The Most Innocent is Crucified and Buried

 Mock Trials, Crucifixion, and Burial

 Book of Luke Chapter 23

 

Who is this Jesus?

 Luk 22:67  Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: 

Luk 22:68  And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. 

Luk 22:69  Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

Luk 22:70  Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. 

 This is the Jesus who was born of a virgin.

 Luk 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 This is the Jesus who received His commission at His baptism.

 Luk 3:21  Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 

Luk 3:22  And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

 This is the Jesus who was proclaimed at His first sermon.

 Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 

Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 

 This is the Jesus who was proclaimed by His disciples.

 Luk 9:20  He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. 

 This is the Jesus of Nazareth.

 Act_22:8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

 This Jesus is the Son of Man: Luk 22:69  Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. 

 This Jesus is the Son of God: Jhn_11:4  When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

 This is the same Jesus, who the Scriptures prove is God's Messiah, and was rejected by the Jews.

 This is the same Jesus who was crucified for all the sins of this world.

 This is the Jesus that should not be seen as a helpless idealist who died in weakness, but who was and who is the Lord of Glory.

 1Co_2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

 What were the charges against the Lord Jesus Christ?

 1) Jesus was charged by the Sanhedrin Court with perverting the nation of Judah and with committing sedition against Rome, which was a false charge.

2) Jesus was charged by the Sanhedrin Court with disobeying the Laws of Judah and not paying His taxes, which were all false charges.

3) Jesus was charged by the Sanhedrin Court with claiming to be king and being a rival to Caesar, which was also false.

 *****Luk 23:13  And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 

Luk 23:14  Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:

Luk 23:15  No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.  

 We first saw Pilate, who was the great compromiser.

 It is by this Roman that the most innocent man to have ever lived, the Lord Jesus Christ, was put to death.

 This was the greatest tragedy in human history, though it was deemed necessary by God the Father.

 He found no fault in Jesus because there were no faults, as these Jews brought only false charges, and they knew it.

He had sent the Lord Jesus to Herod, who also found no faults in the Lord Jesus.

He gave in to worldly pressure.

 Herod was also a compromiser who used this instance to repair his relationship with Pilate.

 Pilate hated the Jews because of their religion, and the Jews hated Pilate for the same reason. He worshipped idols.

 Among the things he had done was that he had stolen money from the treasury of the Temple for a water project, and he was never forgiven for this.

 Pilate was certainly a wicked man.

 Pilate knew that these same elders and High Priests would go to Caesar if he did not do as they requested.

 We see that they all were worried about their standing and their riches, all material things.

 Pilate decided to appease the Jews because it was certain that they would cause Him trouble in Rome.

 Pilate was concerned about himself, not truth and justice.

 A compromising man is self-centered. They will always protect themselves at the expense of all others!

 Pilate said, "I will just chastise this Jesus and let Him go".

 Pilate subjected our Lord Jesus to a horrible punishment of scourging, just to try to satisfy the religious leaders of Judah.

 He thought that the sight of Jesus after this cruel treatment might perhaps cause the people to pity Him.

 The High Priests had the people in such a false uproar that they made a tragic mistake.

 Mat_27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

 *****Luk 23:16  I will therefore chastise him, and release him. 

Luk 23:17  (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.) 

Luk 23:18  And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: 

Luk 23:19  (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 

Luk 23:20  Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. 

Luk 23:21  But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

 The Romans had a custom of releasing a prisoner on certain special days and Pilate brought this custom to Judah. It was never a Hebrew custom.

 At the time of the Passover, Pilate would release a prisoner from his cells, many just political prisoners, and Pilate decided he could release our Lord Jesus, and all sides would be satisfied, but the elders and the High Priests so stirred up the people, and they would have no part even in this.

 Pilate may have tried many ways to release the Lord Jesus when all he had to do was just release Him; he had this power all along.

 The Lord Jesus was completely innocent and Pilate knew this.

 We see that word envy: Mrk_15:10  For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

 What is the truth of envy? Envy leads to strife, division, railing, and sometimes murder.

 We see all these things in this mockery of a trial of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Gal 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. 

 There was a man named Barabbas who was the guiltiest prisoner in Pilate’s cells at that time.

 He was a murderer.

He was a thief.

He was a seditionist.

He was an insurrectionist.

He was guilty.

 There are some who say that this Barabbas was also named Jesus, but this is not true.

 In the Armenian version of the Scriptures, it says: "whom will you that I shall deliver unto you, Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus that is called Christ?"

 The Armenian Church does not follow the Doctrine of the Apostles, which is the Doctrine of Jesus Christ.

 One commentary says this text was written by a bigoted transcriber.

 Matthew wrote that Barabbas was a notorious prisoner.

 Mat 27:16  And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 

 These disciples of the Devil had their way with Pilate because he was just as wicked as they were.

 Psa 69:4  They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away. 

 One thing is missing. When the truth is known, it should be proclaimed and not compromised!

 This is the only thing that our politicians know how to do today: compromise with the Devil and his ways.

 Compromise weakens principles.

Compromise weakens life!

 God will never accept compromise!

Much of the Church has compromised with the world today, and they will find that God will not accept them.

 1Jn 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 

1Jn 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 

 They cried crucify Him, crucify Him.

 Luk 23:24  And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. 

 The Lord said the same thing that we say about our children. We just cannot fathom how our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren will survive in this wicked world if the Lord Jesus does not return soon.

 Luk 23:28  But Jesus, turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 

 The Lord Jesus was crucified, and the Lord Jesus Christ died a real death.

 *****Luk 23:44  And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 

Luk 23:45  And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 

Luk 23:46  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 

 The sixth hour would be midday, around twelve o’clock, when the Sun was high in the sky.

 At this very moment, the brightest time of the day, it became completely dark.

 This was not an eclipse of the Sun, and it can be proven.

 An eclipse of the Sun only lasts about six minutes, but this darkness at the death of Jesus Christ lasted for three hours.

 Another proof is that the time of the Passover is the time of the full Moon, and Eclipses of the Sun do not take place at the time of the full Moon.

 The Sun withdrew its rays when the Lord Jesus Christ was made sin for us.

 If He had not been made sin, there would be no means of salvation.

 The Sun of Righteousness is led into darkness.

 Ecc_3:16  And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

 In those places, people are selfish and ambitious. The greatest injustice in the place of justice is the trial against the Lord Jesus.

 Mal_4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

 The sun is the symbol of dominion over the day (Gen_1:16 ). Thus, the day of the LORD is marked by His dominion over Sunday, but truly every day.

 Jesus is the day star.

 2Pe 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 

 The "daystar" appears in each of us once we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.

 He is the bright and morning star: Rev 2:28  And I will give him the morning star. 

 Rev 22:16  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. 

 At this time, the light of Our Daystar was out because the Lord Jesus had taken on all the sin that this world had committed.

 It was darker than it had been since that first Passover.

 It was so dark you could feel the darkness, and it did not feel good!

There is no goodness in darkness!

 Exo_10:21  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.

 There was no light anywhere to be seen for three hours.

 This darkness tells us just how much God hates sin!

 In the darkness, all of mankind also stood in the darkness, having no way to see God.

 For three hours God forsake His Son.

 This was the thing that the Lord Jesus hated the most.

 God had to break fellowship with His own Son for three hours.

 The Lord Jesus Christ hung lonely on an old wooden cross between Heaven and Earth.

 The Earth did not want Him and lifted Him, and Heaven closed itself above Him.

