There Is Only One True God

 The Power and Wisdom of God

 Book of Psalms Chapter 97

 Today, even in the Bible Belt, you can hardly meet someone on the streets who knows about the Lord Jesus Christ.

 People do not know who God is!

 They think He is just another god along with many other gods. They are so wrong!

 There is not one person except maybe infants and young children who God has not revealed Himself.

Before a person dies, God will have revealed Himself to them so that no one at the White Throne of judgment can use that as an excuse

 We know that God even speaks to babies while they are in the womb.

 Jer 1:4  Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 

Jer 1:5  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 

Jer 1:6  Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 

Jer 1:7  But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 

 Even John the Baptist knew the Lord Jesus Christ while He was in the womb of his mother.

 Luk 1:41  And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 

Luk 1:42  And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 

Luk 1:43  And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 

Luk 1:44  For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

 This proves that some babies have more wisdom than fully grown men and women, even while they are still in the womb of their mother.

This is why I will never accept that there is a right to abortion.

 The One major truth in our world is, that there is a God and He is our Creator and our Heavenly Father!

 There are not many gods there is only One True God!

 Those who reject God also reject the Word of God.

 The Word of God is just that, the Holy Ghost-inspired Word of God!

 Most people make up their minds about what a God should be like.

 They choose to believe some secular theory or something fabricated in their mind as to the origin of our universe and the origin of life.

 Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 

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: 

Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

 As you can see God knew all these things would happen.

 Many people deny the Holiness of God while declaring good to be evil and evil to be good.

 God knew these people before they were born just, as He does everyone else.

 Some people believe in God but deny the "judgment" of God.

 Our world is so confused today that some men think God made a mistake and they were supposed to be women, and some women think they were supposed to be men, but they reject that God simply does not make mistakes.

 Across the globe, countless people are trapped in false religions and those who would change are filled with so much fear they live their lives as best they can all their days afraid to speak up.

 This Psalm is an encouragement to all who would truly follow God.

 I send a message today that no matter where you are, if you claim the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior and even in secret, pray that sinner’s prayer, He will hear you and He will save you.

 He knows what conditions you are under, and He will not hold that against you.

 My God can save anybody anywhere at any time!

 This Psalm is a big help to you.

 *****Psa 97:1  The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. 

 If we take a logical view of our world, we will see the evidence of our earth and all we can see with our eyes or that new telescope that circles.

 We see that these things exist.

 Because something cannot come from nothing, there must be an original cause that is the reason for the world's existence.

 Because it is evident that these things exist then, there had to be a Creator of these things.

 If you have ever witnessed an accident, you will see that accidents are a cause of destruction and not creation.

 Every effect must have a cause!

 What is the truth? The Lord reigns over all His creations! Jehovah is King, He is the Almighty Ruler of His threefold kingdom.

 Psa 96:11  Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof. 

 The earth is in perfect balance. It has just the right amount of water and the right amount of dirt.

 In fact, we can say that the entire universe is in perfect harmony so there must be a Creator.

 God's harmony is observed throughout this universe!

 The sun is ninety-three million miles from Earth which is exactly where it needs to be for our comfort.

 The temperatures vary from location to location so everyone can find a place where they are comfortable.

 The moon is two hundred and forty thousand miles from Earth to provide tides at the proper level.

 The more we change the moon the more our sea levels will change!

 The earth's tilt provides our four seasons.

 None of these things could have happened by accident!

 Yes, our Lord reigns as King of this earth!

 Psa 8:3  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 

Psa 8:4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 

 The naysayers would have you believe that we live in a universe in chaos, but this is not true.

 Psa 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 

Psa 19:2  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 

Psa 19:3  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 

Psa 19:4  Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 

 The alternative is that all these things, plus all the other things we can see are no more possible than a monkey being able to create a work of Shakespeare on a typewriter by haphazard play on the keys.

 Yes, the Lord reigns upon this Earth!

 The Earth refers to the continents, all the large land masses. In contrast, with the multitude of isles are the small islands that dot the seas.

 *****Psa 97:2  Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. 

Psa 97:3  A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. 

Psa 97:4  His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled. 

Psa 97:5  The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. 

Psa 97:6  The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

 Heaven, where God's throne is located,  veiled in clouds and darkness says to us that God reigns above human sight and understanding.

 God must remain in these clouds of darkness because there is a need for God to conceal His radiant glory of His holiness that would destroy us instantly.

 God is the "Judge" of this Earth and He always, ALWAYS does what is right!

 Fire is a symbol of God's judgment!

 It is a fire that will consume all the enemies of God!

 Psa 21:8  Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. 

Psa 21:9  Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. 

 God bears witness to His holiness and justice through the forces of nature!

 Lightning, strong storms, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions with the earth melting like wax, all remind us of God's tremendous power. 

Nature is also a creation of God.

 2Pe 3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 

2Pe 3:11  Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 

2Pe 3:12  Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 

2Pe 3:13  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 

 Everything in God's creation will bear witness to His holiness.

 We are to bear the truth that God reigns over all His creations, regardless of what the world says. 

The world is full of lies and liars.

 The Lord reigns over all the things that are going on around us.

 The Lord reigns over all the unbelief and lawlessness which is in our societies.

 The Lord reigns over all things that we are forced to endure.

 The Lord reigns and there is nothing this world can do about it, except to turn to Him in repentance!

 2Th 1:6  Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 

2Th 1:7  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 

2Th 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 

2Th 1:9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 

2Th 1:10  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 

 All those who worship false gods will become perplexed because they have been told a lie!

 The Heavens truly do declare the righteousness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Messiah!

 *****Psa 97:7  Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods. 

 When we mock and reject the Words of the One True God Jehovah then, we think we have become gods ourselves!

 We are not so dumb to not know that there are certain people who worship the idol of printed money and the idol of gold who are actually pulling the strings in America and most other countries in this world.

 They know which way to go to get more money printed which makes them richer and which way to go to get gold more valuable to make them richer and this little game they play is done over and over again.

 There is no regard for the people who work who actually pay the taxes.

 This little game will break out into war when those who are not so rich but are considered to be rich have to keep paying more and more of the taxes and they will rebel.

 It is the same for climate change. There are fifty-seven companies in this world that cause eighty percent of the pollution in this world and no one will talk to them about pollution and the carbon monoxide that is emitted by their companies.

 It is not even mentioned, or it would make them mad and governments just keep allowing it to take place.

 To these companies, money and gold are their gods!

 They may boast about their riches, but one day soon they will see their gods destroyed and they will be confounded.

 They are not the gods they think of themselves, but are only sinners in need of a Savior yet, they will never call on Him.

 They are like that Egyptian Pharaoh who thought he could defeat God but only perished in the Red Sea.

 Their idols are worthless!

 Isa 42:17  They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our gods.

 The Lord always knows what is going on!

 Isa 52:5  Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed. 

Isa 52:6  Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I. 

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!

