Trusting God's Salvation

Trusting God's Salvation

Rahab

Text: Book of Joshua Chapter 2

Our Focus 2:1-15, 18

Trusting in God's Salvation.

That word "trusting" spiritually speaking means "to rely on". We must rely on God for our "salvation". The only thing we provide to Him is a sinner in need of salvation.

That word "trusting" is used only 1 time in the Bible:

Psa 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, [trusting in the LORD].

When our hearts are fixed and we trust in the Lord(Jehovah) we can be saved!

The Hebrew word "batach" that was translated to the word "trusting" in this verse of Psalms, is used 120 times in the Bible, but not ever again as the word "trusting".

"Batach" means we must have "confidence" in the Word of God.

We have just finished a study in the Book of Hebrews and we saw this same Rahab in Chapter 11 in what is called the Wall of Faith.

Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab [perished not with them that believed not], when she had received the spies with peace.

Rahab had faith in the Word of God.

Rahab trusted in the Word of God!

There are only two women that were mentioned in Hebrews 11.

Sarah, who was a godly woman.

And, Rahab who had been an ungodly woman all her life.

The fact remains that "we are all sinners" saved by the "Grace of God"!

Rahab had worshipped pagan gods and sold her own body for money.

Rahab had absolutely nothing in common with Sarah except her "faith".

James, when he was inspired to write by the Holy Ghost, even compares the "faith" of the Harlot Rahab, to that of Abraham:

Jas 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.



Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.



Jas 2:25 [Likewise] also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, [so faith without works is dead also].

These are the works "that follow" the "faith" of the believer!

A true saving "faith" always proves itself by good works!

[Rahab was saved by her faith and not by her works] but she also made it into the ancestry of the Messiah, the Son of God in the flesh, Jesus!

Mat 1:5 [And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab]; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

This same Boaz married Ruth in another chapter in God's Word.

So we see that God can use anyone and from any walk in life.



Jehovah God is truly no respecter of persons!

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. [But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:]

Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, [even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.]



The Bible proves to us that God will choose the most unlikely people to have a part in His Work by His "Grace"!

So let's begin:

*****Jos 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. [And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there].

Moses had sent out 12 spies and they were unfaithful, at least all but two. This same Joshua, and Caleb.

Jericho was about 7 or 8 miles from the river of Jordan.

There is no telling what goes through the minds of the reader when they see this passage and read where these two men went straight to the house of a harlot.

We should never over look the providence of God.

We should consider, if these two spies had gone to a regular inn they would have been more noticeable as strangers in the land, and they were trying to avoid this at all cost.

But what we should concentrate on is the fact that God had already prepared this Rahab to receive His people!

We will see that she received, lodged, sheltered, and protected the messengers of God.

What did Jesus tell his disciples that He sent out as messengers to the people?

Mat 10:11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

Mat 10:12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.

God also prepares the hearts of those that will receive His messengers!

We need to realize that not one Missionary would accomplish anything unless God has prepared someone to receive them.

This is the very reason no one can have their own plan for missions but "we must be obedient to God's call" and to the place God has called us.

These spies may have been led to this house because it was situated on the wall itself but there can be no doubt that they had been directed there by God Himself!

*****Jos 2:2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.

Even though these two spies had entered Jericho in the evening just before the gates were closed they had not gone unnoticed.

As this passage unfolds we will see that these men of Jericho have themselves been watching Israel for all the 40 years that they were in the wilderness.

They were very aware of their presence near the river Jordan!

They were also very aware that Israel had been promised this land known as Canaan Land.

*****Jos 2:3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.

Rahab had to take her life into her own hands when she had welcomed God's people into her home.

Since these two men represented God's people, and she was not afraid to offer her help, she was not about to give them to this king.

If the king discovered her deception it could have meant her death.

*****Jos 2:4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, [There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: ]

When is a lie a real lie?

When situations arise that go against the teachings of God, which is this case, what would the words of Jesus be?

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

We must obey the Word of God even over those of our own governments at times!

Rahab had demonstrated her "faith" by being obedient to the Word of God. How could she now just give up those she had taken in?

It is never OK to go against the Word of God even if it means we have to go against the laws of man!

"AND, We never have the right to cause the death of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ, just to protect ourselves"!

We must remember who we serve!

Rahab's "faith" was not hidden. She took her stand for the Lord God Almighty. Those two spies could readily tell she was a "believer".



*****Jos 2:5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

We can see the Rahab willingly took part in the work and the safety of the spies. We can also see that Rahab was well known to these men sent of the king because he had no problem in believing what she had said.

The question is always asked, Did God sanction Rahab’s lie? I believe He did.



We might also ask, Did God sanction those who hid the Jews during World War II? I believe He did.

We support a missionary who smuggles Bibles into China.

Does God sanction the deceit of Bible smugglers who are lying to the Chinese government officials in order to get the Word of God into the hands of Chinese Christians? I believe He does.

The Apostle Peter and the Apostle John broke the law of the land.

Did God sanction the breaking of those laws?

Act 4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

Act 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

Act 4:20 [For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.]



Does God sanction the telling of lies? NO

Does God place His Word above all manmade law? That answer is YES!

This called taking a stand on the Word of God!

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, [to stand.]



*****Jos 2:6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.



Flax is the plant that is processed to make linen.

The Canaanites were familiar with the use of linen, as evidenced in our scripture. BUT, We can see that this Rahab also worked to make a living in an honest way by making linen cloth.

The ancient method of processing flax into linen included soaking the flax and then laying it out to dry.

The flat roofs of these homes made it the ideal place dry this flax and Rahab had a large stack of these plants drying on her roof.

It also made it the ideal place to hide these spies at this time.

*****Jos 2:7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate.

Rahab had been so convincing that these men of the king left in hot pursuit of the spies. But we can see they shut the gate of the city and probably posted guards to make sure they could not return.

We can also see that these men of Jericho searched all the way back to the river Jordan to a place (the fords) where they knew it was the easiest place to cross the river especially during the flooding season. (The time of the barley harvest).

We should know that the harvest of the barley and the flax happened at the same time!

*****Jos 2:8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;

Jos 2:9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

Before these two spies had a chance to sleep Rahab came and explained her faith to them.

We should immediately notice that Rahab showed more faith in the Lord than the ten of the spies that were sent out by Moses.

We have just spent some time in the Book of Hebrews but it said of Rahab:

Heb 11:31 "By faith" [the harlot Rahab] perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

We can see the truth of that scripture as we read the Book of Joshua!

Her "faith" was based on facts!

To the church God says:

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

So what had Rahab heard about Israel?

*****Jos 2:10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

It had been 40 years since God had parted the Red Sea for the escape of Israel but it was still believed as a fact in Jericho.

The defeat of the two kings, Sihon and Og were things that had happened more recently and Jericho was well aware of army of God.

We should also notice that God had allowed 40 more years for the Canaanites to change their ways but they had not.