 God had stopped the Sun from shining, and the Glory of the Lord went dark for a period of three hours.

 That is not all: The veil of the Temple was ripped from top to bottom because the Almighty God had ripped what could not be ripped by man.

 The way to God has now been opened, and it is through His Son.

 Oh, the Lord Jesus Christ was dead, but He could not stay dead and still be God!

 God dwells in darkness, and He invites the entire world to come to Him by the Light of His Son, Jesus Christ.

 The Lord Jesus said, "Father, into thy hands I commend My Spirit".

 The work that provided every human being a way to Heaven to live with God was now finished; all we need to do is accept this truth as fact.

 The unshakable foundation of the Kingdom of God had been laid!

 Psa 31:5  Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. 

 The Lord Jesus came to die, and this work was now complete.

 *****Luk 23:47  Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. 

 This thing that happened got the attention of a man who had fought many battles and survived but was still in the hands of the Devil.

 He had been in charge of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, but he knew he was never in charge at all.

 He had made sure that Jesus was nailed to the cross, but since that time, all these things that happened were between the Lord Jesus and God the Father.

 No one could have changed what happened.

 Old Satan was celebrating, but his joy would not last exceedingly long!

 This Centurion was a Gentile, and the Church would soon turn to the Gentiles who began to see the truth of Jesus Christ in the coming generations, but we must understand that God will soon turn back to the Jewish people, and almost all of them will believe what they first rejected, and God will close the Door to the Gentiles.

 Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind,

 Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

 It was time to place the Body of Christ into a borrowed tomb.

 *****Luk 23:50  And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: 

Luk 23:51  (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. 

Luk 23:52  This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 

Luk 23:53  And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

 This man we know of as Joseph of Arimathea was a secret believer who failed to confess the Lord Jesus publicly until His death.

 He had ignored what the Lord Jesus had said.

 He had stepped forward for Jesus, but only after His death.

 The Bible does say that he had not committed to the false trial and deeds of those who had pushed for the death of Jesus.

 He was afraid to stand up for God, and there are many like him today in the Church.

 This is a question we should ask ourselves: would we take a stand with Jesus if that time came to us?

 We need to be settled on this question now!

 We must never be afraid to make a public confession of our faith!

 Joseph was a highly educated member of the ruling body of Israel.

 He was a good and just man to those around him.

 He was a man looking for the Messiah.

 He was a man looking for the Kingdom of God.

 These things meant nothing because he was a man who refused to stand up for Jesus, who was also the Messiah, as Scripture proved so easily.

 He feared the loss of his position more than his fear of God.

 Joh 19:38  And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. 

Joh 19:39  And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 

Joh 19:40  Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. 

 Here we see another man named Nicodemus, a man similar to Joseph.

 Luk 9:26  For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

It makes no sense for us to be this way because it just makes us losers.

Luk 12:4  And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 

Luk 12:5  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 

Our fear does not come from God; it can only come from the Devil.

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 

2Ti 1:8  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; 

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Joseph got his courage back at the death of our Savior, and he went to Pilate to demand the body of Christ because he knew that the Romans usually just dumped the bodies of crucified criminals.

Pilate, being fed up with the Jesus matter, still did not want the disfavor of the Sanhedrin Court and gave the body of Christ to Joseph, who was a part of the Sanhedrin Court.

Every secret believer needs to go to the foot of the cross and meet the Savior who died for us there.

Joseph is careful with the body of Jesus and laid the body of Jesus in his own tomb he had prepared for himself.

When the Lord Jesus Christ was born, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. Now, as He has died Jesus was wrapped in clothes again.

While everyone else is preparing for the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the Lord Jesus is laid in a borrowed tomb.

Many who had stood by the Lord wanted to get close to Him now, but there was no sign of the eleven disciples.

The cross had changed many lives just as it does today.

Just remember we serve a Living Savior who can never die again.

Amen

What Is Important In Your Life

 Wisdom Recognizes What is Important

 Book of Ecclesiastes Chapter 7

 From the earliest times, the name given to a child was supposed to indicate some characteristic of that child.

 Today, we mostly set a nickname on them, and sometimes it sticks for life.

 We should ask ourselves; do we have a good name?

 The Lord Jesus says that we can get a new name: Rev_2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

 We know we are all appointed to a day of death, which really means life to the Christian, but dying with a good name is far better than being born into prosperity.

 Death is appointed to every person.

Death is a matter we all need to take seriously.

 We know that after our salvation, the most important factor for being successful in this life is wisdom, but only that wisdom that comes by the "Fear of the Lord".

 King Solomon was better known for his wisdom than he was his riches.

 It is more important today to live wisely than it was in the day of Solomon.

 The Holy Spirit has given us this collection of simple, practical sayings that we can live by.

 We must live wisely day by day.

 Every day we live is good or bad according to the choices we make that day!

 *****Ecc 7:1  A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

 We already know that the most important decision we will make in this life is that decision to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in salvation.

 So, we have to learn what matters in this life. The world will offer nothing but confusion!

 We must learn to discern between the good and the bad; Php 1:9  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 

Php 1:10  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; 

Php 1:11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

 Precious ointment in the day of Solomon was so valuable that only the rich could afford it.

 Average people could seldom afford to waste what little money they had on such things as perfume.

 This ointment cost nearly a year's wages; Joh 12:3  Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 

Joh 12:4  Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 

Joh 12:5  Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

 The Holy Spirit is teaching us that if we have to choose between a good name and a lifestyle of the rich and famous, it would be best for us to choose the good name.

 Many of us will question whether the day of our death is more important than the day of our birth.

 If we had not been born, how could we ever die that death? This is a promotion for the Christian.

 If the Lord Jesus Christ had not been born as a human, how could He ever die for our sins?

 To me, the difference is that the Lord Jesus had a miraculous birth, but we are all born in sin.

 The time we have between the time of our birth and the time of our death is the time that we get to make the right choice about the Gospel.

 For the Christian, the time of our death is a promotion to the glory world.

 Php 1:21  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 

Php 1:22  But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. 

Php 1:23  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: 

Php 1:24  Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. 

 I feel a whole lot like the Apostle Paul felt about this thing.

 I do not want to stay one more day upon this earth than is necessary, but I know for some in my family it is better for me to stay here for as long as God will allow me.

 The truth for the Christian is: 2Co 5:6  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 

2Co 5:7  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 

2Co 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

 For the unbeliever, these things are not true because they do not have the promise of eternal life; they live every day with the promise of eternal death.

 *****Ecc 7:2  It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

 We should understand that the day of a person's death is better than a joyful feast is only true if Jesus Christ is not involved!

 We who love Jesus Christ know that to depart this world is very much better.

 Php 1:23  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

 Any reasonable person will admit that going to a festival is more enjoyable than a funeral.

 No one gets excited about attending a funeral of a family member or a friend.

 For me, death hits me right in the heart because in Vietnam, I saw death, and it is terrible, and I would rather not be around death because it brings back memories I would love to forget.

 I accept this scripture because I know the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.

 To those who do not know the Lord Jesus as their Savior, it is better to go to the house of mourning because death is something that every living soul needs to take seriously.

 There is death coming to this body of flesh we live in!

 Most of us will reflect on our own mortality at a funeral.

 In many cases, God the Holy Spirit will go to work at funerals, and in their conscience and thoughts, they will begin to feel that there can be some kind of life after death.

 We must take the time to think about what we can do to prepare for our death and help others to prepare for their death.

