The Day of the Lord Jesus

 From Judgment to the Presence of God

 Book of Joel

 Joel is another of God's prophets that we know very little about and is called a Minor Prophet.

 Joe 1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.

 We know that the message of the minor prophets is just as important as that of the Major prophets. They are called Minor Prophets because their message is shorter. We know that the Holy Spirit used Joel to give Israel and the Church a message good throughout all the Ages.

 2Ti_3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

 The purpose of the Book of Joel is just like the message of all the writers chosen by the Holy Spirit, to turn the hearts of God's people back to the LORD.

 LORD being Jehovah. Jehovah designates God's nature as He stands with mankind as the only almighty, true, personal, Holy Being, a Spirit, and the Father of all Spirits.

 Num 16:22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

 Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Joh 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

Joh 4:26 "Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he".

 Our Lord Jesus says He is Jehovah in the flesh, the Father of all Spirits.

 We will see that Joel may not mention Judah by name, but he begins with a description of God's "judgment".

 Joel mentions the Day of the Lord more than any other Book in Scripture:

 The Day of the Lord is the day of the Lord's vengeance: Isa_34:8 For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.

 From Joel: Joel 1:15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

 From Joel: Joel 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

 From Obadiah: Oba_1:15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

 There are other Scriptures by other Prophets as important as these.

 Our lesson begins with repentance.

 What is repentance?

 Repentance is first a change of mind.

It is second, a change of purpose.

It is then a change of life, and these things come with the promise of a remission of sin.

 Repentance is walking in the opposite direction from the way we walked as sinners.

 Repentance is coming out of the darkness of the Devil and into the Light of Jesus Christ.

 Luk_24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

 We can only do this if we have a true sense of our own guilt!

 Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Psa 51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

 We need to study all of Psalm 51 to learn how to truly ask for forgiveness.

 What we know is that far too many who started with Jesus Christ are now forsaking Him!

 This was readily seen during the time of Covid 19.

 *****Joe 2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

Joe 2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

 The Prophet Joel gives us much information on the coming "Day of the Lord," but before God’s Day of wrath, He will first call for repentance.

 There is more to repenting than just saying you are sorry!

 Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Jas 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

 Joel is believed to be one of the prophets during the time of Joash who had Zechariah stoned between the courtyard and the altar on the Temple Mount.

 How do we question our God, who pleads with His people to return to Him?

 Anytime Jehovah calls for repentance then it is not too late to do so.

 What we know is the Lord is patient, but His patience will one day run out.

 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.

 Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:

Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

Rom 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

 God is tired of seeing the tearing of garments and wants to see the tearing of the hearts.

 We must reach that point in our life where we hate sin but not the sinner.

 We might ask ourselves why we should turn to the Lord.

 1) The Lord is full of "Grace and Mercy" and has pure love for us.

2) The Lord will repent of His promised wrath if we repent and turn to Him.

3) He will answer prayers. Which means He can restore our economies and our bodies.

 We may not understand the true power of Jehovah, but over and over in the Scriptures, God tells us exactly what he is going to do, especially on the Day of the Lord.

 Returning to the Lord also means returning to worship of Him.

 Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

 Those who say we do not have to attend Church to be saved are one hundred percent correct, but after we are saved, we should do our best to obey all the Word of God, and it says not to forsake the assembling of the Church.

 This passage says we should be assembling more and not less, for we know we are in those end times.

 Every person who calls upon the Lord is to attend Church worship services and be sanctified, which means "set apart" for the Lord's use.

 In this day of Joel, the Lord told the priests and preachers to pray specifically that the Lord spare the people from the coming judgment on those who refuse to repent.

 *****Joe 2:14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

Joe 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:

Joe 2:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.

Joe 2:17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?

 If we know anything about the Word of God, we know the Lord could return at any moment to get His Church, and His wrath will begin once the Church has been removed.

