable things are God’s Word and God’s oath.

Hebrews 6:18….. in which it was impossible for God to lie… and about which God cannot lie. In which it is impossible for God to lie.  Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie….John 17:17 Thy word is truth….

Hebrews 6:18….we might have a strong consolation…. Since God does not lie and since He is all-powerful, He will fulfill all His promises. This unchanging nature of God is the believer’s consolation and encouragement.

Hebrews 6:18…..who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

So we who have found safety with him are greatly encouraged to hold firmly to the hope placed before us.  We who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement and indwelling strength to hold tightly to the hope set before us. 

So we who have found safety with him are greatly encouraged to hold firmly to the hope placed before us.  we who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement and indwelling strength to hold tightly to the hope set before us. 

Cities of refuge in the old Testament were cities set up so those who accidently killed someone could find safety from those who would want to extract revenge.  This is a type of Christ in the Old Testament.  We flee from the judgment God not to a city but to a person Jesus Christ!  We flee to a city whose builder and maker is God!

God cannot lie, God cannot break His promises to us and therefore God cannot fail.  An anchor will only be secure if properly placed in a place that has the strength to hold up under all conditions.  8:00

1.  God Have Placed our Anchor With God.   2.  Our Anchor Will Hold

Hebrews 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul….. We have this hope as an anchor for our lives. The believer’s hope in Christ is secure, like an anchor.

Hebrews 6:19…..both sure and stedfast….. 19 It is safe and sure, [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it]—a safe and steadfast hope.  Furthermore this anchor is not in sand.

Hebrews 6:19 …..and which entereth into that within the veil. and goes through the curtain of the heavenly temple into the inner sanctuary.   Behind the veil refers to the Most Holy Place, the place where God dwells. Leviticus 16:2 And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not:  God said, “Tell your brother Aaron that only at the proper time is he to go behind the curtain into the Most Holy Place,

He that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place since Jesus died as our sacrifice has allowed all who trust in Him  into the very presence of God.   We are accepted.  Acts 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

What is verse saying?  We have cast out our anchor and it has caught hold of the very presence of God Himself in heaven!!!  I cast out my anchor the other day and it did not hold.  Our anchor will hold because it depends upon the very presence and strength and power of God and His promises.  13:00

1.  God Have Placed our Anchor With God.   2.  Our Anchor Will Hold    3. Jesus Not Only is our Anchor but He will also bring us safely into Harbor

Hebrews 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus…… On our behalf Jesus has gone in there before us.  Where Jesus has entered [in advance] as a forerunner for us.  Large ships have forerunners so that when they come into port the forerunner make the way for the ship to safely come into harbor.  Jesus is our forerunner as He has made the way for us to come in to God’s presence safely and permanently. 

Hebrews 6:20  made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.   and has become a high priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.  having become a High Priest forever according to the order of [e]Melchizedek. 

According to God Questions.org….Melchizedek, whose name means “king of righteousness,” was a king of Salem (Jerusalem) and priest of the Most High God (Genesis 14:18–20; Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6–11; 6:20—7:28). Melchizedek’s sudden appearance and disappearance in the book of Genesis is somewhat mysterious. Melchizedek and Abraham first met after Abraham’s defeat of Chedorlaomer and his three allies. Melchizedek presented bread and wine to Abraham and his weary men, demonstrating friendship. He bestowed a blessing on Abraham in the name of El Elyon (“God Most High”) and praised God for giving Abraham a victory in battle (Genesis 14:18–20).

 Abraham presented Melchizedek with a tithe (a tenth) of all the items he had gathered. By this act Abraham indicated that he recognized Melchizedek as a priest who ranked higher spiritually than he. Some propose that Melchizedek was actually a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, or a Christophany.

As Hebrews 6:20 says, “[Jesus] has become a high priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” This term order would ordinarily indicate a succession of priests holding the office. None are ever mentioned, however, in the long interval from Melchizedek to Christ, an anomaly that can be solved by assuming that Melchizedek and Christ are really the same person. Thus the “order” is eternally vested in Him and Him alone.

Hebrews 7:3 says that Melchizedek was “without father without mother, without descent (genealogy,) having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually.” The question is whether the author of Hebrews means this actually or figuratively.

 If the description in Hebrews is literal, then it is indeed difficult to see how it could be properly applied to anyone but the Lord Jesus Christ. No mere earthly king “remains a priest forever,” and no mere human is “without father or mother.” If Genesis 14 describes a theophany, then God the Son came to give Abraham His blessing (Genesis 14:17–19), appearing as the King of Righteousness (Revelation 19:11,16), the King of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and the Mediator between God and Man (1 Timothy 2:5).

 If the description of Melchizedek is figurative, then the details of having no genealogy, no beginning or ending, and a ceaseless ministry are simply statements accentuating the mysterious nature of the person who met Abraham. In this case, the silence in the Genesis account concerning these details is purposeful and better serves to link Melchizedek with Christ.

 Are Melchizedek and Jesus the same person? A case can be made either way. At the very least, Melchizedek is a type of Christ, prefiguring the Lord’s ministry. But it is also possible that Abraham, after his weary battle, met and gave honor to the Lord Jesus Himself.

The Priest went into the presence of God and came back out.  People could not enter in due to sin.  But Jesus went into the presence of God and made us able by His righteousness to bring us also in to God’s presence.  Jesus is able by His shed blood for our sins to bring us safely into heaven.  22:00

1.  God Have Placed our Anchor With God.   2.  Our Anchor Will Hold    3. Jesus Not Only is our Anchor but He will also bring us safely into Harbor

We are anchored in Christ, by Christ and through Christ.

Today in the church we are experiencing two phenomina….

1.  Prophecy Derangement Syndrome…..When Christians are scared of teaching and preaching Bible prophecy.

2.  Bible teaching derangement syndrome….When Christians are offended that the Bible offends people. 

Two leaders recently have left the ministry and now claim that they are no longer Christians.  Author and pastor Josh Harris after 20 years of marriage and ministry has left his wife and church and says he is no longer a Christian and has embraced the homo-sexual lifestyle.  He has apologized for writing offending the LGBTQ community over the years.

The Hillsong church song writer and ministry leader Marty Sampson has left the faith.  Saying the Bible is contradictory and does not have the answers.

The Bible has already told us that in the last days people will depart from the faith.  1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.  They can’t lose their salvation.  So, they were never saved or they are backslidden.  1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

Bottom line:  We have an anchor that is stedfast and sure and the emodiement of truth.  Jesus Christ.  The Bible says that Christ is our life….

We have all the answers because we have the Bible and we have Jesus.  And Bible prophecy has been given to us to prove that the Bible is the word of God and Jesus rose from the dead to proof that He is the Son of God.  28:04



What Path Are You On?
Proverbs 4:14-19

Proverbs 4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

1. The Path Of the Wicked
Warning--14-15
No Sleep-- 16
Eating and drinking--17
Darkness--19

2.  The Path of The Just
Shining light
Shines more and more
Result, a perfect day

Colossians 3:1-4  Guidelines For Last Days Living

Intro:

1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

We are told right here in these for verses how to live in the last days. 

1:00

1.  Seek Those Things

Colossians 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ,

Therefore, if you have been raised to a new life with Christ, sharing in His resurrection from the dead.  Born Again Christians are the only ones who can be risen with Christ!

Colossians 3:1……seek those things which are above, so set your hearts on the things that are in heaven keep seeking the things that are above. 1 Chronicles 22:19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.  Matthew  6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Hebrews 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

Where is your affection? What do you really love? Who do you really love?  We are told many times in the Bible to seek…..God provides, He does not hide.  God reveals, He does not steal, and God is not hiding.  Jeremiah 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Colossians 3:1 ….where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Mark 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Right place of authority and equality.  Seek those things of Jesus Christ.  Focus on Him.  Look to Him. Trust in Him.  10:00

1.  Seek Those Things   2.  Set Your Affection

Colossian 3:2 Set your affection on things above,

Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things],

Keep your minds fixed on things there.

Affection is something or someone that you feel strongly about. 

Colossians 3:2……not on things on the earth., not on things here on earth.

not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].  Gain the whole world and lose your soul Matthew 16:26

Colossians 3:3 For ye are dead, For you have died to this world.  For if we are dead in Christ what is the world to us?  Dead!   We are no longer putting our hope in the world’s governments, the world’s ideas, The world’s dreams, and the world’s schemes and the worlds promises. 

Colossians 3:3……..and your life is hid with Christ in God.  And your life is hidden with Christ in God.  And your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God.  Our hope is in Christ!

Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, Your real life is Christ. When Christ, who is our life.

We should set our affection, our desires, our purpose is to live for Christ and to seek to please Him for He redeemed us from an awful place and state and future!

18:00

1.  Seek Those Things   2.  Set Your Affection   3.  Ye Shall Appear

Colossians 3:4…….When Christ who is our life……

Christ is our life.   He is our reason to live and our life after we put off this mortal flesh. 
Christ is our existence.  He is our next breath.  He is our real love.  He is our purpose for living.  He is our joy and victory!

Christ is life eternal.  John 17:3.  God is our life. He is the length of our days.  Deuteronomy 30:20 That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days….

Colossions 3:4….shall appear…  and when he appears.  This means that Christ will make a visible appearance to us. 

Colossians 3:4……..then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  Then you too will appear with him and share his glory!  We are going to Him.  Just like John 14:3 says... I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also..

What you gonna do when He comes for you?  Will you go with Him or be left behind by Him?

When is Jesus going to appear?  He will appear again to us at the rapture.  We will see Him.  We will be with Him forever!  He shall appear!  That’s a guarantee!

Then after the rapture we will appear with Him in the glorious return of Christ to this earth!  Revelation 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

What a day that will be?  And it will be very soon in my opinion! 

We shall appear with Him!  What a promise.  What a hope!  What assurance!  I’m telling you that with all the signs of Israel, Islam, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Homosexuality, madness, hatred and division so take heart, be encouraged, be glad for it cannot be long until Jesus will come and judge this world and straighten this all out!

27:00

Conclusion:

1.  Seek Those Things   2.  Set Your Affection   3.  Ye Shall Appear

I’ve told you just now, how to live in the last days.  What to seek, who to love and who is coming for you.  Now what will you do?  He is coming whether you like it or not, ready or not.  That should give you a leap in your step, a song in your heart and a brightness to your smile!  They say you can’t have it all.  We have Jesus!  We have it all!  How to live in the last Days….Live for Jesus every day and you will be ready on this great day!

28:04

Mark 1:9-15  Jesus Begins His Ministry

Intro: And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.  10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.  13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. 14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,  15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Jesus was born and lived a normal life, or at least an inconspicuous life. Then at the right time He appears all of sudden to John the Baptist indicating that He wanted to be Baptized.  Agreeing with John’s baptism of repentance.  But Jesus needed no repentance but came identifying and approving of the message of John the Baptist. In fact Jesus is the fulfillment of the message of repentance and salvation.  

John the Baptist said according to John 1:29 Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.  Thus His ministry has begun.  2:00

1.  Jesus Baptism

Mark 1:9 And it came to pass in those days…., In those days.  AD 27.  It came to pass. The time had come.  All things that come to us here on earth comes to pass.   Nothing lasts very long in this life.  “Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning”  But in heaven nothing comes to pass but all things come to stay.  We will dwell in joy forever!  We will be with Jesus Forever! 

Mark 1:9…..that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee.  Nazareth was his adopted city.  He was born in Bethlehem as predicted by Micah the old Testament prophet.  Fled to Egypt after Herod killed all the new born male children and then felt it safer to live in Nazareth.  Nazareth was a city not known for prophets or anything good.  It was out in the sticks,  off the beaten path, not on a travel route.  It had a population of about 500 in Jesus day. 

