Obtaining the Promises of God

 Joshua Israel's New Leader

Book of Joshua Chapter 1

Who is this, Joshua?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Again look at the context of this Scripture.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some of those Doctrines are:

The Doctrine of Faith.

The Doctrine of the Holiness of God.

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

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

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

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

The Doctrine of the Sovereign Ruler of all Creation.

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

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

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

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

It is our duty to answer the call of God!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They needed a strong leader and God gave them Joshua.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It would be Joshua that led the crossing of Jordan!

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

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

South: the desert of Negev.

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

East: the Euphrates River.

West the Mediterranean Sea.

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

Why? Many of them became cowards.

Many of them refused to obey the Word of God.

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

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

A divided nation cannot stand in this world of sin!

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

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

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

What was God's promise to Israel?

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

What wonderful words given to a new leader.

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

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

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

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

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

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

We can do this because we are never alone!

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

It begins with obedience!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joshua was God's man!

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

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

The army of God must be strong and courageous. 

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

We are to be obedient to the Word of God.

We are to never stop sharing the Word of God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Every year brought a new enemy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Again this does not mean riches!

How are we to study the Word of God?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The promise to Abraham refers to the New Heaven and the New Jerusalem, our Heavenly Home!

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

All these things Abraham knew and, on this day, Joshua would begin that journey with Israel as they would cross the River Jordan.

This is where Joshua would derive his courage and his strength!

It was the promises made to Abraham that drove Joshua to be the great man of God that he was, and we should be encouraged just as Joshua was encouraged.

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 

Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 

Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 

Joshua told this new nation of Israel, "let us go an obtain the promises of God".

This is exactly what the Church is doing today!

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

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

After forty years the long-awaited command came. "prepare the people for we are going to cross the River Jordan".

We should remember that this people of Israel would have been several million people.

There is not an army on the face of the earth that can go from rest to moving forward for war in three days, which shows us how Moses had prepared this army.

This was not just the army but also all their families and livestock.

We should also think about those three days!

Three days to our Lord Jesus was the time of His death to His resurrection.

In three days, this rag tag bunch of slaves would resurrect as the nation of Israel.

We should be able to see the typology of all these things.

What do we know? We know that God had spoken to Joshua and the crossing of the Jordan was to be done at once.

As Israel had been at camp until this command came, they had certainly seen that the River Jordan was running out of its banks at this time of the year.

In our service to the Lord, we had better understand that the natural things must be exhausted before the supernatural is brought in.

At this time we believe the "manna" had ceased and the word "victuals" would mean the food that was natural to their surroundings.

Jos 5:12  And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. 

We also believe that before this command was given, that Joshua had already sent out those spies to Jericho, and they had returned.

On this side of this flooded river was Israel ready for war and on the other side stood the walled city of Jericho, which had to fall for Israel to be successful.

Jericho had already heard of the wars Israel had already fought, and won, and the city was afraid of Israel.

Between them lay a vast expanse of rushing water.

Joshua commanded this people of God "to prepare", then "passover" and then "to possess".

We must understand as a soldier in God's Army, we must always be prepared, and we have that "Heavenly Manna" with us at all times if we are carrying the Word of God.

We must feed on the Lord Jesus Christ; He is our Passover!

No doubt that many of these people had the fear of death for war brings death!

But to the child of God, death has but one meaning and that meaning is New Life.

There would be no possessing of that land until they crossed over the flood waters of the River Jordan.

As Christians we have nothing on this side of Jordan, but the New Heaven, the New Jerusalem lie on the other side.

What lies on the other side will be the treasures of God! 

A share of the inheritance of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Still that raging river seemed unsurpassable.

But the Lord will always say:

Jos 3:5  And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. 

When the flood waters of this world are raging, then this is when we need to trust the Lord the most!

Mar_6:50  For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

We must never forget that as we travel in this life, the Lord Jesus Christ will walk before us showing us the way!

We know that God would stop the flow of the River Jordan and several million Israelites would cross the River Jordan on dry land!

Amen

Let Brotherly Love be Real

 A Better Service

Book of Hebrews Chapter 13

We must understand that we were made to worship our Creator!

We must recognize the Higher Authority of our Creator and reverence Him!

He is the Highest of the high!

We live in a world today that rejects authority and everyone wants to do as they please without being held accountable.

Because of sin we had to be "Born Again" again so we could worship God and we have to know the truth of God to understand these things!

We should be able to see from all the previous chapters in this Book of Hebrews that the Lord Jesus Christ did not do away with the Law but He in fact fulfilled the Law.

Mat 5:17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

The Bible would be useless to us if the Lord Jesus had not come to fulfill all the Law and all the prophets!

We need the entire Word of God to understand the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of our Creator!

Unlike most preachers and most men of God today, the Lord Jesus did not shy away from giving us the truth.

It is a fact, that the Lord Jesus Christ would not be allowed to preach in most Churches today because, His message was blunt and to the truth of God.

The first twelve chapters of the Book of Hebrews have described to us the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember the writer was writing to early Hebrew Christians as opposed to the Greek Christians.

The call of the Book of Hebrews is a call to action!

What is wrong with the Church today? It has become lazy and liberal!

The modern church has gotten so bad, it is rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ who is the foundation of the Church!

God the Holy Spirit has been precise in teaching us that it is the Lord Jesus Christ we are to listen to and not the foolish men of this world, even if those men are so-called men of God .

Since it is "by faith" that we can have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, then we must put action to this relationship we have with Him!

We can describe this "action" as "trust"!

Our lives must reflect the reality of our relationship with our Savior, and we do this when we "trust" what He says and be obedient to His Word!

We are to worship in Spirit and Truth, and it seems we have forgotten these things!

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

See what the Lord Jesus is saying? 

If you are saved, then you have the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) living within you and it should be noticeable in our worship of Him.

Those who do not have the Holy Spirit living in them, cannot know how to worship God!

It is a shame that those who are lost, worship sin better than most Christians worship our Savior!

They put more effort into sin than they do eternal life, and it is not supposed to be that way!

What is on the inside of our hearts will come to the outside in our lifestyle starting with the words we speak!

Luk 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. 

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 

It is this Chapter 13 that teaches us how to deal with some of these things.

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

In this chapter we will deal with serving the Lord.

A good meaning of servitude can be taken from the Book of Romans:

Rom 1:9  For God is my witness, "whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son", that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; 

Before we can be of service to the Lord, we must have a realistic view of the world:

Mat 7:3  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 

We are all sinners so how can we even think we could judge others? There is only one Judge, and He is the Lord and he will judge us by His Word

What are some of the places where the Lord has chosen for us to serve?

Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 

Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 

Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

If the Lord has something specific for you, He will send it to you by the Holy Spirit.

The one ingredient that will keep us all honest is "Brotherly Love"!

How do we describe "Brotherly Love"?

Brotherly love is that feeling of mutual regard among all the members of our faith.

Brotherly love is a little bit different from the way we love our families.

It is brother like love, it is brother love, the love we must have for our brothers and sisters in Christ. The love of the brethren.

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: 

1Pe 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 

Our brethren are all those who try to keep all the Word of God as best they can and are in one accord with us.

1Pe 3:8  Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 

1Pe 3:9  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 

We are all one family because we all have the same Father! God the Father. We also have the same Savior our High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ!

Our soon coming King.

Mat 23:8  But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 

Mat 23:9  And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 

We do these things because we are all filled with the same Spirit, the Holy Spirit!

 Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 

Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

Gal 5:26  Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

As we can see "Brotherly Love" is important to the Church, the brethren of the Lord Jesus Christ who are doing the "will" of our Heavenly Father!

Mat 12:50  For whosoever "shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven", the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. 

If we are obedient servants to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are in the family of God!

We can tell our brothers and sisters by the manner in which they have conversations with us and with others.

*****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. 

How can we be content as Christians? 

1) Living our life without covetousness. Not loving money and our possessions more that the Church!

2) Being satisfied with what the Lord has provided.

3) Having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and knowing He will never forsake us.

When we are focused on our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, none of these other things will seem important!

Even our thoughts should be focused upon the Lord "for what He has done for us and how best we can serve Him".

Luk 12:15  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 

Now being content does not mean that we cannot spend some time to improve our situation.

As believers we are to work and labor more diligently than those who do not know the Lord and doing this will sometimes bring rewards here upon this earth.

We have the Lord to provide that additional strength we need to succeed, because the results are in the hands of the Lord.

If we fail for some reason, we can know that a failure is only temporary.

God always works things out for our good!

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

*****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. 

As Christians this world and the things of this world can never satisfy us, nor were they intended to satisfy us.

We are not to be a part of this world! 

What we are looking for lies in Heaven with the Lord and those who have gone on before us!

The things of this world can only look good, taste good, and feel good, but this is all they can do!

Material things cannot satisfy the soul, remember the Holy Spirit that lives within us knows all about Heaven and He will yearn for His own return to the glory world and pass this yearning on to us as our work upon this earth nears completion.

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 

We can enjoy the necessities of this life, but only after we have first sought the Kingdom of Heaven! 

Mat_6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

We should be mindful of the leaders of the Church!

*****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. 

The Church leaders we are to be mindful of, are only those who proclaim the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ" and "all the Word of God".

If they cannot or do not proclaim the entire Word of God as the truth then, we need to ignore them and find a place where "all" the Word of God is proclaimed as the truth.

If their conviction is that God exist and is the Creator and Ruler of all things.

If their conviction that God is the Provider and the Bestower of eternal salvation.

If they lean on the character of God as written in the Word of God.

If their absolute "trust" and "confidence" is in God's power, God's wisdom, and God's goodness, then they can be remembered as leaders of the Church.

These are living leaders and dead leaders that are to be remembered. 

A dead leader would have had the same message as the modern Church leader's message and should not have changed from those who have gone on to be with the Lord.

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

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

Why is this true? Because God does not ever change His character!

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

Why can we trust the Word of God? Because God will never change His character!

How can we trust that our salvation is real? Because the Lord Jesus will never change His character.

No matter how much this world changes this change will never affect the truth of God!

National leaders come and go, but the Sovereign Master of Life is permanent, and none can change this fact!

The Lord Jesus Christ is forever!

The Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed everything for us!

The Lord Jesus Christ took upon Himself all the sin of this world, even the sin that is happening today and bore the guilt of that sin and the judgment of that sin for us.

It is by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ that we can become acceptable to God and there is no other way to do this!

No matter how terrible our sin, during the Church Age we will see nothing but "Mercy" from our Lord Jesus!

During this time of the Church Age we will see the "Grace" of God and not the "wrath" of God!

During this time of "Grace" the Lord Jesus will run to us to meet our needs.

Remember the parable of the "Prodigal Son".

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

We can depend on the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ lives to provide all our needs!

*****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.

If you are Christian and know that the Lord Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever, then you will not pay any attention to strange doctrines and false teachings!

There are many false doctrines that have filtered through the Church since its beginning!

Many of these are the reason behind the many denominations.

These things have carried so many away from the "Grace" of God and led them to a works doctrine, where it is said your good must outweigh your bad.

There is also the doctrine of moderation which does not exist in reality, there is no such law as moderation. 

You cannot sin in moderation when the Lord says to do our absolute best to not sin at all!

Rituals cannot replace the Grace of God!

Ceremonies cannot replace the Grace of God!

Trying to abide by those old laws concerning foods cannot replace the Grace of God!

Our foods are bought with money and money cannot replace the "Grace" of God but is for certain the root of all evil!

God will not transform anyone by some physical or material thing!

Baptism cannot save us!

Church membership cannot save us!

Just because the parents were saved does not make the children saved!

The only thing that can make us "pure" in the eyes of God is a personal relationship with His Son the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must get hold of the fact that the Bible is the full and final authority of this world!

We can only be sanctified by accepting the work that the Lord Jesus has completed for our salvation!

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

We get the doctrines of God only from the Word of God!

2Ti 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

2Ti 3:14  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 

2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 

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.

What is true doctrine? The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ in payment for our sin.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Doctrine of Substitution is mentioned here.

Only the Lord Jesus could be our substitute!

He was Born of a Virgin.

He lived a sinless and perfect life.

He secured a perfect righteousness.

He became the Perfect and Ideal man.

He became the perfect sacrifice for our sin!

There is no other sacrifice that could be made for our sin, beside the Lord Jesus Christ!

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

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

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. 

It is our duty as Christians to guard against strange teachings.

Our best protection is to read and study the Bible for ourselves, and through the preaching and teaching of those who depend upon the Word of God for the truth, because it is the truth if it a translation of the "Received Text"!

We live in a world that is getting further and further from the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a world of difference between the Gospel of Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and being slaves to sin.

It is a fact that you cannot truly call Christ your Lord unless you have the Holy Spirit abiding within you.