 There may not be much time for anyone to repent, so now is the right time to repent, and it is certainly time to be sincere about it.

 Sin is an inward thing that comes from a sinful heart, and repentance must come from the heart.

 We must be sorrowful for any law of God that has been broken!

 Until the Lord returns in "judgment" means we still have time to repent!

 Repentance is essential to escape the "Day of the Lord" and the 'Judgment" of God!

 In the time of Jonah: Jon 3:9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

Jon 3:10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

 The Bible would not say these things if they were not true, but His judgment and His wrath are also true.

 Things will get so bad in the "Day of the Lord" that there will be people who say, "Where is God?", but they should have already considered what He said.

 With repentance comes the Lord's pity.

 *****Joe 2:18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

 If we truly repent, no matter what we have done, the Lord will pity us. This is His promise!

 Will we still suffer for our sins? Yes, but we are now justified, and our name is written down in the Lamb's Book of Life.

 Chastisement leads to repentance.

 We should know that the Lord is always jealous of His land, and the Lord will provide well-being for His land.

 All those who attack Israel will find this out soon enough, but the Lord is jealous for all His creation.

 Maybe this is why we see so much turmoil in the lands today, which we call climate change.

 It is a Holy God who controls all our climate: Mar 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

 Things could be so much better if God's people would return to the Lamb of God!

 We should know that compassion is what the LORD will show to repentant people!

 It is also the Lord who provides all our needs and who can end wars.

 *****Joe 2:19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:

Joe 2:20 But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

 The LORD promises mercy to all those who return to Him!

 It is called the "Grace of God".

 Material prosperity can be restored.

Respect and honor can be restored.

Peace and national security can be restored.

 These are just the little things that come to us when we love the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Many of us see these words as the end of the War of Armageddon.

 What had God said?

 2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2Ch 7:15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

 In type, this happens in verse 17.

 The LORD is still waiting for His people to repent and pray this prayer!

 God the Father fulfilled His promise to send the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 It is in Jesus Christ that everyone can receive the gifts of God's Mercy and God's Grace.

 It is in Jesus Christ that this world will be restored for one thousand years.

 This is the reason Our Lord Jesus came to this earth to offer reconciliation, and He will return as King of kings and LORD of lords and all the promises that were made will be fulfilled.

 *****Joe 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

 Every denomination of the Church knows that "judgment" is coming, and once it has taken place according to the Word of God, it will be the end of human history!

 The only thing that is left for all people to do is to repent!

 Just before the Lord returns will be a time of unparalleled tribulations.

 Those who are wise will not be victims of these tribulations because the LORD has given us a way out.

 Those who love the LORD have the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 We are not paying attention if we have not seen wonders happening in the heavens.

We are not paying attention if we have not seen wonders happening on this earth, no matter what scientists call them.

We should be waiting for something like an eclipse of the Sun and the Red Moon.

 We of the Church know that our time is really short and we need to be working on our families with the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 The Day of Salvation is now!!!!!!!

 *****Joe 3:1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,

Joe 3:2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

 The Valley of Jehoshaphat is the valley between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.

 We should understand that the scattering of God's people and the division of God's land are an insult to the property of God.

 Notice God says, "My people" and "My land" and He adds "My heritage".

 As I think upon this passage, I can recall the spot where the Lord Jesus will return.

 Act 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Act 1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

 When the Lord returns, He will return to the Mount of Olives to the place where He had ascended.

 Zec 14:1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.

Zec 14:2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

Zec 14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

Zec 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

Zec 14:5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

 I believe that this is the day the LORD will judge all the nations that have gathered to destroy Israel.

 And Joel continues:

 *****Joe 3:12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.

 Every nation that has opposed the Kingdom of God, as well as all those hostile nations that surround Jerusalem, are to be awakened.

 Joe 3:9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:

 Up until this time, the lord has been standing, but here, we see that He will sit on His seat of judgment.