Remember what God had told Abraham:

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 revealed Himself, not only to Israel but also to the known world and given them time to repent AND, It did not happen!

God has made it very clear to all the world, in the New Testament:

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.

How long will God wait before He comes in judgment?

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.

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,

*****Jos 2:11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

What is the power of conviction that brings "faith"?

Rahab was living in a pagan culture and had never heard the Word of God.

Rahab had not seen the first miracle.

Rahab had "only heard" how the mightiest nation on Earth at that time Egypt, had been humbled by Jehovah God, the I Am, of the Bible.

Rahab had "only heard" how Egypt had been humbled because Pharaoh refused the demands of Jehovah.

Rahab had "only heard" how Jehovah had redeemed poor, slaves from bondage.

Rahab had "only heard" how Jehovah had parted the Red Sea.

Rahab had "only heard" how the most mighty army in the world of that time had been destroyed.

Rahab had "only heard" how these slaves had wandered in the wilderness until they also were humbled by this Jehovah.

Rahab had "only heard" how these redeemed slaves had somehow conquered Sihon and Og of the Amorites.

Now Rahab could see that this bunch of redeemed people were camped near the river Jordan and were poised to conquer Canaan Land.

Rahab knew that she had never witnessed any things like these of her pagan gods!

SO, Rahab believed the things she had heard and Rahab stood alone against all her countrymen!

Do we wonder why Rahab was mentioned in the New Testament?

Those words the LORD your God mean "Jehovah the Holy Trinity".

He is the God of Heaven above and also the God of the Earth beneath that Heaven!

This is why it is called "faith"!

What did the Apostle Paul write to the Romans?

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, [Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed].

How could we ever question the salvation of Rahab?

You know it is past time that Christians should stand against our own government!

Maybe not in the act of war but surely in the truth of the Word of God!

*****Jos 2:12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, [since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house,] and give me a true token:

Rahab prayed to be a part of God's chosen people!

Rahab had realized the "Grace and Mercy" of this Holy God and she wanted to be a part of Him and also her family.

Once we know the Lord as our Savior, we need to do all we can to help our families know the same.

Rahab realized that Jehovah had a personal relationship with Israel and He was no respecter of persons for He cared even for the poor and for slaves.

Rahab realized that God also loved the stranger!

*****Jos 2:13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

Jos 2:14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, [if ye utter not this our business]. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.



Rahab wanted a guarantee.

These two men of Israel:

1.) They pledged their word.

2.) They pledged their lives that they would not break their word.

This was being like Christ before Christ came into the world.

Our Lord Jesus Christ has pledged Himself as the "guarantor of a better covenant".

Heb 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

Jesus Christ died for us all and that included Rahab and her family but more important "He lives", so our salvation is secure!

Heb 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Rahab also had to make a promise.

Rahab had to promise not to tell of their agreement.

All of Jericho already knew why the spies were sent. Rahab would have jeopardized her own safety if she told anyone else what had happened and also that of her family if she did not bring them into her house.

*****Jos 2:15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: [for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall].

We can be sure that it was not that cord that is our lesson here but it is the color of that cord which is a "type" of the "Blood" of Jesus.

Jos 2:16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.

Jos 2:17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear.

Jos 2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.

Rahab made sure that these two men of Israel understood the directions she had given to their pursuers and gave them different instructions.

Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

James gives us this example of good works "after faith", which brought salvation.

BUT, This thin scarlet line was Rahab's only hope of deliverance for her and her family.

We can be sure that the color of this line is given to us of the New Testament to remind us of the blood of Jesus.

To Israel it would be a reminder of the blood sprinkled post of their homes in Egypt the day of the passover, when the death angel was to pass over.

We need to be clear. Rahab and her family would be saved by her "faith in God" to deliver her and not faith in some red rope.

The fact that she hung the rope was a sign of her "faith"!

Rahab was a woman of great courage. She would have to tell her family of the coming destruction and the promised salvation.

Jehovah God had put His fear all over Canaan Land.

This was good news and a great assurance for Joshua!

*****Jos 2:24 And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

Rahab found her place in Israel. She was married to Salmon and their son was Boaz, whom we will study when we get to the Book of Ruth.

Their son was Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David the most loved king of Israel.

It is the line of David that leads us the Mary and Joseph the God selected parents of the Holy Ghost delivered Son of God who we call the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rahab's name will live forever as an ancestor of Jesus Christ!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Joshua Guiding A Nation

Joshua, Guiding The Nation

Book of Joshua Chapter 1

Focus 1:1-11

In assembling the 66 books of the Bible it was obvious that the Book of Joshua should follow the Pentateuch.

There are many that believe that these first 6 books of the Bible are a fabricated history of Israel but in over 4000 years no one has proven them to be that way. In fact archaeological finds have confirmed the majority of God's Word as the truth, though this should not be important to the believer.

We either accept God's Word as true or we cannot be saved!

As we deal in "types" in the Old Testament, we will see that the name Joshua is equivalent to Jesus in the New Testament.

They both mean: "Jehovah is Savior"!

Who wrote the Book of Joshua?

Jos 24:25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

Jos 24:26 [And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God], and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.

Jos 24:27 And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; [for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God].

The New Testament accepts the Book of Joshua as history of the nation of Israel:

The Book of Hebrews

Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

The Book of Matthew

Mat 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of [Rachab[; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

The Book of Hebrews

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, [I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee].

Compare to Joshua

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

The Book of Hebrews

Who led Israel into the Promised Land?

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

We see the Greek form of the name Joshua in this verse and we can also know that it will be Jesus Christ who will lead His people into the Promised Land of Heaven itself! ("another day")

Our Savior will lead all His children into the New Jerusalem.

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Our Text:

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

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

While Moses was still living Joshua was designated to be the one to replace him at his death and Moses explained this to the people.

Deu 1:37 Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.

Deu 1:38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

In our verse we now see that the Lord now makes a personal request to Joshua.

You know Joshua could have still answered with no!

We see that Moses was still listed as a servant. To be honest to be called a "servant of God" especially by God Himself, is the greatest title in the Bible. To be a "servant of God" is even better than to be a "minister of God".

Heb 3:5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; [whose house are we], if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Just as Moses was a servant to the children of Israel, Jesus Christ is Servant to the House of God and all that believe on Him, are the House of God!

It was not until the death of Moses at 120 years of age that Joshua was to take the lead of this people.

Deu 34:7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: [his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.]

Deu 34:8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

Deu 34:9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

The children of Israel were still camped in the "plains of Moab" which were on the east side of Jordan. This is part of what is known as the Jordan Valley. A place called Shittim.

That name "Jordan" is used 197 times in the Bible but only one time do we see river connected with it!

Mar 1:5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him [in the river of Jordan], confessing their sins.

Even here it is referred to as the river in the Jordan Valley.

The prophet Joel includes this valley in his prophecy:

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

Joe 3:18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, [and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD], and [shall water the valley of Shittim].

Spiritually speaking, "the river of life" will flow at the entrance to the Promised Land of New Jerusalem.

