Israel To Be Restored By God's Grace

 The Gospel of Grace and Israel's Restoration

Book of Romans Chapter 11

There is a simple truth we had better understand and it is, that what we believe determines our ability to see things properly.

When we reject the truth, we will believe a lie and the things that go with that lie!

This is the exact reason the government we have in place today is doing its best to influence our children or indoctrinate our children, at every level of our school systems.

Of course they are denying this just as Iran is denying their attempt to make nuclear weapons, but it is still true.

They are both hoping that enough time will pass that these things will be irreversible!

It is not Nuclear weapons that make great nations or even powerful nations, but only foolish nations!

This same thing happened to the Israel of old!

Another thing we had better be clear on, is that God will never abandon this people!

Though the many things they did were wrong, they did preserve the Word of God down through the many generations.

To this, we as Christians owe a great debt, even though we know that God was behind this important thing to make sure it took place.

*****Rom 11:1  I say then, Hath God cast away his people? "God forbid". For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 

The Word of God does not just stop at the introduction of the Church!

In God's wisdom, He has blinded the eyes of the Israelites until the fulness of the Church comes in.

The Apostle Paul said that jealousy would provoke them to see the Lord in a unique way.

It was the Jews, in the time of the trial of the Lord Jesus Christ who demanded to see the wrath of God.

Mat 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Mat 27:26  Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.  

God has promised that the Church would not see His wrath.

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.

Eph 5:6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 

These Jews, the children of disobedience, and those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ during the Church Age, will see the wrath of God, but not the true Church.

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. 

Rom 5:9  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 

The Church will not see the wrath of God!

The Jews begged to see the wrath of God, so in God's wisdom He set aside Israel until the fulness of the Church comes in at the "Rapture", then He will again deal with Israel as He promised Abraham and David, after they witness His wrath which they could have avoided!

God always keeps His promises!

God's covenants are sincere!

Israel was disobedient to God and turned away the hand of a loving God.

Rom 10:21  But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. 

They had decided that they did not need to be obedient to the Word of God just as so much of the world has decided today!

Again we should be clear, God has not cast away His people.

Before God removes the blinders from this people, they will see the wrath of God that they had pleaded for at the death of their Deliverer who is the only Deliverer from the wrath of God!

Israel is not saved at this time and to be saved they must come to Jesus and repent.

This does not ever mean there is not a remnant of these Israelites ready to serve the Lord!

There will never be some new way to be reconciled to God, the Father of us all!

Jehovah has blinded the eyes of Israel, but the rest of the world just has no excuse because they have seen the truth of God through eyes that clearly see!

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. 

The Apostle Paul was proud of His Jewish heritage, but most proud of his Christian heritage!

We cannot be disobedient to the Word of God and be reconciled to God! 

This is something that we just cannot do and expect the "Grace of God"!

Israel is not a saved people at this time even though God will always have a remnant of the Israelites who love Him!

God's promises are to all people and God will deal with Israel just as His Word has said, and these things are not changeable!

We should clearly understand that God always has a remnant of Jews who love Him and who will serve Him.

The Apostle Paul was part of that remnant in the days of the early Church.

The Apostle Paul could be said to be a true Jew a direct descendant of Abraham through his mother.

In fact, it is the mothers who determine the line of Jews from Abraham just as it was Sarah who determines who is a true Israelite and a descendant of Abraham!

There are many descendants of Abraham who are not part of the family of Israel, such as those from Abraham's second wife Keturah along with the descendants of Ishmael and of Esau.

God will not cast off the descendants of Abraham by his wife Sarah!

Elijah, as powerful a prophet as he was, fell into this trap thinking that God did not have those who love Him at all times.

*****Rom 11:2  God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

Rom 11:3  Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.  

The Book of Hebrews teaches us that without "faith" it is impossible to please God, because we must believe that He is the God of the Bible and the God of all creation.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God "must believe that he is", and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Once you have accepted this in your mind, then why would you ever believe He would not be "all-knowing"?

God saves those He knows!

God does not forget those He knows!

The key here is that God knows!

Remember Jesus said to those who hated Him "that He never knew them".

God only knows those who love Him and are obedient to His Word.

If you understand the Lord Jesus, He does not even know those who do not love Him.

Remember He said, "I never knew you"!

God says you can always tell the ones that He knows by the way they live their lives!

Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 

Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 

Mat 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 

Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

God cannot be fooled, or He could not be God!

Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 

It is a fact that only a remnant of Israel will be saved during the Church Age!

It is also a fact that during the time of Elijah and all the other prophets there was only a remnant that genuinely loved God!

But there is always this remnant!

Elijah felt alone for a moment of his life because he did not see any around him that were trying to be obedient to the Word of God.

Elijah allowed the world (wicked Jezebel) to frighten him, and he became afraid to die and we must not ever be afraid to die for our Savior who died for us.