Mark 1:9…..and was baptized of John in Jordan. and was baptized by John in the Jordan.   All four gospels refer to Jesus baptism in the Jordan river.   The Jordan river is 156 mile long river that flows north to south through the sea of Galilee on to the dead sea.  Today Jordan and the Golan heights border the river to the east while Israel and the west bank lie to the east.  Most of the year it is about 100 feet wide and about three to ten feet deep.  God’s people crossed the Jordan river into the promised land. 

  John The Baptist was baptizing in the Jordan river.  Jesus was baptized!  So we ought to be also. Baptism was used often of the Jews for ritual cleansing.  It points to the work of Christ as no other symbol can.  We are lowered into the water symbolizing our death.  We are in the water symbolizing our cleansing.  We are raised out of the water symbolizing our new birth.  Jesus symbolized His ministry and work of redemption, His death, His buriel and His resurrection when He was baptized. 

Mark 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, As soon as Jesus came up out of the water.  We baptize by bringing people straight out of the water today. 

Mark 1:10……he saw the heavens opened, he saw heaven opening. Heaven opened or opening is mentioned in Matthew 3:16, Luke 3:21, John 1:51, Acts 7:56, Acts 3:10, Revelation 19:11 and Malachi 3:10 says the windows of heaven will be opened.   Heaven opened at His baptism is symbolic for Jesus opening the way to heaven for all of humanity symbolized in baptism’s death, burial and resurrection.

Mark 1:10…..and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: and the Spirit coming down on him like a dove.  A dove was sent out of the ark by Moses.  It came back with an olive branch symbolizing the peace between God and mankind.  But It was only temporary.   It would take Jesus to make it permanent. 

At Jesus Baptism the Holy Spirit comes as a dove.  The dove is a symbol of purity and harmlessness and of holiness and innocence.  Jesus was pure, Holy and innocent and since it is Jesus it foretells of the permanent peace with God and men through Jesus Christ!  At Pentecost the Holy Spirit comes as a cloven tongue of fire to symbolize the power of the church indwelt by the Holy Spirit!

Mark 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, And a voice came from heaven…that can only be God.  God spoke from heaven 20 times in the Bible.  Three times God spoke to Jesus from heaven at His Baptism recorded twice and when He told the disciple how He was to die God said He had glorified and would glorify His name.

Mark 1:11….saying, Thou art my beloved Son, You are my own dear Son.  God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. 

Mark 1:11….in whom I am well pleased.  In You I am well-pleased and delighted!  God is well pleased with the sacrifice of Jesus. He met all the qualifications.  He was without sin or blemish and was the perfect lamb of God.  God accepted the lambs, bull and goats without blemish to point to the perfect sacrifice of Christ to come.  God is pleased with Jesus and Jesus always pleases the Father.  John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

Jesus, The Holy Spirit and the Father are all present at Jesus Baptism. What a day!  The beginning of Jesus ministry of reconciliation of mankind began with a bang!  It was a solemn occasion.  No bands playing, no crowd gathered, no angels singing like at His birth, but just the still small voice of God. 

Jesus announces the beginning of His ministry with His baptism.  We confess our faith and trust in Jesus Christ by our baptism and our agreement that we are dead in trespasses and sin, cleansed by the blood of Christ and raised as new person, born again by His Spirit!  We begin our walk with Christ by the symbol of baptism!  11:00

1.  Jesus Baptism  2. Jesus Temptation

Mark 1:12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. At once the Spirit made him go into the desert.  Luke 4:1-13, Matthew 4:1-11.  It was the Holy Spirit that led Him to this test.  The Holy Spirit will test us and try us.  Why? To get us to fail. No! To strengthen us.  To prepare us.  To fortify us.  To enable us and to bless us.   Athletes work hard to prepare for success.  No pain, no gain they say.  We should pray hard, read every day and be with other Christians in order to be ready for the test’s that we will go through. 

Mark 1:13…… And he was there in the wilderness forty days.   …where he stayed forty days.  Why forty days?  According to Got Questions.org….

It rained forty days and nights before the flood,

Forty years in the wilderness.

Forty years from the crucifixion to the destruction of Jerusalem,

40 days of Moses on the mount receiving the law,

 Moses life divided into three 40 year periods,

40 days the Israelites spied out the land,

Under Samson Israel served the Philistines for forty years,

Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days,

Elijah traveled 40 days and nights when he fled from Jezebel to Mount Horeb,

40 days were given to Ninevah,

The number forty also appears in the prophecies of Ezekiel and Jonah. 

There were forty days between Jesus resurrection and ascension,

Jesus 40 days of temptation. 

Forty appears to be the number of probation or trial.  Remember that God does not call us to search for secret meanings in numbers, hidden messages, or codes.  There is more than enough in the plain words of the Bible to meet all of our needs and make us complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:17.  But forty is a pretty significant number in the Bible.  So also is 12, 10, 7 and 3.  But numbers indicate order and completeness of God.  And it is also shows us that God is in no hurry and not in a rush.  Not in a rush to judge and not in a rush to bless us.  But God is a patient God and a testing God.  And specific numbers indicate actual times and dates that prove the Bible is the word of God. 

Bottom line…if Jesus was tempted, tried and tested we also will be. 

Mark 1:13…..tempted of Satan; being tempted by Satan.  He was tempted to Jump off the temple, turn a stone into bread and to worship the devil from a high mountain.  Jesus passed the test.  He could not fail. He was God.  He cannot sin and is not tempted to sin.  With each temptation Jesus used scripture.  We must put on the whole armor of God to resist the devil.  The Bible is our sword we use to fight him and our legs to escape as we are told to flee from the devil.  James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  “Patience” means endurance and steadfastness. 

Mark 1:13….and was with the wild beasts; Wild animals were there also.  So He was alone but in danger also. 

Mark 1:13….. and the angels ministered unto him.,. but angels came and helped him.   Angels could have come and taken Him off the cross.  Angels ministered to Him after His prayer in Gethsemane the night before His crucifixion.  Two angels told the disciples that Jesus would return in like manner after His ascension.  21:00

1.  Jesus Baptism  2. Jesus Temptation   3.  Jesus Begins To Preach

Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Now after John [the Baptist] was arrested and [i]taken into custody.  John is no longer able to preach his message of repentance.  John said “he must increase, I must decrease.” It was time for John’s decrease. 

Mark 1:14….Jesus came into Galilee, , Jesus went to Galilee.  Galilee in the northern part of Israel. Nazareth, Capernaum, Tiberias, Shimron, Jezreel, Nain, Chorazin, Hazor, Magdala, and Cana were the largest cities .  Galilee is west of the sea of Galilee. 

Mark 1:14….preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.  preaching the good news of [the kingdom of] God.  It is time for Jesus to begin to elaborate and complete the preaching of John with the preaching of the good news of the kingdom of God.  A kingdom has to have a king.  Jesus is the king.  He is looking for followers into His kingdom built on faith and trust in Him.  The kingdom of God begins in our hearts by faith in Him and culminates in our king coming to rule and reign by our presence with Him.

  Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, The right time has come,” The [appointed period of] time is fulfilled.  It is time for a Savior for the whole world. 

Mark 1:15….and the kingdom of God is at hand: and the Kingdom of God is near! God will dwell in the hearts of men through the Holy Spirit.  “The kingdom of God is within you.”

Mark 1:15….repent ye, Turn away from your sins. change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins, live your life in a way that proves you have changed.

Mark 1:15….and believe the gospel. he said, “and believe the Good News!” and saying, “,and believe [with a deep, abiding trust] in the good news [regarding salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ].”

The time is fulfilled.  It is time.  The law did it’s job.  It gave us God’s requirements.  We now know what sin is. We now know what sin does.  It separates us from God.  Now we must be reconciled.  So Jesus beigns the ministry of reconcilliation, that is the good news. 

The kingdom of God is now.  Jesus invites to this kingdom.  All who trust in Christ become citizens of this kingdom.  All are eligible for this kingdom.  Not just Jews but everyone!  First began by faith and then by sight. 

Here is the gospel.  The good news is this….Repent and believe.  Change your mind about sin and believe, trust in Jesus Christ and His shed blood for your sins.  His substituionary death, he took your place on the cross.  27:00

1.  Jesus Baptism  2. Jesus Temptation   3.  Jesus Begins To Preach

Jesus Ministry begins  Have you let Him minister to you?  Have you been baptized into Christ?  Have you beaten sin by placing your faith and trust in Jesus Christ?  Have you realized that the time has come for you to follow Jesus?  28:00

7/14/20149

Ecclesiastes 3:11-13  God Is So Good

Intro:  1 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.  12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.  13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

God is so good isn’t He?  He’s been so good to all of us.  Yes we have bad things happen.  But we have to admit many, many more good things than bad!  Why is He so good to us?  1:00

1.  It Will All Work Out

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:

He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time. He has set the right time for everything. I know bad things happen to people.  Bad things happen to Christians.  Bad things happen to you.  Terrible things.  Indescribable things.  But God when it’s all said and done will make it all a beautiful tapestry.  Romans 8:28 And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  God is smarter than you, understands more than you, knows more than you, has seen it all from beginning to the end so just trust Him okay?  If you are a Christian then rest easy.  I came to pass.   All bad things come and bad things go.  Good things come and good things stay.  Jesus came into our lives to stay.  He is not going away. Thus the Scriptures call people to live in robust faith during times of trial and pain; in the grand scheme of things, God will make everything beautiful. 

Ecclesiastes 3:11…..also he hath set the world in their heart, He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart.  He has given us a desire to know the future.  The Hebrew word for “world” here is the word for Eternity or future things of God.  All of God’s creation is beautiful. The point is that God makes everything the way it is in its time and for its time.  You were made for this time. 

From God’s perspective, there is no ugliness in the events of our lives. World  or Eternity in their hearts refers to a deep-seated, compulsive drive to transcend our mortality by knowing the meaning and destiny of the world.   We are not like animals.  We are made in God’s image. We have eternity in our souls and in our hearts.  It’s there, just like God’s laws.  We know right from wrong at an early age.  That is a blessing and a curse.  We are cursed due to sin.  We are blessed that we know we are sinners and we can turn from our sins and receive Jesus Christ!

Ecclesiastes 3:11 ….so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. God never gives us the satisfaction of fully understanding what he does.  [a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy, except God]—yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end. Because we are made in the image of God, we have an inborn inquisitiveness about eternal realities.

We can find peace only when we come to know our eternal Creator. Even then, we know God only in part (1 Cor. 13:12). from beginning to end: All we see is the short little life….. of our own existence in the grand span of eternity. Luke 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.  God is here for it all. The beginning and the end.  He has seen it all so we can trust Him for the things we do not understand.  1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.  One day all of our questions will be answered as we become eternal creatures and drop the veil of flesh that keeps us from seeing and knowing more about God.   

God is love so God is good.  God is so good to us to turn our lives into good because He love us.  11:00

1.  It Will All Work Out   2. Rejoice And Do Good

Ecclesiastes 3:12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, So I realized that all we can do is be happy.   I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice.   All we can do, there is nothing better we can do but rejoice in all God has done for us.  Rejoice that God is who He is.  Rejoice that He gave us life.  Rejoice that He has given us blessings and joy.  Rejoice that in the midst of trials and trouble He will be with us and bring us through all these events in our lives. 