 Ecc_12:7  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

 Even if you do not believe in God, our Creator, you should wonder why we do not live longer in this great world of technology.

 Heb_2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

 Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

 It is a Holy God who holds the power of life and death in His hands.

 God is not saying to avoid the right causes for celebrating because God gives much to celebrate.

 If we wait till the day of our death, we will have missed out on God's promise of life.

 *****Ecc 7:3  Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 

Ecc 7:4  The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 

 We can feel sorrow or sadness for many reasons!

 Our emotions depend upon the cause of our distress.

 We cannot wish that death would simply go away.

 There will never be a life-giving serum that will overcome death.

 This was God's purpose for sending His Son to death.

 There is no life in pleasure because pleasure is short-term.

 Sorrow brings benefits to life that pleasure cannot.

 Sorrow causes us to release our emotions and draw closer to others.

 The world looks at life on the animal plane, while the child of God looks at life on the Spiritual plane.

 Life is not hopeless if we look through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ!

 Those who take the "leap of faith" into the truth of the Gospel will not be in despair because of hopelessness.

 Solomon says life is in vain, while Jehovah says true life is in our future after this short life we live today.

 We must allow sorrow to do its work in our lives while thinking about the sorrow that our Lord Jesus Christ endured both on and off the cross, then we can see the impact it had on His life, which is our life.

 Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 

Heb 2:10  For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 

 Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 

Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 

Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

 It is a fool who rejects the truth of Jehovah God!

 *****Ecc 7:5  It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 

Ecc 7:6  For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. 

Ecc 7:7  Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. 

 None of us likes to be corrected.

 None of us like to be scolded.

 None of us like to be criticized.

 People just prefer flattery and compliments.

 The fool is blind to Spiritual things.

 If we want to be serious about God's plan for our lives, we have to deal with wise people who will help us live our lives.

 Those who have the "fear of the Lord" cannot take away all our grief or solve all our problems, but they can show how to deal with them.

 A fool has nothing to offer to those with a broken heart!

 A fire for cooking will not last very long if it is built out of thorns and has no effect on the cooking pot.

 It is foolish to see if the pot is boiling.

 Thorns do not even make the pot warm.

There is not enough fuel in those thorns to cook with.

 It is a fool who thinks he will not see death at any time.

 It is a fool who seeks only laughter but is blind to the essentials of life.

 In reality, humans are poor judges of what is real and of lasting value unless we know the truth of the Gospel!

 A gift intended as a bribe might cause us to act differently from our understanding of the truth if we allow it.

 There are two ways to make a wise man mad.

 1) By suffering oppression from other so-called wise men.

2) By being offered a bribe to oppress others.

 This is the vanity of worldly wisdom that causes corruption and loss to those who cannot afford any loss.

 *****Ecc 7:8  Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 

 At the beginning of a matter, it is not clear how it will develop, but only at the end of a matter.

 It can only be determined if it is useful information and important if we wait until the end to form our judgment.

 It is the same in Spiritual matters as it is in practical living.

 Sometimes our lives are like unfinished projects. They start good, but we run out of steam before we can finish them.

 It is better to finish something we have started than to start something new in almost every case.

 To the righteous man, we must realize that the important things in life are not quickly completed.

 The things that really matter require commitment, determination, and discipline.

 It is not always easy to live the Christian life!

 Again, the Lord Jesus is our example: Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. 

 We may not think of it, but it is a great thing to come to the end of our lives knowing that we have completed the thing that God had planned for us to accomplish.

 We need patience to continue in the plan of God for our lives and see it to the end.

 Heb 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 

Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 

 Life is too short, and our opportunities are limited for us to make a name that is good as our days come to an end.

 God does not lead us to begin something that He will not give us time to finish!

 *****Ecc 7:9  Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 

 People who can hold their temper are wise for many reasons.

 Pride is the reason for those who cannot and lack patience.

 Many people get mad at God when something tragic happens in their lives or the life of a family member.

 Many people get mad at God when it does not seem that God will answer their prayers.

 These people will get mad at other people for these same reasons!

 The Word of God stresses the importance of controlling our anger.

 Jas 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 

 We can be eaten away with anger.

 Any sin of the flesh can be conquered by following the Word of God.

 1) We must know that a quick temper is a sin.

2) We must realize that we are wearing the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

3) We must listen to the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

4) We must die to ourselves, allowing Jesus Christ to live through us.

5) We must be prepared to battle the temptation to become angry by memorizing and recalling Scripture when it is needed.

 Col 3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 

 *****Ecc 7:10  Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. 

 When we talk about the good old days, the Lord Jesus teaches us, we are not thinking right.

 It is not profitable to live in the past!

 When we think back, we tend to think of only happy days, and we forget that our past had its bad days, too.

 The world is always changing, so expecting things to stay the same is unrealistic.

 This world we live in is in constant deterioration, not progressing into a better world.

 We are to focus on today and not tomorrow.

 God will be just as faithful tomorrow as He is today.

 Listen to the Apostle Paul:

 Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 *****Ecc 7:11  Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. 

Ecc 7:12  For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. 

Ecc 7:13  Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 

Ecc 7:14  In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. 

 Wisdom is a source of wealth and is precious, and is to be used wisely.

Wisdom is greatly desired.

Wisdom is one of the gifts we can get from God just by asking Him for it.

Wisdom is gained from those who have gone on before us.

 If we receive an inheritance, it is something that was earned through the efforts of those who went before us.

It is the same with wisdom.

 Wisdom is somewhat like money. It can be used wisely, or it can be thrown away.

Wisdom will retain its value unless we foolishly forsake it.

 Jehovah God is the source of perfect wisdom, and He will share it with all His children.

 There is no other knowledge that gives life like the knowledge of God the Father and God the Son, the Gospel.

 No one can change anything God has done or what He says He will do!

 The more we dispute God, the less we will understand!

 We must remember one most important thing!

 Rom 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. 

 Why would we want to change anything God has already done when He did those things for His children's betterment?

 God brings prosperity and adversity to our lives, and He has His reasons.

 When we are on the mountain, we need to enjoy it to the fullest because it will not be very long before we are in a valley.

 Listen and learn from Job:

 Job 1:21  And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 

Job 1:22  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. 

 God's wisdom helps us accept that we cannot know what tomorrow will bring, but we do know what our ending will be.

 Our faith must stay steady.

 God is not committed to our short-term happiness.

God is committed to our salvation and our character after salvation!

 We cannot go through this life wondering, "What if I had done things differently”?

 It is our Heavenly Father who is in control of the years, the months, the days, the hours, the minutes, and the seconds of our lives.

 We are to learn from the things we go through and be better because we went through them!

 God knows what is best for us!

 *****Ecc 7:15  All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. 

Ecc 7:16  Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? 

Ecc 7:17  Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? 

Ecc 7:18  It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

 Many times we as Christians are miserable because we see wickedness prosper while Christians suffer.

 1Co 15:19  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 

 It seems the ungodly prosper in this world and no one cares if they do it illegally.

 It is only when we know the truth that we begin to understand.

 Psa 73:17  Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 

Psa 73:18  Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. 

Psa 73:19  How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors. 

 I do not think we realize until we get old just how fragile these bodies we live in are.

 We should be amazed that these bodies last into the seventy years that are mentioned in the Scriptures.

 Why do bad things happen to good people, and why do the wicked prosper in their wicked lives?

 When we look over the things in this world, we see that life is far different from what we expect.

 God does not always reward the righteous, and God does not always punish the wicked.