Luk_9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

The cross is a symbol of death!

We must never believe we are all alone in serving God! 

We never will be!

It is a fact that most of this world are disobedient and disloyal to our Creator and certainly disloyal to our Deliverer!(they are One and the Same person)

We should also understand that the image of a nation is determined by the lifestyle of the majority who live in that nation, not by that remnant!

As far as the United States goes, our image is not that of a godly nation, but our image is that of Sodom and Gomorrah just like the European Union and just like all nations of the United Nations that have adopted this wicked and immoral stance.

These are not freedoms; they are just sin against a Holy God!

Most of the rest are corrupt and wicked and self-righteous and seeking power they will never have.

There is a remnant today, but there is also the true Church that lives amongst all these wicked nations.

God will never leave Himself without a witness!

God will never leave His people without brothers and sisters going about the work given to us by Jesus Christ!

We must keep that work going until the Lord takes us home!

There will be a remnant of the Jews in place even when the Church has been removed from this world!

*****Rom 11:4  But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 

Rom 11:5  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 

The Apostle Paul knew there was a remnant of Jews in his day, and we had better know there is a remnant of Jews today who serve the Lord according to the "Grace of God".

The Holy Spirit is alive and well, working throughout this world according to the "Grace" God has shown to us.

Tit 2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 

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

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 

Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. 

Since it is by "Grace", then there is still only the Law of Grace, and not any other law by which we can be saved, no matter where we come from!

*****Rom 11:6  And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 

Grace is no longer "Grace" if God allowed a remnant according to those old Laws of Moses.

The Old Testament Saints were saved because they had the "faith of Abraham" which gained their righteousness.

What was the "faith of Abraham"? That God would provide Himself to be the Lamb of God, the Messiah!

No one deserves the "Grace" of God, so all who come to the truth of Jesus Christ are eligible to receive God's "Grace"!

We must clearly understand that no one will ever get to Heaven who does not have the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ!

There is no one who will ever work their way into Heaven!

God does not bestow His "Grace" upon anyone because we are deserving of it, because none of us are!

It is Jehovah God who placed the blinders upon the Israelites, and it is only Jehovah God who can remove those blinders!

What is said of Israel?

1) Isa 29:10  For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

Isa 6:9  And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

2) Psa 69:22  Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. 

 3) Psa 69:23  Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. 

Psa 69:24  Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

They were blind to the truth of the Messiah, and they still are!

*****Rom 11:7  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 

Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 

Rom 11:9  And David saith, Let their "table" be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 

Rom 11:10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 

They were blinded.

They were given the Spirit of slumber.

They were given eyes that they should not see.

They were given ears that they should not hear.

That table is their lust for the things of this world rather than the things of God!

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

Those who reject the truth of God experience judicial blindness and rejection by God!

Those who choose to reject the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Grace, have chosen for themselves damnation!

God offers His love and salvation freely, but God will not be taken advantage of, and God will not be mocked!

Unbelief only causes more obstinate unbelief!

We had better understand, God will not violate our will nor force His will upon us!

Sin only multiplies as our faith dwindles to nothingness!

Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 

Rom 2:6  Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 

What is the whole truth?

2Co 4:3  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

By rejecting the truth of the Gospel, we have placed ourselves in jeopardy and the penalties of Hell!

The Gospel which should feed and strengthen our souls, will become the means of destruction of the unbeliever!

*****Rom 11:11  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. 

Rom 11:12  Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 

What was the "Gospel Message" to these Jews?

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

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

True repentance must always be directed toward Jehovah God!

True repentance must always be for the remission of sins unto salvation!

These must be the desires of our heart!

Another especially important thing to remember is that God can save anyone, at any time and from any place!

Israel stumbled at the message of Jesus Christ!

Will Israel ever accept the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Is the Spiritual fall of Israel to be forever?

The Holy Spirit says God forbids this to happen. Perish the thought of such a thing!

We should understand that the message of the "Gospel" is for the entire world.

God sent His messengers to Israel first, but God's salvation message is for all people.

The only ones who cannot be saved are those God has turned over to a reprobate mind!

This is a choice they have made, and the Holy Spirit will not strive with those people ever again, because it would not ever change their mind.

It is said that Israel stumbled because there were so many who chose to reject the message of God.

America was once known as a Christian nation because a greater majority of people trusted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ! 

This is no longer the truth!

America is no longer known as a Christian nation because most Americans have abandoned the truth of Jesus Christ!

America is now the nation of Sodom and Gomorrah, along with the European Union and most of the United Nations.

The rest are power hungry nations who will fail because of their arrogance.

When Israel rejected the Gospel Message, God sent His messengers to all the other nations and one by one each nation either becomes a Christian Nation or they become a nation of reprobates by their own choice!

Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 

Act 13:47  For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. 

Act 13:48  And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 

The things of this world may have been much better than what we see now, had the Israelites accepted the Word of God as it was given and had been missionaries to the world.