Rom_8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

We must continue to be witnesses for the Lord, even if it causes heart aches to those who reject Him.

We must continue to witness in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, even if it offends some people including our own families!

We must go forth bearing the reproach of our Savior!

We must remember it is our own sin that caused the Lord to have to die for us!

We do not have it in our power to make a sacrifice big enough or worthy enough for God to accept!

We can never be good enough to be accepted of the Lord!

We must know that it is only by the blood of Jesus that can make us acceptable to God!

The greatest problem of most humans "is to confess that what we do is wrong", in the eyes of God!

The world just does not acknowledge the sin mess that causes all the problems in this world.

If we cannot deny ourselves and take up the cross of Jesus, we cannot say we are the children of God!

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

Luk 9:24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 

Luk 9:25  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 

There is no place upon this earth that we can call our home, we are citizens of the New Heaven!

It amazes me that a large group of our population are trying to reach the moon and even Mars and leave this earth when it is sin that is destroying this earth and they will take sin with them no matter where they go.

No one can run away from the truth of God!

There is another group who think they can save this earth, but they cannot.

There is a place called Heaven and it does not take magic to get there and it is true that it is an eternal place.

It takes a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

We cannot approach God except by the Lord Jesus Christ!

What sacrifices please God?

1) We must confess His name.

2) We must live a Holy Life in the name of Jesus Christ.

3) We must give to those who are in need.

It is the hypocrite who praises God with his or her lips, but does not live a Holy Life!

We must never forget that God looks into the heart, and He knows what we are.

God cannot be fooled!

1Pe 2:12  Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. 

Amen

Acceptable Worship

 A Better System of Worship

Book of Hebrews Chapter 12 Verses 18 through 29

What is true worship? We could say that worship is the act of paying divine honors to the Supreme Being who is the Lord Jesus Christ.

The term "God" is such a generic term that sometimes I hate to use it and use the term Lord or Lord God.

It seems that everyone who has ever lived has a god that they worship!

Even the Atheist has a god! They put their own selves in the position of being god and they think they can tell all others what to do. 

This is acting somewhat like a god.

Some people have many gods.

As Christians we are to reverence our Lord God! In the Old Testament He says His name is Jehovah.

He says He is the "I AM” because He is self-existing, and He is.

It is our Lord God who is the Giver and the Taker of life!

We could say our reverence is the fear that is within us, that is acceptable to the Lord God Jehovah.

You see if our worship is not acceptable to the One True God then it is not worship!

We also know Him as the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ!

We also know Him as God the Holy Spirit!

We are to acknowledge His perfection.

We should be unwilling to offend Him.

We should have that admiration of someone so great He is unfathomable.

We are to respect Him.

We are to respect everything that He says.

We are to respect everything that He does because everything the Lord does is the right thing to do.

We are to love Him and show that love to Him.

We are to talk to Him just like He is with us at all times because He is!

True worship must be of a spiritual nature, and it must be in accordance with the truth of God as revealed to us in the Bible.

Remember the Scriptures recorded in the Bible are the words that our God chose to use to teach us about Him.

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

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

He did not have to reveal Himself to us! Think about that for a moment.

Worship involves presenting all we have in our heart, our body, our soul, and our entire being, to our Lord God!

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

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

As Christians, we are to be devoted to our Lord God Almighty!

What is true worship?

Act 24:14  But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, "believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets": 

Act 24:15  And have "hope toward God", which they themselves also allow, that "there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust". 

Act 24:16  And herein do I exercise myself, "to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men". 

This is the Apostle Paul describing to us true worship.

True worship is an expressed service of thought, speech, or action that ascribes glory to the One True God!

Let us begin:

*****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: 

We must be clear, "no one" can approach God and be acceptable to God who is imperfect, "no one"!

No human being can become perfect without the Lord Jesus Christ, who says we must be "Born Again"!

Imperfect beings can never become perfect beings!

It is a simple law of creation; imperfection can never be made perfection!

Once a thing is imperfect, it can never become perfect, it is impossible!

These things are true upon this earth, but God can do the impossible!

So, what can be done?

We could say that life is a race to perfection, but a race that cannot be won without the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must still understand it is God who will first call! 

No one can approach God who has not been called by Him!

Once called, we must decide if we are going to approach God or not.

There is where the "gift of choice" becomes so important!

It is the call of God that enables a person to believe!

"It is then a human responsibility to answer the call of God"!

We must clearly understand that God will not just wait around to see if we will answer His call!

God is not governed by situations outside of Himself! 

God's purpose will be achieved with us or without us!

Again, we must understand that God took it upon Himself to reveal Himself when He did not have to, so everything God now does is according to His own purpose!

In reality, God has sent out an invitation to join Him in His realm!

His realm is not upon this earth!

The first approach to God was the Old Covenant.

The second approach to God was the New Covenant.

The approach of the Old Covenant was an external, material approach to God.

People had to approach God to receive His Word and His Law.

The people approached God at Mount Sinai an earthly place, not Spiritual nor Heavenly, just a physical place upon this earth.

When we approach God with material and physical things, these things will not last, this approach will never last long because all material things never last.

A Christian must approach God with a Spiritual approach!

When we try to approach God through the Old Covenant of the Law, we will stand before God condemned!

When we stand before God according to His "Grace", we will be justified.

Just as if we had never sinned!

Mat_20:16  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Mat_22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

The children of Israel stood before God at the base of an erupting volcano, yet when God spoke His voice was so full of authority and so sure, it drowned out the noise of these things and the people became more frightened of God than the noise of Mount Sinai.

This is when the children of Israel decided they had a need of a mediator and Moses was God's man chosen for this position.

These people were so frightened of God, they did not want to hear from Him anymore!

We cannot be saved unless we hear for God in a personal way.

We cannot worship God unless we have a personal relationship with His Son Jesus!

*****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:) 

Why could not God deal with Israel as He deals with the Church?

They could never overcome their true fear of God in order to approach Him in a Spiritual manner!

They could not make themselves believe they could have of a higher understanding of God.

Even Moses got caught up in this fear, as we all would have on this day.

Exo 20:19  And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. 

They were as little children, who wanted to see past His voice in order to believe!

Exo 19:16  And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. 

We could say that God was preaching that day to the congregation of these Hebrews, who were so afraid they could understand the message.

When people approach God according to the Law, they must approach God cautiously, because each broken Law will see the wrath of God.

This is the fear that God intended for them to realize. 

This is the fear that God wants us all to realize, we absolutely do not want to see the wrath of our Heavenly Father.