Philippians 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice!  Be glad.  We you can’t be anything else be glad!  Don’t be sad.  Some of us look like we drank apple vinegar cider or colonoscopy prep for breakfast and are having turnip greens for lunch.   Just no smiles at all!   It’s not possible to smile when you drink apple vinegar cider or that prep stuff is it?  Awful, awful!

But we are to rejoice always!  Everyday!  Every way! In every situation always look for God’s hand of blessing.  It’s there! I know it doesn’t seem like it but it’s there!

Ecclesiates 3:12 and to do good in his life.  Do the best we can while we are still alive. 

Do good as long as they live.  Biblical faith is a call for joy, even when we live in a wicked world and under terrible stress; this is because we find true joy in the living God.  Of course we know that there is no that doing good that meets God’s standards.  But…..the first good thing we can do is trust in Jesus Christ.  Then we are declared good by God.  Then we can pursue doing good works for our Lord Jesus Christ!

Psalm 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.  Don’t do evil, don’t follow evil, don’t let evil in the door.   3 John 1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

God is so good to us that how can we do anything but rejoice and do good for His glory and tell of His great love for us! God is love so God is good.  19:00

1.  It Will All Work Out   2. Rejoice And Do Good    3.  Enjoy Your Blessings From God

Ecclesiastes 3:13 And also that every man should eat and drink, All of us should eat and drink.

God gives us varieties of food to enjoy.  God gives us variety of drinks to enjoy.  We enjoy eating and drinking.  Life is full of stress.  It is necessary to eat to live.  So God makes it enjoyable for man.  He gives us the pleasure of preparing and cooking a meal.  He gives us the pleasure of sharing a meal with those we love.  He gives us the pleasure of feeding others.  He gives us the pleasure of seeing others pleased with what we have prepared.  Eating is good. 

Drinking is good.  Is this alcoholic beverages?  No I don’t thinks so.  Now let’s get it out of the way.  Galatians 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Ephesians 5:8 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.  Clearly you are not to get drunk.  That means you can drink alchohol but don’t drink enough to even get a buzz.  So that’s not very much is it?  And also don’t let your liberty in Christ to drink cause your brother who is weaker see you drink and hurt their walk with Christ.  There you are.

Drinking liquids is necessary for health.  We should drink 64 ounces of liquids each day.   Everyone has their favorite foods and drinks.  Mine favorites drinks are tea and Dr Pepper.   God is so good to us to allow us to enjoy food and drink.  There is lots of eating and drinking in the Bible.  Lots of eating and drinking in the Old Testament, And these New Testament eating stories, The marriage at Cana, the Feeding of the five thousand, and four thousand, the last supper, The Lord’s supper, the marriage supper of the Lamb.   Eat and enjoy within limits.  We can get into gluttony. Eating and drinking more than we need.  That leads to all kinds of problems.  Too much of a good thing is too much. 

Ecclesiastes 3:13 …..and enjoy the good of all his labour, and enjoy what we have worked for.  And see and enjoy the good of all his labor.  We enjoy and should enjoy the things we have worked for and built with our own hands.  There is nothing wrong with working to have a nice home.  There is nothing wrong with being happy with the things you have purchased with your hard earned money.  It is satisfying for to see the fruits of our labor.  God looked as all of His work as creator and said it was very good. 

If we think we are going to just sit on a cloud and pluck a harp for eternity you’ve got another think coming.  We are going to be serving our Lord forever and ever!  Service is work. But the curse of work is over our work for the Lord is heaven will be rewarding, satisfying, creative and enjoyable!   We work hard to get what we have today.  Our work on this earth is cursed. Frustrating, not always satisfying, exhausting, and painful at times.

Ecclesiastes 3:13…..it is the gift of God..  —it IS the gift of God. 

It is a wonderful gift that God has given humans made in His image.  What a wonderful thing.  Psalm 103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 

God’s goodness to us ought to lead us to repent of our sin and turn to Him in faith.  God’s goodness to us is His gift of Salvation in Christ Jesus.  How good God is to us. He gave us life and life full of many pleasures and joys in spite of our rebellion against Him.  He does this so that we will acknowledge His goodness to us that we do not deserve and hopefully we will repent of our sins. 

God is so good to us to give us food and drink and fruitful labor which shows His great love for us.  27:00

1.  It Will All Work Out   2. Rejoice And Do Good    3.  Enjoy Your Blessings From God

God is so Good. 

How will you respond to God’s goodness to you today?  Will you ignore Him as most will.  Will you reject Him as many will.   Will you give yourself credit instead of God and many will.  Will you thank Him for all He has done for you and a very few will.   28:04



2 Samuel 7:21-24  God’s Path to Blessing

21For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.  22 Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.  23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?  24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God.    God has put on the heart of King David the desire to build the temple.  He tells David that he won’t get to build it because he is a man of war and blood.  But his descendant will build it.  David who has known the heights and depths of life praises the God is Israel, his uiniqeness and His love for Israel.  2:00

1.  No One Is More Blessed Than God’s Servants

21For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.

It was your will and purpose to do this; you have done all these great things in order to get my attention and to instruct me.  Because of Your word (promise), and in accordance with Your own heart, You have done all these great and astounding things to let Your servant know (understand). 

No one can say that He has not been blessed of God.  No Christian can say that they have not been blessed beyond measure!   If it was just salvation and then everything else went wrong then we could still say we have been blessed beyond belief!  But God still gives us blessings on top of blessings.  Even in our sorrow He comforts us.  Even in our sickness He heals us.  Even in our poverty He provides for us.  Even in our dispair He brings us hope.  Even in our fear He brings gives us peace.  There is no person in the world more happy than a follower of Jesus Christ.

God’s Servants, His people are blessed beyond reason and beyond compare!

If you want blessings in your life, if you want joy in your life, if you want peace in your life…..God through faith and trust in Jesus Christ will give it to you.  Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.  13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

There is no way that this world can out give God!  Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.   In fact you are complete in Jesus Christ. You need nothing Else!  Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.  No one is more blessed that God’s servants, God’s people we have all the hosts of heaven and the power of God available to us.  This will ensure our victory over sin, death, hell and the gave!   9:00

1.  No One Is More Blessed Than God’s Servants    2.  No God Like Our God

22 Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 22 How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is none like you; we have always known that you alone are God. Therefore You are great, O Lord God; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 

As far as we can tell there are about 12,000 gods who have been worshipped in history.  In modern times we have about 24 major gods and maybe 100 or so minor dieites and spirits that are worshipped.  It’s hard to pin down because Hindu’s many Asian cultures have a lot of minor gods in their worship.

 Allah wants to kill and take by force.  Allah wants us to hate our enemies and kill them.  The god of this world wants us to lie and steal and kill and live in despair and ruin.  The god of humanism wants us to kill the innocent and destroy the weak.  This god gives the only hope….. the betterment of mankind which is no hope at all.  The god we imagine in our minds sends no one to hell, loves everyone, but gives no answer for the troubles in our own lives and the uncertainty we have in our own faith about justice.  No accountability toward this god and no solution for sin. 

Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me.  But our God, is the God of creation and redemption and justice!  He is different not only because He says so, but because He has proven it.  He sent Jesus Christ to die for us and provided salvation for us.  All other gods demand we do something to please him and for salvation or for favor.  God says it pleased Him to bruise Jesus on the cross.   The work of salvation is finished in Christ.  We just have to believe and trust in Him.  There is no one like Jesus who was God become man.  We need Jesus because we needed a Savior not another god to please because we cannot please Him.  We needed a way made for us plain and clear and that way is Jesus Christ!

He will always do for those who trust in Him what brings us joy and brings Him glory!   There is no God like our God who creates, He loves and He gives!  God is love.  God is the creator and sustainer of His creation. God gave His only begotten Son.  16:00

1.  No One Is More Blessed Than God’s Servants    2.  No God Like Our God   3.  No Nation Like Israel

23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?23 There is no other nation on earth like Israel, whom you rescued from slavery to make them your own people. The great and wonderful things you did for them[c] have spread your fame throughout the world. You drove out[d] other nations and their gods as your people advanced, the people whom you set free from Egypt to be your own.  What one nation on earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do great and awesome things for Yourself and for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods? 

No nation is like Israel.  God kept them together despite being scattered throughout the world for 1870 years.  Now in these last days Israel is a nation again and is the super prophetic sign to the world that God is going to keep His promises to His land and His covenant people.  How much more will He keep His promises to us under the blood of Jesus Christ!  No nation has benefited the world like the Jews.  The Bible, many inventions, blessings upon those who are good to Israel.  And Of Course we have Jesus Christ born of a virgin Jewish girl into the family of Joseph. 

24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God. 24 You have made Israel your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God. You established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your people forever, and You, O Lord, have become their God.

Israel will be the leading nation of the world from now on and into the millennial period.  Right now every eye of every nation is on Jerusalem.   Everybody’s focus is on Israel.  Just like the Bible predicted.  How could this be?  It must be God.  God’s billboard of His presence and proof of His existence is Israel. 

I saw a YouTube video about Atheists saying that Israel in Bible prophecy does not prove that God exists.  Well they just admitted that there is a thing called Bible prophecy.  They just admitted that Bible prophecy is pretty amazing about Israel, but they claim that those prophecies were written after the fact like Daniel chapters 7-12 were written later by someone else. That’s an old argument that has been disproven years ago. 

They say that Isaiah’s prophecies are too vague.   Or that Ezekiel’s prophecies were not about a future Israel.  Of course, that’s what I would say also if I were them.  But the very fact that there seem to be many prophecies in the Bible about Israel in the last days should tell them something.  It should tell them that only God knows the future.   There are no prophecies in the Koran.  There are many false prophecies throughout history and many prophets so the atheists lump Bible prophecies and false prophets like Joseph Smith and the JW’s and the Catholic mystics and other ancient prophets together to disprove Bible prophecies.  

They won’t take Biblical prophecies about Israel by themselves for that would be too difficult to disprove they must disprove Bible prophecies by lumping them together with other written false prophecies and similar prophecies of other writers down through the ages.  That’s what I would do also If I had not argument to prove that there are not Bible prophecies that have come true about Israel.

There is no land blessed like Israel.  Many prophecies tell of Israel’s military might, agricultural production and economic success in the last days.   

Israel is the apple of God’s eye.  But why Israel?  They were chosen of God.  But think about the difficulties they have had because of their faith in the creator God.  They endured many hardships and difficulties because of God’s choosing them.  But God knew that there would be great men and women of faith and trust in Him among the Jews.  Great giants of the faith like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and Joshua, Esther, Deborah, Ruth, Ezra, Nehemiah, and David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and all the faithful prophets John the Baptist and Peter and Paul and all of the apostles and of course Jesus Christ Himself.   That’s why God has blessed these people.  God made a world for people, a people the Jews, to introduce Himself to the world and a through them a Savior for all the world’s sins.   Think about this……… before Pentecost all the heroes of the faith were Jews!  No wonder God will keep His promise to bless them and make them a nation forever!  25:00

1.  No One Is More Blessed Than God’s Servants    2.  No God Like Our God   3.  No Nation Like Israel God’s path to Blessing is through the Jew and Jesus Christ. 

God made Israel so that they might be the instrument of God’s blessings to the world.  But they have suffered…Oh how they have suffered the burden of bearing God’s name throughout history as no people have been hated and suffered.  They are still today the bane of society. They have paid a high price to be God’s chosen people. 

For those who say what’s so special about Israel…..let me a ask you…would you want to be a Jew?  Would you want to be a Jew in Egypt, in the wilderness wanderings,  and then fight battle after battle for the promised land and always surrounded by enemies. Then later horrible kings who led you into idol worship, then ultimately Assyrian and Babylonian Captivity, then under under Roman rule, finally scattered throughout the world for 1870 years.  During that time millions of Jews murdered for just being Jewish. 