 Some people believe that only the good die young.

 The truth is that there are no guarantees in life.

 There is no formula for a long, prosperous, trouble-free existence.

 The truth is it is a sin to elevate ourselves over others in our judgment!

 We must never elevate ourselves to the place of God.

 It is a sin to think we are wiser than God!

 It is a sin to assume that living righteously places God under some obligation to us.

 God will keep every promise He has made to us in His own time and in His own place of choosing.

 We are not to become Pharisees and make salvation a works doctrine.

 1Pe 5:5  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 

1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. 

 We must never think we can commit a wicked deed and prosper as the wicked did when doing that same deed.

 A life of excessive sin will most times lead to premature death.

 We see this every day in the news.

 Our world is becoming worse just as the Lord has said.

 2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

 The only answer we need to the things we see is for us to continue our walk in the name of Jesus Christ.

 We must walk daily in the "fear of the Lord".

 As long as we are on this earth, we will have to learn to deal with the brutal reality that we live in a sinful and wicked world.

 Our Heavenly Father is never unjust, and He never makes a mistake.

 We should understand that death is our friend and not our enemy.

 The Lord is always working out things for the good of us: Rom 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. 

 What happens here on earth is not our final outcome!

 There is ultimate condemnation coming to the wicked!

 Psa 37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 

Psa 37:2  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.

 *****Ecc 7:19  Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 

Ecc 7:20  For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

 There is great strength that comes from the wisdom of the Lord!

 It is by the wisdom of God that this world could conquer sin, if this world wanted to conquer sin.

 We know that the world is too involved in sin to want sin eradicated.

 We will face temptations all day in this world.

 1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 

1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

 This world is the domain of the Devil.

 1Pe 5:8  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 

1Pe 5:9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 

 Sin will rob us of our effectiveness in this world.

Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 

We must face sin and deal with it according to the Word of God.

Our penalty for sin has already been paid at Mount Calvary.

We know that God is always right.

God's wisdom warns us of the dangers that lie ahead of us until He takes us home.

Amen

The Gospel

 The Origin of the Gospel

 Book of Galatians Chapter 1 verses 11 through 24

 The Word "Gospel" is the English word used to translate the Greek word for "good news".

 The Greek word for the English word “Gospel” is “evangelical”, so the writers of this “good news” are best known as Evangelists.

 In reality, the word Gospel means the proclamation of pardon, mercy, and peace in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

 If the word "Gospel" is used in any other way, it is a false gospel.

 All those men who are partakers of its saving Grace, who are commissioned to preach it, are to be considered beautiful.

 Isa 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

 In the New Testament "Gospel" has two shades of meaning.

 1) The actual message of Jesus Christ.

 Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

 2) It is the story told about Jesus after His death and His resurrection, in the Scriptures like we are studying today.

 *****Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the embodiment of the Gospel!

 Without the Lord Jesus Christ, there can be no Gospel, period.

 To certify is to declare that the Gospel is the truth of God's Son and, therefore the truth of God!

 The Gospel is not in agreement with the ways of man, nor the values of man!

 The Gospel is on a much higher plane!

 In verse 10 from last week, Paul proclaimed: "Am I seeking the favor of men or God". "Do I seek to please men or to please God" being "God the Son Jesus Christ", "God's Messiah".

 Verse eleven continues, with people saying that Paul did not follow the Lord Jesus when He was alive on this earth, so how could he possibly know any Gospel?

 They say Paul was teaching a man-made Gospel taught by a misguided man, speaking of Paul.

 Paul the Apostle Preached what was given to him by Jesus Christ Himself!

 The word “revelation” means a truth that is shared by God with man, a truth that man never knew.

 The "Gospel" Paul preached was given to him by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

 The Gospel is God's wisdom not the wisdom of this world and we can include the time we live in today.

 The world's wisdom includes many approaches to finding the truth and the meaning of life and the many approaches to finding the problems of evil and death, but these things have eluded the world and are unable to be found.

 The world's wisdom is full of lies and theories.

 The wisdom of the world says there is no God. He does not exist.

 Way back in time, as far back as the mind can go, something, some element, some molecule, some atom, some gas has brought forth all the things we see today.

 To some, the wisdom of the world says God may exist, but after creating all the things we see, has moved on to do other things having no concern for the things He made.

 The wisdom of this world says that God may exist, but He used evolution to create all the things we see which is still a fantasy.

 These are just some of the things we go up against as Christians, when we reach out to those who are lost!

 1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

1Co 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

 The Gospel is not a human thing, it did not originate with man as many say.

The Gospel is not the "good news" from some men as they say.

The Gospel is not to be preached as a message handed down from one generation to the next.

 The Gospel is to be preached as the single fact that Jesus Christ did reveal Himself with the truth of His life, the truth of His death, and the truth of His resurrection.

 These Galatians had asked themselves: did Paul preach the truth of Jesus Christ or not?

 1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

 1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

 There are not as many who believe that all the things of this world happened by accident as the world confesses and it is time they stood up and listened to the truth before it is too late.

 Paul did not ever try to hide his past life!

 Our past life is not remembered in Heaven, but we will be reminded of it by our enemies, and it would not hurt for us to look back and see how far the Gospel has removed us from our past life. We are new creatures because of the Gospel.

 *****Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

 If we look at Paul's life before He met the Lord Jesus upon the Damascus Road, we will see the terrible things he did to the Church.

 We could say it was nothing short of a miracle that could account for the change that had taken place in the life of Paul.

 Paul wrote: Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

 The Apostle Paul had a radical change of life!

 When we read the Scriptures, this is clearly seen!

 Paul had launched his attack on the Church at the death of Stephen.

 Paul had been a supreme example of self-righteousness.

 Paul became an example of the true Christian.

 Paul had blazed a path for Christian persecution.

 Paul now blazed a path for the salvation of the Lost.

 The Lord Jesus set Paul apart and called him by His "Grace".

 Paul began to believe that God had called him even before his birth.

 *****Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

 Paul began to believe that he was now doing what God had intended for him to do from his birth forward and he was.

 Every Christian should realize that we are now in the will God had for us from the beginning of our lives, just as He did the prophet Jeremiah.

 Jeremiah became a prophet of God, and we become witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ.

 All those who have been called to separation from this evil world understand what Paul is saying here.

 God has a plan for all of us and that plan began at our birth, but most of us were like Paul, we did not realize it until we met Jesus.

 Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 Paul reminded others of the same.

 2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

 The source of our change was the purpose of God!

The means of our change was His calling by the Holy Spirit.

The result of that change is that we might teach Jesus Christ to the Lost.

 For Paul, his job was to reach the Gentile world that God had included and not just the Jews!

 Thank you, Lord God for I was once a heathen, but now one of your children.

 I was never worthy of your "Grace"!

 The job of the Apostle Paul was to be a vessel to reveal Jesus Christ!

 We must understand that we are not called just to come to know Jesus Christ, we are also called to make Christ known to others.

 We must bear witness to what Jesus Christ has done in our lives.

 God has given us all the Gospel to study and to preach.

 The world needs to hear the message of Jesus Christ not the message of wicked men.

 It is every day now that we can still hear the crying and the moaning because a wicked president has been defeated.

 America should be ready to hear the message of Jesus Christ.

 Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

 2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 Only Jesus Christ has the message that the world is seeking the answer to!

 How to live forever!

 Far too many people wake up in Hell who spent their lives and their finances, searching for the means of eternal life having rejected the Gospel, the “Good News” of our Savior.