We just do not want to see the wrath of God!

God has shown us a way to avoid His wrath by His Son Jesus!

The second approach, the New Covenant removes the wrath of God!

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

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

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

The New Covenant is a Covenant of "Grace"!

The true approach to God today is by this New Covenant!

The Old Covenant, the Law is our "schoolmaster" to teach us about sin not about salvation!

Gal_3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Gal_3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

This new approach to God is Spiritual and it is Heavenly!

It is by the cross of Christ Jesus that a doorway is opened for us to enter into Heaven, which is where our Lord is located right now.

This Mount Zion that is the place of the city of the New Jerusalem.

Mount Sinai is earthly and physical!

Mount Zion is both Spiritual and Heavenly!

What does the Church say?

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. 

We should know that  there are angels around every child of God to help and protect us, but there are still more angels in Heaven than can be counted.

These angels are perfect and when we get to Heaven we will have been perfected.

Rev 5:11  And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 

Rev 5:12  Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

In fact, we will join them singing this same song!

It is by this New Covenant, that the Church will enter into Heaven and there is no other path but by the Church!

That One, who is the Firstborn, is of course the Lord Jesus Christ!

He is also God and the Judge of all things, but we can be assured He will only judge according to the Word of God!

The Lord Jesus is First Born of the Church, but He is also the Founder of the Church, the Author of Salvation, the Beginning of the Truth, and Savior of the Church.

Those who are part of the true Church, are the same ones whose names are written in Heaven in the Lamb's Book of Life.

We get to Heaven, we will join not only the angels, but also to those who have gone on before us who have already reached that state of perfection.

Eph 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 

Eph 2:20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 

Eph 2:21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 

Those that can reach Heaven's gates are the same ones who have been judged by God and are then "justified".

Each believer has been judged while in this body of flesh and justified to enter in Heaven!

Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 

Rom 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 

It is also important that it is this same Judge who will judge the unbeliever!

Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 

Heaven is the place where all the Saints of God will come together to rejoice in the Lord!

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

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

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

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

We can only be received into Heaven if, we know the Mediator and He knows us!

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 

1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 

Then comes the warning to all those who reject the Lord Jesus.

*****Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 

Heb 12:26  Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

If we remember when we started in this great book, the first thing we read was that we had better listen to the Lord Jesus Christ.

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; 

Here in this Scripture the Holy Spirit states that we had better not refuse the Lord Jesus Christ, who is speaking to us in this New Covenant!

There is no one who will escape the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and then get to Heaven!

There is God's warning about a great shaking and judgment of the entire universe not too far into our future.

There is a new unshakeable kingdom that must be received by all!

It was Moses who spoke on this earth and gave us the Law of God.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who speaks from Heaven who speaks as He is God, because He is!

Because the Lord Jesus is speaking from Heaven, the New Heaven, we will be held more accountable than the Old Covenant Saints and will face a much greater judgment if we reject our Redeemer.

Mar_6:11  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

There will be no escape whatsoever for any person who refuses to hear the words of "Mercy" and "Grace", which are the words that the Lord Jesus Christ proclaims.

It is only by the Blood of Jesus Christ we will ever enter into Heaven!

*****Heb 12:27  And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 

There is coming a great shaking of this earth! 

In the time of Moses when God spoke, the early Hebrews became so afraid, they just told Moses that he could talk to God. 

They did not want to hear the voice of God again because of their great fear.

There is another great shaking coming again when God will decide to speak to this earth, and this is a promise and God does not ever break His promises!

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.

Have you ever seen the damage caused by earthquakes today and some are major, but we have seen nothing compared to the day God will shake this entire planet called earth and there will be no place to hide then and there is no place to hide now because the Lord put us in the places where we are located, he knows where we are at all times.

It will be only those things that cannot be shaken that will remain!

God's New World will be eternal and more alive than anything we can see upon this earth!

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

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

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

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

By the way, God does not make empty threats!

*****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. 

How do we receive God's New Kingdom?

1) Make sure we have received the "Grace of God".

Grace is that unspeakable gift and favor of God that comes by His "Grace".

2) Make sure after we have received God's Grace, and that we serve Him with a godly fear.

This fear describes our reverence to Him and His formidable power.

Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 

Psa 33:8  Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 

We must serve God according to His Word because God is a consuming fire.

A consuming fire will not go out until all things that fuel it are consumed!

Let us pay attention and worship God, the Lord Jesus Christ with the reverence that He deserves!

This way we will be in practice when we join Him in His Father's House.

Amen

The Unconditional Love of God Toward Those that Love Him

 A Better Love

Book of Hebrews Chapter 12 Verses 1 through 11

How can we describe the love of another person?

We could say that love is showing affection to that person, accompanied with an ardent desire to promote this person's happiness!

1) By abstaining from all that could cause injury to that person.

2) By doing all that can promote that person's welfare, that person's comfort, that person's interest, whether that person appreciates that effort or is indifferent to that effort.

Love must be something personal, coming from one person and directed toward another person.

A relationship develops when both these persons feel the same toward each other.

As Christians we know that God is "Love" and He portrays to us absolute, never ending, enduring, love!

God proves His love for His creation by the things He says, and He does!

1Jn 4:9  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 

1Jn 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

1Jn 4:11  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 

It is because God has this love that we also should learn to love as God loves!

Joh 17:22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 

Joh 17:23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 

Joh 17:24  Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 

So when we begin reading this passage that talks of a race, then we must accept that our race in the will of God is a LOVE race, to promote the love of God to this unloving world.

*****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, 

It is a race to know God and His love and to commune with and fellowship with God both now and forever.

If we love God as He loves us then, we will believe Him and all the Words He has given to us, and be obedient to Him and all the Word of God!

We will believe in all the promises of God, and we will believe the love He has shown us in His Son!

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

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

There is so much we can learn from the Word of God, but if we can just believe He has this love as described here, the rest will be easy!

There is great power in faith.

There is even great power when our faith is combined with our true love for Him.

It is the baggage of a wicked world that has lost its affection for regular people and serves only the elite and powerful, that drags down each of us, unless we can lay aside these things and strive to match the pace God has given to us in His Son Jesus.

God has provided something much better for those who love Him!

Heb 11:40  God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. 

You see we must continue to fight that good fight of faith just as those in the previous chapter!

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 

When we read of the New Testament saints, we should see them as witnesses for the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must clearly understand that anything that does not build us up, is then tearing us down!

Anything that does not improve our Christian life, is then detrimental to our Christian life and our faith!