 It is not long before these who have made themselves gods will meet the only true God.

 Isa 52:10  The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 

 God will judge this world, and this judgment is not that far off!

 *****Psa 97:8  Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O LORD. 

Psa 97:9  For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods. 

 When the Lord returns to this earth the Rapture of the Church will have already taken place and the Church will return with the Lord in glorified bodies following the King of Zion, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 It is at this time that the daughters of Judah will rejoice because the Antichrist will have been defeated and Israel will have turned to the Lord in shame because it has taken them so long to do so.

 There is so much difference between the Divine Power of God and the supposed power of the rich who have followed the Antichrist, that even they will fall in shame recognizing the power of Jehovah the triune God.

 All evildoers will be judged this day, but this is not the White Throne judgment, for the Lord Jesus will rule this earth from Zion for one thousand years.

 Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 

Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 Because the Lord humbled Himself in humiliation and obedience to Jehovah, He has been exalted by His Father and given a name which is above every name and made Him King of kings and Lord of lords, superior majesty above every creature.

 This wicked world or what is left of it, will bow at the feet of Jesus!

 Then the Lord will remake this earth.

 The Lord Jesus will continue keeping all His promises to those who love Him.

 These will be those who have survived the seven years of the Tribulation years, the last three and one-half years known as the Great Tribulation.

 The Church will be with Him, but the Church was not the object of God's wrath but already glorified!

 *****Psa 97:10  Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. 

 How do we know real love?

 If I love Jesus Christ, I will love all His people!

If I love Jesus Christ, I will love everything that He loves!

If I love Jesus Christ, I will hate what He hates which is sin!

 There is no small sin or large sin, there is only sin!

 If we love the Lord, we will hate evil!

 Psa 45:7  Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

 It is evil that separates us from our Loving God.

 It is because of evil that the wicked will be destroyed.

 It is because we do not love the Lord Jesus Christ that we are subject to the assaults of Satan!

 God watches tenderly over the souls of His saints at all times and preserves us by keeping us from destruction.

 The Lord Jesus Christ will certainly deliver us out of the hands of the wicked!

 The Lord Jesus Christ is that Light that outshines the darkness of this wicked world we live in.

 *****Psa 97:11  Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. 

 Light is sown for the righteous!

 Psa 112:4  Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. 

 That Light is the Lord Jesus Christ!

 Jhn_8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

 Jhn_9:5  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

 People just love darkness far too much!

 Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

 Because the Lord loves us, He will deliver us from evil!

Because the Lord loves us, He will preserve our souls on this earth till He finally takes us home where we are preserved forever and ever.

Because the Lord loves us, He will deliver us out of the hands of the wicked!

*****Psa 97:11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. 

Psa 97:12  Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 

We know that the Light of Jesus is the Word of God!

Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. 

It is the Word of God that lights our path to righteousness!

Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 

The Lord Jesus is that true Light who leads us to that path of salvation.

Mat 7:12  Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 

Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 

There is no other pathway to Heaven!

Amen

The Song of Loves

 The Psalm of the Great King

Book of Psalms Chapter 45

Psalm forty-five invites us into the lavish royal wedding where the King and His bride symbolize the deep, committed relationship between God and His people. 

Psalms forty-five paints a picture of divine love, encouraging us to incorporate the same principles of truth, humility, and justice that this King exemplifies.

Not everyone agrees but the truth of Psalms 45 is the truth of King Jesus and the Church, the Bride of Christ.

That word "Maschil" would mean that this Psalm is a song of instruction requiring the sons of Korah to choose the most qualified singers.

That word "Shoshannim" would describe the saints of God, the Bride of Christ, the beautiful virgins, lilies.

We know the Holy Spirit is the author of all the Word of God and He says this is a "Song of loves".

This Psalm describes the love the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Messiah has for the Church, the Bride of Christ.

Remember the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: Luk_24:44  And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that "all things" must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

The Church will be with our Lord Jesus at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Rev_19:9  And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, "These are the true sayings of God".

This verse supports the fact that the Holy Spirit and God the Father are the same person.

Psalm 45 invites us to the royal wedding where our King and His bride symbolize the deep, committed relationship between God and His people. 

This Psalm paints for us a picture of divine love, reminding us to embody the same principles of truth, humility, and justice that the King Jesus has shown to us.

Chapter 45 and verse 1

*****Psa 45:1  To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves. My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. 

That word "Mashil"  means that this is a Psalm of instruction of a serious matter.

That word "Shoshannim" describes the Bride of Christ as lilies. but we know that King Jesus is the lily of the valley.

The Lily of the Valley represents purity and innocence, the true life of Jesus Christ.

He represents the virtue and beauty found in salvation.

2Co_11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from "the simplicity that is in Christ".

The Lily of the valley symbolizes the renewal of life and the rebirth of the child of God.

The Lily of the valley represents the arrival of a fresh start and a new beginning.

The Lily of the valley symbolizes happiness, good fortune, and joy in the Lord Jesus.

The Lily of the valley is associated with the love and romance of the Messiah and His Church, the delicate nature of true love.

All these things come to us by the Lord Jesus Christ!

That word "inditing" means that the Holy Spirit has committed all these words in writing, dictating what shall be written with special instructions.

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 salvation offered by the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest of all gifts that are given to undeserving humans.

*****Psa 45:2  Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. 

Matthew Henry writes that the Lord Jesus is the great favorite of Heaven. 

Jesus is fairer than all the children of mankind.

God has done more for Jesus than He has for all mankind and because of this, He will show kindness to mankind for Christ's name’s sake.

Pro 22:11  He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend. 

The Lord Jesus is full of "grace" and this "grace" is for the Church.

Joh 1:16  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 

Joh 1:17  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 

Joh 1:18  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

God the Father has blessed God the Son with an everlasting Kingdom.

So let us read what God the Holy Spirit has given to us.

*****Psa 45:3  Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.

There is no one mightier than the Lord Jesus Christ!

All the tools of our great King are to be used for truth and righteousness.

Even God's "judgment" is done in righteousness.

Honor and majesty are the Divine attributes of God's representative and "He will pass these things down to His children".

He will have a never-ending fellowship with all His loyal subjects!

We know that truth and righteousness have practically disappeared in America today and from all the other nations of this world and it is this reason that God will make all things new. A new Heaven and a new Earth.

Our King will return to earth this time as a man of war and He will not be excused from this field of battle by the law which says:

Deu 24:5  When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken. 

This Bridegroom, King Jesus, will not abide by this Scripture because He will immediately go to war and He will take His bride with Him.

Salvation is not about the law; salvation comes only by the "Grace of God"!

*****Psa 45:4  And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. 

When the Lord returns to claim His bride, we will see our victorious warrior face to face and He will be clothed in majesty.

The Lord Jesus will defend truth and righteousness to a world that has none.

We see these things disappearing from our societies today.

No ruler can conquer a nation to win their souls. Jesus will war for truth, meekness, and righteousness.