 Joh 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

 Paul was called by the Lord Jesus and then taught by the Lord Jesus Christ how to teach the world about Him.

 *****Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Gal 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

 The spread of the Gospel was beginning to produce real fruit and much of the world did not like it.

Just like today, Satan cannot stand to see the Truth of God, the Gospel, to take fruit in our world and he will do everything he can to stop it.

I have never heard so many lies as they are told today about the true Church.

If those who hinder the spread of the truth of God did not have our biased news sources under their wings, they could not cause the havoc that they do.

I cannot understand why this world is so afraid of Jesus Christ!

Now I am nothing compared to the Apostle Paul, but what was he guilty of?

Paul was attacked from every side and the only thing he had done was to tell the truth to a world that cannot stand the truth about a man named Jesus who spent just a few years going about doing good.

Paul’s real guilt was that he had become a Christian and had forsaken Judaism though Paul still kept the Laws of Moses.

What were they afraid of?

The Lord Jesus did not just declare to be God, He was and is God in a world where many have multiple gods and the most evil have riches which is their god.

How can the world be mad about Jesus when the entire world has their gods whom they worship?

I tell you why, it is because the world is afraid of the truth and those who get richer every day. After all, there are great riches in wickedness and immorality.

They went after Paul because Paul proclaimed the power of the Gospel and was a living example of a Christian. 

God said: (Isa_55:11)  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

The world is afraid that there might be a real God!

You see the Bible from the true Received Text, is filled with the actual words of God!

Paul was not lying because Jehovah God cannot lie!

Heb_6:18  That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

In fact, the only thing that is impossible for Jehovah God to do is to tell a lie!

Paul knew this and every child of God had better know this and the lost world will find out that the Word of God is all truth.

Now if this frightens you, then all you need to do is to have a personal conversation with Jesus.

Some call Him God, but I call Him Savior, and I call Him Friend, and I call Him Father just as the Apostle Paul did!

Paul continues:

*****Gal 1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

Gal 1:22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

 We look at and hear of all the things that are going on in Syria today and we can say that for a period of time, there was some great churches in Syria.

 I might not should say it, but Syria went to pots since the Muslims have maintained rule.

 Paul had to leave because there were so many who threatened Paul's life.

 They brought Paul down to Caesarea and then to Tarsus which was Paul's home town and he had many friends and family there.

 It is this Tarsus where Barnabas had found Paul to get Him back into the functions of the Church at Antioch, Syria.

 Act 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:

Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

 It is around this time that a great famine came to the world, the parts ruled by the Romans, during the time of Claudius Caesar.

 This is exactly what happens when there is war!

 The militaries of Rome caused great destruction in the fields and those who fought against them could not tend to their fields to raise crops.

 Those men who cause war are foolish!

 Only those who build the armaments and make the bullets and war machinery get rich.

 Those who hold great riches usually finance both sides the, enemy, and those who fight by necessity, and their riches grow immensely.

 Paul took advantage of his time in Tarsus and the surrounding areas.

 This is what Jesus told all of us to do: Luk 8:39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

 Paul was treated with respect in his hometown, and they listened to what great things the Lord had done in Paul's life.

 *****Gal 1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

Gal 1:24 And they glorified God in me.

 There will always be those who will see the change that a relationship with Jesus Christ can bring.

 Those who know the best are usually our family and some of them will listen to our testimony.

 Maybe some of our childhood friends will listen to our testimony.

 We can be certain that those in and around Jerusalem had heard of the changes in the life of Paul, who was still Saul to them, until they heard his story.

 In most cases, those who love us will glorify God who can make such great changes in people.

 The Lord Jesus commanded every Christian to do this; Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 We will do this if we show the love God has shown to us through His Son Jesus!

 Amen

Have We Given God the Praise He Deserves

 The Lord Our Help and Our Shield

 Book of Psalms 115

 We have just witnessed nature's power, and those folks in Florida have seen much more of nature's power than we have seen.

 No doubt many will blame God, and most others will question God's love and concern for people.

 Some will sneer at the mention of the existence of God.

 When many of our brothers and sisters are affected, the unbelievers will mock our faith.

 We know our God is righteous so everything He does was the right thing to do.

 Did God send these Hurricanes, my answer would be no.

 Could God have stopped these mighty storms from causing devastation then certainly my answer is yes.

 We know that Satan has some powers even over storms just read the Book of Job where a tornado or something similar causes all of Job's children to die at the same time. There were ten of them.

 When tragedy strikes, our first response should not be "Where is God"!

 Today's lesson will teach us that God is great in His moral excellence.

 "Mercy and truth" are the foundation of moral greatness!

 This was the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ!

 Jhn_1:17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

 A man may be capable of making some laws for people to live by, but most of them are seldom based upon righteousness.

 Grace and truth came from the Lord Jesus Christ.

 The question we should ask when tragedy comes is, how have we treated our Savior?

 Have we given Him the glory that He deserves?

 *****Psa 115:1  Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. 

 Our faith must be based upon the truth or reality.

 Without love, we will live in a world of selfishness which we see today.

 Selfishness is the essence of sin!

 Selfishness is contrary to the law of God!

 The reality is that we have no right to question God for any action He might take!

 We can ask the Lord any question, but we will not always be pleased with His answers.

 We must not show any lack of faith when we are talking to the Lord our God!

 If the Lord does not interfere on behalf of His people, we must not think that His attributes of love and faithfulness have vanished.

 No matter what is happening in our world, we must give God the glory!

 Here in Anderson during the last storm, five deaths were storm related.

 We must not condemn God for those deaths, we must give God the glory that there were no more than five deaths here where we live.

 When Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar, we can be sure that many unbelievers were mocking God, but the truth is that God was using the Babylonians to discipline Israel.

 Israel had turned to idols but after the conquest by the Babylonians, Israel never turned to idols again.

 Sometimes God's methods may seem harsh, but they are effective. Harsh does not ever mean abuse!

 As God's people, we will suffer through trials and tribulations, and unbelievers will mock us, but we must never retreat from our goal of serving the Lord until we get to Heaven.

 Why should anyone question our loyalty to God?

 We must always do our very best to look like Jesus Christ!

 *****Psa 115:2  Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? 

Psa 115:3  But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. 

 When we go about our daily routine looking defeated our enemies will ask us, "Where is your God now, when you need Him so desperately?

 If we look back at the Jews, we know that they had endured the taunts of the idolatrous nations.

 We do not have to go that far today as our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are blasphemed today.

 On that day, the heathen had scoffed at the invisible God.

 Keep in mind those who scoffed had to go home and wipe the dust off of some idol who could not even talk to them.

 When the Jews returned to Jerusalem, they made a strong confession of their faith and even though they were far from perfect they were not called idol worshipers again.

 Though they struggled to put their lives back together they knew to go to God and not go to man.

 We have seen over and over again that when we pray, we need to tell God what we are going through.

 Yes, He already knows, but He wants us to understand that that is nothing too hard for God!

 They happily proclaimed the superiority of the Living God to all who had ears!

 When we are true to the Lord, He will be true to us!

 It angers the Lord for His name to be blasphemed, and He will show His power by His people much of the time.

 If God does not help His children, then Satan and his children will triumph!

 Where is God? He is in the Heavens in a place where He can see all His people.

 The truth is God does as He pleases all the time.

 There is never a time that Jehovah God is wondering what He is going to do next!