It has now been about two thousand years since Christ returned to Heaven and still the world has not been reached with the Gospel even though there are only a few places left if any now at this time.

We can now also see how our world could be much better had most of the Gentiles have received the truth of the Gospel and believed.

Even though all these things did not take place, God has still worked out all things for the good of those who love Him!

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

God's plan cannot be overcome in any way form or fashion!

It is because of these two things that we are left with the world we now have, and God will take care of these two problems during the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

Even though people will still be left with a choice, with Satan out of the way there will be no temptation and none of his evil works to try to sway people at least for One Thousand years, where then he would be freed to do his evil for a brief period of time.

It is after this that the Israelites and the Church will be united in one mind and one faith to serve the Living God!

God assures the Church of these promises.

God assures the restoration of Israel.

God assures a restored earth back to the original as it was in the early days of Adam and Eve.

It is the Gospel that has impacted the world to the truth, the world is built upon the lust of the flesh, lies, deception, corruption, wickedness, and the love of money.

We should understand that millions have been saved from the wrath of God.

We should understand that millions have been saved from death and Hell.

We should understand that millions now have the promise of eternal life, and many millions are already living that life.

It is by the Gospel that humanity knows about the moral laws.

It is by the Gospel that morality and purity is preached world-wide.

It is only by the Gospel that we can be saved from the wrath of God on the Children of Disobedience.

The children of disobedience are all those who reject the truth of the Word of God!

Once Israel returns to Jehovah this world will see the blessings of God!

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

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

The Apostle Paul preached the truth until he was also murdered for preaching the truth to this world!

Rom 11:13  For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 

Rom 11:14  If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. 

We should have this same love for all the lost and be obedient servants to the Lord Jesus Christ, the God who loves us enough to die for us that we too might be saved!

Amen

God Has A Plan and A Purpose For Each of Us

 Jacob Moves To Egypt

Book of Genesis Chapters 46-47

The safest place we can be is in the "Will of God"! This is much more important than our physical location.

During this Covid 19 plague we have forgotten this!

As Christians we must learn how to prosper in these last days. Even during the times of plagues as we see right now.

Many of God's people have given up and lost their faith but the Lord will not ever leave us to battle these things alone!

Jacob the patriarch of Israel would have never left his homeland if not for the providence of God.

What had God told to Abram?

Gen 15:13  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 

Gen 15:14  And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

There were many reasons that Joseph as a teenager was taken away from his father by his own brothers by evil and wicked means and had made it to Egypt.

We all get caught up in the reason Joseph gives which is true!

Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Though this was a very good reason and very true, there was another reason Joseph was taken away from his father all these years.

His father Jacob would never have left his homeland if not to go see his son Joseph.

Gen 45:28  And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.

If Joseph had remained in Hebron, Israel would not be the nation that it became and as it still exists today!

In chapter 45, it was Jacob's heart that fainted for his lack of belief, but it was Israel that decided to go to Egypt!

*****Gen 46:1  And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac. 

We should never begin any journey before we spend some time with the Lord!

In fact, in these last days we need to spend more time with the Lord and every time, just before we leave the house, as we step out into this evil and wicked world that is now also full of plagues.

These things may not ever change before the Lord takes us home!

In fact the Holy Ghost states that things are going to get worse.

To remain in the will of God, we cannot just hide from these things and be too afraid to go out as the world will have us to believe.

We keep forgetting that we are not afraid to die! Jesus Christ took the fear of death away from each believer!

This does not mean we can step out in front of a speeding train, but it does mean that continuing in the work God has given us to do, is the safest place to be.

God still says to be obedient to our leaders as best we can without going against the Word of God!

God still says to be at peace as long as we are able to be at peace with the enemy!

To prosper during these times is to manage these things guided by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.

Israel took this journey to see his son Joseph!

We must continue on our Christian journey to see our Lord Jesus Christ!

We must stop and make some sacrifices along the way!

We must commit all we have to the work of the Lord remembering the Lord wants "Living Sacrifices"!

*****Gen 46:2  And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I. 

Gen 46:3  And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: 

Gen 46:4  I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. 

God does not ever ask from us bits and pieces God demands our all!

When we give God our all, then He will go with us.

He is still God our Father in fact He is Abba Father!

Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

We have gotten so used to compromising our faith, that we just give up far too easily in the path of the storm before the storm even arrives!

The Lord says, to fear not, to Israel just as the Lord tells us to fear not!

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Just why are we so afraid?

Good Christians say, "I am just so afraid I will catch this plague".

Someone offers a vaccine that may stop you from catching this plague and the first thing out of these Christians mouth is, "well I am not taking no shot, not matter what".

This exactly the position our wicked governments want us in, afraid to do anything, afraid to make the right choices so the government can make our choices for us!