The Lord Jesus does not war out of arrogance and greed or a thirst for power, as we see today.

Satan has a campaign against the truth of God that is going full force and it is just a matter of days that the Antichrist will step out unto the world scene to take charge of this campaign against the truth of God.

We must not forget that we are already in the army of God and we are to resist Satan, the Devil, and his forces and the greatest battle with Satan will be the Lord's.

This is why we are to wear the armor of God daily even in our homes where Satan is trying to destroy our families.

This is why we carry the Sword of the Spirit in us at all times. In our heart and in our minds.

Eph_6:17  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

The Lord Jesus Christ will crush His enemies with His mighty double-edged sword!

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

Every nation will bow before our Lord and Savior, the Holy King from Heaven.

*****Psa 45:6  Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. 

Immediately we see that this King, this Messiah, this Bridegroom, is none other than God Himself and this will never change!

This throne is the throne of God and not the throne of David or any other king.

No one can sit upon the throne of God, but God Himself.

How do we know that this King is God?

Heb 1:8  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 

Heb 1:9  Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 

The Bible will never contradict itself!

So we see that God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are all involved in this passage of Scripture.

One God in three persons!

*****Psa 45:7  Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. 

Psa 45:8  All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. 

This royal Bridegroom, His personal beauty, the justice of His government, the success of His arms, the magnificence of His court, is the One of whom Divine Blessing will be on forever and ever.

The Lord Jesus Christ loved righteousness and this is the way He lived and the way we are to live.

The Lord Jesus Christ hates wickedness and will have no part in it and it should be the same for every child of God.

2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 

2Pe 3:18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 

The Lord Jesus Christ conformed to the will that God the Father had for Him, except for one instance when He took upon Himself all of our sin from Adam's sin unto the last Christian to be saved, when He took upon Himself all the sin of the world and took that sin down to Hell where it belongs, and God has forgiven all the sin of this world and we can see just how sinful this world has become.

This one act caused the death of our Savior, but He did not stay dead!

It is this resurrected Savior who is the Bridegroom!

Salvation is also being in the will of God.

1Ti_2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Because our Lord Jesus Christ was perfect in His character in every way, because of His holiness, God has anointed His Messiah with the "oil of gladness" above all things that He has created.

The fragrance and the splendor of Emmanuel showing His perfection, renown heroism, splendor of royalty, Divine majesty, this is the Savior who reached way down to pull me out of the cesspool of sin, just before I went under.

Our Lord Jesus Christ at one time gave up all these things to save a sinner like me and many more did come to know the truth of the Triune God.

All the spices identify this Bridegroom in His office as our High Priest.

The fragrance of the myrrh points to our Savior as the Bridegroom to the Church, the Bride of Christ.

The myrrh and aloes point to the death of our Savior.

The home of our Savior is the most elegant of all places and is called Heaven.

Yes, Heaven is a real place!

So let us look at this Bride.

*****Psa 45:9  Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.

Do we really know just how blessed we really are?

Do we realize that the Bride of Christ will sit at the right hand of the Bridegroom as He sits as the sovereign King of all this Universe.

It is this Mighty King who laid down His life just we could live with Him throughout eternity.

Life in this present world is far to discouraging, plagued by trials, by difficulties, and struggles that never seem to end but this marriage to the Lamb of God will allow us to have a little bit of joy now, because we know we will live with Him forever.

When we realize just how short our lives are and how long eternity is, it will seem like we are almost there.

Even one thousand years when this Bridegroom will sit as King of this world does not seem to be a long time.

Jer 23:5  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 

Jer 23:6  In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

We sit here today knowing that day Jeremiah speaks of could begin at any moment.

Until this time comes, we are to be busy with the work that the Lord has given to us all.

*****Psa 45:10  Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; 

Psa 45:11  So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. 

We should understand that every privilege we have because of our Savior has their own responsibilities.

These responsibilities are spelled out for us in the Book of Romans.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

We must leave everything behind and choose our Bridegroom.

We may have to give up all our old friends.

We may have to give up our father's family and our mother's family or all our family.

The Bridegroom will not accept us unless we put Him first in our lives!

We must be completely devoted to the Bridegroom.

Gen 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. 

The Bridegroom must be first in our lives.

The Church is beautiful only because our sins have been forgiven and we are new persons in Christ Jesus.

Our sins are behind us and the Bridegroom has given us a fresh start to a new life.

Our reason for living is now to honor and glorify our Lord and Savior.

1) We should be able to see that the Bridegroom desires us to be with Him. He is not willing to share us with anything else!

2) We must be totally devoted to Jesus Christ because he is the Lord of our lives. We should live for Him because He died for us.

Eph 5:22  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 

Eph 5:23  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 

Eph 5:24  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 

In return for our devotion to the Bridegroom there will be great gifts given to the Bride.

*****Psa 45:12  And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.

Psa 45:13  The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. 

Psa 45:14  She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. 

Psa 45:15  With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace. 

1) The Bride of Christ will be exalted before all nations.

2) The Bride of Christ will be dressed in the most perfect and glorious clothing. She will be transformed into the image of Christ. Eph 4:24

3) The Bride of Christ will be presented to the Bridegroom and be wed while wearing fine garments. Rev 19:7-8

4) Pure, holy companions will accompany the Bride of Christ. (Old Testament believers)

5) The Bride of Christ will know the greatest gladness and joy possible living in the presence of King Jesus. Rev 22:3

What will be the King's reward?

*****Psa 45:16  Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. 

Psa 45:17  I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. 

Because of His submission to his Father's will, our Bridegroom will be exalted throughout eternity.

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 

Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1) The King will father many royal sons and daughters who will be princes and princesses.

This generation of royal descendants will reign with Christ on this present earth in the one thousand years He will reign on this earth but also throughout eternity on the New Earth.

2) The King will be honored and praised forever and ever. His name will be above every name.

Every knee will one day soon bow to Jesus Christ and every tongue will confess Him as Lord.

If we live faithfully for Jesus, He will richly reward us.

There is no better day than today to give your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Amen

Ready For the Day of the Lord

 Ready for the Day of the Lord

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5

Our last lesson was about the return of the Lord Jesus so we know for sure that He will return.

So, we should ask ourselves, are we ready for the return of the Lord?

We must not be confused about death and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus died in our place so, in a real sense we will never die.

A true death is, to live forever without God in our lives, in suffering and despair.

Luk 13:28  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. 

This place of suffering is the same place where the Devil will spend his eternity.

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

It is a fact there will be degrees of punishment in Hell.

Luk 12:46  The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. 

Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 

Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. 

In Hell there will be a total absence of favor with God.

In Hell there will be an endless disturbance of life as a result of the complete domination of sin.

In Hell there will be endless pain and suffering in body and soul.

In Hell there will be pangs of conscience, there will be anguish, there will be despair, there will be weeping, and there will be gnashing of teeth.