Jesus Christ is our "River of Life" and it is He that flows to all that believe on Him to give eternal life.

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

We can see that this is not some new plan of God. Those words "that I have given you", refer to the fact that it has always been God's plan from the beginning.

Whosoever that lives on the land of Israel besides Israel have always been trespassers on that land. This includes those of today and the Canaanites and all those others mentioned at this time of Joshua.

God commissioned Joshua to do 3 things:

1.) Lead Israel into the "Promised Land".

2.) Defeat all the enemy that was already there.

3.) Claim the inheritance God had given to them.

What has Jesus Christ done for us all?

1.) He has defeated our enemy, Satan.

2.) He has claimed the inheritance for all that believe on Him.

3.) He will lead us all into the true Promised Land of God the New Heaven and the New Jerusalem.

God's people do not need an explanation of God's plan!

God's people just need to have "faith" in God's promises and follow God's plan!

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

The promised land to the Jew extended from the southern desert to the great Lebanon mountains of the north, and from the Euphrates River on the east to the Mediterranean Sea on the west. This was the promise God made to Abraham.

Gen 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

Because of their disobedience the children of Israel have never taken all that land except for a short time in the rule of King David.

1Ch 18:3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

We must see that the fulfillment of this promise to Abraham will not be fulfilled until some time in the future.

There are many references to the Hittites in the Bible but no one believed they existed until 10,000 clay tablets were found at a ruin of an ancient city of Turkey called Boghaz-Koy.

Boghazkoy is the site of a major Hittite capital called Hattusas, in what is now Turkey, some 100 kilometers from the Black Sea and 150 miles from Ankara. Occupied between about 1600 and 1200 BC.

The Hittites are descendants of Heth who was the prominent son of Canaan, the grandson of Noah. It is because of Canaan's many sons that the land of promise was called Canaan Land.

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

We have already studied the flood of Noah's day. This was a worldwide catastrophe!

We have already studied the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This was a local catastrophe!

We will now see the first time God will use people to bring judgment to the wicked!

What had God told Abraham?

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

Many times it looks like evil people get away with things indefinitely, but God always has a timetable for everything. When the right time has come, the evil will be judged and God’s justice will prevail.

God will never forsake His children and it is certain that God will never forsake them when they are used in His judgment of other nations.

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

We know that God used other nations in His judgment of Israel because they became like these of Canaan after a short period of time because they did not get rid of all the evil of that land.

We know that God the Son will one day return to bring judgment on this world and all evil will be done away with!

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

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

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

What we see here is that before God could fulfill His promises Joshua had to have "faith"!

He had to have enough responsibility in him to know that these things could only be accomplished in the way God chose.

Joshua had God's promise but he still had to put forth the effort in believing and following the Word of God.

God's promises are His tool to get us involved in His plan!

So when we are used of God, we should say:

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

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

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

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

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

There are many that teach that the Word of God was actually written many years after the death of these great leaders of Israel.

But what do you do with this verse?

God's people were commanded to obey God's written law just as we are today. We have the same written Word of God as Joshua had. It has now been completed but even Joshua had the written Word. This was not just a written record of the History of Israel but it was the Holy Ghost inspired Word of God!

God shows us here in this scripture that it is not only important to have His written Word but it is very important to take the time to read, study, and meditate on the Word of God daily and even at night!

We must make God's Word a part of us!

The very first song of praise in the Bible explains this for us.

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

We know that in the end times we are in now people are loosing the hunger for the Word of God. We must not loose our delight in the Word of God!

The Hebrew word translated "meditate" means to "mutter".

It was a Jewish practise to read the Word of God out loud even if they were not alone. God gave us one mouth but He gave us two ears.

Deu 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Deu 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

Deu 6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

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

The message of God never changes. We see what God told Joshua.

What did God tell Mary the mother of Our Lord?

Luk 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

What does God tell every believer?

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, [to stand].

Not even the Devil can penetrate the armor of God unless God allows it!

Just like Joshua every child of God has a divine commission and God will supply the things needed to face our enemies and to make sure His Will Is Done!

When we are sent of God, He will provide!

*****Jos 1:10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,

Jos 1:11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.

Once we understand the calling of God, it is time to prepare to be obedient. It was time for God's people to claim His promises.

When we recognize the "Spiritual" bond between us and our Lord it is time to get moving!

Jesus said:

Joh 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Our first place to work is where we see the Lord working already. To many of us this is our local church. It is only when we will get involved in God's plan that He may call us or direct us in another work.

If we see God working somewhere in our community, then get involved there. If we hear God mentioned in our work place then get involve there.

Jesus also said:

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

Joh 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

Israel's ownership of the land of Palestine is unconditional!

BUT, Israel had to take the land and then be obedient to the Lord to remain on that land!

They needed to prepare only three days of meals for they would soon then be eating off the Land of Promise and the Manna would cease to come.

Notice Joshua did not try to second guess the plan of God, Joshua just got in God's plan. God had opened up the Red Sea so the River Jordan would be small in comparison to that.

Joshua reminded the those that were promised land on this side of Jordan of their covenant with Moses.

Those 2 and one half tribes kept their promise but it was a concession on Moses part to allow them to live out side the Promised land. This is now the nation of Jordan.

It is with these that we can see the future thoughts of mankind.

They thought it better to make a good living with the grass lands for their cattle than to make a new life in the promised land of God!

They place fortune before family!

They made sure they were far from the place of worship!

They are a "type" of borderline believers in the Bible.

They were willing to serve the Lord for a set time but when they felt that time to be over they went back to the things they wanted to do.

God says:

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.

Pro 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Four times in this chapter we see the words "be strong and of good courage".

God gives us His free gift of salvation if we only believe on Him!

But we must take that first step toward Him in "Faith".

We must then be strong in His Word and have courage.

Courage is that quality of mind that enables us to encounter the dangers of this world and the difficulties of living as a Christian, with boldness enough to take a stand for God and then "to stand".

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

It is God's Power that is endless, not our own!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Jesus Christ, Our Unchanging Lord

Jesus Christ, Our Unchanging Lord

Book of Hebrews Chapter 13

We have had an exciting study of this Book of Hebrews. We must remember that the theme of the Book of Hebrews is the fact that Our Lord Jesus Christ and Christianity is far superior to that of Judaism, a religion that recognizes Jehovah but not the Holy Trinity.

In fact Jesus Christ and Christianity is far superior to any religion. Christianity is not a religion, It Is Simply The TRUTH!

We have only touched on many of the important things in this great book of the Bible. This is not to say that the scriptures not covered are any less important. The main thing about God's Word is that all scripture is important to every believer!

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

What we need to realize is that when we neglect God's Word after we know we clearly understand what He is saying, can bring chastisement of the Lord that will replace any blessing that could have come from obedience!

Jas 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

Jas 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, [this man shall be blessed in his deed].

We know that God loved everyone that has ever walked on the face of this Earth enough to send His Son to redeem us from "all" our sin.