 Isa 50:8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

 The Lord says Bring them on, He is ready to meet them.

 Joe 3:13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.

 The Lord says it is far past the time to harvest the fruit of the earth because it is rotten.

 Rev_14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

 God has already condemned these nations.

 Multitudes and multitudes are in the valley of decision.

 The nations have made their decision, and Jehovah will pronounce His decision at that moment.

 Once the LORD begins, He will not end until it is over for wickedness and evil.

 *****Joe 3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

Joe 3:15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.

Joe 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

 Multitudes in the Hebrew suggest the confused noise of a great multitude.

 Isa 17:12 Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters!

Isa 17:13 The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.

 On this day, there will be many cosmic disturbances. All the heavenly bodies will be darkened, and this does not mean an eclipse of the Sun or the Moon because it concerns all heavenly bodies.

 Isa 13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

 Why? It is the Day God will punish this world for its evil.

 Isa 13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

Isa 13:12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

 The entire Solar System will shake violently.

 Hag 2:6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

Hag 2:7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

 Jer 25:31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.

 It certainly will not be a good day for the militaries of those evil nations.

 There is much more that can be said about the Day of the Lord, but this would be a complete study in itself.

 We can see that the Lord will certainly judge the nations of this world.

 *****Joe 3:17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

 Israel will finally wake up to the truth of Jehovah as they see the work of the Messiah, who is the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Rev_5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

 This will be the time for Israel to repent!

 Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:

Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

 *****Joe 3:20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.

Joe 3:21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

 Israel will become the honcho nation in this world for one thousand years, and Our Lord Jesus will sit upon the Throne of David and rule this world with a rod of iron.

 Zec 14:8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

Zec 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

 Amen

We Will Reap What We Sow

 Samuel's Farewell Sermon

Book of 1 Samuel Chapter 12

Of all the tributes we can offer to the Lord, obedience to His Word is the greatest thing we can do to show the Lord that we love Him!

The next best thing we can do is to repent our sins. 

Repent means much more than saying I am sorry.

To repent is a complete change of mind and a change of direction to mean walking as the Lord walked, walking with the Lord.

The next thing would be a faithful service in whatever we do in the ministry of the Lord.

We trust the promises of God because we know of God's faithfulness to His Word!

God is faithful!

1Co_1:9  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Fellowship with the Lord consist of the knowledge of His will for us, and an agreement with His design for this world, which means a world built around families with mutual affection conforming to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Church is a group of families that worship together as the family of God.

Job 22:21  Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

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.

1Jn 2:6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 

1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

1Jn 1:3  That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 

1Jn 1:4  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 

This has been the goal of our Lord Jesus since the first day of creation.

Gen 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 

Gen 1:27  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 

It is sin that breaks our fellowship with the Lord!

It is sin that is destroying our world, not climate change!

We must be faithful to the Lord once we know the truth!

Samuel had now become an old man and in all his days, he had been faithful to the Lord while being truthful to all of Israel.

Samuel would spend his last days on earth preparing the people of Israel to live under a monarchy.

Saul was now the first King of Israel.

Once both sides had repented, the people and the new king, they both could live a life of faithful service.

For the new government to succeed, the people would have to faithfully serve the Lord and faithfully fulfill their calling upon this earth.

Samuel preached this message to all of Israel and the to new King of Israel who was sitting within the voice of Samuel.

*****1Sa 12:1  And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you. 

1Sa 12:2  And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. 

Samuel closed his ministry before the people.

As Samuel was stepping aside, he stressed the necessity for King Saul to be faithful to Jehovah God as he had been.

Our success comes from our ability to remain in the will of God all our lives, or from the day we repent and return to the Lord.

Samuel talked of his own righteous life, not bragging, but as an example of the expectations he had for King Saul.

Samuel declared to the people that he had done exactly what they asked him to do, to give them a king to rule over them.

We know that God was the ruler of Israel so, to now have a king would be a terrible step backwards.