When we attend a Church service, then it must be to hear the message God has for us that day and fellowship with our likeminded brothers and sisters, and not for entertainment.

If we miss that service, then we have missed God's message for that day and the importance of it!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Author of our salvation and without Him there would be no salvation!

*****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. 

**Looking; we are to fix our eyes upon the Lord Jesus Christ as the object of our "faith"!

We are to fix our eyes upon the Lord Jesus Christ as "the only" means of our "salvation"!

**Author; the Lord Jesus Christ is the "Originator" and the "Preeminent Example" of a life in Christ, being obedient to our Heavenly Father.

**Finisher; the Lord Jesus Christ is our "Perfecter"! It is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ that will carry us through to "perfection". 

The Lord Jesus Christ does not start something that He does not finish!

Php 1:6  Being confident of this very thing, that "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ": 

**The joy; The Lord Jesus Christ got no pleasure in the pain He endured. He got no pleasure in the way the very humans He created treated Him.

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and "was heard in that he feared";

Remember the Lord was 100% man and 100% God. He absolutely did fear the scourge, because it caused the death of so many before they reached the cross. The Lord Jesus had to die on that cross!

Joh_3:14  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

He got joy in knowing that He had completed the work of salvation for every human who has ever existed.

His work for our salvation is finished:

Joh_17:4  I have glorified thee on the earth: "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do".

The Lord Jesus Christ felt joy knowing that salvation was now in our hands for He had completed the payment for our salvation that we did not have the power to do.

Our part is to believe Him and what He has done. This is why "faith" is so critical!

God will not tolerate those who reject His Son because of the work He had to do.

There is still joy in Heaven every time some lost soul is saved.

Luk_15:10  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner "that repenteth".

You will notice that it is not just salvation that brings joy to Heaven, it is that fact of repentance!

The joy of the Lord came to Him because He had accomplished His Father's will.

What is His Father's Will?

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 

1Ti 2:4  "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth". 

**Right hand; His work completed, Our Lord Jesus returned to His place at the right hand of God, but not just as Sovereign God of all His creation, but also as the High Priest and Mediator and Intercessor for each and everyone who have now committed to having that "Saving Faith".

The right hand is the place power, authority, and honor.

Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 

Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 

Rom 8:34  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 

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

The Lord Jesus Christ is our example of the results of "faith" as we will also return to the Father if we can show this same "faith"!

*****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.  

How can we survive this cruel world? By keeping our focus on the things that the Lord Jesus Christ had to accomplish so that we can have this great salvation that is for eternity!

If we compare our own suffering to the suffering of Christ Jesus, we will see that there is really no comparison to the suffering and shame of our Lord as He paid our sin debt.

This will keep us from getting weary, meaning exhausted, tired, worn out, or even just relaxing as we go about the work that the Lord Jesus has given us to do.

There is no neutral ground when we serve the Lord.

We either are or we are not !

Discouragement can ruin our testimony for Christ!

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

We must resist the temptations of this world and focus on Christ who has already defeated this world!

Most all of us can say we have not resisted until death.

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

1Co 10:14  Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 

We must never count the chastisement of the Lord toward us as punishment, when it is only the Holy Spirit who is keeping us on that narrow path to victory.

We must never question the love of God for His children!

If we would just take the time to study all the things our Lord has done for us simply because of His Great Love, we would not hesitate to show Him our love.

*****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: 

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

We should also be clear on this issue. God will discipline His believers!

God will not discipline non-believers, they are already condemned to eternal death!

It is Satan who cause havoc in the lives of unbelievers, yet they continue to worship him.

God chastens, corrects, and rebukes believers!

God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does God tempt any human being.

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 

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

Notice it is lust that conceives, that brings sin into our lives.

It is the lust between a man and a woman who refuse to take responsibility that makes a need for abortion.

It is the lust between two people male or female that cause the queer life style.

It is the lust for power that ruins politicians.

It is the lust for riches that has corrupted our world!

Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

It is sin that alienates us from God!

God does not cause temptation, nor does He cause us to sin.

God does not cause devastation, accidents, destruction, sickness, death or sufferings, trials or troubles and problems.

These are all things of this world! 

God will go through these things with us if He allows them!

God does not cause terrible things to happen, nor does He cause evil!

God's concern for us is not to  cause us problems!

**God allows some of these things to happen to us to teach, to train us, and instruct us, on how to deal with these type things, to make us stronger.

We are to stand on the truth of God!

God does not want any of these things to defeat us and they will not, if we stand firm upon the Word of God, for He will be with us at all times.

Php_4:13  I can do "all" things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

There is a reason for that word "ALL".

These things will only make us stronger if we allow God the Holy Ghost to do His work of sanctification!

When we come under attack we must immediately turn to God and ask for help!

All these things are only directed at us to allow God to work in our hearts to make us stronger.

We must never lay around in self-pity.

Many things are blamed on God that are just not true.

For instance, a small innocent baby is crippled in an automobile accident by a drunk driver. This is not being chastened or corrected by God!

This happens because we live in a corrupted world full of sin.

This is the same for drive-by shootings and other such things.

God simply does not cause such things, "love" simply does not act this way!

We will not see the wrath of God during this period of the "Grace"

All of God's instruction is to teach us to trust and depend more upon the Lord Jesus Christ!

**When we fail or cave into a trial or sin, God will let us reap what we have sown!

We will always bear the results of our sin, but it does not cause God to love us any less.

When we deal with the bad and evil things of this earth, God did not cause them!

We must not despise discipline!

When we are being taught by God, we need to cherish it and know that God is using these things to make us stronger so we will be able to help others who may go through the same thing.

We must get accustomed to the tug and pull of the Holy Spirit and even the little tugs can have critical meaning.

Jer 32:33  And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.

When we endure the chastening of the Lord it shows we trust our Savior and our love will grow even stronger.

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

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

We must understand that when we are going through a period of chastening and suffering because of it, and we see someone else going through  something similar with relative ease we must not get confused.

If God has received us as His children, we should expect our Heavenly Father to keep us straight just as we try to do to our own children.

This shows the great love that God has for us!

He may even spank us to get our attention, but it is still done in love.

It is such a great honor to know you are a child of God and many times as we go through these things, thank spanking hand feels more like a comforting hand because this is the way God is to His children.

We must endure the discipline of God.

We are to stand fast in our trials and troubles.

We must become soft to the feel of the Holy Spirit!

We are to follow the Word of God and the Holy Spirit will direct us by the Word of God.