A true life is living throughout eternity with God in our lives.

Believers will enjoy an eternal fellowship in the company of Jesus Christ.

Believers will live in fellowship, relaxation, joy, and happiness throughout eternity.

There will be a New Heaven and a New Earth!

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 

Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 

Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

The New Jerusalem will be a literal city because God has given us the measurements.

It is in the New Jerusalem where God will dwell in fellowship with mankind forever and ever!

How could anyone choose a place called Hell over a place called Heaven?

*****1Th 5:1  But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 

1Th 5:2  For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 

1Th 5:3  For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

We will never know the exact day or the exact time of the return of the Lord but the Lord told us Himself that we should be able to tell when that time gets close.

Mat_16:2  He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

Mat_16:3  And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

The signs point to the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The day and the time of the return of Christ is not up for discussion the Lord has already said. 

Those that set dates on the return of Jesus Christ cannot know what they are talking about!

Times can extend over many years but the seasons, the things that happen in critical periods of time can be looked at and observed such as Israel returning to the Promised Land and the things that are happening today, in Israel and all over the world.

Only God knows when the details of His return will be fulfilled!

The Lord is coming just as a thief in the night has planned his dirty deed. Suddenly and unexpectedly!

We know that the Lord Jesus will first come to meet His Church in the clouds.

Then at least seven days later, this "Day of the Lord" is that period of time in which the Lord will return to deal with wicked men directly and dramatically in judgment.

There is a day coming when God will punish those who have followed the ways of Satan, the Devil.

Every soul will come under judgment.

We can know that this will be the day when the earth has reached such a depraved condition that it is hopefully lost forever and sits ripe for the "judgment" of God!

Isa 13:9  Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 

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. 

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. 

The day of the Lord will be on that day when the world of unbelievers feel that they are so secure that even a God cannot stop them.

Suddenly out of nowhere God will strike this earth!

It will be on a scale as it was in the days of Noah and the time of Lot.

Luk 17:26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 

Luk 17:27  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 

Luk 17:28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 

Luk 17:29  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 

Luk 17:30  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

The "day of the Lord" will be a day of catastrophic destruction.

The "day of the Lord" will be a day of no escape for all those who have always been above the law and ignored the Word of God.

Rom 2:3  And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 

The "day of the Lord" will be a dark and miserable day for all those who are left upon this earth.

*****1Th 5:4  But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 

1Th 5:5  Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 

A believers we live in the Light of Jesus Christ now, just as we will when we get to Heaven!

Rev_22:5  And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

The "day of the Lord" will not be a surprise to the Church because we know the Lord does not ever break a promise. 

That word "overtake" means the Lord will return to this earth when He is least expected.

2Pe_3:10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

The true Church will not be caught off guard.

1) By studying the Word of God we are not in spiritual darkness of ignorance.

Rom 13:11  And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 

Rom 13:12  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 

Rom 13:13  Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

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

1Jn 1:5  This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

What we do know is that we will welcome the "day of the Lord" as we would welcome the morning hours of a beautiful day full of light and full of joy.

To the unbeliever it will be a terrible day!

Amo 5:18  Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. 

Amo 5:19  As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. 

Amo 5:20  Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it? 

2) Being a child of God is being a child of the Light.

Joh_8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Joh_11:9  Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

As the Lord Jesus returned to Heaven, the Church has now become the light of this world.

Mat_5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

We are not only the children of the Light.

3) We are the children of the Day.

We will escape the Judgment of God!

We are the receivers of God's glorious salvation and His deliverance.

We are looking forward to the return of our Savior to take us home to be with Him.

We should be always praying and thinking about the things of God and our responsibility to reach people for Christ.

The "Day of the Lord" is so close that we can almost see it.

*****1Th 5:6  Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 

1Th 5:7  For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 

In this verse this sleep refers to spiritual sleep. When we are asleep, we are not aware of what is going on around us. When we are asleep spiritually, we are not alert to the things of God and are not aware of what God is doing.

When we are asleep spiritually, we will be caught off guard when the Lord returns to take us home.

We must be alert to the things of God.

We must continue to worship.

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. 

We must anticipate the return of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Mat_16:3  And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

We are to live sober lives with discipline and control in righteousness and godliness.

It is certainly not time to quit on God!

We all know that the night refers to evil behavior.

We just need to stay away from those who are asleep to the truth of God other than to witness to them and this should be done in the daytime when no one should be sleeping.

We must stay away from those who indulge in sin and immorality and those who are worldly in their ways.

If a person carouses around in the darkness of the night, then he shows himself to be of the night.

When the Lord Jesus warns us of these things then we need pay attention to Him.

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 

*****1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 

1Th 5:9  For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 

1Th 5:10  Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

We must remain mentally awake to the truth of God to protect ourselves from this deceitful world.

We must put on the armor of God because we are certainly involved in the war for our souls!

There is the breast plate of faith and love. The breastplate protects the heart of each soldier.

We must focus upon Jesus and His cause with all our heart.

Our faith will protect our heart when we really believe that it is the Lord Jesus who saves us from sin!

Love also protects our heart when we can see the love that Christ Jesus has for us!

We must focus on the truth of Jesus that we never have to die because Jesus died in our place on that cross.

We must know that we will never bear the punishment for our sin because Jesus took our punishment for us.

That helmet is the hope of our salvation.

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. 

Without the Lord Jesus Christ there is no hope in the world!

Eph 2:12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 

Eph 2:13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

The fact that Jesus Christ died in our place is the reason we can now have that hope that we will never die!

The reality of this hope is:

1) God has not appointed us to see His wrath on this unbelieving world!

2) God has appointed us to receive salvation from sin, death, and the judgment that is coming to this world!

There is now no excuse for us to fall asleep and return to this world of darkness when we have been saved out of it!

*****1Th 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 

If we have received the Word of God as the truth then how can we deny what the Lord is saying here in these passages.

One of the greatest jobs of each believer is to comfort one another.

To edify is to build upon and not to pull down!

To edify is to preserve the unity of the Church.

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

Every part of the Church and every ministry of the Church must work together to become One Body of Christ!

What is the greatest problem in the Church today? The Church refuses to unite together around the truth of God, the complete truth.

Today, much of the church has descended into rules and religion that have nothing to do to the truth of a Holy God and have forgotten about faith and love!

*****1Th 5:12  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 

1Th 5:13  And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. 

We have seen many times that our own Pastor comes to us completely worn out from his labors and yet he still does his very best to give us the message that God has given him for us.

This is what that word labor means.

It means to labor to the point of exhaustion, then to keep laboring even if we have become weary.

It means to work beyond what we are capable of doing.

When we are doing a work for the Lord Jesus, this is the labor that is expected from God.

When we are doing a work for the Church, this is the labor that it takes to succeed in this world of today.

We are to know our church leaders, which means we are to acknowledge and appreciate each and every one of them and show them respect.