Samuel had lived a righteous life since he had been called at the age of twelve.

Samuel had executed justice to Israel all his days.

In order for Israel to prosper, King Saul would have to be faithful and execute true justice and we know that politicians are not really concerned for the people as they say, but most are more concerned with their own bank account.

Israel could have chosen the two sons of Samuel, but they were not considered to be like their father. 

We do not know much truth about these two sons.

We do know that Israel was determined to have a king and that king like the kings of other nations, many of which they had destroyed or conquered.

Samuel knew he was too old to continue doing the things he had done all his life.

We all reach this time in our lives where we just cannot do the things we used to do.

Would Saul be a faithful king? We know that answer is no because we can read of his history.

Samuel had never stolen, or cheated, or oppressed anyone.

Samuel had never taken a bribe from the rich and powerful.

Samuel was not guilty of any wrong and if someone thought so, he would immediately make it right.

The people of Israel agreed with Samuel.

We know that King Saul was present as Samuel described his life, and we can just imagine what he was thinking.

Samuel had lived righteously, and this is what the Lord expects from each of us!

To be like the Lord Jesus Christ, we would have to be a lot like Samuel.

For Saul to be a great king, he would have to be a lot like Samuel.

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

If we have the victory the Lord has given to us, then we need to abound in the work of the Lord!

1Co 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 

Samuel reminded all these people that it was the Jehovah that had gotten them out of the slavery of Egypt and not some man.

*****1Sa 12:6  And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 

1Sa 12:7  Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers. 

We see in America that many groups are insisting that the history of America not be taught in our schools.

History is about facts.

Certainly, there are parts of our history of which we are not proud.

Certainly, slavery is one of those things.

It was not slavery that built our nation!

Slavery in America came from human trafficking which still exist today, and it needs to be stopped.

The pure fact is, more money can be made trafficking humans than can be made by illegal drugs.

The slavery of Israel came about by the ruthless kings of Egypt.

It was Jehovah God who put an end to this slavery!

It was Jehovah God who called and brought forth Moses to lead this people.

It was Jehovah God who put Aaron the first High Priest in place, and this would continue except for the changes that took place with Zadok.

Zadok was still in the family line of Aaron and was a Levite.

The family line of Eli would be stopped by the Lord Himself.

These children of Israel had become blind to the workings of the Lord and the same thing is taking place in America today.

I do not see how the Catholic Church can defend such people as Biden and Pelosi and some others, knowing that the stand they take goes against the Word of God.

There are many so-called Christians in politics and most everyone of them go against the truth of the Gospel, and they are proud to say so.

What kind of ruler would Saul be?

If he trusted the Word of God and used it to rule these people, he would do an excellent job.

If he ignored the Word of God and rejected Jehovah, his kingdom would fail and we can read what happened because God included it in the Scriptures.

The leaders we have in America today will go down as the people who destroyed the only free society on this planet, and it is intentional.

Corruption cannot be stopped; it must be removed.

2Pe_2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

What was the most disturbing history of these people?

They had consistently forsaken the Lord! 

They had turned away from the Lord and lived their own lives as they wished, doing their own thing and this is the recipe for failure.

The Lord had judged them and chastised them, and they lived this way until they cried out to the Lord with great promises, which they would not keep.

If you want to know true history, then it is easy to see that our Lord has saved and delivered all who turn to Him by faith!

Today, that faith must be in the Lord Jesus Christ and this faith can remove anyone from any bondage of sin and wickedness, and all other bondage, such as drugs, alcohol, the gay lifestyle, homosexuality, immorality, depression, hatred, false worship, and any other bondage of sin.

This is the promise that God makes, and He has never broken a promise!

These things were just as true in the days of Saul, but his life led to failure.

Samuel continues with some history:

God had sold them into the hands of Sisaro, to the Philistines several times, and the King of Moab.