The Holy Spirit will never lead us away from Jesus Christ!

Our Heavenly Father is a Loving Father!

Now that one who is going through something similar with relative ease may not even be a child of God.

God does not discipline those who do not love Him!

They too are subject to the curse upon this world and exposed to the wickedness and corruptness of it.

God does not discipline those who do not love Him because they are already subject to His "wrath" to come!

This person is the child of Satan.

Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

These people will act just as Satan acts!

The Bible says these are "bastards" and not sons.

Bastard used here means the offspring of non-believers who have rejected the truth of God and not taught their children the Word of God!

Pro_22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Furthermore.

*****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? 

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.

If we have grown up having a father who loves us, then we have surely been disciplined by him and maybe that mother or both and we know it was done out of love.

Much of the troubles we have today are caused because of broken families and this is the work of Satan!

What we see today is children raised without discipline and it shows up so much that it is changing this entire world.

In fact, many of them have grown up to become leaders who now have no respect for the law and choose to not discipline those who break the law.

Living in this world of today we see that love of life has truly little meaning.

Rom_1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

2Ti_3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

The discipline of God brings life and life eternal!

The discipline of this world brings death, maybe not physical death but eternal death and separation from a Holy God!

They will be delivered to this death the very moment they leave this world, whereas the child of God knows that death is just a steppingstone to eternal life in the glory world.

Pro 11:19  As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.

As we were growing up, our parents only had a few days to try to get us to grow up in a righteous manner in ways they thought were good, and many times they used too much discipline for the wrong things and too little discipline when they should have been tougher.

God does not ever make this mistake and God has our lifetime after salvation to get us ready for Heaven and useful for the work He has for us in this world.

If we are not partakers of His holiness, how do we ever expect to come face to face with Him.

There are no places to hide in Heaven! We either are or we are not!

Any move we make toward sin is a good reason to see the discipline of God!

*****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. 

It could be said that pain teaches us our nothingness.

We do not have it in power to stop our pain especially that mental pain for a terrible situation that is going on in our lives.

Health permits us to swell in pride and self-esteem, but pain knocks us down a level and shows us our feebleness.

Pain shows us we are not in charge even of our own bodies!

The fact of the matter is that we need solid "Grace" when we are thrown into the furnace of affliction and if Jesus is not there with us, we will be burnt to a crisp!

It is "faith and love" that teaches us to bear all things good and bad because we trust in a perfect Savior!

There is peace that comes to those who are going to the trials and temptations of this world because we know we are not alone.

There is a lot that can be said of that person who can stand and face God and say, "be merciful to me God, I am but just a sinner that loves you".

There is "Mercy and Grace" at the Throne of Love!

Amen

Faith Hope and Trust the Path to Righteousness

 A Better Principle

Book of Hebrews Chapter 11

What does the word “principle” mean?

According to the Websters dictionary the word "principle" means:  In a general sense, the cause, source, or origin of any thing; that from which a thing proceeds; as the principle of motion; the principles of action.

We should be able to understand the "principle of faith"!

Let us talk about "the principle of faith".

It is the "principle of faith" that is the foundation of the Church.

1Co_3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Our salvation can come only by "the principle of faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ and the work He has done for our redemption!

Act 16:31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. 

The "principle of faith" is the same for all people!

Act 20:21  Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faith is the only way we can approach God!

When we are in conversation with God, we must have faith and we must show God our "faith"!

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. 

It is because of the principle of faith" that we can be forgiven of our sins!

It is true that our only responsibility in our salvation is believing the "Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ" but we need to believe all the Word of God!

Joh 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 

Joh 1:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 

We must understand that the many different translations of the Scriptures can contain errors, but the "Received Text" has no errors at all, and we need a translation that comes from the "Received Text".

"Saving Faith" involves three things:

1) Knowledge: 

There are certain basic truths that must be believed!

We must believe the things that Jesus claimed to be!

Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

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

Unless we believe these things, we will die in our sin!

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". 

The Apostle John wrote these things by the Holy Spirit.

Joh 20:29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

Joh 20:30  And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 

Joh 20:31  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. 

2) Conviction:

There must be an inner conviction that the things that Jesus has said are the complete truth!

Joh 16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 

Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 

Joh 16:9  Of sin, because they believe not on me; 

Joh 16:10  Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 

Joh 16:11  Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 

3) Trust:

As a result of our knowledge of the Lord Jesus, and Holy Ghost conviction that these things are true, then we must place our "trust" in the truth of God, and these things will be settled in our heart.

Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, "and shalt believe in thine heart" that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

It is our own responsibility to take our knowledge of the Lord Jesus and our inner conviction and then trust in the Word of God!

God will not do this for us!

We must get up close and personal with the Lord!

It all begins with "faith"!

So, how can we describe faith? The Bible has one definition.

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

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

In this Chapter there are men and women who believed what God has said and the Holy Spirit gave us some of their names.

Without a doubt the key to God having good memories of us depends upon our "faith" in Him!

Here in this chapter of the Book of Hebrews is the only place where the Holy Spirit gives us a definition of "faith".

In the rest of the Word of God, we get to see examples of those who had great "faith" and those who had little or no "faith".

"Faith" is the single most important thing we need in our relationship with God!

We will see that without "faith" we cannot please God, and if God is not pleased with us, He will have no part in our lives!

Along with "faith" we must have "hope"!

Our "hope" lies in the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Our "faith" must be in that "hope" and this "faith" must lead to our "faithfulness" to the Lord our Savior.

"Faith" is our act of believing in the truth of the Word of God!

We have "historical faith" in the fact the character of God does not ever change! 

What He has done in the past He will do a similar work in the future according to what He has said.

James says:

Jas_2:18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Jas_2:20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Jas_2:26  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

This is not works as in working for salvation!

This is the work of faith being Christian in our thoughts, our ways, and our actions.

Our "faith" is meaningless if we are not growing to be more like Jesus Christ and is therefore dead.

We must understand that with our heart we believe unto righteousness. 

We must put action to our "faith"!

Rom 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 

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

Now our heart does not have to see, yet our "faith" knows these things are true as having seen this truth in the actions of those who have done these things.

We cannot be justified without our work of faith!

Rom 3:27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 

Rom 3:28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

A work of "faith" is not like obeying some old law!

Rom 4:4  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 

Rom 4:5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 

This is the "faith" that must continue to grow with us, as we grow as Christians, so it is our faith that leads to our growth in sanctification.

Sanctification is the act of being made holy in the eyes of God!