This gift of His Son was Jesus Christ!

If God had such a great love then we should begin to show that love after we have met Jesus and He has saved us.

The Bible tells us:

1Jn 3:14 [We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren]. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

It is a sign of the Christian when he loves all his brothers and sister around the world, the full Body of Christ!

The love of our brothers and sisters should be noticeable in every place that the Body of Christ gathers.

But this is not all. We are still to show love to every stranger that we meet.

God had told the children of Israel this and our God never changes!

Deu 10:19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

We all were once lost and we know that the world does not show much love and hatred is growing in all our world!

The Bible teaches us many great things that will happen in our future once we are saved but the Bible also teaches us how we should act until that time comes!

Our Text:

*****Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.

First this verse does not tell us to love as brothers!

The Bible teaches us that we are to love [Because We Are Brothers]!

We are all in the same family of God!

We are, once we are saved, and we will be throughout eternity!

Our love for one another is proof to the world that we belong to Jesus:

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Joh 13:35 [By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another].

This should be a fervent love and not something that is fake or mediocre:

1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:]

We cannot allow our feelings toward one another grow cold!

***** Heb 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: [for thereby some have entertained angels unawares].

We might think that we may never meet an angel, much less entertain them but there is proof of this in the Bible:

It happened to Abraham:

Gen 18:2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

Gen 18:3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

Gen 18:4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

It happened to Lot:

Gen 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

Gen 19:2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

Gen 19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

It happened to the parents of Samson.

Jesus said in a parable, when we have entertained a stranger He will credit it just we had done this for Him.

Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

This does not mean we can safely take in every stranger we meet!

It does mean we should have an attitude of hospitality to all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We must follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in all things.

We might meet some wonderful people but we may also meet an angel unaware!

The Bible would not say this if it were not true!

*****Heb 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

As persecution of the Christian increases throughout the world, we need to be aware of those that are jailed just for their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must always keep in mind that when one of our brothers or sisters are suffering, the entire Body of Christ is suffering!

When we cannot do anything else we have our greatest weapon [which is our prayers for them]!

If God lays someone on your heart or leaves a name on your mind, He wants you to pray for them immediately!

If that someone is suffering in anyway then God may even want you to find them and fellowship with them!

There are many a Saint of God not able to attend the House of God because of their health.

I know I fail miserably in these things!

Again Jesus said:

Mat 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Mat 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

*****Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

I believe the Lord's purpose for His creation was that of a perfect marriage between one man and one woman!

I also know that marriages fail but that does not mean that God's purpose failed.

Mat 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

Mat 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?

Mat 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

I believe that God intended that children be raised by this same family unit of one man and one woman.

I believe that the godly home is the center of every social structure.

I believe that when a husband and wife that are consenting to each other and close the doors to their bedroom that what happens is between them and God and He has already said that the bed is undefiled!

I also believe that any other type of sexual relationship is wrong whether it be, premarital, extra marital, homosexual, incestuous or anything else.

These are all illegal affairs that go against the Word of God!

It does not matter what the world thinks or says, God will judge this type of behavior!

Though I am single now and have been for more than 15 years, I still remember the good times of my marriage.

I also believe that since a marriage is a Biblical thing of God, it is foolish to teach sex education in our schools!

There is only one rule, abstain until a Biblical marriage.

The Bible says:

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.

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.

*****Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Someone once said that "it is harder to be a Christian when we are comfortable, "than when we are suffering".

The word "conversation" as used in this passage means: "your manner of life".

We as Christians must lead our lives without coveting the things of this world!

When we become covetous we will certainly be disappointed and become discontent with what we have in this life!

When we put the almighty dollar before the things of God, then money has become an Idol that we have placed between us and God.

There is no doubt that are many so poor in this world "that to be content in their conditions sounds like a terrible thing"!

BUT, That word "covetousness" as used in this verse is a direct reference to the "love of money"!

We as Christians are to be content with what we have. This does not mean that God will not bless us and make things better because He knows what we need:

Jesus had these words for all of us:

Mat 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Mat 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: [or your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.]

God knows what we need even better than we do and He will do something about meeting our needs!

Again God tells us:

1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

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

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

God has certainly blessed me much more than I deserve!

When we are covetous, we are in reality not trusting God and believing that He will provide for us!

Chapter 11 was about "faith". Our "faith" must include our trust in Our Lord God!

When we have God, we have enough!

He will never forsake His children!

Our security is not in the material things of this world!

Our security is in "the One" that made these promises to us!

Php 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory [by Christ Jesus].

How can we expect anything of God when we do not believe His Son!

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.

Our lesson manual teaches us to have the right attitude about the Word of God and we must also have the right attitude about ourselves and about others!

*****Heb 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

Who are these that rule over us?

Those that have spoken to us the Word of God!

The Apostle Peter said he was one and he tells us of others:

1Pe 5:1 [The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder], and [a witness of the sufferings of Christ], and [also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:]

1Pe 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

1Pe 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

If we do not have these types of rulers in our place of worship then we need to find a better place of worship but when we do have such great examples, then we must remember them and follow in their "faith"!

It is the Shepherd who is to have the God-given authority over the flock!

A Shepherd is to be an example and not an overlord!

But that Shepherd must lead us in the ways to and of Jesus Christ!

Praise the Lord for our Pastor, Preacher Sam who is our shepherd here at Gethsemane!

In fact we are blessed in this Church to have so many that honor the Word Of God!

But we must all still "Seek The Lord" for His will in our own lives!

We cannot be loyal to Preacher Sam just because he is our Pastor but ONLY because he will lead us to Jesus Christ!

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

The title of our lesson is "Our Unchanging Lord".

There is no greater truth in the Word of God!

Remember what Peter said, Our example is Jesus!

We still have this same Jesus.

We still have this same Gospel of Jesus.

We still have the same Almighty God!

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Our Lord does not ever change and He has given us His "unchanging" Word. We can depend on the "unchanging" Word of God.

God's Word has not evolved into something that means something different in our so-called modern day!

*****Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

We must examine all teaching by how it matches up to the Word of God!

We must reject all that is false!

This age we live in, is the time of God's Grace!

Act 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, [and to the word of his grace], which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

We must be strong in the "Grace of God" that comes through His Son Jesus Christ:

2Ti 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, [be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus].

2Ti 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

What would the Apostle Paul write to us if he were alive today?

He would have this same message, because God's Word will never change!

It is not what we eat that keeps us alive as much as it is The Word of God that sustains us!

The Bible says:

Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Col 2:17 [Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ].

We cannot be saved by a shadow!

We cannot be sustained by a shadow!

It is the truth of the Word of God that "makes" us free!

*****Heb 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

To be a believer is to have an altar in Heaven, which is Jesus Christ.

Our Mediator, which is also Jesus Christ is there to receive our spiritual sacrifice!

All those that served the altar of the Tabernacle obeying those old dietary laws and believing that they could be saved by those animal sacrifices are not welcome to that altar that is in Heaven.