I can imagine Joseph with his fears, after all his great grandfather Abram had been run out of Egypt.

God had stopped Isaac from going to Egypt, but now this same God was speaking to Israel in visions in the night.

Israel was listening. We must always be open to hearing what God has to say!

God said listen Israel, "I am going down there with you"!

Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 

God promised Jacob (Israel) that Joseph would be with him until the day he died, if he would just take all he had and go on down to Egypt.

Israel took all his family and everything he owned and listened to what God had to say.

Jesus is telling us the same exact thing today! To give Him all we have and stay on our journey to Heaven.

It will still be sweeter every mile of the trip and as God said, "and Jesus shall put His hand upon our eyes".

*****Gen 46:5  And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 

Remember we truly do not need to go anywhere without knowing God is with us, but there are many places God will not go!

God had promised to make Israel into a great nation. It would not happen unless Jacob went to Egypt.

God had promised to go to Egypt with Israel. This will not happen unless Israel was in the Will of God.

God had promised to bring Israel back to the promised land.

God promised Israel that he would not be separated from his son Joseph again before his death.

With all these promises from the Lord, how could Israel say no?

Look at all the promises the Lord has made to us, how could we ever say no to the Lord Jesus Christ?

Our faith is based upon the promises of God!

Jacob (Israel) now traveled free of fear of what laid ahead of him.

We seem to forget this from time to time! We already know our future and have no reason to fear the things of this world!

If God is traveling with us, just what should we be afraid of?

This may be the most important thing to remember as we go through these plagues and this new administration!

Israel (Jacob) did not leave anything behind, he took all his possessions with him and he took all his family with him.

*******Gen 46:6  And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: 

Gen 46:7  His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt. 

We should understand that we should be quick to do what God has told us to do!

There is no benefit to being disobedient to God!

We must understand that when God speaks to us, it is for our benefit!

God is able to do all that He says He will do!

God warns us because He loves us, and God will never lead us to do the wrong thing!

When God warns us, then we need to move quickly!

There was no longer a benefit for Israel to remain in Canaan land at this time.

God did not want a godly presence left in this land and God had His reasons!

Gen 15:16  But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. 

God had determined that the Amorites, the inhabitants of Canaan Land, had not reached that degree of iniquity that He would cause their destruction.

You see this is what God is waiting upon today!

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is

longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God removed Jacob and all his possessions so he could not influence Canaan Land in his absence.

God will remove the Church from this world so the world cannot be influenced by the Church! This is called the "Rapture of the Church".

So when God tells the Church to do something, then we had better listen and, then do what God has told us to do without hesitation, for we are not going to Egypt, we are going to Heaven!

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

God moved this family all in one group and they would remain in one group while they lived in Egypt.

It was just 215 years since God made His covenant with Abram.

We know it would be over 400 more years the time they would spend in Egypt.

God's promise would still be true, and His covenants are still real, and they are still true!

*****Gen 46:28  And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. 

It was Judah who had the idea to sell Joseph to the Ishmaelites and it would be Judah who would lead Israel to the land of Goshen.

Goshen was a district of Egypt where Israel would settle in and remain until it came time for the Exodus.

Before Israel left Goshen, it was called the "Land of Rameses".

Gen 47:11  And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 

It was not Rameses when Israel first came to Goshen.

Goshen was a place of some of the best land in Egypt suited to the raising of animals and was not far from the herds of Pharaoh and probably not far from his residence.

Gen 47:5  And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: 

Gen 47:6  The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.

After the plagues God placed upon Egypt, the land of Goshen is now no more than a desert.

*****Gen 46:29  And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 

Gen 46:30  And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive. 

It was a wonderful thing to not have to worry about that famine, but Jacob would have never left the land of Canaan because of this famine.

It was a wonderful thing that there was food in Egypt, but Jacob would never have left Canaan because the only food source was in Egypt.

The only reason Jacob left Canaan land was because he could see his son Joseph, and God promised Jacob he would be near his son the remainder of his days, which were 17 more years.

Jacob was not concerned very much about the future because he knew the future lie in the hands of God.

Jacob was only concerned with the time he would spend with his son Joseph!

We should feel these same things about Jesus!

It is not important how much time we have left in this flesh because we know we will live eternally in the presence of the Lord!

The messenger of Jacob was now Judah.

It was Judah's plan to sell Joseph and now it would be Judah who would lead his father Jacob back to Joseph.

Judah would remain in the forefront of all Jacob's children, the tribes of Israel.

It is amazing the irony of all these things that happened. 

It seems Judah had seen a dramatic change in his ways.

Jacob was a Godfearing man, so he felt great pride in seeing how God had worked through his son Joseph.

What do we know? God can work anywhere to see His Will progress upon this world!

After 22 years the entire family was in one place at the same time.

The whole land of Egypt was suffering from a famine but Joseph who was in charge of all the food, took the time to welcome his father and his family.