 Our dearly loved Savior always, ALWAYS wants to help us through this life and He has already prepared for our future non-ending life in Glory.

 God not only has the will to help those who love Him, He also has the power to make sure what He does is done right!

 Mic 7:10  Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets. 

 Another thing we must understand is that, if we are suffering then it is the will of God and He has a good reason for that suffering.

 In most cases it is to bring us closer to Him!

 God never lacks the power to end our suffering.

 Isa 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

 There are no gods who can hinder the work of God!

 False gods are either a figment of their imagination or they are pieces of wood, gold, silver, or some other handmade object that can do nothing.

 *****Psa 115:4  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 

Psa 115:5  They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 

Psa 115:6  They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 

Psa 115:7  They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 

Psa 115:8  They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. 

 Anyone who comes to us questioning our God, we should ask them about their god!

 People may scoff, which is mockery and ridicule, at Jehovah who we worship but the fact remains that He is alive, but He is invisible.

 He is invisible for the reason that if He had shown Himself without His glory people would have made an idol of Him and they would have worshipped that idol instead of the invisible God just as people did the pole with a serpent of brass.

 Num 21:6  And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 

Num 21:7  Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 

Num 21:8  And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 

Num 21:9  And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. 

 What happened?

 This brazen serpent known as Nehushtan, became on object of idolatry and King Hezakiah destroyed it.

 2Ki 18:4  He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

 This brazen serpent upon a pole had a reality as a type of the Lord Jesus upon the cross, when He died for our salvation.

 Joh 3:14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 

Joh 3:15  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 

 Idols cannot speak, see. hear, smell, feel, or walk.

 Yet even today some people still worship idols.

 Psa 135:18  They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them. 

 An idol is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, and anything that you seek to give you what only God can give.

 Many today have made themselves to be idols such as so-called movie stars, or some sports figures, and yes, some political figures think they should be worshipped, and we certainly cannot leave out those who worship Satan.

 Then there is the idol of money/material things:

 We already know what God says about this.

 1Ti 6:7  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 

1Ti 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 

1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 

1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 Money is the root of all the evil of today. Most all our politicians are bought out in one way or another.

 Other modern idols include, status, physical appearance, entertainment, influence, and yes sex has become an idol which is why abortion is fought so hard along with the LBGTQ is prevalent in our nation and now sex change.

 These are all idols that are worshipped by the “now” generation and God is tossed aside as irrelevant in today's world.

 All these people are in for a terrible surprise very soon.

 Such gods drag down their worshippers to a level of senseless stupidity!

 Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 

Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 

Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 

 God does not play around with idol worshippers!

 We must trust in the Lord!

*****Psa 115:9  O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

Psa 115:10  O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. 

Psa 115:11  Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. 

 Trust means we are reliant upon God for all things including life, justice, and our love for one another.

 We do not worship a god we have made, but we worship the God who has made us, our Creator, our Maker!

 There is only one true God.

 There are many today that say all religions worship the same God, but nothing could be further from the truth! They just do not know Jehovah.

 God has revealed Himself to us through the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible if you have a true Bible.

 It is true that once we come to know Christ as our Savior, we need to constantly examine our hearts for spiritual idolatry.

 Jehovah is also a jealous God! The lost do what lost people do, but anyone that claims Christ as their Savior and falls into the trap of idolatry could come under the truth of God's jealousy.

 Three times these verses say the word trust.

 1) God is our help and our shield.

 God is safe to depend upon for defense and for offense for all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

 God is also our shield to cover us from danger and to protect us from assault and injury.

 2) For all those who preach the truth of the Scriptures, God is also their help and their shield.

 3) The Lord has had His mind on us since our creation. The remnant of this world who love the salvation gift of God.

 Mat_7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 This one verse should tell all those who think we all worship the same God that it is simply not true. By the way, this was the lord Jesus Himself that was speaking. He knows everything.

 We could look at this passage as God's invitation for Israel to join the Church because it is the Church that God is protecting in this world.

 The battles of Israel will show that only the Church is on their side along with Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Even this week our administration has sent a unit to Israel that can intercept missiles from Iran to try to keep Israel from going after the oil and nuclear sites of Iran.

 This is only bribery when Israel should destroy Iran, and this world would be a little bit better because of it.

 We cannot trust man, but we can trust God to do the right things.

Many scientists and archaeologists wonder what happened to many old civilizations, but they are not around, and many have no history because God knew no one needed to know how wicked they were.

 We should not forget that Iran is that part of old Persia and the other part Iraq is trying its best to get away from the USA and then they will join Iran and Persia will be again and war mongering nation.

 God will only bless those who trust Him!

 You cannot trust idols because they cannot do anything at all!

 The Holy Spirit wants us to grasp the importance of trusting God!

 We will face persecution, but we must not falter in our trust for the Almighty God!

 If we are worried about what is going on in our nation and in this world, then we do not trust the God of all creation and His plan which He has given us a copy of.

 We must have confidence in our Holy God and His Word salvaged by the Holy Spirit and is the truth.

 Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 

Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

Pro 3:7  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

 We were once a part of the world but now if you love the Lord Jesus, we are part of Heaven. Ambassadors to this world.

 We are always on the mind of our God!

 *****Psa 115:12  The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. 

Psa 115:13  He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. 

Psa 115:14  The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. 

Psa 115:15  Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth. 

 Who does the Lord bless?

 He blesses those who trust Him!

 Even though Israel does not trust the Son of God, most of them do trust Jehovah (Yahweh).

They reject that they are the same God!

 They are wrong to not accept the Messiah, but they will eventually, at least a remnant of them will.

 We should keep in mind that this Psalm was probably written for the dedication of the Second Temple after the return from Babylon.

 They had been released by the King of Persia who had defeated Babylon.

 We could say that God would bless those who had returned with many children for only about fifty thousand had returned of those who were captured.

 Israel began to see just how great their God is.

 God is always, ALWAYS, working to do good to His people!

 God is always, ALWAYS, mindful of the covenants He has made with all His children!

 God is always, ALWAYS, mindful of the promises He has made, and He will never break a promise He has made to anyone.

 Why is God able to bless so much?

 It is pretty simple, God is our Creator, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and God can do anything He wants to His creation, but He cannot go against His Word!

 Notice that Israel is back in a part of the land God had given to them and God will get the remainder of that land that was promised back to Israel.

 We may be seeing this today, the Lord giving Israel their entire homeland and the world cannot stop it!

 No, there will never be a Palestinian nation within the boundaries of the land God gave to Abraham, the same land God gave to Israel!

 When those who hate God scoff at us, we need to stand firm in our confidence in the Lord.

 We may go through trials.

We may go through persecution.

We may go through attacks.

We may be oppressed.

 God's purpose for us cannot be defeated!

 Nothing can separate us from the love of God!

 Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

 *****Psa 115:16  The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. 

 Verse fifteen says it is our LORD who is the Creator of the heavens, and we know of three heavens.

 The first heaven is the space where we get our air to breathe and the place where the birds fly.

The second heaven is what we call outer space, a place where all planets, all stars, and anything we find in outer space, and it is immense.

The third Heaven is the place where God dwells with His angels and all those souls who are in that Heaven today.

 Notice the Earth is mentioned as the only place God has given mankind to live.

 We know the earth is also the Lord’s:

 Psa 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 

 This Psalmist has said that God has given the earth to mankind to live upon.

 Gen 1:28  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 

Gen 1:29  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 

Gen 1:30  And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 

 God has not given mankind any other planet, moon, or star to live.