Finally, they found some acceptance.  They found success and led in many cultural and scientific betterments to America and Europe.     But it didn’t last long.   Would you like to have been a Jew in Europe in 1930’s?  Concentration Camps. Six million killed by Hitler.  Now today they are back in their land the size of New Jersey…maybe!  And again, all your neighbors hate you, and the world want’s you out of your land.  Would you want to be a Jew?  I don’t know about you…. but I don’t have the courage to be a Jew!

Don’t ever say “what’s so special about Israel?” They suffered and died to give us the word of God, and they gave us our Savior Jesus Christ!   That is why they are so important!   The world owes the Jews a debt we could never repay them in a million lifetimes!  But God will reward them…….. for the promises He made and the faithfulness of their great hero’s, He will make them the greatest nation in the world during the millennium.  And the greatest city will be Jerusalem where Jesus Christ will rule the world!    Would you want to be a Jew?   

28:04

Psalm 88:12  The Land Of Forgetfulness

Intro:  We used to be called the land of the free and the home of the brave.  Today I would say Amercia has a different description.  Psalm 88:12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?  We are no longer the land of the free but the land of forgetfulness.  We have forgotten the men who died to make our nation free.  We have forgotten those who gave their lives in the formation of our great nation and constitution.   We have forgotten the principles on which we were founded.  Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

But our biggest problem is that we are a nation that has forgotten God.  I would even go as far as to say that we are nation that hates God..the God of the Bible to be specific.   America has created a god that they love.  He lets everybody into heaven.  He does not judge sin.  He wants us all to be the same.  He will not send anyone to hell.   He accepts every religion.  It is not the cross of Christ, not the resurrection of Christ, not the grace God, that conquered sin, death hell and the grave, but God’s Love wins over unrepentant sin, death, hell and the grave! (2:00)

1.  America Is In Darkness

Psalm 88:12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? Are your miracles seen in that place of darkness? Will Your wonders be known in the darkness? 

Luke 11:34 but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

America is in spiritual darkness. 

Same-sex marriage is a sin. But we have Pride marches.  They will destroy any pastor, politician, celebrity, corporation or person or group who tries to oppose it.

Abortion is a sin and we say it’s a woman’s right and will destroy any pastor, politician, celebrity, corporation or person or group who tries to stop them. 

Transgenderism is a mental disorder yet we encourage and protect these people and destroy any  pastor, politician, celebrity, corporation or person or group who tries to stop them. 

They want to destroy capitalism and replace it with socialism.  And will destroy any economist or politician or group who tries to oppose it. 

They want to get rid of national sovereignty to destroy America by creating the climate change agenda and making everyone under the regulation of a world government.  And will destroy any scientist or group who tries to oppose it. 

To many of American’s the Bible is outdated and needs an update.  The Bible says the word of God sharper than any two-edged sword.  The Bible says that the word of God will endure forever.  The Bible says the word of God will never change.  The Bible says the word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  America is in Darkness. 

I was sitting on my porch one day and looking around I saw the bright sunshine glistening off the hills and I thought…The world doesn’t look like it’s in darkness but even the brilliant light of the sun cannot remove the darkness in men’s hearts and souls.   Everything seems okay in our little world but we are a little isolated from the outward sins everywhere. 

We can still buy bread, we can still drive to an event without being exposed to all this darkness.  We can still go to church. We can still live a normal life…but for how long until the darkness of America over whelms all of society.  It won’t be long in my opinion.  God is going to spare the church though.  Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, and 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Right now the Holy Spirit restrains evil due to the presence of the church.  But one day that restrainer the Holy Spirit will be removed with the church. 

2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:  11:00

1.  America Is In Darkness 2.  America is Happy with Darkness

The saddest thing I can say in this message is that America seems to be happy to live in darkness.  You know some animals are created to hunt in the darkness.  They don’t want to be revealed to their prey so they hunt in the cover of darkness so that their prey is caught unaware of the danger. 

Isn’t that American’s today.  So many lies and deceit from government, corporations, and leadership.  They want to keep people in the dark so that they won’t know what’s happening until it’s too late.

John 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.   This is why people love darkness rather than light.  Psalm 107:11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High.  They have rebelled against the Lord.  They want to be free to do their evil. 

Psalm 88:12  Shall thy wonders be known in the dark?  We have missed the miracles and the wonders that He does every day because we have fallen into darkness.   You can’t see in the dark.  Jesus said it plainly in  John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.. 

We are not following Jesus so we are in darkness of soul and spirit.  We have chosen the base, wicked things of this world over the joy’s of following Christ.  A king loved his dog.  He prepared a banquet for it every day.  But the dog never ate it.  It would sneak off and eat from the garbage pail instead. Isn’t it funny that an humans too will eat the garbage of life and will not eat of the banquet prepared for them by the Lord Jesus Christ.  19:00

1.  America Is In Darkness 2.  America is Happy with Darkness   3.  We have Forgotten God. 

Psalm 88:12 ….and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

or your goodness in the land of the forgotten? And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness [where the dead forget and are forgotten]?

All the good that God does for us everyday and hardly anyone thanks Him for it.  All the blessings God gives to us every day and mostly no one pauses to give Him praises for it. We have forgotten our God!

Deuteronomy 8:11 Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

God says beware!  If you forget me beware!  It is not going to go well with you.  How can a people, a person, a nation be blessed that forgets His creator? Answer they can’t.  God is His mercy and grace gives us blessings we do not deserve.  But mercy, joy and peace only come to those who trust in Jesus Christ! 

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Beware…if you forget God….He will forget you.  If you reject God He will reject you!    If a nation forgets God, rejects God then they will reap what they sow.  Hosea 8:7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.  Israel was kicked out of their land.  Strangers took it over because they forgot God.  Is that what is happening to America?  Are strangers coming in to our land to swallow it up?  They say that unrest in central America and in Africa will lead to untold millions coming across our border in the coming few months and years. 

Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Not only will we be over ran with strangers but our nation is going to go to hell.  We hear that all the time that our nation is going to hell.  Well there is truth to that phrase.  There is a reason we are going to hell as a nation.    We have forgotten God.  26:00

1.  America Is In Darkness 2.  America is Happy with Darkness   3.  We have Forgotten God. 

Most people don’t like the darkness.  When we are immersed in darkness we get very uneasy.  We want to find a light.  But spiritually most people in the world are in darkness and  you know by these signs.   Physically if you are in darkness there is fear, then panic.  He are some clear signs that you are in spiritual darkness.  No hope.  No assurance. No peace.  No purpose.  No friend.  A dread of the future.  And of course, fear of death.  These are clear signs that you are in spiritual darkness.  

Jesus gives hope, assurance, peace, purpose, and promises to be with you…forever!  He gives us eternal life which erases the fear…… of life and death.   Remember where you came from and where you are going.  Come to the light of the world….Jesus Christ!  28:04

6/23/2019

Romans 3:10-28  Man’s Dilemma… God’s Answer

Intro:  If a man ignores the warnings and slips away from the safety and constraints of the railing and the tour group.  He goes too far and slips and falls into the raging waters.  Now he is heading down the river and about to go over Niagra Falls…he is is a major dilemma.  He needs Rescued and fast.  His own wandering heart, lack of attention and stupidity has gotten him in trouble.  I admire first responders.  The firemen, EMT’s, Police, military.  They specialize in saving lives.  Most of the time they save stupid people.  That’s just the facts.  People go too far, don’t pay attention or try stupid stunts.  It’s funny we pay professional ball players 31 million a year to play with people, and we pay first responders 31,000 a year to save people.   We worship ball players and throw rocks at first responders.  We praise ball players and curse first responders. 

Every human is in a major dilemma with God.  We have ignored God’s warnings, we have left the safety and constraints He has given us and now we have gotten in big trouble with God.  We need rescued.  We are all headed for disaster that will destroy us.  (2:00)

1. We are in a Dilemma Before a Holy God.

Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God.

Let’s list the dilemma that mankind has with his God.

1.  None is righteous before God.

2. No one understands that they are not good.

3. No one seeks God who made them

4. They have fled from God

5. They are of no benefit to God.

6. No one is doing good.

7.  Their talk is filthy

8. They lie.

9. Their tongues spew poison.

10. They curse others and God.

11. Their talk is bitter and full of bitterness

12. They use their legs to run to kill another.

13.  They want to destroy and cause misery to others.

14. They don’t want peace but fighting and quarreling

15. They do not fear or respect God

16. They are declared guilty by the law of God.

17. All have sinned

18.  All have come far short of God’s glory that He wishes for us.

We are in deep do-do with God.  We have not even come close to living as He would have us.  So we need help.  We need more than help we need a transformation.   We are certainly in a Dilemma.  The only Hope is Jesus.  He has already come and lived and died and rose again.  He is certainly coming again for His church at any moment .  11:00

1. We are in a Dilemma Before a Holy God.  2.  The Law Brought Knowledge of Our Dilemma

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Justifiied legal term used of the defendant in a trial, justified means “declared righteous.” No one will be declared righteous by doing what God requires in the Law. This is confirmed by the fact that the Law was not given to justify sinners but to expose sin.  Justified..Just As If I had never sinned.

NO one will be declared righteous by being good.  You cannot be good enough.  This disqualifies all religions.  This is why Jesus is so important. Without the shedding of blood shall no flesh be justified.  That blood has to be holy blood, righteous blood.  The Blood of the Son of God only. 

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

But now God's way of putting people right with himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it.

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

God puts people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. God does this to all who believe in Christ, both Jew and Gentile there is no difference as far as God is concerned. 

While the gospel if offered to everyone….Only those who know Jesus Christ will be in heaven.  Only those who have repented and turned to Jesus Christ is faith, only saved sinners will be in heaven.  And only those who know Jesus Christ as Savior will go with Him when He comes for His church.  19:00

1. We are in a Dilema Before a Holy God.  2.  The Law Brought Knowledge of our Dilemma

3.  God’s Answer to Man’s Dilemma

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

We are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] [c]grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus. 

Jesus is the only way, the only hope, the only truth and the only life.  Remember when Pilate looked at Jesus and asked “what is truth?”  It is no conincedence that he was looking at the embodiment of truth. 

Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

This term propitiation is derived from the Greek verb hilaskomai, a word which has three meanings: (1) “to placate” or “to appease”; (2) “to be propitious and merciful”; or (3) “to make propitiation for someone.” The New Testament never describes people appeasing God. Instead, as Luke 18:13 and 1 John 2:2 make clear, the New Testament describes God as being merciful to, or making propitiation, for us.

Romans 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.  God offered Jesus, so that by his blood[b] he should become the means by which people's sins are forgiven through their faith in him. God did this in order to demonstrate that he is righteous. In the past he was patient and overlooked people's sins; but in the present time he deals with their sins, in order to demonstrate his righteousness. In this way God shows that he himself is righteous and that he puts right everyone who believes and trusts in Jesus and in Him alone! 

Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. What, then, can we boast about? Nothing! And what is the reason for this? Is it that we obey the Law? No, but that we believe, trust and rely upon Jesus Christ and Him alone.  Only He died for us, only He rose again for us, Only He is coming again for us.  Only He promise to never leave us nor forsake those who believe, trust in Him and have received Him as their Savior.  To as many as received Him to them He gave the power to become the sons of God. 