Joseph was now a prince in the land of Egypt, but he was not ashamed of the shepherd, his father.

We can see typology all through these passages of Joseph in the Book of Genesis.

Jacob was now at peace with his life and assured of Joseph's happiness, he had nothing else to live for, he considered his life fulfilled.

When we know the promises of God and the salvation brought to us by the Lord Jesus Christ, we can be at peace with this world and God would have taken us home to Heaven except for the fact that He has things for each of us to do. 

We must be witnesses to this lost and dying world!

When we meet Jesus, we will then get the best of God's creations!

*****Gen 47:11  And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 

We should see that Israel was not just allowed to live in Goshen, but they were allowed to own the land, and this was a command of this Pharaoh.

This land would not be known as Rameses for probably at least 300 years.

Exo 1:11  Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. 

What we see is that while most all Egyptians were perishing in their own land, God supplied Israel and his family with the food of the Egyptians.

God will make the His enemies supply the needs of His children!

Isa 65:13  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: 

Isa 65:14  Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. 

Isa 65:15  And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:

God proves over and over that He knows how to take care of His children!

*****Gen 47:12  And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families. 

Gen 47:13  And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. 

As we read through this passage, we will see that these children of Israel were given the best land to settle in and Joseph provided all their needs.

Doing this, while the people of Egypt were getting poorer, in the end having to sell themselves to the government to buy food for their families.

We will see that by the time this famine ended, Pharaoh had control of all the money in Egypt and all the land except for the land of the false priest and the land of the children of Israel.

Hunger will cause many things to happen and many of those things are not good and hunger will drive the people of the Seven Year Tribulation after the Rapture of the Church.

To the Egyptians, Pharaoh was more like a god for what he had accomplished.

Gen 47:25  And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.

This is the way Governments operate today. This is the way the Antichrist will operate!

Saying this, no doubt tight controls were needed for Egypt to survive at this time in history, but the people should never have to give up their land.

Pharaoh could have fed his people without taking all they had from them!

What were the children of Israel doing all this time, multiplying! All their needs were met!

Joseph was operating under divine guidance!

We should remember it was God who interpreted Pharaoh's dream!

It was God who saw that Joseph was exalted!

Pharaoh the pagan ruler was used of God to care for God's children even better than he did his own!

Pro 21:1  The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. 

God does make use of unbelieving leaders like this Pharaoh and He still does this thing today for His own purpose.

We should remember how God used Cyrus.

We should remember how God used Nebuchadnezzar.

How God used Pilate even with him knowing Jesus was innocent of all charges!

God still uses unbelieving leaders today to get His will done!

If we need to know more, all we need do is study the Scriptures!

*****Gen 47:27  And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. 

Even during a long famine we see where God will take care of His people if we just do as He says.

We may have to move as did Jacob to a foreign land, but the results were that a nation was formed according to the will of God.

God was fulfilling his promise to Jacob and as He had promised Abram and Isaac.

Gen 46:3  And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: 

Gen 46:4  I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

We might ask ourselves, why did the children of Israel not leave after the famine was over, but we must see that it was not in the will of God at this time to do so.

We know that the children of Israel continued to grow until they may have outnumbered the Egyptians.

The problems came to Israel when they began to spread themselves throughout Egypt, where they began to learn the ways of the Egyptians who worshipped many pagan false gods. They all should have remained in Goshen until God called them home!

Again they forgot the promises of God.

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 

Jacob the old man now Israel as a nation grew at his feet died in peace!

*****Gen 47:28  And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years. 

Jacob may be the last of men to live for such and age as 147 years.

As he raised Joseph, he felt he was in his last years.

For 17 years Joseph had cared for his ailing father until he was sold into slavery, but the Lord was with him.

Twenty-two years passed and Joseph reappeared as Governor of Egypt and Jacob got to spend the last 17 years of his life with Joseph still taking care of his dad.

Jacob died in peace after 22 years of mourning for his son and 17 more years learning the truth!

A couple more things we see is, how a government operates with a 20 percent flat tax on its subjects.

One more thing we see that the government owns all the land, and the people are only tenants on that land.

Our own government is leaning this way today.

Egypt still operates with a system close to this today.

Amen

Finding the Will of God

The Blessing of Understanding God's Will

Book of Ephesians 5:3-21

Maybe the one most important thing we need to know about God is that He does as He pleases, and it pleases God to gather a people who love Him to be with Him forever.

This not a fantasy it is a fact!

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him "who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will":

Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

"God made this plan to save those who would come to Him before He laid the foundation of this earth we live upon".

God's plan from start to finish will be according to His will and not ours.

God does not make changes to His plan according to what is happening on this world because God controls what happens upon this world good or bad.

BUT, God does not cause bad things to come upon anyone, but He could stop those things if He so chose to do so!

Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

When God created humanity, He established that each of us would be responsible for our own actions!

There is the directive will of God!

There is the permissive will of God!

We must also understand that the creation of this world we live in, was designed to reveal the Glory and the Power of God!

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

Even though God has decreed all things, we are still responsible for our own actions!

The Lord Jesus Christ came to this world as a babe, but it was predetermined by a Holy God that He came to die!

Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:

Why are people lost? People are lost not because God did not intend for them to be saved but because they have refused to believe the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We should stand in awe of our great God!

We can entrust our lives to our Almighty God!

We should rejoice in the wonder of our salvation!

We should be at peace in this world, as the plan of God unfolds before our eyes!

Problems exist because of our pride and we feel the need to run our own lives and ignore God!

To follow in the ways of God we must be morally pure and bodily clean.

Let's continue with Chapter 5 verse 3

*****Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 

Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

God says let not these things be named among you.

We are not to even talk about committing these things.

Notice this is a command.

We all know what fornication is? it is any sexual contact by unmarried persons.

It also means "forsaking God"!

Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. 

Jer 3:9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

I believe God hates this sin more than any other.

The human body is the greatest of all the creations of God!

Psa_139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

The human body was made in the image of God.

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

God is Spirit, so this has nothing to do with our looks but only our being.

Covetousness is a very strong desire for worldly things.

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

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

As Christians we must hate sin but never hate the sinner.

As Christians we would certainly be very ashamed of many of the thoughts that go through our head and we must certainly never act on them.

We must realize that when we are alone, the All-Knowing God and even the angels witness everything we do. This alone should keep us straight.

God does not keep such a close eye on us to deny us His benefits, He watches over us as our Father, waiting to bless us if we do not fail, or fall into Satan's traps.

How important is our body to Jehovah God?

God the Father created our body in honor.

God the Son, whose members we are in the body of Christ.

God the Holy Ghost, of whom our body is the Temple.

God does not tolerate filth and we should not either!

We should never be around foolish talkers or filthy jokes, or filthy speech of any kind.

We must have a clean mouth that houses a clean tongue with a clean conscience.

Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

All these things are part of our repentance.

Pro 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. 

Pro 10:20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.

As believers if we have no words to say, then speak the Word of God which is always pure, when it is rightly divided.

Col 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

God promises us that there will be none of these things in Heaven.

My question is how are these Words of God rejected by those of the so-called church that allow such filth?

*****Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

God forgives all our sin if we claim the Lord Jesus Christ, God will forgive all our sin until He takes us home, but this does not include those who remain in their sinful ways and make a feeble attempt to claim Jesus without faith!

Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

God simply will not accept filthiness nor uncleanness, God will have no part of it!

These that do these things, may have many worldly things, but they will not have one scrap of anything in Heaven.

We should believe that which we trust the most is our god.

That which we love we worship and have made it our god.

If we fear the things of this world more than the Lord, then your god is of this world.

That thing we place the our most hope in is our god.

So, what or who is your god? I choose Jesus Christ, the only God!

The right to the privileges of God's Kingdom come only by inheritance.

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

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

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

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

We must never allow anyone to deceive us about the things of God!

*****Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Notice it is all these that refuse to accept the truth of God, that will see His wrath!

Many of the old faithful denominations are being deceived by those who lead them now, they need to go back to their roots!

When we can live securely and undisturbed in our sin, then we do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

AND, if we reject the wrath of God, then we must reject the goodness of God!

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

Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 

Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

We live in a world that does not believe that God will call them to account for the way they lived.

There are just as many that believe God will be merciful to them, even though they lived a life of sin.

The wrath of God is a decisive anger, a determined anger, a deliberate anger, that rises from God's nature of holiness!

We must do more than to just know God's name, we must repent!

Do not be deceived by those who say different, because the Word of God is specific, and moderation is not even mentioned in the Scriptures!

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Many forget that righteousness means doing right by the Word 0f God.

1Jn 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 

1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Those that say they are justified so they can continue in sin, are just fools.

Justification is a gift given through the "grace" of God, to those who have been washed in the blood of Jesus and then meet the standard of Jesus Christ!

God's "grace" must involve the Word of God as our standard of living. To be justified, is to leave the world behind and live in our new nature, which is a hatred for sin.

*****Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

We cannot be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ until we have separated ourselves from the world!

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

A Christian will walk in the light of the Lord!

*****Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Notice that before we came to know our Savior, we not only lived in darkness, we were darkness.

Darkness is a symbol of misery!

Psa 107:10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 

Psa 107:11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

Darkness is a state of wretchedness resulting from ignorance to God.

Remember what Jesus said while He hung on that cross?

"Father forgive them for they not what they do".

They do not know where they came from. To those who reject the Lord Jesus, everything is just a result of the human nature.

Note: In a family of non-believers, as they begin to die off, they feel that they all alone in this world, because they have never known God.