 This earth is where we belong, where we live and work and where our future lies unless we believe all these things and our Creator who made all these things, then our future lies in the third Heaven with our God.

 We know that mankind has not cooperated with God on the development of all the resources of this Earth, but they are all gifts from God for our use.

 God has given the occupants of Earth the responsibility of overseeing the resources of Earth.

 This Earth is the only planet that God gave to be inhabited!

 Isa 45:18  For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else. 

 We need to be sure to know that God only declares things that are right and not wrong!

 Isa 45:19  I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. 

 The trouble today is that a few greedy people have tried their best to gain control of the earth's resources and for the most part they have, and the governments control the rest.

 But you see God has reconciled the world back to Himself by the Lord Jesus Christ.

 2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 

2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 

 Now I cannot explain the meaning of all these things, but I know that these words are true.

 Jesus Christ (Messiah) came to this earth to establish the only means of salvation which is available to all people.

 The desire to let the whole redeemed world know of its redemption should move in the heart of every man but the world is tied up with greed for the resources of our planet, corrupt governments, and immorality.

 *****Psa 115:17  The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. 

Psa 115:18  But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord.

It should be obvious that those who are dead cannot praise anyone.

When we die our voices are silenced.

In fact, those who are dead lose all communication with the Lord who died for them.

Isa 38:18  For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

I must never forget my job is to praise my Lord.

No matter what I'm going through, I need to praise the Lord, and I know I do not praise Him enough.

Even when the Lost World scoffs at me, I will praise the Lord!

My opportunities to praise the Lord will cease when I take my last breath, but my blessings will continue because I am a child of God!

Psa 118:17  I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. 

Psa 118:18  The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. 

Psa 118:19  Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: 

Psa 118:20  This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. 

Psa 118:21  I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

Rev 5:13  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 

 Amen

Obtaining the Promises of God

 Joshua Israel's New Leader

Book of Joshua Chapter 1

Who is this, Joshua?

The name "Joshua" as written can mean "Jehovah is his help" but it can also mean "Jehovah the Savior".

Joshua is sometimes written Jehoshua, and Jehoshuah but in the New Testament we see it written as Jesus.

Act 7:45  Which also our fathers that came after brought in with "Jesus" into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; 

Act 7:46  Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. 

We should not be confused by these things and if we study the context of the Scripture we will not be.

We see the same thing happen in the Book of Hebrews:

Heb 4:8  For if "Jesus" had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. 

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 

Joshua did not have it in his power to give rest to the people of God, only the Lord Jesus Christ has this power!

Again look at the context of this Scripture.

This Joshua is the son Nun to distinguish him from any other man name Joshua and there were others.

Joshua as a child was born into the slavery of Egypt and reached the age for military as he traveled to freedom with Moses and all of Israel.

No doubt as a young man He worked in the brick fields of Egypt.

We can believe all these things because it is Joshua, led by the Holy Spirit who has written all these things for us. 

It is Joshua who also wrote the final words of the Book of Deuteronomy after the death of Moses again led by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit does not make mistakes, so there are no mistakes in the "Received Text"!

We can say the Book of Joshua was written to the Israelites to teach them their great history and the mistakes they had made.

We also know that All Scripture is written for the Church!

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 

The Book of Joshua shows us how Israel conquered and divided up the land promised to these descendants of Abraham by Isaac and Jacob.

The Book of Joshua shows all readers that God is faithful to keep His promises.

The main purpose to the Book of Joshua is to teach the Doctrines of God to the Israelites and to all readers of this precious book of the Old Testament, which means the New Testament Church.

Some of those Doctrines are:

The Doctrine of Faith.

The Doctrine of the Holiness of God.

The Doctrine of Sin. God will not tolerate evil and wickedness, not forever.

The Doctrine of "Mercy and Grace". Yes, we can see the "Grace" of God in the Old Testament and His "Mercy"!

The Doctrine of the "All Powerful" God of Creation.

The Doctrine of the "All Knowing" God of knowledge.

The Doctrine of the Sovereign Ruler of all Creation.

The Doctrine that states that God places people in certain locations for His Own Purposes!

*****Jos 1:1  Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, 

Jos 1:2  Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 

Moses at the age of 120 years old had now been taken out of the picture by God Himself, his purpose complete and God told Joshua to fill in the gap that Moses left behind.

It is our duty to answer the call of God!

Moses was a mighty man of God. How could anyone fill in for him?

Moses had already selected Joshua by the word of God and had already begun his training.

Deu 31:14  And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.

Deu 31:23  And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee. 

It was Moses that had established Israel as a nation through the guidance of Jehovah making him the father of the nation of Israel.

A band of Egyptian slaves had become the nation that had set back Egypt for many years which they have never really overcome.

It was time for Israel to leave off mourning for what was, and accept what God had planned for the destruction of the sinful nations of Canaan Land

Gen_15:16  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

On a much smaller scale than the worldwide flood, Israel was the hand of God for the destruction of the sin full people of Canaan Land.

They needed a strong leader and God gave them Joshua.

Joshua was now the Commander-in-Chief of the new nation of Israel.

We should understand Moses was a great man of God, but his death did not affect the plan of God.

God simply selects some other human to keep the plan of God moving forward at all times!

If Joshua for some reason rejected the call of God, God would simply have chosen someone else.

When God plan is in action, He will then provide all the tools and materials necessary to keep moving forward in the work God has given all the Church to accomplish.

The "providence" of God is always in His hands, and it does not depend upon any one upon this earth, or anywhere else humans are seeking to run and hide.

*****Jos 1:3  Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 

It was the death of Moses that opened the door for Joshua, so we see that it is God who is the giver of life and only He can take a life.

Satan may have had the power of death before the work of the Lord Jesus was completed, but he could not cause death at his will, he needed the permission of God, and he still does today.

Satan answers to God, Jehovah God and he is also condemned to Hell which is why the world is moving so fast toward wicked, immoral corrupted, iniquity.

Some of the promises God made to Abraham were becoming reality.

The walk of Abraham had defined the boundaries of the nation of Israel more than four hundred years prior to the day of Joshua.

Moses had led the children of Israel right up to the shores of the River Jordan, right at the most awkward time of the rainy season, but God had a reason even for this.

It would be Joshua that led the crossing of Jordan!

What were the boundaries that God set aside for the nation of Israel?

*****Jos 1:4  From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. 

South: the desert of Negev.

North: Lebanon. Mount Lebanon the tallest mountain of Syria.

East: the Euphrates River.

West the Mediterranean Sea.

To this day, Israel has never possessed all this land and will not until the return of Christ Jesus.

Why? Many of them became cowards.

Many of them refused to obey the Word of God.

The closest that Israel ever came to control of all this land was in the days of King David and King Solomon.

It is at the death of King Solomon when Israel became a divided nation and disappeared from History for a time.

A divided nation cannot stand in this world of sin!

America is more divided today than it has ever been in our brief history and America could disappear from history and it is because of our corrupt, and wicked, and immoral government!

Why is this so true? Because America has booted God out!

Why did Israel begin to show dominance for many years? It was because God was with them until they demanded God to leave.

What was God's promise to Israel?

*****Jos 1:5  There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 

What wonderful words given to a new leader.

God promised Joshua that no nation would be able to stand against him.

To us this means as a believer, we will have a full life, a victorious life, if we continue to serve the Lord with all our heart!

We know that as this new nation of Israel moved forward, they would face many obstacles.