27:00

Conclusion: 

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

For we conclude that a person is put right with God only through faith in Christ, and not by doing what the Law commands.  No one is saved by works… for it is impossible.  That is why Christ is so important. Without Him we do not have life.  1 John 5.  Without Him we can do nothing to reconcile ourselves to God.  Without Him we are done for. 

1. We are in a Dilema Before a Holy God.  2.  The Law Brought Knowledge of Our Dilemma

3.  God’s answer To Man’s Dilemma…Be Justified By Christ Alone…not by your effort.  28:04



6/9/2019

1 John 2:1-5  What We Have In Jesus

Intro:  1My 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:  2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

We have a lot of blessings in this world.  We have a home, a car or two, a child or two or three, friends, family, work, hobbies, neighbors, and doctors to keep us going right?  The poorest person in the world has been blessed of God with life and the possibility of eternal life!  We have so much in this world but we don’t really appreciate what we have in Jesus.  John the Apostle tries to tell us.  2:00

1.  We Have An Advocate

1My 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:  I am writing this to you, my children, so that you will not sin; but if anyone does sin, we have someone who pleads with the Father on our behalf, an advocate, who will intercede for us—Jesus Christ, the righteous one. Jesus the upright, the just One, who conforms to the Father’s will in every way—purpose, thought, and action.

We do sin. 1 John 1:8-10 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

But our sin should not be purposeful or habitual.  Like stealing, lying, cursing, fighting, fussing, murdering, hating constantly.  Living for the purpose to fulfill the desires of self.  James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

We may sin by accident, because we are fallen creatures every day but we don’t have to sin connivingly, purposely and consistently.  We have been freed from the power of sin.  But when we do sin…purposely or accidently….we have an advocate.  A paraclete in the Greek.  Someone who will defend us and stand for us and defend us. 

Isn’t that amazing! As sorry and no good as I am sometimes…. the Lord will defend me and stand for me when our accuser, the devil tries to malign me and you.  Revelation 12:9-10 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  10:00

1.  We Have An Advocate  2.  We have a Propitiation

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: And Christ himself is the means, the one whom by which our sins are forgiven, And He [that same Jesus] is the propitiation for our sins [the atoning sacrifice that holds back the wrath of God that would otherwise be directed at us because of our sinful nature— our worldliness, our lifestyle.

1 John 2:2 ….and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.  and not our sins only, but also the sins of everyone.  and not for ours alone, but also for [the sins of all believers throughout] the whole world.  Only those who trust in Christ as Savior and Repent and turn to Christ can have this gift.  It is available to everyone.  But you don’t get it automatically.  Uncle Joe is not in heaven unless he put His faith and trust in Jesus Christ!  If he did no…..then he is not in heaven.  We are sinners!  A dirty word today that we don’t mention because we don’t want to offend anyone.  Well Jesus said the gospel would be offensive!  Mark 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

For God so loved the world….the whole world of people.  He didn’t love the animals.  He is good to them and provides for them.  He didn’t love the earth….He is good to the earth and will keep us from destroying the earth.  He loved humans! He is the advocate for mankind…. not the earth or the animals. 

He is propitiation for Mankind….not the earth and the animals!  Quit putting the earth and animals on the same level as humans!  The earth and animals are created …..Man is MADE in the image of God.  In the image of God made He them!  1 Corinthians 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.  18:00

1.  We Have An Advocate  2.  We have a Propitiation

3.  We Have A Friend

1 John 2: 3-5 3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

If we obey God's commands, then we are sure that we know him.  We can have assurance.  I can know that I know that I know that I know Him.  How?  1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.   What are the commandments?  This is God’s commandments.  This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him.  He becomes a friend to you, closer than a brother.  Jesus said ye are MY friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. 

What did Jesus command us to do?….He that believeth in me shall not perish but have everlasting life.  Jesus said my yoke is easy my burden is light.  It not a keeping of the TEN commandments or the 613 Levitical laws….It’s this….Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out! Jesus fulfilled the righteousness requirements of the law.  You don’t have to be good to be saved you have to have His goodness applied to your life.  Jesus was made sin for you so that you could have His righteousness!  What a deal!  What a friend we have in Jesus!

1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. If we say that we know him, but do not act like Him, we are liars and there is no truth in us.  Whoever says, “I have come to know Him,” but does not habitually keep [focused on His precepts and follow Jesus is a liar, and the truth of the Bible is not in him. 

You can’t be a sheep and run with the wolves.  You will be found out.  You can’t be a Christian and run after the pleasures of this world as your main goal in life.  Of course, there is nothing wrong with having a good time and pleasures.  As long as it’s based on blessings of God and not borrowed from the devil.   You know every pleasure you have when you are not a Christian is only temporary.  This is as good as it’s gonna get for you!   Every pleasure a Christian has in this world is just a faint image of the complete joy we will have in heaven with Jesus. 

Drugs, sex, partying, acting like a fool, and fussing and fighting is not the way Christians should act.  We are to be sober minded, peace makers and minding our own business.  We are be meek as lambs and wise as serpents. 

1 John 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

But if we obey his word, if we act like Jesus, we are the ones whose love for God has really been made perfect. This is how we can be sure that we are in union with God:  And this is how we know [daily, by experience] that we have come to know Him [to understand Him and be more deeply acquainted with Him]: if we habitually keep [focused on His precepts and obey] His commandments (teachings).   But whoever habitually follows Jesus and treasures Him, and the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him:

We should act like a Christian.  That’s what the book of James is all about.  We show our faith by our actions, our love.   They’ll know we are Christians by our love.  Not our knowledge of the facts but for the fact of our love for Jesus and for others. 

We act like Jesus because He is our Savior, Our Lord, Our Master, Our King, Our…….Friend.  26:00

What we Have in Jesus

1.  We Have An Advocate  2.  We have a Propitiation

3.  We Have A Friend 

Does it amaze you that the God of the universe has come to you in a personal salvation experience?  He has and He is!  What is your response to Him?  You can accept Him and live for Him.  You can reject Him and run from Him.  Or you can ignore Him and hope that it will all be okay anyway.  

A “fool” or as we know them…a court jester came to a party to entertain the king who had been very sad for days. Nothing worked to make him happy.  The “fool” entertained the audience and the throne with amazing trickery.  The king seemed very pleased.  The jester asked for a volunteer from the audience.  He picked out one of the servants.  The fool poured drinks on the servant, stuck feathers in his hair and put his funny hat on him.  The audience was very quiet the whole time.  The jester asked incredously “what is the matter with you people?  Why aren’t you laughing?….I am the greatest fool of them all.”  The servant spoke up….”Yes you are…. for I am really the king! Had you known me you would have known who I was.  The joke is on you!”  Everyone laughed and the king was happy again at the great joke he pulled on the fool.  But unfortunately the fool lost his hat….. and his head that day!

The moral……You better know the king…… or you are going to be fooled one day and it WILL cost you your hat and your life!  28:04



John 12:28-32  The Glory of God

Intro: 28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

33This he said, signifying what death he should die.

34The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.  2:00

1.  God’s Glory Has Come Because Of  Jesus

John 12:28…Father, glorify thy name.

It pleased God to send His Son to die for our sins.  It glorifies God that He would do such a wonderful thing for underserving sinners.  The angels must have been mystified at the plan of salvation.

God is not glorified in the things and inventions of man as marvelous as they are.

God is not glorified in our good….we have none. 

God is not glorified in government.  It is corrupt.

God is not glorified in our flag…..it is not His flag.

God is not glorified in our activities….we are running to and fro always seeking to do evil continouisly.

God is only glorified in Jesus Christ and His amazing act of grace. 

John 12:28 ….Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

It will be glorified when Jesus comes again to take His rightful blood bought place as the king of kings and Lord of Lords. 

That should be a scary thing for those who do not know Jesus Christ and have rejected Him.  9:00

2.  Judgment Is Come Because Of Jesus

John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Now there is no excuse for people to continue in sin.  Now salvation has been bought and paid for and people who reject have no where else to turn, no escape, and no hope without Jesus.

John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Jesus had to die in order for others to be drawn to Him.  Why are all men preoccupied with Jesus?  He died for our sins.  Satan knows it and will do everything he can to subvert the name of Jesus.

Creation knows it and groans under the anticipation of being made new again.

Romans 1 says that we are without excuse.  Everyone knows in their heart of hearts that God created the world and when they hear the name of Jesus they know instinctively that He is the Savior of the world and God in the flesh.

Why is His name vilified and cursed?  His name is on every tongue and on every mind.

They can try to get Him our of their minds but they can’t.  Why do people who don’t believe make such a case against Jesus?  I don’t believe in little green men from Mars but I don’t’ talk about it all the time.  I don’t try to destroy your belief in little green me from Mars.   I don’t believe in eating vegetables but I don’t talk about it all the time and I don’t down you for believing in them. 

John 12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.

Jesus was going to be lifted up on a cross.  Jesus didin’t die privately but publicly for the whole world to see and know what God did for sinners.  18:00

3.   Light Is Come Because Of Jesus

John 12:34The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever:

Isaiah 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.  Ezekiel 37:25….and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

John 12:34….and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

Great questions?  The world continues ot ask them today?  But how could they question the very one who has already proven to them who He was yet they still could not see.  Jesus had done miracle after miracle and still they did not recongnize Him.  Just by spending five minutes with Him you would have known that He is the Son of God!  But they did not want to see.  That’s the same trouble today.

John 12:35Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you.

Jesus is the light of the world.  Then He gives a warning…..

John 12:35 Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

The world today is in darkness.  John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.  If Jesus is not your Savior you are in darkness and cannot see the truth.  That explains the complete lack of civility and wisdom and love in the world today.  Politics on the national level has gone to a complete evil and even cruelty.   How would you feel if the police came to your house every day trying to catch you in a crime?  Their job is to arrest law breakers not harass the innocent in hopes of finding a crime!  Yet that is what some are doing to citizens of our country today. 

John 12:36While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

We must believe in Jesus while we can.  He won’t always strive with man.  One day you will die.  One day HE will come and then there is no more opportunity.   He is not hiding as much as we are not looking for Him.   Jesus will reveal himself to those who seek for Him.  27:00

Conclusion:

The Glory of God is in Jesus.  The power of God is in Jesus.  The love of God is in Jesus.  The hope of God is in Jesus.  The Salvation of God is in Jesus. 

28:04

Forgetting  Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.  1:00

1. Idols Will Be forgotten

Zechariah 13:2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.  3:00

2. The Earth will be forgotten

Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 5:00

3. All of our good will be forgotten If we Fail to trust in Christ.

Ezekiel 33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. 7:00

4. The wise of this world will be forgotten

Eccl 2:16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool. 10:00

5. We have forgotten that God created us

Deut 323:18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.  13:00

6. Israel Forgot God.

Judges 8:34 And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side: 16:00

7. Even Christians Forget God.

2 Peter 1:8-9 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.  19:00

8. God helps us forget the troubles in life.

Eccleastes 5:19-20 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God. 20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

Also, every man to whom God has given riches and possessions, He has also given the power and ability to enjoy them and to receive [this as] his [allotted] portion and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God [to him].  20 For he will not often consider the [troubled] days of his life, because God keeps him occupied and focused on the joy of his heart [and the tranquility of God indwells him].  22:00

9. Our Sin Are Forgotten

Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Hebrews 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.  28:04

Intro: 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:  36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Years ago the church was awakened and watching for signs of His return.  Now there are signs everyday and it barely gets a yawn from the church.  The church is asleep as it pertains to His return.  1:00

1.  Jesus Could Come at Any moment!

Mark 13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

Matthew 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.   Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.  Revelation 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

One of the oldest prophecies ever made is about the return of Christ alluded to by Jude from the book of Enoch.  Enoch was the one the Lord took.  Jude 14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints. 