As we grow in Christ, then we need to add to our faith daily, again because our faith lies in the unseen promises of God as if we can see our redemption, which we can!

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 

2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 

2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 

2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

The elders of our faith in time past understood these things.

The elders of our faith also knew of our Creator and our Savior being the same person!

*****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. 

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. 

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. 

We know our Lord and Savior is so powerful that He just speaks, and things happen!

We know that our Lord is so powerful that He created all we see and things that we cannot see, out of nothingness.

The very reason there are no creators today, is the fact they cannot create without using something that God has already created.

God is a God of order, and we can only look into the night-time sky and see order in our universe. 

We do not see chaos as would have been the case of some Big Bang Theory!

We have a Universe, or some say Cosmos, because "God said" for these things to take place and they took place.

You see, we do not need "a hope so faith" which is in reality meaningless, we need "a know so faith" in order to please our Creator.

Gen 1:31  And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. 

Notice it was "faith" that Abel offered, meaning much more than the sacrifice that He offered to God.

This has been the same since the beginning of the human race!

Any sacrifice to the Lord is meaningless unless it is accompanied with believing "faith".

Our "faith" is our sacrifice that has meaning to our Savior!

The reward of "faith" is God's approval of the things we do according to the Word of God!

When God approves us, then God accepts us!

God will never approve us when we go against the Word of God, because this immediately shows our lack of "faith".

It seems our politicians do not understand this.

You cannot claim Christ Jesus and go against the Word of God! This is sin that is condemned!

I was not here when God created our world, but I know in my heart that He is my Creator and today I know even more, because I know He is my Savior!

You see, it was not the sacrifice of Abel that God remembers, God remembers His "faith".

God cannot remember anything of Cain because Cain had no faith!

He will hear those dreaded words:

Mat_7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

It is with "faith" that we can see the power of "righteousness"!

The power of faith is what is written in the "Gospel of Jesus Christ"!

Righteousness is the approaching of God, "exactly as He says to approach Him".

It cannot be done in any other way or fashion!

It cannot be done without the shedding of "Blood" as proven by Abel!

Heb_9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

It is by the shedding of blood by the Lord Jesus Christ that we can obtain righteousness!

This was true in the time of Adam and Eve, and it was just as true when the Lord Jesus shed His blood on Mount Calvary, just so we can be saved, but it is our "faith" that makes this true.

I was not there to see what the Lord has done for me, but by "faith" I know He did this for me:

1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

Cain may have been religious, but His religion could not save Him!

Most religion is about religion, form, and ceremony and none of these things can make you righteous because they lack "faith"!

They are just mindless rituals!

It is "faith" that gives us the power to have our own daily walk with God and it is faith that will deliver us from the death of the curse because of Adam's disobedience.

Enoch just believed God, everything God said was ok with Enoch, because He believed every Word God said, and this is exactly what God demands of us all today!

Any disagreement with the Word of God is sin!

Just what does it take to please God? It takes "faith" that the Word of God is true!

It takes "faith" enough to believe that God is exactly who He says He is!

*****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 will never be able to please God if we cannot believe every Word that He has given to us!

God exist just as He says.

God has done everything that has been written of Him!

We must believe we have a Creator!

We will never be acceptable to God if we cannot believe Him!

It is time for those so-called Christians on the border line of faith to understand this!

The Bible is specific!

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.

This is not so hard to understand!

Many people do not understand the word "condemned"

Oh, they love this verse close to it where it says, "for God so loved the world".

We cannot pick and choose what we believe in the Word of God!

It is an all or nothing Book!

We cannot grow in our "faith" if we have none to begin with!

We must practice that hope mentioned in 11:1.

This is hoping for the things God has promised and them making a personal claim to those things just because God promised them!

We must diligently seek God!

To be diligent is to be seek God until you have found Him, and He is not hard to find for those who believe Him!

Act 17:24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 

Act 17:25  Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 

Act 17:26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

We must hunger and thirst after righteousness:

Mat 5:6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

We must ask, we must seek, we must knock:

Mat 7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 

Mat 7:8  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

We must seek the Kingdom of Heaven because it does exist.

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

We must pray and fast, we must persevere in our prayer life!

Mat 17:20  And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 

Mat 17:21  Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. 

Many people pray and pray and pray, never finding the answer to their request, when they do not even have enough "faith" that God can do as He says.

They will never get a prayer answered!

We should understand the greater our need, the greater the time we must spend with our Creator, asking God, conversing with God, listening to God, sharing God, believing God and most important, living for God!

There is always an answer to those who seek God in true "faith"!

The more we stay in touch with God the more our "faith" will grow.

It should be truly clear, God will never reward sinful, carnal trust, nor will He ever reward doubtful trust!

If God did ever answer a prayer for those who doubt Him, then that person would think they could live their lives as they wish, and God will never so this.

God will certainly answer the prayers of the righteous with a believing heart.

Jas 4:3  Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 

Jas 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 

God will never answer any prayer that goes against His Word, nor should we expect Him to!

No one can read the Scriptures with attention, without feeling the intensity of God to produce confidence in His "Mercy" and His "Grace"!

To be a Christian, is to show the character of God to the world.

The world should be able to see our "faith" and our "faith" will set us apart from the world we live in!

We must put action to our "faith"!

When we doubt God's goodness, then we are biting the hand that feeds us!

The work of God is our victory in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we reject this victory, we remain cursed, because we have no "faith" in the truth of God.

We can honestly say that there is really not much faith in this world and in fact when we see all those so-called Churches allowing the immoralities of the world inside the Church, we can truthfully say that there is not much "faith" left in the Church.

Wake Up Church, God's Word does not ever change!

Now God gives us some examples of "faith".

*****Heb 11:7  By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

We should pay close attention to the things addressed by Noah.

There was a time in the history of this world when this earth had become so wicked that it was filled with corruption and violence.

Humanity had reached such a sinful level that God simply would not tolerate it and God was left with no choice, but to destroy this wickedness.

There was only one man, on earth who was a godly man, and his name was Noah.

God will never destroy the godly with the wicked, so God warned Noah about the coming "judgment" to this world.

Though many doubt the story of the world-wide flood, it is still the complete truth because God said it was and there is much proof of it today.

There is no place upon this earth that you cannot see signs of this worldwide flood!

This is a place where our faith is so important!

We already know that God had made a promise to His Son Jesus before Jesus created this world.

2Th 2:13  But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 

2Th 2:14  Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

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

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

The world-wide flood happened just as God has said and the evidence proves it!