We have seen the evidence that few people labor as much as our Pastor and our church leaders especially our Pastor.

At the end of a tiresome day our Pastor still has to handle the business side of the church.

This is also the way of the Apostle Paul and I am sure the other apostles worked as hard to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ by word and by example.

1Ti 5:17  Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 

1Ti 5:18  For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. 

1Ti 5:19  Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

In order for us to acknowledge our church elders we must be at peace with ourselves.

We should not criticize, murmur, grumble, envy and nor oppose our church leaders who are following the will of God.

We may at times have differences of opinion, but we are not to dispute those among ourselves as the Word of God will settle all disputes.

Leaders are not to act as lords over God's children as we already have the perfect Lord who is Jesus Christ!

But we are to question anyone that acts contrary to Scripture!

Our Church only works when each believer is at peace with themselves and both that leader and that member are at peace with each other all according to the truth of the Gospel.

How did the early Church thrive and succeed?

Act 2:46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 

Act 2:47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. 

We are to warn those that are in the Church but are against the truth of the Gospel yet, we are to help those babes in Christ to understand.

*****1Th 5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 

1Th 5:15  See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. 

We are never to allow unruly church members to destroy the peace of the church family!

We must warn those who are out of line in their disturbances of the church.

Anyone who is causing damage to their own soul must be warned just as any unbeliever.

The Lord will not tolerate unruly behavior in the Church!

Those who come to the church but who leave, going out into the world to do their own thing, should also be warned.

At the same time we are to comfort and assure those who are babes in Christ until they come to the knowledge of the truth.

We need to try to help all those who yield so easily to temptation, and are easily discouraged or defeated.

We need to cling to them as we cling to Jesus never turning loose of either one.

We are to be patient with babes in Christ and patient with each other as the coming of the Lord draws nearer.

It is certainly not a time to quit on the Lord!

We must never render evil for evil to anyone.

When we mistreat someone our testimony with that person is over!

With these things under control there are important things that every church member needs to be doing to make our church a true Church for Jesus Christ.

*****1Th 5:16  Rejoice evermore. 

1Th 5:17  Pray without ceasing. 

1Th 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 

1Th 5:19  Quench not the Spirit. 

1Th 5:20  Despise not prophesyings. 

1Th 5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 

1Th 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

We need to be always rejoicing because our names are written down in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Our prayers are the main way for us to receive things from God. We need to live our lives so that we can always know that God will hear our prayers for if he hears them, He will certainly answer them in one way or another.

We should wake each day giving thanks to God for another day to serve Him.

If we are having a wonderful day then we need to thank God for it.

If we are having a dreadful day then we need to thank Him for helping us through that day.

We need to thank God for His presence and His power as we walk through our trials and tribulations.

All these things are in the will of God for our lives.

If we quench the Holy Spirit then we have lost the power of God in our lives.

If we ignore the Holy Spirit and go our own way then we have neglected Him.

If we allow sinful things into our lives, we will quench the Holy Spirit.

If we behave immorally, we quench the Holy Spirit.

If we do anything contrary to the Holy Spirit, we will quench the Spirit.

We certainly should not ever lie to the Holy Spirit!

If we quench the Holy Spirit, it is a sin that requires God's forgiveness!

We must never despise the preaching of the truth of God.

This is what the world does and we are to come out from the world.

Neither are we to just blindly accept any preacher or what they say.

Every person is to be tested and proven by measuring the things they say by the Scriptures.

The Scriptures, the Received Text of the early Church are never wrong but some translations can contain errors unintentionally or intentionally.

We must know the Scriptures ourselves to know if we are hearing the truth of God.

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 

1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 

1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

When we know we are hearing the truth of God, then we need to latch on to that person and keep that person as part of the Church of Jesus Christ.

We are also to abstain from all appearances of doing evil!

If we are near anything that has the appearance of evil, we need to flee from it!

If there is even the smallest suggestion that what we are doing could be seen as wrong then we are to flee from it!

Being a Christian has its own responsibilities!

Amen

Preaching the Gospel

 Marks of Paul's Ministry

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 2

What seems to be the problem with the Church today, is the fact that there are not enough strong preachers who preach the Word of God as the truth that it is.

It seems that far too many have their own concept of what the Word of God is teaching.

Many of them just tickle the ears of those in the pews so they can pad their pockets and keep their job.

God teaches us that we are not to have our own interpretation of the Word of God!

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 

Not one of the prophets of God came by their own interpretation of what God was saying.

They wrote down exactly what God was telling them to write and they were guided by the Holy Spirit to make sure what they wrote was the message that God intended for us to have.

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.

It is not the preacher's job to interpret what God is saying, it is the preacher’s job to explain what God is saying.

Neh_8:8  So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

Too many so-called preachers are just preaching their own version of the Bible when God said not to do that.

What were some of the marks of the ministry of the Apostle Paul?

*****1Th 2:1  For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: 

1Th 2:2  But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention. 

If we look at the city of Thessalonica, we can see the same things happening then are still happening in our own nation today.

Those that reject the Word of God were trying to convince the general public that the preaching of Jesus Christ would destroy their freedoms and affect their jobs and businesses, when the fact is that this is far from the truth.

We know that Paul had to flee from Thessalonica to save his life.

The Word of God did not flee, so the attacks upon the Church and its believers continued.

Since the persecutors could not get to Paul, they then attempted to destroy his reputation.

In America today we see that there is an attempt to destroy the Church.

In fact, these people have become so bold they attempt to destroy anyone and everyone who stands against their wicked and immoral ways.

Not much has changed in this sinful world as we approach the same sinful ways the days before the flood and the days of Lot.

Again the Word of God did not flee and the Church at Thessalonica prospered for many years.

The Word of God cannot be destroyed nor can the true Church with the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Paul could not go to Thessalonica, he wrote the two books to this church that bear their name.

We also know that the writings of Paul were also shared with every church.

The Holy Spirit included these letters in what is known as the New Testament today.

Paul knew how the unbelievers liked to exaggerate the lies that they proposed, and stirred up as many problems for the Church as they could and we still see these same tactics today.

The tactics of the Devil do not have to change because most people want to do as they please rather than live righteously.

People are only concerned about themselves and not anyone else.

The Lord Jesus is our example in how to live righteously.

The Apostle Paul can be our example in how to serve in the ministry of God.

The Apostle Paul was good Church Planter because the Word of God is true and the cause of Christ is real.

The faith of the true Church is valid!

We are truly saved and our names are truly written down in the Lamb's Book of Life in Heaven!

Heaven is a real place just as Hell is a real place.

These things are real because they are true!

The message of the Apostle Paul was not empty, ineffective, or fruitless, because the message of the Lord Jesus Christ is a real message because it is a true message.

When we live for Jesus Christ were are living in reality!

The "fruit" of the "Gospel" is permanent and cannot be changed by this world.