We can also say the same thing about them today as much of the world hates them without a reason.

This tiny nation of Israel has met many a foe on the battlefield, all of them trying to erase them as a nation, but God has not allowed this to happen, and the Bible says He will not allow it to happen.

God promises those who love Him a full and victorious life, but we must also move forward claiming victory over the obstacles we face.

We can do this because we are never alone!

With the power of God there is no obstacle that we cannot overcome!

It begins with obedience!

1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 

1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

We have the promise of our Savior that He will never forsake us.

Even on those days we may not feel our Lord God, we have the assurance that He is with us.

Our life is not about feelings, our life is about the promises of God!

This is one of the greatest promises God has given to us, that He will never forsake us!

No matter what trouble, no matter what difficulty, no matter what problem we face, God will never leave us and He will walk with us through these things!

*****Jos 1:6  Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 

Joshua had been an eyewitness, as these people had rebelled against Moses many times.

The challenge of Israel was very great to be a conqueror of the many nations of Canaan Land.

They needed a leader who was equipped to manage these times and it was Joshua.

Joshua was God's man!

What was Joshua first task? He was to trust God! He was to be strong and very courageous!

When God calls us, He knows that our task will not be easy. If it was easy, then anyone could do it without God!

The army of God must be strong and courageous. 

When we put on the armor of God we are not dressing for peace, we are dressing for war!

We are to be obedient to the Word of God.

We are to never stop sharing the Word of God.

We are to meditate on God's Word day and night!

The result of obedience to God will always be prosperity and success! This does not mean riches. 

It means all that we put our hands to, that is in the will of God, will prosper!

Again, it takes strength in the Lord and obedience to overcome discouragement!

*****Jos 1:7  Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 

God did not place Joshua in this position of leadership to be lord over this people!

They would follow Joshua if he continued to follow the Lord.

Until till the last days of Joshua's life, every day brought a new enemy to defeat.

Every year brought a new enemy.

Every day he had to send the young people of Israel into battle, and he would witness the blood shed of many of them.

These things are hard on any commander. Joshua would need much courage and strength.

No matter where we are on the battlefield of the Lord, we must know that we cannot do these things in our own strength so our relationship with the Lord must be steady and enduring.

We must follow the Word of God not veering to the left or to the right.

The pathway to Heaven remains a narrow path and few will ever find it.

Mat_7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

God will reveal to us the obstacles we will face by teaching us the deep things of God!

1Co 2:10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 

1Co 2:11  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 

1Co 2:12  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 

1Co 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 

1Co 2:14  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 

The key to our prosperity in this world is obedience to all the Word of God!

Again this does not mean riches!

How are we to study the Word of God?

*****Jos 1:8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 

In order for Joshua to succeed as the Commander-in-Chief of Israel, he was to know and obey all the Word of God. (Which is a type of Christ)

This has not changed for every national leader today! They have the same instructions, no matter who they are or where they are located!

We must never turn our backs to the Word of God as we see this world do so today.

If there is a godly leader in this world today, they are noticeably quiet and ashamed of the Word of God, because they are too silent!

God will give us purpose, a sense of achievement and a fulfillment throughout our Christian Life, but only if we obey God by meditating in His Word day and night, throughout our lifetime.

In other words, we should always be doing what God says to do!

Deu 5:29  O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! 

This is the key to our success in the plan of God!

Again, we must be strong and courageous in the things of God!

*****Jos 1:9  Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. 

If God says a thing one time, then it is enough, but when God says things three times then He knows how easy it will be for us to get discouraged when we see what is going on in our world.

We must never let these things keep us from serving the Lord!

We must be strong and courageous as we walk through our Christian Life.

We must know that when God gave these lands to Abraham, all Abraham had was his faith and he had enough faith that he could trust the Word of God is true.

Abraham trusted in the promises of God, and it is no different for us here today.

Now in this day of Joshua more than four hundred years later, Joshua is in position to begin fulfilling some of God's promises to Abraham.

We should know that the land promised to Abraham was indeed the land called Palestine. Palestine is an area and not the name of some country.

We should also know that the land promised to Abraham also refers to the New Heaven. 

Canaan Land is just a symbol of God's Promise.

Rom 4:13  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 

The inheritance that Abraham had so much faith in, refers to the entire world, the New Universe which God is going to recreate in the very end.

It is not this world we live in now that is so full of sin, immorality, and wicked corruptness!

This world that is wasting away, deteriorating, running down, that our world calls "Climate Change". They have seen nothing yet!

2Pe 3:4  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. 

2Pe 3:5  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 

2Pe 3:6  Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 

2Pe 3:7  But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 

2Pe 3:8  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The promise to Abraham refers to the New Heaven and the New Jerusalem, our Heavenly Home!

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

All these things Abraham knew and, on this day, Joshua would begin that journey with Israel as they would cross the River Jordan.

This is where Joshua would derive his courage and his strength!

It was the promises made to Abraham that drove Joshua to be the great man of God that he was, and we should be encouraged just as Joshua was encouraged.

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 

Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 

Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 

Joshua told this new nation of Israel, "let us go an obtain the promises of God".

This is exactly what the Church is doing today!

*****Jos 1:10  Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 

Jos 1:11  Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it. 

After forty years the long-awaited command came. "prepare the people for we are going to cross the River Jordan".

We should remember that this people of Israel would have been several million people.

There is not an army on the face of the earth that can go from rest to moving forward for war in three days, which shows us how Moses had prepared this army.

This was not just the army but also all their families and livestock.

We should also think about those three days!

Three days to our Lord Jesus was the time of His death to His resurrection.

In three days, this rag tag bunch of slaves would resurrect as the nation of Israel.

We should be able to see the typology of all these things.

What do we know? We know that God had spoken to Joshua and the crossing of the Jordan was to be done at once.

As Israel had been at camp until this command came, they had certainly seen that the River Jordan was running out of its banks at this time of the year.

In our service to the Lord, we had better understand that the natural things must be exhausted before the supernatural is brought in.

At this time we believe the "manna" had ceased and the word "victuals" would mean the food that was natural to their surroundings.

Jos 5:12  And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. 

We also believe that before this command was given, that Joshua had already sent out those spies to Jericho, and they had returned.

On this side of this flooded river was Israel ready for war and on the other side stood the walled city of Jericho, which had to fall for Israel to be successful.

Jericho had already heard of the wars Israel had already fought, and won, and the city was afraid of Israel.

Between them lay a vast expanse of rushing water.

Joshua commanded this people of God "to prepare", then "passover" and then "to possess".

We must understand as a soldier in God's Army, we must always be prepared, and we have that "Heavenly Manna" with us at all times if we are carrying the Word of God.

We must feed on the Lord Jesus Christ; He is our Passover!

No doubt that many of these people had the fear of death for war brings death!

But to the child of God, death has but one meaning and that meaning is New Life.

There would be no possessing of that land until they crossed over the flood waters of the River Jordan.

As Christians we have nothing on this side of Jordan, but the New Heaven, the New Jerusalem lie on the other side.

What lies on the other side will be the treasures of God! 

A share of the inheritance of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Still that raging river seemed unsurpassable.

But the Lord will always say:

Jos 3:5  And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. 

When the flood waters of this world are raging, then this is when we need to trust the Lord the most!

Mar_6:50  For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

We must never forget that as we travel in this life, the Lord Jesus Christ will walk before us showing us the way!

We know that God would stop the flow of the River Jordan and several million Israelites would cross the River Jordan on dry land!

Amen