One thing is clear.  Jesus will come when most people are not aware.  The church is more concerned about building buildings and building ministries than preparing for the Lord’s return.  It’s the strangest thing.  Everyone says the world is falling apart but nobody lives like it.  Church attendance is way down. 

One reason……… is churches don’t teach Bible Prophecy or the rapture of the church.  In trying to appeal to the masses the church has watered down the gospel and ignored prophecy and the church has become boring and stale or distracted by our own so called joy in the Lord.

But instead of being inspired by the Lord’s return…..We try to have revivals and conferences to get the flock inspired.  We try to have great music and lights and great buildings and drum up all the emotion we can and people leave without any real lasting excitement about Jesus.  You know why? The Holy Spirit is not there.  He wants us to teach and preach the exciting news about Jesus coming again!  Israel is in their land….the church is being persecuted like never before….and we see signs in the middle east,  Turkey and Russia.   We have the evil men waxing worse and worse.  We see signs in the sky.  We see obvious signs that we are in the days of Noah and Lot.  We see the socialists and globalists coming into power and making their agenda plainly known.  We see cries for a man, be it God or the devil to lead them.  We see unreasonable hatred for God’s people Israel.   We see false religions and new age beliefs everywhere.  And yet the church is weaker and smaller every Sunday! 

The exception is that some churches have thousands in attendance……. to hear motivational talks.  No mention of sin, judgment or prophecy.  They talk about their favorite subject.  ME!  It’s not about Jesus.  You barely hear His name mentioned in the songs or the sermons.  They talk about following God and knowing God.  But what god?  The God of the Bible will lead us to focus on His name…Jesus!  His cross! His Blood!  His resurrection! And His return! At any moment!!! 10:00

1.  Jesus Could Come at Any moment!   2.  It will be sudden without warning

Mark 13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

Luke 22:46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

Matthew 25:5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

The church is asleep because they are focused on self instead of on Jesus.  Their lamps went out.  The light of Jesus was not in their lives.  Instead they were focused on their needs and wants instead of watching for Jesus who is represented as the bridegroom in this story. 

I’m so sad.  I’m so addicted.  I’m so unhappy.  I’m so lonely.  I’m so hopeless.  I’m so tired.  I’m so sick.  It’s all about me!!!.  If we loved Jesus and walked with Him every day, we would know that He is coming for us.  It would be in our hearts and our spirits from the Holy Spirit who teaches us and reminds us. 

But no…we are more concerned with our health than our Souls.  We are more concerned with our daily walk for exercise than our walk with Jesus.  We are more concerned with being happy than being holy. 

Jesus said When you see all these things, these signs, know that it is near even at the door…….

I shouldn’t have to explain what the signs are.…..every Christian listening to my voice should already know what they are because you are looking for Him!   The Holy Spirit will witness to your heart that the time is near.  

The signs are…

*Israel. Zechariah 12:1-3  Nations are already lined up to fulfil Ezekiel 38-39

*Apostasy—A great falling away from the truth in the church.  Big noise, big services, big music, big preachers, big Jesus and no truth.  If I hear someone else say we serve a “big God” again I’m going to puke!  He is not a “big God” he is the only God!  He is God…..

*Earth Quakes and natural disasters increasing in size…...

*Noah and Lot…Sexual sin and abominable acts.  People living like nothing is going to happen.  Buying and selling and marrying and having families. 

*Fear.   Fear of the future destruction of the earth.  Climate Change agenda and socialism is the only way we can survive as a planet. 

*Strange Diseases.  Cancers and pestilences despite all of our modern medicines.  We have more advanced health care and more sickness than ever!

*Division among people and groups of people leading to hatred and war. 

*Reprobate minds.  People cannot discern the times and have lost their common sense.

*False Christs.  Mormons, JW’s, Islam, Catholicism, New age, Buddists,  in fact…. all religions in the world are looking for the great Savior to come.  And these false religions are all trying to replace Christ with their own deceptive teachings. 

*Cries for Peace.   Always crying for peace and believing in peace.   The reality is no one wants peace.  But a real Peace treaty is coming between Israel and her enemies brought on by the anti-Christ and will signal the beginning of the tribulation.

These signs are already upon us. So how far out can the rapture be?  No far!  19:00

1.  Jesus Could Come at Any moment!   2.  It will be sudden without warning 3.  Be Ready

Mark 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Sometimes we cannot see any hope.  We continue to ignore what God is doing in our lives.  A lot of people wouldn’t believe it if the Lord did come!   A husband made up his mind he was going to be a better husband.  He picked up some flowers for his wife and came home and upon entering announced.  “Honey I’m home…I love you so much!”  She stood at the door and said…this has been a dreadful day..  The kids are crazy, the pot roast is burned, the house is upside down, the bath tub over flowed, the refrigerator is not working and now…. you come home drunk!    We just aren’t looking for the glorious day of His return are we? 

Are you ready?  Get ready!  How do we get ready?  1 Thessalonians 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.  1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Sober means to be serious, alert, disciplined and focused.  Vigilant means to be cautious, watching, looking out for…

This is not the time to take time off from serving the Lord and walking with Jesus.  This is not the time to quit for awhile.  This is not the time to back off, slow down or take it easy.  We are to always be ready for the Lord’s appearance. 

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Jesus appearance, His coming for His church is blessed and glorious according to Titus. 

Blessed means happy.  On a scale of 1-10 our happiness will be one thousand times one thousand!

Glorious in more ways that we could ever think or imagine.  You think of the glorious views of an ocean or a mountain peak or the glorious feeling you get when you fall in love, see the birth of your child or grandchild or finding out you are cancer free, and that UK just one the national championship, and you just inherited a billion dollars, and all of your children and friends accepted Christ and are living for Him……. It is all of that times ten thousand. 

Isn’t it worth it to be ready?  What else is more important to you?  If someone or something else is more important to you than Jesus…..you are not READY!  27:00

Conclusion:

1.  Jesus Could Come at Any moment!   2.  It will be sudden without warning 3.  Be Ready

Wake Up!  Look Up! Your redemption draweth nigh!  Repent, turn from your sins, trust in Jesus as your Savior.  Christian be Ready, get Ready, live victoriously in Christ now and when He comes. 

28:04

4/28/2019
The Lord Is Good To Us
Lamantations 3:22-25

Lamentations 3:22-25 The Lord Is Good To Us

Intro:   Lamentations  3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.  25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

Have you ever thought about how good God has been to you and to me?  We should think about it.  We should be thankful about God’s goodness to us.  If God were not a good God.  We would all be dead!  If God were not a good God we all would have a miserable existence.  (1:00)

1. God is good to us because of His mercy

Lamentations 3:22.  It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed…… Even in His wrath, God remembers to be merciful.   God never wiped out everyone in the flood.  He spared Noah and his sons and wives.  And in doing that he spared millions for annilation including us!  God is not willing that any should perish but that all come to repentance.    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should NOT perish.  6:00

2.  God is Good to Us because of His compassion For us

Lamentation 3:22……because his compassions fail not.  Lamentations 3:23They are new every morning. Every day presents us with a new opportunity to discover and experience more of God’s love. Even in the midst of terrible sorrow, Jeremiah looked for signs of mercy.  Every day is a new opportunity for us.  If we messed up yesterday then today is a chance for a new beginning.  God’s compassion for us never runs out.  In fact this passage says He renews it every morning.  Whatever you did yesterday is under God’s compassion today.  He cares for us.  What a God we serve!

His compassion will never fail.  He will always have care for you.  The Bible says “Cast all you care upon Him for He careth for you.”  11:00

3. God is Good To us Because He Is Faithful

Lamentations 3:23……great is thy faithfulness.  Here is the heart of the Book of Lamentations. The comforting, compassionate character of God dominates the wreckage of every other institution and office. God remains “faithful” in every situation.  Exodus 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…..John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

God cannot be anything but faithful.  He cannot fail us.  He will not leave us.  He will never forsake us.  He always hears us.  Great is His faithfulness.  It is beyond our understanding how God stands by us and protects and guides us by His Holy Spirit.  The Bible says we each have an angel watching over us.  The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit teaches us, guides us, and spanks us when we need it.   Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever!  He  is not going to change is His love for you, His compassion for you, His desire for you, and in His salvation for you….because He….Is Faithful!!! 16:00

4.  God is Good to us bcause He gives us hope.

Lamentations 3:24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; The Lord is my portion: This expression is based on Num. 18:20, And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.  Aaron was denied an inheritance in the land but was told instead that the Lord Himself was his portion and inheritance.

The same idea is also found in Ps. 16:5; The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.  73:26; My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 119:57; Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words. 142:5 cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

Lamentations 3:24…...therefore will I hope in him. I hope in Him: Hope is not a wishful thought, but a confident expectation in Lord. The verb hope suggests the idea of a “waiting attitude”.  Lamentations 3:21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.  I love the word hope.  It means so much to humans.  Hope is the difference between life and death. They tell us that people without hope can die.  When all hope is lost people are going to die.  But the Bible gives us this word hope that is not a word of uncertainty.  It is a word of absolute assurance it is going to happen!  21:00

5.  God is Good to us Because He Always Comes Through For Us

Lamentations 3:25The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. The idea here is the acceptance of God’s will and His timing. Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Has God ever failed anyone?  Has God ever failed you?  God will come to you but we have to be willing to let God do it in His time.   Sarah didn’t wait for God’s timing.   The people of Judah and Israel didn’t wait for God’s timing.  Judas didn’t wait for God’s timing.  When we don’t wait on God we end up in disaster.  God will work out everything in your life to your good and to His purpose and glory!  26:00

Conclusion:   The Lord is Good to us.  Our Good God.  How bless we are that God is merciful to us.  That God has compassion for us.  That God is faithful to us.  That God always gives us hope. And That God always come through for us.   I was thinking about a mouse that was caught in a trap and the home owners were shocked to see that the mouse continued to eat the cheese even though it was trapped.  That’s people today.  We are trapped and doomed but we continue to eat of life’s enjoyment and ignore our perilious situation.  We ignore God’s escape provided for us through faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  Don’t ever, ever be tricked into believing that anything is this world is better than Jesus Christ!! We ignore God’s goodness to us.  We would rather feast on the world’s pleasures and ignore God’s goodness to us.  Oh….. the Goodess of God!  28:04



Acts 1:9-11    Glorious Resurrection,  Incredible Ascension,  Anticipated Return

Intro:  Acts 1:9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.  10And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;  11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.  In order for Jesus to be resurrected He had to die.  In order to die He had to become a man and in order to become a man He had to be born, a miraculous birth or a supernatural birth as all babies are miracles actually.  The resurrection has three parts to it.  I bet you didn’t know that did you…. well let’s look at it.   (2:00)

1.  Glorious Resurrection

Acts 1:9And when he had spoken these things….

The seven appearances to His disciples and followers and His reminders to them.  He indeed has risen from the dead but He was not going to stay permanently with them.  He was not going to become king of the earth yet…… First of all ….The Holy Spirit had to be sent and the church had to be established.   The gospel had to be preached and people had to be saved all over the world. 

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.  The resurrection is life for every person in the world…if they put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  I Christ is not raised we are all without hope and doomed.  7:00

1.  Glorious Resurrection  2.  Incredible Ascension

Acts 1:9 ….while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.  