The "Tempter" the Devil, may ruin our testimony if we succumb to his tricks, but he cannot change our outcome.

A good preacher will preach boldly the truth of God because he knows it is the truth.

A good preacher will preach boldly the truth of God even when he is opposed by those in the pews.

Thank God for our Pastor!

The Apostle Paul was opposed in every city he went to, but it did not change his message.

Those who change their message because of opposition to it, are then liars and no longer have the truth.

Bold preaching is one proof of a strong preacher.

Bold preaching is to preach the truth of God and not to concentrate on those who oppose his message because there will always be those who oppose it.

Those that oppose the Gospel of Jesus Christ will also break the laws of the land to do so.

Act 16:37  But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. 

Act 16:38  And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 

It was not an easy task to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles in Europe.

The secret of the bold preacher is that they always preach the message that the Holy Spirit has given to them!

Without the power of the Holy Spirit there are no true preachers!

*****1Th 2:3  For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: 

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.

When we speak the message of the Lord Jesus Christ, we know we are speaking the truth!

The Word of God is free from all that is false and impure.

It is true Christians that make brave Christians.

To exhort, is to incite which is good and that which is commendable according to the dictionary.

Listen to Jeremiah: Jer 4:14  O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? 

Paul wrote to the Colossian Church: 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; 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of the few truths that is left in this wicked world that is so full of deceit.

No one even expects to hear the truth anymore, especially from our politicians.

We do not get the truth from our news sources, or from our government, nor is the truth taught in our schools anymore.

The truth is being erased from all documents because the truth will upset too many people and change the narrative of our government which strives on deceit!

The Gospel stands out as the eternal truth of the Living Unchanging God!

The bold Preacher preaches a pure "Gospel", and lives a clean life, and certainly does not deceive the people of God!

The bold preacher does not follow the latest theological fashion in order to appear up to date with some so-called modern "Gospel".

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is pure and needs to be preached as pure.

No preacher has the right to change the message of God!

Every wicked rumor about the Apostle Paul proved to be false.

I can assure you, if we hear an immoral rumor about our own Pastor, you can bet it is a false rumor and should be ignored and our Pastor defended.

The Apostle Paul was sincere and genuine and he preached the truth so that people could be truly saved and their names written down in Heaven.

Paul preached for the glory of God and not for any personal glory which none of us have.

If we are not trying to please God then we are not who we say we are!

Most people do not want to hear about sin and judgment, but these are facts.

Most people do not want to hear that the Lord Jesus is the only path to Heaven, but it is a fact.

Most people do not want to hear that we are to commit ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, but it is the truth.

Preaching the truth is not very popular, but a bold preacher will not tone down his message to appease those before him.

It is God's "Gospel" and it will be God who will judge that one He has called to preach that Gospel"!

Those that reject the truth of God are already doomed to Hell!

Every child of God will give an account of the ministry God has given to us, even that bold preacher.

It is God which tries our hearts to see if we have deviated from the truth of the Gospel!

This should frighten those who preach a false gospel, but they are not believers themselves and most of them are just in it for the money and the true Judge will eventually get them in His court and their judgment will be terrible.

*****1Th 2:5  For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: 

1Th 2:6  Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. 

That word "flattery" used in this Scripture implies compliments that are given in order to get something out of people.

Paul refused to flatter people in order to secure their friendship or their following, or their support!

Paul's message was that "we are all sinners".

Paul did commend many people and we read about those things in every epistle that he has written.

Paul said God was his witness to this truth.

The Apostle Paul was accused of being in the ministry of the Lord because of His greed, so Paul supported himself all his days by menial work.

Every church that Paul established in the Lord knew this to be true.

We should understand that there is much in the word of God that is distasteful to the unbeliever, and it is because they do not understand God's purpose for including these things in the Scriptures.

Even if the Word of God was considered to be perfect in the world, there would be many who would find fault in what God has said to us.

The Word of God exposes our depraved sin nature and our helplessness against the Devil.

The Word of God exposes us to some mysteries that the world says God should explain.

The Word of God has only one "judgment" for sin, when the world sees minor sin and major sin.

The Word of God says it is the truth of our world, yet earthly science rejects this truth because they reject the Divine God.

Just because the world objects to the truth of the Lord Jesus, our God, it does not make it any less true!

The strong Pastor and preacher does not minister for glory, nor for prestige, nor for authority.

They seek only to please the God that called them into His service.

This should be true of every child of God!

It is only the false preacher that has a selfish ambition.

The "Gospel" belongs to the Lord Jesus!

He is indeed the Author of our salvation!

There is no other "gospel" for mankind!

As a wise man once said, "The Gospel is that Star by which we can navigate through the Sea of Life and land upon the Shores of Eternity".

Those that preach the true "Gospel" are not angels nor can they ever be!

An angel knows nothing of the passions and the feelings of being a human. 

Angels cannot understand the trials and temptations that we go through.

The "Gospel" must be preached by men such as Paul and Silas and James and the others called of God.

Men cannot be preachers who become Christians.

Preachers must first be Christians who have been called of God to preach the Gospel.

They must be sincere and bold because they preach the only truth of this world.

The Gospel contains no false theories, no wild imaginations, and no empty speculations!

The "Gospel" is the truth of our Creator and His message of truth for our eternal salvation!

*****1Th 2:7  But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: 

1Th 2:8  So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. 

This word nurse as used here means a nursing mother and not some baby sitter.

Most every mother are like a nurse to their children, especially that new born babe.

Paul said this is the same way he was around those who were at that time babes in Christ.

This is the same way the Lord Jesus is around all His children.

This is the same thought of our Heavenly Father as He looks down upon us from Heaven!

There is no better way to describe the love that the Lord has for us.

The Apostle Paul had a mother-like affection for all those babes in Christ in Thessalonica because this is the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mat_23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

That hen is a fitting example of a nursing mother who will shield her babies from all the evils of this world.

This was the way of Paul and all the Apostles and more important this is the way of our Heavenly Father who sent His Son, the Messiah, Jesus to provide us with Heaven's Security.

The Apostle Paul sacrificed all his personal goals and any private life to be that "mother hen" to the Churches he planted.

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

This is the same gentleness and patient endurance that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ!

A good Christian is that person who uses utmost gentleness to have utmost strength in serving in that place where the Lord has placed us.

These are things we must consider if we are going to serve in the will of God for our lives!

This is the love that is the power of the good preacher.

I thank God for the Pastor God has placed in my life who expresses the love of God to all he meets.

*****1Th 2:9  For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. 

The strong and true pastor preaches and ministers, laboring night and day.

Such was the Apostle Paul!

Paul was the servant of Christ Jesus trying to meet the desperate needs of this world and reach men and woman with the truth of the Gospel.

Paul only slept and rested only as he needed.

What did Paul mean when he said he would not be chargeable to any man?

Paul meant that every true called man of God has the blood of the world upon his hands, and will be held accountable for getting the message of Christ out to them.