This is important today because God has said it will happen again.

Not with a world-wide flood, though there certainly be flooding, but this time "with" fire for the exact same reasons and we can see that without a doubt our world is returning to days that were the same in the days of Noah!

Mat_24:37  But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Luk_17:26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

All those with "faith" are expecting this to happen and to happen right after the "Rapture of the Church"

Just as Noah received a warning, the Lord Jesus Christ has warned His Church, but He has also warned this world.

Those without "faith" have been made aware of these things for centuries!

If you do not believe in the world-wide flood, then you are calling the Lord Jesus Christ a liar, and you need the Lord Jesus to be saved.

You are calling the Word of God all lies and you cannot please God so, to those who read this it will be your warning.

After the "Rapture of the Church" you will see a world with all evil, wicked, and immoral people even worse than the days of Noah!

A world that is trying to live by science and corrupt governments, and focused upon pleasure and riches, cannot please God!

*****Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Heb 11:9  By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:  

Abraham also had a faith that is not even understood today!

Abraham was born Abram in what would now be modern day Iraq and Abram was not a Jew and no Jewish nation even existed in all his days.

God made Himself known to Abram and told Abram to leave his homeland and all his kinfolk and go to a land that Abram was not familiar with.

God made some sincere promises to Abram and today we are still seeing the fulfillment of some of those promises.

What did Abram have that few others had in his day. 

Abram had the ability to see God as our Creator and Abram believed all the Word of God given to him.

It never appeared that Abram was a poor man, but only later does it say that because of God's blessing he would be considered to be a rich man in his day.

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 

Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 

Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 

It may not be spoken of Abraham, but Abraham took his beliefs and shared them with his family and all those with him, and it appears that most all of them believed also.

Abraham might not have known that his wife Sarah would go childless when he married her, but God was well aware, and we see the desire of Abraham to have a child.

Abraham learned a valuable lesson from God, and it was when God makes a promise all we need do is believe it and not doubt what God says and also that God will do what He says and He does not need our help, He just wants us to have faith in His truths.

God told Abraham he would be the father of many nations and Abraham did not yet have a child and he was ninety years old.

Gen 17:1  And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 

Gen 17:2  And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 

Gen 17:3  And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 

Gen 17:4  As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 

Gen 17:5  Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 

Gen 17:6  And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 

1) God would cause a people to be born of the seed of Abraham.

2) God would bless all nations through this seed born of Abraham.

3) God would give Abraham a promised land which in fact was the land of Canaan.

What did God ask of Abraham?

He asks Abraham just to have faith in what was told to him.

Abraham had a decisive, obedient faith.

He obeyed God and did as God ask him to do.

What did Abraham not do? 

He did not hesitate.

He did not argue.

He did not question.

He did not waver back and forth.

Note: Abraham did not know where he was going, and this was not important to Abraham.

Abraham did not know where following God would lead him.

Abraham just believed the promises of God, and this is all God asks of us today and God has given to us much more information than what Abraham had.

We should clearly understand, we cannot say we believe God and then live our lives in disobedience!

To be true, no person can know where his faith may lead him, but we must not fear following God!

How did the Lord Jesus Christ put it?

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

You see Abraham was not looking for the things of this earth!

*****Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 

Abraham lived in a tent and a tent does not require a foundation.

Abraham had seen the things that were built in his day and none of them were great masterpieces of construction because man had built them.

Abraham understood much more than we give him credit for!

Abraham could live his life without the things of this world that hold us in peril most all our days.

You see obedience is in our hands and providence is God's business!

As far as being a witness, we take God's seed and scatter it where the Holy Spirit is working and God Himself is in charge of all results.

Our job then is simply to obey!

Obedient "faith" is the only way to eternal life and good preachers cannot even preach this message today without making their congregation mad at them so, many do not preach salvation at all.

Obedient "faith" creates a life which many will want to copy. This is why the Lord ask us to live by faith.

This is why the Lord will give more "Grace" to those have "obedient faith"!

By "faith" Abraham gave up the known world and rested on the promises of God!

Abraham was not called because he was any better than others.

Abraham answered the call of God simply because God called him.

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 

1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 

1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence. 

1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 

1Co 1:31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. 

Abraham believed God and God accounted it righteousness for Abraham.

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

It is the wicked and evil riches of this world that has caused so many to end up in Hell, and Abraham knew if you could see it here, then it would not be in the City of God.

Why was the promise to Abraham so important to us today?

Because the promise God made to Abraham was the promise God made to us all through the Lord Jesus Christ.

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. 

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 

Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 

Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

I am not looking forward to seeing Jerusalem here on earth though it would be great to visit the land where Jesus walked. 

I am looking forward to seeing the New Jerusalem that is in the City of God!

The same city Abraham was looking for!

*****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. 

There are great rewards that come by "faith" in the promises of God!

We can be encouraged when we read about these Old Testament saints of God.

We know that God was encouraged because He has written these things down for us.

Their faith was an encouragement to the early Church.

Their faith pointed others to God and still does today.

Their faith was their greatest testimony!

These things are the greatest testimony we can leave behind once we have left this world and joined the Lord in Heaven.

What was this great faith based upon? The future promises of God.

We must get it through our thick skulls that the God's promises are in the future!

No doubt a Christian life does have its many rewards, but it is our future life where we will reap those greatest rewards.

So, with "faith", its best blessings are in the future.

Just as with the Old Testament saints the object of our faith is still in our future.

The faith of the Old Testament saints looked forward to the promise of salvation.

The Church looks back to the work that the Lord Jesus has done for our salvation.

We should remember when the Old Testament saints died, they entered into a place called Abraham's Bosom having to wait for the fulfillment of the Messiah.

Abraham’s Bosom 

Before the finished work of the cross, everyone who died and believed in the Messiah went to a separate place in hell known as “Abraham’s bosom”. 

This was also referred to as “paradise” in another scripture.

It was separated from Hell by a fixed gulf that could not be crossed by either side!

Just before the Lord Jesus died on the cross with the two thieves, He promised one of them he would meet him in Abrahams Bosom the very same day.

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. Luke 23:43 KJV

The bible tells us Jesus descended to the lower depths before He walked with the rest of the saints in town for 40 days. 

This means Jesus went into Hell but into Abraham's Bosom, to free those who believed in him and took them out before he ascended to heaven along with those more than five hundred saints that came out of those graves. 

The saint of God that dies today goes directly to be with the Lord having being made perfect at death.

Our death now turns to eternal life in the glory world!

Amen