Our altar is at the "Throne of Grace" and is not based on any law but the "Law of Grace".

There is nothing wrong with gathering to have fellowship around a meal in God's House but Real Christian fellowship comes from fellowship around the Word of God!

*****Heb 13:11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

On a normal day the Levite priests who tended the altar in the Tabernacle could eat the meat of the sacrifice.

But on the "Day of Atonement" only the blood use use in sacrifice [and the animal was taken outside the camp and burned].

*****Heb 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Because this was a "type" of the sacrifice of Our Lord, Jesus died outside the city of Jerusalem.

Joh 19:19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Joh 19:20 This title then read many of the Jews: [for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city:] and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.

His blood, in contrast to that of the animal, is the only acceptable sacrifice for all our sin!

We are to have no part with any religion that refuses Jesus and His blood sacrifice!

*****Heb 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

Those early Jewish believers had to break all ties with Judaism!

Every "Born Again" child of God must break all ties to our past sinful life.

Yes we are still sinners, but the Law of "Grace" is greater than any law of man!

We are not just going outside the city, or outside the country. [Our home is outside this universe and in Heaven itself].

That's where we will find our Savior!

*****Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

There is nothing on this Earth that should be dear to us. If you cannot tell by now just read the newspaper and watch the news.

The Christian is an outcast to this society we live in!

Even in America there is a movement that ask all Christians to leave our own nation. We are not welcome here anymore!

What are we seeking?

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

*****Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

The Christian Altar is "Spiritual"!

Our Sacrifice is our "Praise" and this should be the "fruit of our lips"!

Our Sacrifice is our "thanksgiving" to Our Holy God!

Psa 54:6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.

Psa 54:7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

*****Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

We must not forget the Sacrifice of "ourselves in doing good"!

As God meets our needs, He makes us aware of the needs of others and He expects us to be a part of fulfilling the need of those others.

This is "Not" because He will not do this but it is because He gives us the opportunity to get one of His blessings.

Not just here on Earth but a reward laid up in Heaven.

Verses 17-19 are not part of our lesson today but the highlights are:

If in the place you worship you have a Pastor who preaches the truth of the Gospel of Christ, then we are to obey that Word of God.

That Pastor is held accountable by God Himself!

The greatest sin of the believer is to know the Word of God [and not obey the Word of God]!

We should pray for all the Body of Christ and especially for those that are ministering the Word of God!

****Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Heb 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

God will bring judgment to this world but never in the Bible is He called a "God of War"!

We know that the number 5 is the number for "Grace" and exactly 5 times we can see the phrase "God of peace" in the written Word of God.

It is the "God of Peace" that brought about the "Resurrection" of the Lord Jesus Christ!

There is nothing in the entire Bible more important to the Christian Church than the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ came out of that grave on the third day!

We know that as the "Good Shepherd" Jesus Christ died for the sheep!

Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

But as the "Great Shepherd" we must know that Our Lord lives for the sheep!

Our Great High Priest has also become Our Great Shepherd.

When Jesus was on this Earth He worked to redeem our souls.

Now that Jesus is in Heaven, he is working to mature us to act in His Will to bring us to perfection. We cannot reach that point until He returns.

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.

As the Great Shepherd Jesus will return to to get His sheep.

1Pe 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

It is on this day that we will reach perfection!

Throughout this Book of Hebrews we have seen that the ultimate responsibility for bringing every believer to perfection rests on Jesus Christ.

It is Jesus that will present His Church to the almighty God [and He will not present Him an imperfect Church]!

Jesus will do what He promised!

Our job as believers is to forsake those things that get in His way and submit to His Word!

It is our "Faith" that will make us whole!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Amen!

Jesus Christ, Our Example

Jesus Christ Our Example

Book of Hebrews Chapter 12

Who are you looking at?

What is our process of Christian growth?

A "faith" that is never tested cannot be trusted!

The challenge of every Christian is to persevere until Jesus comes or until God takes us home to be with Him!

Unless you are a "citizen of Heaven" while you are still alive on this Earth, you cannot even take part in God's challenge to remain "faithful" at all cost.

This chapter in the Book of Hebrews will teach us to have endurance and this endurance cannot happen without patience!

There is "saving faith":

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

"Saving faith" requires knowledge, conviction, and trust!

But there is also the "gift of faith":

1Co 12:9 [To another faith by the same Spirit]; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

The "gift of faith" comes only after salvation!

It is the "gift of faith" that brings brotherly love and the good works of the believer!

It is the "gift of faith" that is measurable and seen by others.

It is a great privilege to serve the Living God BUT we cannot expect to serve God and not go through some trials.

It is easy to become a Christian, but Jesus said to pick up our own cross and follow Him.

A cross is a symbol of pain and suffering!

My worse day being saved is better than my best day when I was lost.

Our example is Jesus Christ!

It is only when we follow in His ways that we can be called a Christian.

If we are not involved with the work of God, how can we say we are Christians. If you are not being obedient to the Word of God you are not like Christ and therefore not a visible Christian.

It is in our obedience where we will find fulfillment and joy!

It is not our behavior that pleases God as much as it is our belief that we can only do all things through Christ Jesus who gives us the strength and the endurance to accomplish whatever God has for us to do!

God wants us to realize that we cannot stand on our own two feet, we must rely on Him to meet all our needs and He will!

When we look back to chapter eleven we can see that each and every individual suffered hardship as they walked in "their faith"!

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

Wherefore means that since we have all these great witnesses of the "faith" in chapter 11!

[The Greek word "martoos" is translated as witness in this verse but the meaning is also of a martyr!]

To these Jewish believers, most of these men and women would have been "Heroes" to them.

We must not forget it is Our God that inspired the writing of His Word so it is God that is bearing witness for these heroes of the "faith".

As we live out our lives, with Jesus as our example, do you think your name could have been written down in God's Book because of your "faith".

God saw that we of the New Covenant would need to learn endurance and patience from the Heroes of "faith" in the Old Testament.

When a marathon runner is practicing for the big race, they will used ankle weights to increase their endurance but when it comes race day, they will not be wearing any weights because they would only slow them down.

So, what are the weights that are hindering our service to the Almighty God? We need to remove them, so that we might win the race of our "faith"?

There are no losers in the "Race of Faith"!

BUT, we must remove everything that hinders our progress!

This can even mean we must remove some things that others think are good things.

Our choices cannot be between good and bad!

Our choices must be between better and best!

But, this surely means we cannot carry unconfessed sin!

And, it surely means we must remove all unbelief!

Remember what we have learned?

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.

That word "faith" was used 21 times in chapter 11.

Faith Brings With It Endurance!

The Greek word "agon" used for our English word "race" means a contest that is intense.

Satan, the Devil is real and we can be sure that he is very serious about taking as many of God's people to Hell with him as he can!

We are in a marathon race and not a hundred yard dash! We will need endurance!

That word weight also means we we must physically and mentally get in shape for this race.