They had cried out and the Lord had sent men such as Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah and others.

God had sold them into the hands of the King of Ammon, and they had not recognized the fact, that God had delivered than many times and they asked for a king.

*****1Sa 12:12  And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king. 

In all these deliverances, it had been the Lord God who had delivered them who is much better than any king!

Samuel told Israel you already have a king, and He is the Lord God of all creation, there is no greater king than the Lord Jesus Christ.

We know the Lord Jesus Christ will return to this earth to be King of the Jews, and He will bring all of us with Him to rule and reign upon this earth for one thousand years, and I believe this is true.

If we reject the Lord and ask for some human ruler, we are committing a serious sin, it is called idolatry.

Every time someone votes for a Democrat today are voting for the policies of the Democrats and they are exposing themselves to idolatry, because the policies of the Democrats have rejected the Word of God. 

I know this sounds political, but it is only the truth.

It is the same for Progressives.

It is the same for many Republicans.

If we refuse to vote, we are just as guilty because we are only helping those who are against the Lord.

It is the same for anyone who goes against the Word of God!

We will be judged for all the things we do in this lifetime!

Israel had rejected the rule of the Lord by rejecting the Word of God.

They had turned away from the Lord and we must not fall into this trap, and it is a deadly trap.

They now faced God's terrifying judgment!

America is now facing God's terrifying judgment!

This is what Samuel's last sermon was telling these tribes of Israel, yet they still chose idolatry.

Samuel says these are the things you know that are true of the Lord your true King, and now you can see the one you chose to replace Him.

*****1Sa 12:13  Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. 

If you have chosen Lord as your ruler, you have chosen a Theocratic form of government in your heart.

Why in the world would we ever choose some human ruler who does not follow the Lord?

This is what Samuel was asking Israel.

Saul was a giant of a man in his physique as compared to the average Israelite.

Saul was less than a grasshopper when compared to the Lord the true King.

God had proven throughout the brief history of this nation that He was their Savior.

He was their Provider.

He was their Protector.

He was their Guide through the wilderness called life.

He is the same in all these things for each Christian today!

To ask for a king like all those other nations was a terrible thing to ask for.

Sometimes God will give us what we ask for just to teach us a lesson!

It would have much better to ask for a king, "after God's own heart", which would have been much better.

This is the same choice we should all make when we get the opportunity to choose.

Those in power today are trying their best to take this freedom to choose away from us, along with many of our other freedoms.

*****1Sa 12:14  If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God: 

1Sa 12:15  But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers. 

What is the truth of God? If we will fear the Lord, serve Him, and obey His voice, which is the written Word of God, and not rebel against the written Word of God, which is a commandment for us and our rulers, and continue to follow the Lord, things will go well for us and our nation.

But if we rebel against the truth of God then, shall the hand of the Lord be against us.

We know our Lord never changes and He will not treat America any different than He treated Israel during these times of rebellion.

You cannot be a Christian and want some wicked ruler to rule over you!

Then Samuel says, just take a look at some small portion of the power of God.

*****1Sa 12:16  Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. 

1Sa 12:17  Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king. 

1Sa 12:18  So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 

1Sa 12:19  And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king. 

These people realized that they had only added to their sins against God.

You know, we can get forgiveness of our sins if we are sincere in asking for forgiveness.

In Israel's case, they may have realized they were wrong but guess what, they still had Saul as king, and he would turn out to be an ungodly king.

There are a few men in the Bible that God would do things at their request but not many and not often.

We know of Moses and Joshua and the Lord had his own reasons each time.

We need to realize that our Lord is a Mighty God, with unlimited power and not some puny false god.

We will reap what we sow.

How can we ever expect some puny arm of flesh to replace the arm of God!

Is God showing the world that He can change the face of the heavens and persecute us with storms such as what is called "climate change"?

He did it once to Israel, why not do it today, to show this world which is so full of sin and idolatry?