Jesus was taken up forty days after His resurrection. His resurrection was not seen by anyone. No one saw Him get out of the grave clothes and walk out of the tomb but they did see Him ascend.  About 500 people.  Jesus predicted His ascention to Mary in John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.   Luke 24:51 Mentions it  And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.  It must have been an incredible sight that gave credence to the Apostles belief in the resurrection and strengthened their faith and resolve to serve this same Jesus to the death if need be. 

Acts 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up…

They all saw it!  This was a public event.  The disciples were amazed at this incredible scene.  They had only seen birds fly not humans.  This would be incredible even to us today! 

The Ascencion signified the completion of Christ’s work on earth until He returns again.  Jesus promised this to us In John 14:2-4 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.  4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 16:00

1.  Glorious Resurrection  2.  Incredible Ascension   3.  Anticipated Return

Acts 1:10 behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;   Acts 1: 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? 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.  

Two men in white apparel.  Of course this was angels.  Who were amazed at the sight of them just staring at the sky.  Maybe Jesus would fall down or come back then?  Maybe they were seeing things?  They were just mesmerized as we would be today if someone took of straight into the clouds.  This is something not even comic book heroes can do…..unless you are Superman or have some other flying power.

Acts 1:10…..this same Jesus,

No one but Jesus is coming back for us.  He is the only one who has the power and He is the only one who said He would.  The very one they touched and talked to and cried to and felt His touch of healing and love…the very same one who they saw the love and the joy in….He is the one coming back for us.  He is not going to change after His trip to heaven.  Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and forever!  According to Revelation chapter one His appearance might be a little different next time but His touch will be the same.  Revelation 1:14 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: That what Jesus always does is tell us not to fear….Luke 12:32 Jesus Said Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Acts 1:10..….which is taken up from you into heaven,

The dicisples did not know really where Jesus was going.  The Angel said He was taken UP to heaven.  We know heaven is up.  In the glorious clouds and beautiful skies above.  Higher than that even.

Where is heaven? 

There are three heavens

The First heaven is the atmospheric sky, The Second heaven is the darkness of the stars, planets and outer space and the third heaven is above sky and space to a place we haven’t seen yet and cannot see. 

Paul said he was “caught up” to the third heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 and we will be “caught up” to meet the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 4:17.

When they were building the tower of Babel God said “let us go DOWN” Genesis 11:7

Psalm 103:11 says Heaven is High above the earth.  In Revelation John is taken “up” to heaven.  It says “come up here.” In Revelation 4:1  No doubt that heaven is beyond the sky and beyond the stars “up” there.

But what is heaven like? The word “heaven is found 276 times in the New Testament alone.   Most all we know about the place of heaven is from John’s report about it from Revelation 21:10-27.  It has precious stones, crystal clear Jasper, It has twelve gates and twelve foundations.  The garden of Eden will be restored.  The river of water flows freely and the tree of life is available once again yielding fruit monthly with leaves that “heal the nations.”  Heaven is a place of “no mores”  No more tears, no more pain, no more sorrow, and no more death.  The best thing about Heaven is that we will be face to face with Jesus our Lord, Savior and king!

Acts 1:10..……shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

The law of gravity says “what goes up must come down.”   God’s word says in John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.   Proverbs 30:4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?  That name was not revealed in the Old Testament but is revealed to us in the New Testament ……His name is Jesus!!!   He ascended and in the word of God He must also Descend.  He is returning to this earth to be King over His people Israel and to reign from the Messianic Davidic throne in Jerusalem.   Isaiah 24:23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously.

He ascended and He is descending when He comes again to the very place where He ascended from the Mount of Olives.  Zechariah 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.  Jesus is coming back to the Mount of Olives this time it will spit in two allowing the Jews to escape while Jesus destroys the enemies of Israel and of God.

This will not be a good day for the unbelieving world.  Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  When Jesus ascended it was in amazement and over the years has turned to anticipation as we long for His return. 

He will come first FOR His church and then seven years later come back WITH His church to defeat the enemies of the world.  They will mourn because they know it’s all over! 27:00

Conclusion:

1.  Glorious Resurrection  2.  Incredible Ascension   3.  Anticipated Return

Jesus Resurrection and Ascension must be accompanied by His return.  That is as sure as you and I are here today.  The main thing is…..have you trusted in Christ as your Savior and are you participating in the Glorious resurrection by letting Him resurrection your own life.  We are dead in trespasses and sins but we can be born again by His Spirit when we turn from our sins and trust in Him.   We can have an incredible Ascension because one day we will be taken up to be with Him after our death or at the rapture.  And we anticipate His return for His church one day.  Either way we will see Him either coming out of the graves or avoiding the grave altogether.  Are you ready for Him? Are you ready to meet Jesus?  28:04

4/14/2019
How We Are Saved

 Luke 7:50

Luke 7:50  How Are We Saved?

Intro:  Luke 7:44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.  45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.  46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.  47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.  48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.  49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?  50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. How are we saved?  Is it by being good?  Good deeds out weigh your bad.  On this palm Sunday, the day that Jesus entered into the city of Jerusalem proclaimed a king and by the end of the week crucified as a criminal.   Jesus provided our salvation.   He did all the work.  So what must I do to be saved?  2:00

1.  We are not saved by intellect

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace

We are sinners.   Verse 47 says Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many…. Jesus could say that about all of us not just this woman.  Notice this woman didn’t say anything.  She merely acted on her faith.  She showed her faith in Christ by a public profession.   

There are religions in this world that are so complicated and require manuals to figure them out.  In fact most religions require some degree of intelligence just to figure out what they are saying.   The Jews had the Levitical laws that required priests to decipher for the people what they had to do. 

Moses sat and answered questions all day about the law until his father in law Jethro came and told him to get some help.  But Jesus came and at the cross said “it is finished.”  The veil in the temple was rent in two signifying that the law has been fulfilled and we no longer need it to reach God…we have Christ who has fulfilled the complicated Levitical law’s of righteousness that no man could ever hope to do.  

The gospel is so complicated that our finite minds can never fully grasp it….but so simple a child can understand it.   John put if very simply.  1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  1 Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.  7:00

1.  We are not saved by intellect  2.  We are not saved by riches

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

Remember the rich young ruler who came to Jesus to ask Him how he might have eternal life?  And Jesus responded to sell everything you have and give to the poor.   He went away sorrowful for he had much riches.

Jesus said it is harder for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of heaven.  So clearly Jesus is teaching that money cannot buy salvation.  In fact money cannot buy happiness.  The divorce rate and suicide rate among the wealthiest Americans is twice that of everyone else. 

Why is that?  The Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil.  Money will not bring joy and peace.  In fact, the more you have the more you want.  The Bible tells us to be content.  With godliness is great contentment.  Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have.  12:00

1.  We are not saved by intellect  2.  We are not saved by riches  3.  We are not saved by family

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. 

Being in a Christian family doesn’t mean that you are a Christian anymore than sitting a garage makes you a Ford or a Chevrolet or a dodge or a Toyota.  Don’t want to offend anyone here.  

Salvation is between you and God.  Your daddy and your mommy can only guide you and raise you in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  They can’t get saved for you.  By Grace are YE saved through faith.  It’s a personal thing. 

The Scriptures are absolutely clear on the fact that salvation is personal and individual.  We have the story of the Apostle Paul and the Phillippian Jailer in Acts 16:30-32   And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.  This not saying that if the jailer gets saved everyone else is automatically saved.  If means “you will be saved, you and your household [if they also believe].”  32 And they spoke the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ] to him and to all who were in his house.  They each had to hear and believe the gospel for themselves. 

If you were raised in a Christian home you are fully blessed.  But you still are a sinner, under the wrath of God…even more so…because you had greater access to the truth of the gospel and rejected it.   Some will be beaten with few stripes..those who didn’t get to hear the gospel and some will be beaten with many stripes….those who knew the truth,  raised in a Christian environment…and rejected it.  17:00

1.  We are not saved by intellect  2.  We are not saved by riches  3.  We are not saved by family

4.  We are not saved by religion

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. 

There are over 1200 religions in the world.  All of them have one thing in common.  Salvation is by human effort.  Salvation is by pleasing the god of their own imagination.   The frustrating thing about the many religions I have studied is this……They never have any assurance that they are saved.

Religion cannot save you.  Christianity is NOT a religion…it is a relationship with a  living Savior!  He gives us assurance that we are saved.   He that believed on me is NOT condemned.  He that hath the Son hath life….I give unto them eternal life and they shall NEVER perish….I will never leave thee nor forsake thee….and on and on I could go. 

Religion will not give you assurance because religion cannot save you.  We are not saved by a religion but we are saved by a person….Jesus Christ and faith in Him.  That brings me to the final point…. 22:00

1.  We are not saved by intellect  2.  We are not saved by riches  3.  We are not saved by family

4.  We are not saved by religion 5.  We are saved by Faith In Christ…alone

50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  9Not of works, lest any man should boast.  That is how we are saved.  It is a gift from God through the finished work of Jesus Chris who bore our sins on the cross and raised from the dead for our justification.   It is activated by our personal faith and trust in Jesus Christ when we repent of our sins and turn to Him in faith for our salvation and eternal life.  27:00

Conclusion:

How are we saved?  Through faith in Christ.   The question is then…..how are you saved?  Are you trying your own way?  Are you trying your own effort?  Are you trying religion? Or are you doing what most people do….ignoring it and hoping it all works out in the end?  The Bible says Ye MUST be born again!  There is no middle ground, no straddling the fence.  To delay is to deny.  The Bible says that this is the most important decision you will ever make and you must not delay.  Today is the day of salvation the Bible says.  God has provided the way….It’s through Jesus.  28:04



3/24/2019
The Wrath To Come
Revelation 12:11-12

Revelation 12:11-12    11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.  12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Intro:  1:00

1.  Overcomers

The heavenly defeat of Satan (Revelation 12: 7–9) is followed by reference to his earthly setbacks, including the crucifixion of Christ (the blood of the Lamb), the verbal witness of believers (the word of their testimony), and the martyrdom of some of the brethren. All these events precede the coming of the kingdom of our God.  Revelation 12:11…..And they overcame him They won the victory over him.  And they overcame and conquered him.  Who did they overcome?  The accuser.  Revelation 12:10 …..for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  Satan, the devil, lucifer.   The thing is they OVERCAME him.  We can defeat Him.  We have the power to defeat him in Christ. 

Revelation 12:11……by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; They defeated Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by the truth which they proclaimed.  The blood of Christ that cleanses us from all our sins gives us power over the enemy of our faith.  Also the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The word of testimony is the word of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We claim it by our lives and we proclaim with our tongues.

Revealtion 12:11……and they loved not their lives unto the death.; and they were willing to give up their lives and die, for they did not love their life and renounce their faith even when faced with death.

Christ is our life. We were bought with a price.  Our lives our not our own but we belong to Christ.  How can a Christian give up our lives and loose anything?  For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.  Death is coming unless Jesus comes first.  We fear not death but fear failing our Savior.   We must be ready not only to live for Christ but to die for Him!  Hundreds are jailed and killed each day for their faith in Jesus all around the world!  We love Him because He first loved us.  Our first devotion and loyalty is to Christ not to our families, our friends or to our homes and land or nation.  It is to Christ! And in that devotion He will bless our families, our friends, our homes and our nation.  Romans 8:28  All Things work together to them that love God.  8:00

2.  Coming Down

Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. And so be glad and rejoice O you heavens, and all you that live there in the presence of God!Those in the heavens have good reason to rejoice, because of the permanent expulsion of the devil after his defeat.