We must have knowledge of the Word of God and be spiritually fit to get into this race.

This race is only on one course!

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

As Christians we are to run this race no matter the cost!

We cannot just drift along we must be a true competitor!

A Christian that gets into the race for God cannot ever be a looser:

1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

We cannot allow the sin of this world and the sin of unbelief to hinder us:

Gal 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

Every question we have of ourselves should not be about right or wrong, our main concern should be "How Does It Affect My Testimony?"

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

In Chapter 11 we saw many heroes of "faith" but to these Jewish believers many of these were actually national heroes to be honored and to look up to.

In our verse they are told to look to Jesus. Notice it does not say to Jesus Christ. By just using the name Jesus these people are told to just look at the man Jesus.

Jesus had always honored the children and many of those children were now adults and it can be said that some of these of the early church had actually met the man Jesus.

So they were told to look at the man Jesus, what He had stood for, what He had accomplished, how He had suffered being innocent and how He had died.

They knew of these things. Some of these things had happened in their own life times.

They knew of the resurrection and they had now believed because they were converts to the early church. So not only look upon Jesus as the Messiah but look upon Him as a man. An example "or the example" to follow much more so than all those Old Testament heroes.

Jesus is all our example of what it is to be a Christian!

Jesus is the "author" of our faith.

The Greek word "archegos" is used here which means Jesus is the "chief leader" and the "prince" of our "faith"!

Jesus pioneered Christianity!

Jesus is the Captain of God's army!

Not only is He the "Author" but He is the "Finisher"!

The Greek word "teleiotes" is used here and in only one other place in the Bible.

This means Jesus was the "Perfecter" of our "faith".

He was "The One" that in "His own Person" raised "faith" to it's perfection!

Jesus is The One that walked in this world and set the highest example of "faith"!

The best example in the Old Testament that was given was in the time of Moses:

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

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

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

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

Jesus said Himself:

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

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

If we look to anyone or anything besides Jesus we have looked in the wrong direction!

Our Lord endured far more than any of the Old Testament heroes of "faith"!

It was a shameful thing for a Holy God to pour Himself in a body of flesh to redeem His people but it had to be done to restore mankind to the fellowship that God once had with Adam!

God gets His joy from fellowship with His greatest creation which is man!

Psa 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: [in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.]

Pro 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

It brought Jesus great joy to present His "Born Again" children to His Father:

Jud 1:24 Now unto him [that is able to keep you from falling] and [to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy],

And not one can ever fall again!

Don't you just love the Word of God that tells us in so many ways that we were certainly lost but now we are found by "our Creator" who has also become "our Savior"!

*****Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

This entire Book of Hebrews was given to these of the early church to teach them of the hope of looking forward by "faith".

All those Old Testament heroes had looked forward. That is the principle of "faith".

We must live for the future to be able to deal with the nasty here and now!

Just like Peter when we take our eyes of the Savior we will sink in this nasty world!

Mat 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

Mat 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

Mat 14:30 [But when he saw] the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

Another lesson to learn from this verse is that immediately when Peter asked, "the Lord to saved him and it happened at that very moment.

God does not have to think about it when a lost soul has repented and ask for forgiveness in faith!

Salvation happens immediately!

Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, [O thou of little faith], wherefore didst thou doubt?

It is our lack of "faith" that hinders the fruit that God intended to come from our salvation!

*****Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

As a saved people, we have only one resource and that is Christ.

Christianity is based on the "Work of One", Jesus Christ!

Not in any Temple!

Not in any ritual!

Not in any religion!

Not in any denomination!

That word "chastening" usually brings the thoughts of punishment but the true interpretation of the Greek word "paideia" [is that of tutoring, educating, and training that can come with some disciplinary action of the Lord.]

And the Greek word "elegcho" for "rebuke" really means [to convict and sometimes to convince] which means [our shame of failure] is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

God is not sitting in Heaven with a whip to correct us but He is sitting in Heaven with a loving guiding Hand of Correction!

The Christian experience is a long steady process that requires endurance. We must prepare our minds and our hearts for the long haul because, It Will Be Worth Every Mile Of The Trip!

*****Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

When we are suffering, it is easy to think that God does not love us.

In verse 5 we saw the word "children". We now see the words "son" and the word "sons".

None of these words refer to little children but they refer to adult children.

A parent that repeatedly chastens infant children is truly a monster.

Remember we are adopted into the family of God at any age!

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.

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

Gal 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

And adult children require a different approach than babies.

We must all become mature adult sons and daughters who can be trusted with the responsibilities of life, where God has placed us!

Psa 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psa 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Why do God's people suffer:

1.) We do stupid things which shows our immaturity. We continue in our old sin.

2.) We suffer because we take a stand for Jesus. He suffered and so will we.

3.) We suffer because of unconfessed sin in our lives. We must repent as soon as we have sinned. If we refuse to deal with the sin in our lives God will deal with it!

4.) We will suffer in our flesh because of past sin. When we have smoked all our days, or have been addicted to alcohol, or drugs or the many other things that destroy our bodies and our minds we cannot and He will not heal us of these things. He will comfort us through these things.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

5.) We will suffer sometimes because, we are in God's plan and not our own and we are a tool in His hands and for His purpose. We simply do not know the big picture that God sees.

6.) We will also suffer for our "faith"! We will face many battles in the name of the Lord but we may not be victors in our own eyes. Again we do not see the big picture. God says to put on the "armor of God". That should tell us we are going to war. Their are casualties in all wars!

7.) We will suffer last of all sometimes because, as children we require discipline at the loving hand of God!

*****Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

But if you are going through life all happy go lucky with no chastisement, thinking you are saved then you need to have a checkup at the altar. God says you are not in the family yet!

*****Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Whether or not you listened too by your earthly father, you had better listen to your Heavenly Father!

God disciplines in "His Wisdom and in His Love" that we might truly live!

Our Father will discipline us in severe ways sometimes!

And we should remember:

1Jn 5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. [There is a sin unto death

: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

1Jn 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

I believe that there is a boundary for each Born Again child of God that we should not ever step over because it will mean our death. BUT, It does not mean we loose our salvation!

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

Pro 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

*****Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Any child who does not learn subjection to authority will never become useful in any family!

Any child of God that does not learn this early in their spiritual life are in danger of physical death!

We have proof of this in scripture:

1Co 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

1Co 11:30 [For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep].

We can see that not being reverent to the things of God can lead to our death!

Our health can depend on how we serve Our Father who is in Heaven!

God will not allow any of His children to disgrace His good name beyond His purpose!

Our lesson skips a few verses down to verse 18.

God emphasizes in these verses to not get in despair and to not be discouraged when he allows things of discipline to happen in our lives.

In most cases it is the coward who gives up when things get hard!

Cowardice is contagious!

It takes courage to be a Christian!

It take courage to revive God's people!

Pro 4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

Pro 4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

Pro 4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

It is better to repent and move on than "to wallow in our guilt"! We must remember we are still sinners saved only by God's "Grace"!