We are in our own peril if we reject the power of the God of the Bible!

The Lord certainly has the power to bring judgment upon any people or all people at the same time!

For Israel it was an exceedingly rare thing for rain during harvest time, and we can be sure they lost a part of that harvest.

We know how destructive thunderstorms can be!

This sermon from Samuel had led the nation of Israel to confession.

Do we need a Samuel in America today to lead us to the point of confession of our sins, well this is not true because we already have the Lord Jesus Christ who died for our sins and who has given us the truth, and few are listening to His Words.

The truth is, rejecting the Lord will bring judgment against us!

If we forsake the Lord, forget, ignore, and neglect the Lord, we will face the judgment of God!

This also is the truth of the Scriptures!

People just do not want to hear the truth, because they are raised in a world where the truth is not important because we live in a world based on lies, beginning with evolution.

We must walk a righteous walk before God, no matter what this world is doing!

2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 

*****1Sa 12:20  And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 

1Sa 12:21  And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. 

1Sa 12:22  For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. 

There is only one answer to the problems we face today, and it is to return to the Lord and to serve the Lord with all our heart!

If we have confessed our sins then, we can do this if we then repent and walk away from the lies of this world, and turn to the truth of the Lord.

The biggest problem people have today is that they do not want to give up their sin.

Almost everyone has a pet sin that they refuse to give up!

Sinners just do not want to repent and without repentance there is no forgiveness!

When sin becomes the most important thing in our lives, we are traveling on the road to damnation!

The Lord will not forsake any people who are committed to Him!

The Lord will not forsake any people He has made promises to.

The Lord Jesus will not forsake Israel because He has made  promises to them.

The Lord will never leave us, nor forsake us, because He is bound by His promises to us.

You see our salvation is not on our own merits.

Our salvation has always depended upon the mercy of God and the promises He has made!

You see, if the Lord fails to keep even one promise, then His honor would suffer in this world.

The Lord must deliver Israel or He will be found to be a liar.

The Lord must deliver the true Church of He would be found to be a liar.

If the Lord God of this world does not keep His promises, then His Word is useless.

It is never too late to repent and return to the Lord while we are living.

It is impossible to repent after death!

The Lord made Israel His people.

The Lord made the Church His chosen people!

Then Samuel mentions prayer.

We immediately see that we sin against the Lord if we do not pray for sinners!

Samuel promised to pray for and to teach Israel all the days that remained in his life.

We must be intercessors for our children.

We must be intercessors for all our family, and it is a sin not to.

We must be intercessors for all sinners.

The key to our relationship with the Lord is to serve Him in truth that comes from the heart!

*****1Sa 12:23  Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: 

1Sa 12:24  Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. 

1Sa 12:25  But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

You know, if the Lord does nothing else for us after we are saved, He has already done much more than we deserve by saving us from a burning Hell.

The Lord also wants to bless us in this life, but we must have a personal relationship with Him.

We must respect the Lord who is also the Creator of all we see, and all we cannot see in this universe.

We should understand that the new King Saul was present during this sermon from Samuel and heard every word he spoke.

Then Samuel issues a final warning to all of Israel, but this applies to all leaders in this world and to all believers.

If we continue to sin, we will be judged and chastised by the Lord!

For Israel many were destroyed until ultimately, they were exiled from the Promised Land.

This is why the return of Israel to the Promised Land was such a momentous day in fulfilled prophecy!

We should understand that the problem with Israel was not to have a king who would go out and win battles for them.

The problem with Israel was internal and it was spiritual!

The problem with America is not that America is still the most powerful nation on earth, at least for the time being.

The problems in America is internal and they are Spiritual.

Eph_6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

America will have to return to God and repent, to have a better future just as Israel will have to do.

Israel has the promises of God, America does not, only the believers do.

No king and no leader are powerful enough to stop the hand of God in judgment!

There is no approach to God that does not begin with repentance!