That message was that they can be saved from death and receive eternal life.

Eze 33:8  When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 

Eze 33:9  Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 

The Gospel is the greatest "Good News" that has even been conceived but the Gospel is also "a warning" to all those who would reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

To the Apostle Paul the work he was doing was a labor of love.

2Th 3:8  Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: 

2Th 3:9  Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. 

2Th 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

These things took a toll on the Apostle Paul but he never quit on God.

2Co 11:27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 

2Co 11:28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 

Paul was a tent maker by trade and this work was most always available.

By supporting himself, Paul was free to direct his own movements and raised himself above evil suspicions.

It was sometimes a telling thing when Paul would raise his hands in worship of the Lord showing the hands of tentmaker blackened from that work.

Act 20:34  Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

No one could accuse the Apostle Paul of preaching for money.

It is also true that the preacher must lead an impeccable life.

*****1Th 2:10  Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: 

1Th 2:11  As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, 

1Th 2:12  That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. 

Paul lived a holy life before God after his conversion. A life separated from the world and set apart totally to God.

Paul lived a just and righteous life before men. A life that loved and treated men just as God said and just as he wanted to be treated himself.

Paul lived a blameless life before both God and man!

Paul told these Thessalonians that they were his witnesses to these truths.

It was not just Paul but those with Him, which would include Silas and Timothy and we know that Luke traveled with Paul much of the time and there were others.

We should understand that even in the day of Paul the world just did not want to hear the truth.

As Christians it is important that we walk worthy of God and this is a very high standard.

We must walk in harmony with the Word of God.

In today's world the Word of God has not changed, but those who will walk in harmony with the Word of God are not as many.

It is the same reason; the world just does not want to hear the truth.

They foolishly believe that they have no purpose, but to sin and they reject that there is life after death.

The best witness tool we have as Christians is the lifestyle we live!

The governments of today insists that parents of today do not know how to raise their children.

I submit to you that those governments do not want our children to know the truth and they certainly do not know how to raise our children.

It takes a good father to lead his family and our Heavenly Father gives us the example that we need to follow through His Son and His Word.

The Bible is about the family and it only works when we are in the family of God our Father.

We are invited to enter into God's Kingdom while we are on this earth and we can participate in its blessing, but we also know that we will one day live in God's Heavenly World.

The world teaches that society is made by groups when the Lord Jesus teaches that society is made by each loving individual.

As a father who earnestly gives his children the right guidance and the right instructions, this was the way of the Apostle Paul because this is the way of our Heavenly Father.

"Walking" should mean that we are on the path of the Lord and making steady progress in serving the Lord.

What did God tell Abraham?

Gen_17:1  And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; "walk before me, and be thou perfect".

This has never changed and as the children of God our Father we are to follow this same path!

We must continue to press forward in the name of the Lord!

Php_3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We seem to sometimes forget that we already have a place reserved for us in Heaven!

Jesus Christ requires that we live a Christian life.

Jesus Christ requires that we live as He did.

Jesus Christ enables us if we truly follow Him to live.

Without Jesus we cannot live a Christian life!

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

We must understand that the Word of God is the ultimate truth of this world.

*****1Th 2:13  For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. 

A strong people will receive the Word of God as the Word of God!

It takes people to proclaim the Word of God.

No one can get the Word of God without someone else having a part in taking that Word of God to them.

This is the function of the Church.

This is the reason for giving away Bibles.

This is the reason for our tract ministry.

This is why we witness!

This Church in Thessalonica believed it.

The Apostle Paul believed it.

Those that traveled with Paul believed it.

I believe it.

Do you believe it?

Most of this world only believe that the Scriptures were all given by some man and they cannot be further from the truth.

Most of this world believe that the Old Testament is nothing but a book of fables, yet they will believe the lies writings such as those of Karl Marx.

Most believe that the New Testament just tells us what the Apostles believed about Jesus, when much of it is written by eyewitnesses to His existence.

The Bible proclaims it is the Word of God.

The fact of the unity of the Scriptures, written by so many different men over such a vast amount of time could not have been completed unless it came from one mind.

These Scriptures have change millions of lives for God.

God can speak only the truth and it is the truth we need, not a pack of lies by our own government and a reckless society.

We must understand that the Supreme Authority for accepting the Word of God is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 

Joh 5:40  And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 

Jesus Christ was a historical person.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

The Bible is the Word of God!

The Bible is what we are to base our faith upon.

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.

It is time we based our life on the truth and not the lies of this world!

Amen

The True Church

 Receivers and Responders

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 1

We go from the Books of James written by James the half-brother of the Lord to the writings of the Apostle Paul but Paul assured us that we know that it was the Holy Spirit who directed all the Scriptures.

Every chapter, every verse, every word given to us by the Holy Spirit are to make the Church to be strong.

The world will claim every building with a steeple is a church but we know only those groups of true believers make up the true Church.

The Church is not a building, the Church is all those who are trying to follow in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ and His truths!

The true Church has Preachers and Pastors who are faithful to the true Church by remaining faithful to the truth of the Word of God.

A strong church is a church that has accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, the same Messiah who will return to first take His children home and then deal with this wicked world and complete the promises He has made to Israel.

The true church is founded on the oneness of God in His three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

There is no true church if that congregation does not accept the trinity of God!

*****1Th 1:1  Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

If we cannot understand the truth of this scripture then we do not understand the Love of God!

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

All other places that gather together are not part of the true Church unless they accept this truth!

They are only a man-created gathering, no matter what they call themselves!

The Lord was discussing this with His disciples before He was crucified.

Mat 16:15  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 

Mat 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 

Mat 16:17  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

Now the Church is not built upon Peter but the fact that the Lord Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!

The true Church possesses God gifts of "Grace" and "Peace".

We know that "Grace" is the sum of all the blessings that God the father bestows on us through Jesus Christ. Grace is God's love and favor to us who are certainly undeserving of it!

We know that our Lord Jesus by God's "grace" is the death of His Son for all believers, in fact for all sinners.

We should know that peace is more than the absence of hostility and disorder: it also denotes good health and harmony with nature, and inward wellbeing.

This peace came through the blood of the cross.

Eph 2:14  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 

Eph 2:15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 

Eph 2:16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 

Eph 2:17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 

Eph 2:18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 

The peace comes only by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit gives us these words of truth.

Paul as a Church builder never departed from this truth about our Savior but built upon it, just as we are to do today.

Silas and Timothy were with Paul when the Church at Thessalonica was established and the Holy Spirit always showed that Paul was not alone and that he traveled with others who had the same faith that he had.

Again we will see that prayers are the strength of the Church.

*****1Th 1:2  We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 

1Th 1:3  Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; 

A strong Church is a praying church!

A true Church is one whose prayers reach into the throne room of God!

Mat 21:22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. 

It is our duty to be thankful for the personal benefits we receive from God but notice it is better to be thankful for the good of others.