Now let us continue:

*****Heb 12:18 [For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched], and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

Heb 12:19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

Heb 12:20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

Heb 12:21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

Do we really want to know the difference between "Grace" and "The Law"?

We see here a picture of the Law, a picture of the Old Covenant with Israel.

There were at least 2 million people that came out of Egypt with Moses. They were unorganized. They did not have the things with them to sustain the necessities of life. They were a traveling mob and very discouraged.

When they reached Mount Sinai and God showed His Power they were in great fear for their lives.

But verse 18 says to the child of God that Mount Sinai has been replaced with Mount Calvary!

A Born Again child of God we will never face Mount Sinai!

It is the cross and the shed blood of Jesus and our own "Faith" that will drive the Church!

*****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 Laws of Moses had their beginning at Mount Sinai.

The true Gospel of God would have it's beginning in Jerusalem!

AND, Mount Sion represents the New Covenant of "Grace"!

Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; [the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.]

Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

Gal 4:26 [But Jerusalem (which is above is free), which is the mother of us all.]

Mount Zion is God's Heavenly city!

This where the Lord dwells at this time and this is our eternal home! The blood of Jesus has given us a right to a place in this city.

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

Even after Lucifer and his angel followers were tossed out of Heaven there are still more angels in Heaven than can be counted!

Luk 10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

This took place the very day Lucifer defied God.

The word "innumerable" is what is called a "Myriad"!

The "first born" child in the families of Israel inherited the birthright, BUT every Born Again child of God has a birthright in Heaven and so are called "the Church of the First Born".

These are all the ones written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Luk 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; [but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven].

There is a final judgment on all those that have persecuted "the Church of the First Born"!

The spirits of just men made perfect are those that have gone on before us!

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, [the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God], being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

"Were it not for the blood" of the New Covenant we would not ever be able to enter into this Heavenly city!

Jesus says:

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

There is an econumicle movement going on in the world right now, which means that everyone is going to the same Heaven even though they are traveling different paths.

This is an absolute lie of Satan. There is still only one way to Heaven and that is to be washed in the blood of Jesus! The "Blood" of the New Covenant!

Preachers are wrong when they refuse to preach on Heaven and the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

There can be no marriage counseling until you are married to Jesus Christ!

It is the truth that we had no life to commit to Christ Jesus until He gave us a new life!

If we are not looking up to Heaven we are looking to the wrong place.

Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

The "blood " of Abel cried for vengeance!

The "Blood" of Jesus Christ calls for forgiveness, and cleanses the guilty conscience, and OPENS THE WAY TO HEAVEN!

*****Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

We must pay close attention to the Holy Inspired Word of God:

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.

We must hold on to this Gospel because it gives life!

God is still speaking to us today through His Word!

As God shook Mount Sinai and as the days grow closer to the Second coming of Christ Jesus, we will see more shaking of this world we live in!

The difference for the Christian is that we will one day live in an unshakable world!

Our God is a consuming fire!

A fire will not go out until all fuel has been consumed.

When judgment comes, God will perfectly cleanse this world of sin to the point of destruction. If not why would there be a New World, a New Jerusalem and even a New Heaven?

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

We cannot play games with God, by playing church.

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

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

There is a whole lot of this shaking going on right now!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Jesus Christ, Our Victory Of Faith

Jesus Christ, Our Victory Of Faith

Text: Hebrews Chapter Eleven

Our salvation comes from "Faith" in Jesus Christ!

But "faith" is not new to the New Testament.

It was Adam's lack of faith that brought sin into this world!

Our Faith is the only way we can approach our God!

Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Jas 1:6 [But let him ask in faith], nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

We will not get any response from God if we do not have faith!

Saving "faith" involves three main things:

1.) Saving faith involves Knowledge: There are certain basic truths that must be believed for salvation.

We must believe that Jesus is who He says He is.

Joh 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

Joh 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

We must believe that all men are sinners!

We must believe in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sin!

We must believe in His bodily resurrection!

2.) Saving faith involves Conviction: There must be an inner conviction that the Gospel is the truth and it is the truth that makes us free.

Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit who will convince each of us that the world is full of sin, and righteousness and judgment will come from the Godhead in Heaven.

3.) Saving faith involves Trust: As a result of the knowledge of Christ Jesus and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, we must make a decision to to place our lives in the hands of of God.

And, This must come from the heart of each of us.

Our "faith" is the greatest power we have in this world!

The "Bible Faith" is to have total confidence in "all" the Word of God!

We must believe regardless of circumstances or consequences!

We should have only one operation of our "faith".

God speaks and we hear and obey!

Because unbelief is the greatest sin against God and it is the only sin that cannot be forgiven, we need a testimony of "faith"!

This is the theme of today's lesson.

It is so easy to try to make our Christian life a series of rules.

We all think we need some kind of guideline to live by BUT it is our "faith" that gets us close to Our Father in Heaven and that only through His Son, we know as Jesus.

*****Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

First of all, Faith is not some blind opinion that everything happens for the best!

Faith is not That everything in nature is the order of the universe!

Our faith is not that everything in this universe will produce good!

God said man will wax worse as time goes by, so things can never get better!

our Faith is not based on believing in spite of the evidence to the contrary!

Our faith has to be based on the Word of God!

Our Faith must have substance!

Faith is a real thing!

The object of that real thing must be Lord Jesus Christ!

Faith is to a Christian as a foundation is to a house!

If foundation is not solid then the house will settle and fall.

Our "faith" is the substance of our "Hope"!

Our "Hope" must be in the promises that are recorded in the Word of God!

The evidence of our "faith" is the fact that we can believe on invisible things because we can see the visible evidence of those invisible things.

Evidence is something you can take to court to prove your innocence.

Our Faith cannot be just a leap into the dark!

Our Faith cannot be an "I hope so" statement!

"Faith" is real!

"Faith" is measurable!

And we can have evidence for our "faith"!

*****Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

Who were these elders?

These were the fathers of the nation of Israel.

This chapter we are studying gives us a list of most of those elders.

That good report did not come because they were perfect people nor even because they were great leaders.

That good report came because they believed the Word of God!

God wants us to be saved by "faith" but we must not come up short because God also wants us all to "walk by faith"!

We have already seen that our prayers cannot be answered unless we have faith!

In fact God will not even hear us unless we have enough faith to believe He can accomplish what we ask Him to do!

Jesus says to pick up our cross daily and follow Him but there is no need to pick up that cross unless we are "motivated by faith" in the Word of God.

We must walk by "faith" and not by sight!

*****Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

We must totally accept Creation just as it is written down for us in the Book of Genesis, The Book of the beginnings!

Evolution had no part in God's Creation!

God spoke and things happened just as it is written!

There are many people in this world that place their faith in evolution. In fact it takes a greater faith to believe in evolution than it does in the facts of Creation written down for us.

BUT, Evolution is not a science it is simply another false religion!

Our "faith" in the Word of God allows us to see the future as present and the invisible, as things we can see.