Much of the Church has forgotten this.

We must turn away from sin, in order to come face to face with the Lord!

Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 

Act 3:20  And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 

The Word of God cannot be denied!

Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 

Amen

Our Hope Must be in the Lord Jesus Christ

A Better Hope

Book of Hebrews Chapter 6

What is hope? Hope is a desire for something that is good along with some expectation of obtaining it.

We should understand that our hope as Christians, Christian is being like Jesus Christ as the example He has given to us, our hope is in the promises of God.

The Bible is our proof that God never breaks His promises.

We can have hope in the promises of God with our confidence, that what God has done in the past God will do in the future, because God says He does not ever change His character.

In the Old Testament:

Mal 3:6  "For I am the LORD, I change not"; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

In the New Testament:

Jas 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning".

Heb 13:8  "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever".

The Lord Jesus Christ is the God of Hope!

Rom 15:13  Now "the God of hope" fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 

As Christians, our hope lies in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ whom we know is the "express image of God", like God in every way.

Luk 24:46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 

Luk 24:47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 

Luk 24:48  And ye are witnesses of these things. 

Luk 24:49  And, behold, "I send the promise of my Father upon you": 

We have assurance of hope:

1) Because of what was done through the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Pe 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

1Pe 1:4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 

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

2) Because the Lord Jesus Christ sent the Comforter to live within us.

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 

We should ask ourselves, "how can we not have hope in the promises of God"?

*****Heb 6:11  And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 

Heb 6:12  That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 

The full assurance of "hope" lies in our future glory as we will be like the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 

1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

The full assurance of "faith" lies in the fact that we have been pardoned!

Isa 55:6  Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 

Isa 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, "for he will abundantly pardon". 

We see that "repentance" is necessary to receive a pardon!

Repentance is:

A complete change of mind.

A complete change of direction.

A complete knowledge of our true purpose.

Along with true sense of our own guilt and sinfulness!

It is in our best interest that we be diligent to love the Lord till the very end!

You see there is going to be "an end"!

There will be "an end" to our hope once our salvation has been fulfilled.

If we are "diligent" in living for Christ, He will be just as diligent to make sure we get to our new home in Heaven!

When we have one foot in the Church and the other foot in the World will never have that assurance that comes by the "Grace of God"!

To be slothful, is to be a lazy Christian!

To be slothful, is a danger to every Christian, the answer to being slothful is being "diligent"!

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We need to be "diligent" to study the Word of God.

We need to be "diligent" to pray.

We need to be "diligent" to be a witness for Jesus Christ!

We need to be “diligent” in our love for our Savior!

2Pe 3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 

2Pe 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation

To be with Christ Jesus is to be more alive than we could think was possible!

*****Heb 6:13  For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 

Heb 6:14  Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 

Heb 6:15  And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 

It seems like it has been every week lately that we learn of another of our brothers and sisters who have gone on Home ahead of us to be with the Lord.

We sometimes mourn when we should be rejoicing because we have that same yearning to be with them.

You see when our bodies reach death's door, it is at this time that we see the true meaning of life, because we will have inherited the promises of God!

Those who have gone before us are not dead, they are alive, and more alive than they could have been here upon this earth!

They are now living the perfect life.

Probably the greatest example of this truth on this earth, is Abraham.

God made a sure promise of a son to Abraham, a child through which a great nation of people would be born.

All Abraham had to do was believe what God had said to him, go to where God said to go, and live as God said to live!

Abraham did as God instructed and him even though his faith was not perfect, God fulfilled His promise with Isaac even though Sarah and Abraham were far beyond childbearing years.

This was not the true promise that God intended:

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. 

Rom 4:14  For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 

Rom 4:15  Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 

Rom 4:16  Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 

Rom 4:17  (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 

The promise God was making was that from the lineage of Abraham would come the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ!

The land promised to Abraham was the area called Palestine, but the spiritual application is the true Promised Land which is the New Heaven!