This is a sad situation, but a reality. They do not know where they came from and they do not know where they are going!

They do not know if there is really a God or not.

Joh 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

This is being in darkness!

The answer of course is the Light of the Lord.

Mat_4:16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

The "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ is the light of the truth of God and it is a glorious truth!

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.

We should know that if we truly have "faith" in the "Light of this world", we will no longer walk in darkness because we will be filled with the Holy Spirit!

*****Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 

Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

As sinners we had no goodness.

We did not know how to do things the right way.

We did not know the truth!

We lived in the world with a false security!

As sinners, we have lived to fulfill our own desires at the expense of others?

As Christians, we live to fulfill the desires of God through the Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit!

As Christians, we know we have no righteousness ourselves, our righteousness comes by the Lord Jesus Christ.

The test we must pass to be saved is, are we acceptable to the Lord? We must prove that we are!

It is the truth of God that sets us free from the bondage of judgment and Hell!

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.

God provides us His truth, to prove we are acceptable to God we must believe Him!

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

It is only the Light, Jesus Christ Himself who teaches us what is acceptable to Jehovah!

Truly God does not ask very much of us.

Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

What does this mean?

*****Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 

Eph 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

These things are not confusing, we are to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness whatsoever!

Remember darkness leaves us stumbling about and groping about in the world, being lost and not knowing where we are going and what to do when death overcomes us.

We are to have no fellowship with the lost but if we truly trust in the Lord we will be so bright that darkness will not even approach us, so we must go to those who live in darkness with the Light of Jesus, not in fellowship but carrying the truth of God to them as God's messengers.

We must understand that sin is never to be taken lightly, it is a shame even to speak of those things of darkness nor share a conversation with the dark works of this world.

Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

What are some of those things done in secret?

Job 24:14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy, and in the night is as a thief. 

Job 24:15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face. 

Job 24:16 In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.

In some cases, these that do these things get away with them, but the Lord knows everything and there are no secret sins that the Light of the Lord cannot expose.

*****Eph 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 

Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

There is no sin that will go unnoticed by the Light of the Lord!

All sin is exposed to the Lord and He will drag all sin into His Light to show its true colors!

In simpler terms, nothing can be hidden from the Lord.

When the "Gospel", The Light of Jesus Christ, touches the life of those in darkness, that life is changed.

Whether they welcome the Lord or not, their sin has been exposed by the Light of the Lord.

Joh_15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

As Christians, we now share the Light of the Lord, by sharing the "Gospel" and we are to use our own light upon the evil darkness of this world.

What did the Lord say?

Mat_5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

In fact, we are known by "the brightness" of our own light!

In the past few weeks, in the news, we have seen many well-known men face the fact that they led an immoral life with inappropriate sexual conduct.

What does God say?

Num_32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and "be sure your sin will find you out".

There is no sin God will not eventually expose!

There is no sin that the Lord will not shine His Light upon!

Most of this world is sleeping when it comes to knowing the Lord, they are "therefore dead", because the wages of sin is death.

The Light of Jesus will shine upon them through some Saint of the Lord and they can be awakened and be "born again".

We know that this passage was written to the church, so we know that there are in the church those who have a dim light.

1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: "I speak this to your shame".

The Church that is not busy making true disciples of the Lord, is failing in its mission and failing the Lord!

All those who do not know the Lord as their personal Savior are already dead in the eyes of God. I was once dead myself but now I am alive to the "Gospel"!

Joh_3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

The Lord Jesus Christ provides the simplest solution!

"Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light".

Being "Born Again" awakes us from being Spiritually dead!

When you refuse to see yourself as a sinner, you are in a state of slumber.

An immoral lifestyle is a dead lifestyle!

In fact, most of this world are asleep when it comes to walking in the ways of the Lord!

The world just does not care how much more sinful this world has become but provides for it in abundance.

There is so many riches that can be gained by sinful lifestyles this world will never change!

In fact, look at cancer for an example. There is so much money made off the treatments for cancer, a permanent solution will never be allowed.

But God will judge the Church first and there are just too many professing to know the Lord, who are just passing through this life as unbelievers. They simply lack "faith" that God will do as He says He will do or they simply have that go to Hell attitude, "I'm saved to Hell with you".

Those that fellowship or participate in the works of darkness, are still living in the darkness of spiritual sleep and spiritual death, but they refuse to admit it.

They have rejected the promises of God by rejecting the Word of God!

They refuse to believe we are in the last days of the "Church Age".

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.

The ONLY SOURCE to awake from Spiritual darkness and death, is the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone!

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. 

*****Eph 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 

Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

An example of walking "circumspectly" is as someone standing at the edge of a cliff or working on the roof of a house, where one misstep could cause a fall which could be fatal.

Life is a walk that we take one step at a time and we must be careful with each and every step because it could lead to our death!