Can you get a picture of your mansion in Heaven, well it's there and it's real and it is in God's House in Heaven!

If God did not make mankind, then man had to make God.

I find that to be impossible in my mind but all false religion is based on man-made gods or on objects that our true God created.

God started with nothing and we can see what He has created!

That word "framed" means that God made everything He created to fit perfectly together.

Isa 40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

*****Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

When we read this verse we see that we can approach God only in our faith!

Let's review:

Gen 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

Gen 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

Gen 4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

Gen 4:7 [If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door]. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

The Bible tells us:

Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: [for whatsoever is not of faith is sin].

Cain clearly understood that if he had no faith then it was sin!

AND, Cain's lack of faith led to the first murder in the Bible!

God had made it very clear with the sin of Adam, when He had shed the blood of an innocent animal to make those first clothes.

Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Cain clearly understood these things yet He still rebelled against the Word of God.

God has made it very clear to us all:

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

To ignore the Word of God will bring eternal damnation!

God had revealed to Adam and his descendant the true way to worship. Abel obeyed God by "faith".

But, Cain showed his lack of "faith".

1Jn 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

Cain was full of religion but he was not righteous!

Who was the first Martyr of faith? Then it had to be Abel the son of Adam.

Because of his "faith" Abel is still speaking to all who would read and study the Word of God!

Because of his death and his blood was shed by the wicked Cain, Abel is still speaking to the Father who will bring vengeance on this world.

And God says:

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.]

*****Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

The Book of Genesis gives us this information:

Gen 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

The Bible says clearly that Enoch did not die like other men!

Enoch was translated!

God took Enoch. The word "took" in Hebrew means God fetched him away, God carried him away!

In fact the word "took" can mean these things: to take, to get, to fetch, to lay hold of, to seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away

In the New Testament we find these words:

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be [caught up together with them] in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

This what we believe to be the "Rapture" of the church before the tribulation period.

Those words "caught up" have a similar meaning: to seize, carry off by force, to seize on, claim for one’s self eagerly, to snatch out or away.

What happened to Enoch was was so unusual that no one else in the Old Testament had this experience before the flood and only Elijah had a similar experience after the flood.

2Ki 2:11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah [went up by a whirlwind into heaven].

We can see that Elijah was taken up, or brought up, or taken away.

These things happened to people that please God and God gives us the the exact same way to please 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.

We come into our classroom every Sunday morning and flop down in these seats with "faith" enough in them that they will keep us from falling to the ground yet, we cannot have enough "faith" in the Word of God that brings rewards greater than anything that we can imagine!

What is our problem?

We just do not believe what God says!

Why is the nation of Israel suffering today?

Psa 78:21 Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

Psa 78:22 [Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:]

What does God say to us all in the New Covenant?

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.

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.

We have God's Book of Facts!

We have God's remedy for a rewarding life!

We have God's answer to all our problems!

It's called "Faith"!

It is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without "FAITH"!

So, What are some examples of what "faith" can do?

*****Noah had never even heard of rain or thunder storms but he had "faith" in the Word of God. The world was destroyed but Noah and his family was saved.

God gives this example and this warning:

2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

*****Abraham left his home seeking a city built of God. He knew it was not on this Earth because he lived in a tent!

Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

This our place of true fellowship!

*****Sara had enough "faith" to believe God would allow her to have a child, though she had not ever had one for 90 years, and to not only have this child but to raise this child.

She also had enough "faith" to believe that her husband, who was Abraham, though 100 years old could be a father and help her raise this child.

*****Abraham had "faith" enough in the promises of God to believe that even if he killed his only son that God could still raise him up from the dead and the nation of Israel would still be formed.

*****Isaac believed the Word of God and taught it to his sons!

*****Joseph knew that Egypt was not the place of the promises and requested that Israel take his bones to the promise land. He knew that it was not Canaan land because he knew it was not in this world.

*****Jochebed knew that God had plans that she could not totally understand and she was not about to let some King take her child Moses. Moses was given into the hands of God.

*****Moses knew though the world hated the children of God, yet he chose to be one of them.

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.

Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

*****Moses knew that he served the living God and no king of this earth could change that fact:

2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

*****Moses understood the absolute "Grace" of God when he was making the symbol of the cross on the threshold those homes.

1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

*****Moses understood the mercy of God and that no body of water could hinder the progress of God's people.

Psa 136:13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Psa 136:14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Psa 136:15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

*****Joshua knew it would have to be God's plan and not his own that would bring down the walls of Jericho.

2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

2Co 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

*****Rahab had faith as did Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, Jephthah, and David and Samuel and all those true prophets of God.

1Pe 1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

1Pe 1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

It is by "faith" our weakness are made strong, our bodies are healed, that we escape the evil of this world, and that we are strong enough to fight back.

*****Heb 11:36 [And others] had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

Heb 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

These others are the unnamed army of God!

These are the true heroes of "faith"!

These are the ones who would not renounce their "faith" for any reason!

These things still happen to Christians right now in our day.

Christian persecution happens in all Muslim nations, in all Hindu nations, and in all Atheist nations which are mostly communist and it is on the rise in America.

It has even been said "why do not the Christians leave America if we do not like the changes".

I can say only one thing to that. This nation of America was founded by people seeking a place to worship the God of the Bible freely.

As a soldier I fought for the freedoms this nation offers to those that are oppressed!

I pray my faith is strong enough to join the ranks of the people mentioned in these verses.

The Apostle Peter wrote:

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Peter also wrote:

1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, [yet believing], ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

It is in our "faith" that we can find joy!

The prophet Isaiah also wrote:

Isa 57:1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.

Isa 57:2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

The world does not care when one of God 's children is killed or maimed but it is for sure that they have been taken away from the evil that is still to come in the future.

Rest assured not one of God's children will suffer in Heaven!

When we realize we are going to a better place then the trials of this Earth should be meaningless!

Life is precious and we should never rush to death but we should not be afraid of death!

2Co 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Just as a child of God is not worthy of the "Grace" of God, the World is not worthy of those that love the Lord enough to lay down their lives for Him!

*****Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

It is by "Faith" these others and these that are named were able to accomplish the things of God!

We are weak Christians when we try to blend into this world unnoticed!

This may be the biggest problem our young people face today because peer pressure is so great!

But we must all realize that we are not alone!

God's people and including Jesus Christ Our Savior, are going to be persecuted for what we believe in!

We have to turn that persecution into a motivational tool that keeps us going.

We still must realize the closer we get to God the Father and His Son the greater our protection!

And it should be our goal to get closer to the Lord Our God!

But, that does not mean that God will not let others see us suffer persecution or even death!

It's God's plan, we just need to get involved in His plan and we will all soon be going home!

These Old Testament saints look forward to the promises.

Job said:

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

The New Testament child of God looks forward to the fulfillment of those promises!

The Apostle Paul said:

1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

We should all ask ourselves "where is our Faith"?

Questions?

Let's pray!