Paul knew his own strength came because of all those churches praying for his success.

We need to pray for all the missions of our church because they need those prayers and we will still receive those benefits from God.

Our prayers must be a work of our faith or they are useless!

Remember what we learned from James, "faith without works is a dead faith".

We show our love to Christ by what we do for Him willingly!

We must take prayer seriously because it is the power behind the true Church!

Our faith in Jesus Christ will stir us up to do a work for God.

The stronger our faith, the more we can accomplish in the name of our Lord Jesus!

We must never get over the fact that we have been saved from a burning Hell!

Just as faith stirs the Church to do a work of God, "love" stirs the Church to labor, or we would say to get busy serving the Lord.

We know this work can be tiring but when we do get to rest, we will rest satisfied that we are working in the name of our Savior.

One day that true rest will come and our labor on this earth will be over.

Our faith works, our love labors, our hope patiently suffers all things!

We should remember our rewards come from the labor we have done in this life.

*****1Th 1:4  Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

What does this election mean?

1) Election means that we as believers are elected and chosen by God to be His beloved people.

God has called each of us out of this world and away from our old life of sin and eternal death.

Being in the will of God means we are now separate and set apart for God's use!

2) Election means we as Christians are all in the same family because we have the same Father.

We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and we are to hold each believer close to our hearts.

We are family because of our faith.

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 

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. 

When we look upon another Christian, we must see them as an object of God's love!

We are all brethren because we are all the object of God's "Grace".

When visitors come into our Church, they should be able to see that our members act like the beloved of God.

They should see clearly that each member treats each other member as the beloved brethren of God.

The "Gospel" is not just a bunch of words written down on paper!

*****1Th 1:5  For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

1Th 1:6  And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 

What is the greatest trait of the Christian? We believe the Word of God and it is this language that we speak. It is the language of Heaven!

The "Gospel" came in power! Not miraculously but persuasively because it came from the heart of God.

The "Gospel" came to us by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth.

When Paul preached, he was not concerned if he were a good preacher or not.

When Paul preached his only concern was sharing the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only in these terms that the Holy Spirit can do His work of conviction.

God honors His Word and His Word only!

If we do not believe the Word of God is from Heaven, then we cannot stand before any group in the power of God!

Even as teachers we have no power unless the Holy Spirit is with us and He will not be with us if we have no faith in God's truth!

Those that believe that our creation came in the process of evolution, have no power.

Those that believe that we are not to teach against sin as described in the Bible, have no power.

Those that believe that the Word of God is not the complete truth, have no power.

Those that say the Jesus is not the Messiah who is coming again, have no power.

The truth of God must be taught by example!

Those that are chosen of God are the same ones who have accepted the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The "Gospel" cannot be received without joy!

Our afflictions come by some man, but our joy comes by the Holy Spirit!

The "Gospel" will always bear fruit!

We must all guard our lives to be sure we are following in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ.

*****1Th 1:7  So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. 

1Th 1:8  For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. 

How were these Thessalonians examples of the Apostle Paul?

In their faith.

In their hope.

In their brotherly love.

In their good works.

We must not get caught up in what will people think of us!

It is not a terrible thing to be seen as a peculiar people!

The Church at Thessalonica became an example to other believers.

The new established church was so committed to the Lord Jesus Christ that their testimony spread all over Greece and then all over the known world.

This shows us that the Lord will use us if we just given Him control through the Holy Spirit.

This church was not afraid to show their faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We must understand that if we do not have the Spirit of Jesus Christ in us, then we do not belong to Christ!

Rom_8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Having the Spirit of Christ in us will show up in our daily life.

This is one of the greatest testimonies of witnessing in all the Bible.

Our greatest work we can show to those around us is that work for Jesus Christ.

Rom 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 

Rom 10:18  But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 

When we speak with the voice of the Lord, His message will spread everywhere.

Psa 29:4  The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 

When we do not speak with the voice of the Lord then we are not in the will of God!

When our church does not speak with the voice of the Lord, then we need to close the doors of the church and go home because we are not who we say we are!

*****1Th 1:9  For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; 

The world sees the Bible as just a book of fables as they serve their idols of this world.

The Christian sees the Bible as the revelations of the True and Living God who lives in Heaven.

Jer 10:10  But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. 

Jer 10:11  Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

Exo 3:14  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 

Once we have accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we have turned from the idols of the world to the True and Living God.

This is the time we begin standing on the truth of the "Gospel".

We might try to clean our lives up by ourselves but we will find this is impossible. We cannot reform ourselves!

We cannot turn away from idols and seek God.

We must turn to God first and then with God's help and God's strength we can repent and turn away from idols.

It is after we accept the truth of the Gospel that we can repent and be baptized.

Idols are dead images of some imaginary beings, but my Savior, My God is alive and will never die!

Conversion means we have turned completely around.

We begin to hate the things we loved and love the things we hated.

Conversion is to turn to God distinctly by an act and deed of our mind and our will because we see the truth of creation.

We begin to see that there is a purpose to our being on this earth.

This lost world will worship anything and those who say this is not true worship themselves and this is the worst of all false worship.

Every person has an opinion of what God is and what God is like and what God allows and what God does not allow.

The lost world will take these ideas and make themselves an imaginary god out of wood, or silver, or gold, or some other object of this world.

Others just have a picture in their minds of what a god should be.

Some have made this planet to be their god.

Others have made the stars or some alien to be their god.

So an idol is any image created in the mind of man other than the God who gave us the Scriptures that reveal the truth.

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. 

Many of those in Greece had heard of the man Jesus and knew the truth of His crucifixion but were acceptable of His resurrection, but when they heard of His return they sought Him out for the truth.

You see, it is God's Son who is returning to earth, the One who died for us all.

We that know the Lord want to be acceptable to Him and live with Him forever.

This is the reason we are waiting upon the return of Jesus Christ so we can go home and leave this wicked world behind.

Joh 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

*****1Th 1:10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. 

How do we know that the Lord Jesus is coming to take us home?

Because God raised Him up from the dead.

By resurrecting Christ Jesus God proved he is the God of all power and not some imaginary God.

God proved He has the power to raise all the dead in Christ.

God proved that He is going to do everything that the Lord Jesus has taught us.

The truth; God will raise some to eternal life but some will be raised to eternal death.

Eternal death is to be separated from the Living God for eternity, which is what they wanted and strived for, but it will be a terrible thing.

By turning to the Living God we will escape the wrath of God that is coming to this world.

Since all the world has now turned against Israel, including my own nation we can see that this day of God's wrath is very close.

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.

The USA has just come under the curse of God by the works of administration that is in office today.

God will reward those who are in rebellion to His Word with eternal death!

The world is already condemned but all those who turn to God in any nation from idols that are all imaginary can still be saved.

I can assure you that you do not want to see the wrath of an angry God toward those who reject His Son!

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 

Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 

Amen