There is the fool who take careless steps, so full of pride, refusing to believe he can fail or fall, this person is worldly minded.

The unwise person will walk in places that he has no business being there not even considering his danger!

God expects just the opposite. God expects us to take each step with care and with a sure-foot, we must walk carefully in this life.

Making mistakes is just a part of every life. The fool makes a mistake and it does not matter to him or even if it endangered others.

The wise child of God will learn from every mistake and grow from them!

The fool is not concerned about being alert to temptation and does not see these things as the pitfalls that they are.

The true child of God is on God's mission and understands they live in a dangerous world and mistakes matter to him!

Rom 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

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

Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 

Isa 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.

Time brings opportunities! We must make the most of every opportunity that we encounter in a godly way.

Time is a precious gift of God and in this life, we actually have very little time to do the work of the Lord. If you wait as I did until you begin in your latter years, there is even less time to do so!

Just like any other thing this is a choice we must make!

God presents to us choices and opportunities, but God will train us, so we will know what to do when these things come before us!

We are to redeem every moment of time in our life because we live in an evil hazardous world!

There is so much evil in this world we live, that confronts us every day of our walk with the Lord, that we must be very alert to keep us from failing or falling.

What should we do? We must certainly take a moment and think about all the places where we waste so much time and CORRECT IT!

Not many realize that to tithe is to give a tenth of our first fruits, but this also includes a tenth of our time to the Lord in preparing us for this world.

After this we are to walk daily just as this passage describes. We cannot be part time Christians! To be a Christian is to give all our life to the Lord Jesus Christ for His personal use.

Isaiah said, "Here I am Lord, use me".

Psa 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

*****Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Where do we fail the most? Not understanding what the will of the Lord is for our lives!

It is only the wise who understand what the Lord has for them!

If we never understand the will of God for our lives, we will never conquer the evil we confront as we walk.

God's will, begins with Jesus Christ:

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

We must next be sensitive to the Holy Spirit:

Joh 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Notice the Holy Spirit will always lead us to the things that Jesus said and in His ways.

All the New Testament will lead us to the things Jesus said!

All the Old Testament will lead us to the coming of Jesus and to the promises He has said!

In short, it is the will of God to do what Jesus said to do!

There is no other rule to walk by except to walk in the will of the Lord Jesus Christ!

When we walk according to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we will resemble God and come to know His perfections that are required in the world that is to come!

And next we see another Scripture where God tells the Christian to avoid alcoholic beverages.

*****Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Even the wisest of men becomes a fool when they are drunk!

Yes, drunkenness is intoxication with drink or with drugs or with any mind-altering substances!

This Scripture is not speaking of moderation because it would not have mentioned being filled with the Holy Spirit, which is just what it says being filled and not in moderation!

Drunkenness is a work of the flesh and it will certainly lead to other sins of the flesh!

First: it is a wasting away of the body and mind.

Second: it leads to uncontrolled behavior.

Third: it leads to rioting, uncontrolled outrageous behavior.

What else does the Bible say about drunkenness?

How about keeping you out of Heaven:

1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 

Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Drunkenness leads to bad behavior:

Luk 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

God says to not even look upon alcoholic beverages:

Pro 23:19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. 

Pro 23:20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 

Pro 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. 

Pro 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 

Pro 23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 

Pro 23:31 "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright". 

Pro 23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.

If God says not to look at it then surely, we should not drink such things!

According to our passage, it is impossible to redeem the time, if are drunk.

But our Scripture also says it is impossible to redeem the time if we are not filled with the Holy Spirit!

When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, there are some things that are certain!

*****Eph 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 

Eph 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Eph 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

With all the things that the Holy Spirit does to lead us to Christ we can truthfully say that the Holy Spirit is a very special manifestation of Jesus Christ who lives within each and every saint of God!

There are those that always ask, just what kind of music does God expect in the church?

Well it seems to be psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

A spiritual song to me is a song where the song-writer was led by the Holy Spirit.

It is sure these should be songs that make melody in our heart toward Jehovah God!

A melody is as song of the land and for we Christians our land is Heaven!

In the heart of the saint of God, the Lord Jesus Christ has revealed, His person, His nature, and His goodness and it is these things that we are to reveal to this lost world!

1Co 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

Many of us cannot carry a tune but even these can be heard in the shower singing with joy. Singing is no less natural to each of us than speaking. I can just imagine that there will be much singing in Heaven!

The Lord Jesus Christ will place a song in the heart of the believer!

The Spirit filled child of God is certainly thankful for the things God has done in their lives.

The Spirit filled child of God will certainly know that our lives are held safely in the loving hands of God.

The Spirit filled child of God is that person who has submitted to the will of God and led by His Spirit!

The Spirit filled child of God will submit and form the true church, the church that is the "Body of Christ"!

These are the same ones who go out of their way to submit to one another in the unity of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Let's Pray!