The important thing is the Abraham believed the promises of God and therefore inherited the promises of God.

There has certainly been a nation of people who believe and follow God just as did Abraham.

Today they are called Christians, because they are trying to be more like Jesus Christ than of being like Abraham.

Abraham endured many things in his lifetime because being a true follower of God may be easy, but the world will do its best to make it hard!

Many characters in the Bible are our examples of true Christians, but there are also many examples who we see in the Church today.

Col 1:12  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 

Col 1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 

Col 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 

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. 

Why did God go to so much trouble to teach us these things?

He wanted a people who are not full of doubt!

*****Heb 6:16  For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. 

Heb 6:17  Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 

God knows that our world would grow so evil and wicked that it would be hard for some to trust Him!

We see these things happening before our very eyes today!

As we have seen over the history of the world and even in simple agreements people will swear by an "oath".

Many times that oath will be upon the name of some person not involved.

Some swear on their mother's name, some even on a child's name, and some on the name of some great person in history.

We should understand that an oath in a religious manner, is lawful under the Gospel or this writer would never have mentioned it and the Holy Spirit would not have allowed it in this fashion.

An oath in reality, is in the fact that God is listening, and that oath is to Him as a witness.

In the Bible, an oath is also called a vow.

God is profoundly serious about vows and oaths:

Deu_23:21  When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

Deu_23:22  But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

Ecc_5:4  When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

Ecc_5:5  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Sadly, vows are not of great concern to most today and our government has never been able to keep them! 

Just ask the Native Americans but not just to them.

If you want to hear many vows, just wait until our next election and you will hear so many it will make you sick and most of them have no intention of keeping them.

Divorces happen over broken vows!

Peace is obtained and broken over vows!

Many a sinner have made vows to our Savior and so many of us fail to keep them.

In all of them, we can be sure God is listening!

Here we see that God has made certain vows and He always keeps His promises, His vows, His oaths, and all the Word of God!

2Ti 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 

It is impossible for God to break His vows and His promises!

1Th 5:24  Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 

God cannot change and still be God!

Mal 3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not;

It is impossible for God not to be God!

*****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: 

Heb 6:19  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 

Heb 6:20  Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 

With so many suicides happening today, we can conclude the we humans cannot live without hope!

Without hope, most people find no reason to live!

When we indoctrinate our young people at an early age and they find that out, they see the world for what it is and it removes their hope.

When false churches teach their lies and people find them to be liars, some will give up believing there is no hope.

It is only the true God and His Word that can give us the hope we need to stay faithful till the very end!

Rom 8:24  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 

Rom 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 

Rom 8:26  Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 

Rom 8:27  And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 

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. 

When we have hope in our salvation, we have no fear of death and leave that in the hands of God, who is the giver and the taker of life!

God will fulfill all His promises and He does not need anyone to help Him!

My hope in God is my refuge, my shelter, and my protection from danger, from distress, and from my enemies!

God gives us the picture of a mighty ship caught in a terrible storm desperately seeking a safe harbor to drop its anchor.

Believers flee from the storms of this world to God.

Believers flee for the distress of sin and shame in this world, to God.

Believers flee from the most dangerous enemy of this world (Satan) to God.

Because God is our safe harbor, God is our only hope in the Promised Land of Heaven!

My anchor is both sure and steadfast.

My anchor cannot slip.

My anchor cannot break.

My anchor, the Lord Jesus Christ will hold me no matter what!

Because my anchor is buried within the veil of the Holy of Holies upon the immovable throne of God!

My anchor is caught upon the Throne of my King, King Jesus, the right hand of God!

It is my Lord Jesus who opened that veil to receive me, and I will forever be with my Lord!

Col 1:3  We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 

Col 1:4  Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 

Col 1:5  For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 

Col 1:6  Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

My hope is in the promises of my Savior and My God and, they are sure!

Amen