Revelation 12:12…..Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! But how terrible for the earth and the sea! Woe to the earth and the sea! On the other hand, the natural creation (the earth and the sea) now has an additional woe (8:13; 9:12; 11:14) to contend with

Revelation 12:12…..for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.This is the second half of the Tribulation where Satan knows he has but a short time to destroy Israel and prevent Christ from ruling and reigning over them in the Millennial kingdom.   For the Devil has come down to you,     —the great anger of the devil, who knows his time is short. Soon Satan is to be bound in the bottomless pit for a thousand years (20:1–3).  15:00

3.  With Great Wrath

Revelation 12:12 ……for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. in great wrath, he is filled with rage,  knowing that he has only a short time [remaining] just a little time left!” He has only a short time to kill the Jews.  So He intensifies his anger toward Israel.  The First half of the Tribuation he kills the believers in Christ.  In the second half he will turn his attention toward Israel and use the beast, the anti-Christ to lead this attempted extermination of the Jews and to build his own kingdom through the beast and the Anti-Christ. 

Wrath of Man

Psalm 76:10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

James 1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Satans Wrath.

Only Revelation 12:12 mentions the wrath of Satan.  And it is directed toward Israel because his time is short. 

God’s wrath,

Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

Revelation 15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

Revelation 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

There are many scriptures describing the wrath of God, but no scripture giving the Christian a reason to fear the devil’s wrath. Zechariah 7:12 speaks of “A great wrath from the Lord of Hosts.” “Your fathers provoked Me to wrath” (Zech. 8:14). “He reserveth wrath for His enemies” (Nah. 1:2). “In the fire of My wrath have I spoken” (Ezek. 38:19). “The fire of My wrath” (Ezek. 21:31), “Because of the wrath of the Lord” (Jer. 50:13), “In that ye provoke Me unto wrath” (Jer. 44:8), “For the fierce wrath of the Lord” (II Chron. 28:11), and “For the wrath of God is revealed” (Rom. 1:18). There are many more references to God’s wrath. “At His wrath the earth shall tremble” (Jer. 10:10). John the Baptist said, “Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matt. 3:7). There are many, many more scriptures regarding the wrath of God, but people don’t pay any attention to them.  Mention one scripture of the wrath of satan and oh, how the wicked people do tremble!

God’s wrath is inescapable.  God limits the wrath of man and God has already defeated Satan.  So we can also go to God for escape from the wrath of man and the devil.  But where can you escape the wrath of God?  John 3:36   He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.  27:00

Conclusion:  28:04




He Hath Done All Things Well
Mark 7:37

Mark 7:37  He Hath Done All Things Well

Intro:  No one is perfect. No one does everything right.  But it is amazing that Jesus did ALL Things well.  He did everything right.  Wrap your mind around that for a minute.  Jesus never did anything wrong, He was incapable of sin.  He hath done all things well.   1:00

1.  They Are Astonished And amazed at Jesus

 Mark 7:37 And were beyond measure astonished…And all who heard were completely amazed. They were thoroughly astounded and completely overwhelmed.

A man back in the day went to the world’s fair.  He was astonished and amazed at the things he saw and the inventions of the future.  But when he got home the thing that continued to amaze him more than anything he saw at the world’s fair….. was how his cow could eat green grass, and give white milk, yellow cheese and red meat.  Or how one seed put in brown dirt could produce huge green stalks of yellow corn or golden fields of wheat.  God’s creation amazed him more than any of man’s inventions. 

*They were astonished at His doctrine…  Matthew 22:33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

*They were astonished at his wisdom.  Mark 6:2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him….Luke 2:47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. He spoke with wisdom and perfect knowledge. 

*The were astonished at his words……Mark 10:24 And the disciples were astonished at his words.

John 7:46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.  Jesus spoke in parables.  Hidden truth behind common everyday stories.  He spoke the truth.  He spoke with compassion.  He spoke of His love for us. 

*They were amazed at His power over nature.  Mark 6:51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

*They were amazed at His power over the Spiritual realm……Luke 4:36  And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.

*They were amazed at His salvation…..Matthew 9:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?

*They were terrified of His glory….. Matthew 17:5-6 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

*The inhabitants of the earth will mourn and weep with regret and great sorrow over their failure to repent.  Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  10:00

2.  He Does Everything Well

Mark 7:37…saying, He hath done all things well: “How well he does everything!” saying, “He has done everything well!  You’ve heard the story about the preacher who correctly said Jesus is the only perfect man.  A man in the back raised his hand and said “there have been two preacher.  Jesus…. and my wife’s deceased first husband.  He did everything perfect.”  

*God is pleased with Him….Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Matthew 17:2 and 5 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.  Matthew 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

*We are pleased with Him….Matthew 21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. Matthew 20:15…….Is thine eye evil, because I am good?  Jesus makes us all look bad. But that was not His intention.  His purpose was to be a fit and worthy Lamb without spot or blemish. 

*We rejoice in Christ!   1 Peter 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:                   19:00

3.  He Gives Hope to The Hopeless

They were without hope.  A family of four floating in the water for hours after their small pleasure boat had capsized when a rogue wave hit their boat.  No one know where they were.  But they clung to life as the bobbed in the water with only life jackets to support them. Daylight would soon be gone and no one could search for them.   All seemed hopeless….but they knew one thing….their family would be looking for them.  And just a daylight was about to turn to dusk here came the coast guard.  The coast guard captain said to the rescued “You are very fortunate……for you have about 25 family and friends that  would not let us wait til morning.  They insisted, that camped at our headquarters until we agreed to come out now and find you now no matter what the cost. 

Mark 7:37…..he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.  They exclaimed. “He even causes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak!”  He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

Jesus gave hope to the hopeless deaf and dumb.  He gives hope, a steadfast assurance to everyone who comes to Him.

Jesus spared no cost to save us.  He spared no effort.  He gave His all to save us from our hopelessness.   No one is hopeless as long as they can come to Jesus.  You may be trapped in the hopelessness of sin and addiction but Jesus can free you.  You may feel hopeless and haunted by your past but Jesus can free you from your past.   27:00

Conclusion:  He hath done all things well. 

His life was perfect.

His peace is perfect.

His promises are perfect.

His life was perfect.

His love is perfect. 
His salvation is perfect. 

Truly Jesus hath done ALL Things well.  28:04



3/10/19
How To Live In A Pagan World  
Jeremiah 29:5-8

Jeremiah 29:5-8 How To Live in a Pagan World

Intro:  What is a pagan?  Paganism is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism. Paganism has been broadly defined as anyone involved in any religious act, practice, or ceremony which is not Christian.  

Judah had been conquered by the Babylonians and were going to be marched from the homeland into Babylon and live with them.  They were going to endure 70 years of captivity.  Daniel lived among the Babylonians all his adult life.  They were a pagan people.  Remember Shadrach, Meshack and Abendao?  They were thrown into the firey furnace for not worshipping a pagan idol.  Judah was under the judgment of God. And God gave them instructions on how to live in this pagan world and be successful, be blessed and keep your identity and ideolgy. I know today we wonder how can we survive in this world.  Remember the Hebrew people survived and even thrived under Egyptian slavery for over 400 years and kept their faith and their ideology.  

Our world today would be classified a pagan.  Christan viewpoints and beliefs are no longer welcome in the public square.  Christian ethics are no longer welcome in our laws.  Christian followers are not loger welcome in the worldview of ideas.  How can we survive in this paganized society we find ourselves in today?  2:00

1.  We can Survive A Pagan World when We are Confident In our God

Jeremiah 29:5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;

‘Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what you grow in them.  ‘Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. 

Jeremiah had proclaimed a period of seventy years (25:12) of Babylonian exile. For the meantime, he counseled the people to settle in and carry on their normal daily activities. Exile did not necessarily mean imprisonment or enslavement, but displacement and resettlement in unknown lands. be increased … not diminished: If the people were faithful in the circumstances of captivity, God would cause them to prosper with children and with fertile crops.

Building give us confidence in the future and our God.  Our confidence is in God and His future plans for us.  We plan as though He’s not coming in our lifetime and we live as though He’s coming any moment. 

We should be confident in not ourselves but in our God. There is false confidence

Jeremiah 17:5 Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.

Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.  Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

God doesn’t want us sitting around and mourning all the time. There is a time to mourn but a time to plant and a time to harvest.  God want’s to live to His glory and honor no matter what our circumstance is.  “I’ve got confidence God is gonna see me through…no matter what the people may  say, no matter what the people may do.” 10:00

1.  We can Survive A Pagan World when we Are Confident In Our God  2.  We Can survive In A pagan world  When We are Increasing in God

Jeremiah 29:6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.

Marry and have children. Then let your children get married, so that they also may have children. You must increase in numbers and not decrease.  Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there and do not decrease [in number]. 

Be increased … not diminished: If the people were faithful in the circumstances of captivity, God would cause them to prosper with children and with fertile crops.   Matthew 25:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark.  They increased but not in the wisdom and knowledge of God.  We can increase in wickedness til God spues us out of a land. 

Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. 

God wants us all to increase in the knowledge of Him.  God wants us to grow into mature, faithful, strong Christians in the midst of a pagan world.  We are in there today in America and the whole world has turned pagan.   Against God, against the Bible.  Against the family.  

God wants our families to increase, He want’s our churches to increase, He want us to increase, He want’s our knowledge of Him to increase.  God wants us always going forward, not backward.  Be strong in the Lord.  Strong families, strong faith and trust in God will bring us strong families and strong churches.  More God and less of the world will make us better people in the world and for the world’s salvation! 19:00

1.  We can Survive A Pagan World when we Are Confident In Our God  2.  We Can survive When We are Increasing 3. We Survive When we Know the Truth About God And His Word

Jeremiah 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. 

Work for the good of the cities where I have made you go as prisoners. Pray to me on their behalf, because if they are prosperous, you will be prosperous too.  Seek peace and well-being for the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its peace (well-being) you will have peace.’  

The exiles were instructed to seek and pray for the peace, or well-being of Babylon and the other towns where they were deported. As a result, they themselves would live in peace as beneficiaries of God’s gracious sovereignty over the nations. When we pray for peace from the Lord our God…we will have peace.  Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.   When we know God’s word we will have peace.  Peace with God and peace in our hearts. 

Jeremiah 29:8 For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.  I, the Lord, the God of Israel, warn you not to let yourselves be deceived by the prophets who live among you or by any others who claim they can predict the future. Do not pay any attention to their[a] dreams.  For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your [false] prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you; pay no attention and attach no significance to the dreams which they dream or to yours,  Jeremiah issued a warning against following the advice of prophets, diviners, and dreams.

First of all…… Don’t be deceived by false teachers…..Jesus warned us about this time and time again.  Pagans are false teachers.  They don’t know the truth of God and they won’t teach the truth of God…..ever!!!!  2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. John 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Secondly…Don’t be deceived by false dreamers and your dreams that don’t match up to the word of God.   We are a people of dreamers.  We dream dreams that will not bring glory to God but to ourselves.  Zechariah 10:2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.  27:00

1.  We can Survive A Pagan World when we Are Confident In Our God  2.  We Can survive When We are Increasing in God  3. We Survive When we Know the Truth About God And His Word 

We can survive with confidence in our Lord Jesus Christ who is the maker and sustainer of everything!  Who promised to never leave us nor forsake us to give us strength and knowledge when we need it. 

We can only survive with Jesus and if we follow Jesus each day we can’t help but be always learning and increasing in Him!  We can not only survive but thrive when we know the truth of God and His word.  Truth is a person….and person is Jesus who defeated the pagan world of sin and death and destruction by conquering death hell and the grave on the cross.  Have you trusted in Him today?  Give your life to Christ….you will never, ever regret it and have victory forever and ever!  28:04