The Way-An in-depth study of God's Word with Paul Orr: Recent Episodes
Paul Orr
The Way is a podcast fully committed to the solid, straight forward, uncompromising, Spirit filled teaching of God’s Word. We know that we are living in a dark and evil time. According to the scriptures, we are living in the last days before the return of Jesus. Therefore, to live a victorious life in Christ regardless of the rising evil all around us, we must know God’s word thoroughly and obey it completely regardless of cost of consequence. Our desire through this podcast is that God would give every listener an ear to hear, a heart to receive and a will to obey. May all the teaching of God’s Word through this podcast be solid and Spirit filled. May all who listen be strengthened and built up in the body of Christ. May we all live fully to the glory of God until Jesus calls us home. Maranatha
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Deception concerning the day of the Lord had entered the Thessalonian church. This deception had both shaken and troubled them in their minds. To remove this deception from them, Paul presented two events that must take place prior to the day of the Lord.
In our last study we looked at the first event, the great falling away. In this study we are looking at the man of sin, the antichrist revealing himself as God. The Bible refers to this as the abomination of desolation. Both of these events must take place prior to the day of the Lord.
There is much deception in the church today. It is quite amazing when we realize how much deception exist concerning the second coming of Christ.
Knowing God's word and living in obedience to God's word can never be overstated. It is the only protection we have against the cunning deception of the enemy.
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In this study, God declares that He does not change. How comforting to know this. His love, grace and mercy never changes. How wonderful to know that our righteousness and holiness depends not on our performance but on God's promise.
For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him until that Day. II Timothy 1:12
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Paul now transitions from prayer to the issue of concern, the purpose of his letter. The Thessalonian church was troubled and shaken about the doctrine concerning the second coming of Jesus. They thought that the rapture had passed them by and they were living in the day of the Lord.
Paul dispels this confusion that has entered their church by laying out to things that must absolutely happen prior to the day of the Lord. First, there must be a falling away from the faith. After this the man of sin will be revealed as he presents himself as God to be worshipped. Neither of these things had happened.
In this study, we do a deep dive on what he falling away is; how we can identify it and how we can avoid being a parts of this terrible movement
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In this study, we take a look at marriage. Marriage is God's institution. God loves marriage and He hates divorce. Our view of marriage must be the same as God's view.
It is in marriage that we learn the heart of God. It is in marriage that we come to know the depth of our relationship with Jesus. Marriage is God's best.
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We now begin a study in Malachi. The thrust of the first chapter is that God wants all of us. He wants our best. He wants us to surrender every area of our life to Him.
Maybe you are struggling in your walk. Maybe you are living in defeat. Have you surrendered all to God? If not, why?
We cannot walk in the power of God until we kneel in surrender before the throne of God.
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We now begin Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians. This church continues to grow in both their faith and love. They are growing at incredible rate in spite of the persecution and tribulations that they are living in. While no one desires persecution and tribulation, it is the perfect soil in which our faith and love can truly grow to the glory of God.
This passage is more than relevant for our present day. As the return of Christ hastens, the persecution and tribulation will rise rapidly. What are we to do?
Know God's word and live in obedience to it regardless of cost or consequence. Know that God is sovereign. Know that all His judgments are righteous. It is the persecution and tribulation that we will face that allow us to be all that God has called us to be for the days we are living in.
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We now come to the conclusion of the first letter that Paul writes to the Thessalonians. It is a rich letter with a strong focus on the second coming of Jesus. This letter not only emphasizes the return of Jesus but also challenges us to live for Jesus as His return approaches.
Paul ends with a wonderful blessing. A blessing that reminds us of all that God has done for in Christ. We will be sanctified completely and be presented blameless before the Lord on that day. All of this will take place because God is faithful. He will do it.
With this in mind, we must rejoice always, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks. This is the will of God for us in Christ Jesus.
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We now come to the conclusion of Zechariah. Zechariah and Hagai had both written to the Israelites who had returned from Babylon. Hagai wrote encouraging them to restart the building of the temple. Zechariah wrote telling them to finish the work they began. May we all start the race well. May we all finish the race well.
These last few chapters of Zechariah have focused on the second coming of Jesus. God's word is true. We can know for a certainty that Jesus is coming again and He is coming soon.
Let us all be ready for His return. May we all keep our hand to the plough and never look back.
Maranatha
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Paul continues to address the return of Jesus. He now transitions from what they did not know, the rapture of the church, to what they do know, the Day of the Lord.
All teaching regarding the return of Christ should bring comfort to us as believers. Not only should it bring comfort, but it should build us up in our walk with Jesus. Any believer not comforted or edified by the knowledge of the return of Christ should be a concern.
May we all truly walk with the Lord in these last of the last days. May we all truly comfort and build one another up based on the truth found in Jesus and His word. May the study of the return of Christ be at the center of our studies.
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As we continue to study the last three chapters of Zechariah, we see clearly that the day of the Lord is soon to be upon us. Everything in the world is lining up for that day, the day when Jesus comes again.
Some see the world as being out of control. But as we study passages like the one before us, we can know for certain that God is in control
Are you ready for the return of Jesus? Are you running the race to win? Is your hand to the plough with no looking back?
Maranatha
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In a previous study we took the time to review what good hermeneutics are. Hermeneutics is a big word that simply means how we study and interpret the scriptures. From this we were able to take a biblical look at the distinction between Israel and the church. All of this is critical if we are to have a correct biblical view of prophesy.
This week, we came back to topical technical study rather than our normal verse by verse. In this study we looked at several prophetic terms, the millennium, the second advent and the rapture of the church. From here we looked at the different interpretations concerning the timing of the rapture. This was an overview utilizing good hermeneutics.
Why do we take the time to do this? So that you will know why you believe what you believe according to the scriptures. We don't want you to a person who says, "this is what my pastor says" or "this is what my pastor believes". We want you to be a person who says, "this is what the bible says".
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As we come to the last three chapters of Zechariah, the prophies now center on the return of Jesus. It begins with God affirming His power, sovereignty and the fact that He alone is the infinite, almighty creator of everything seen and unseen. This is critical as these prophesies unfold.
One thing that stands out concerning Israel in the last days is that the whole world will be against her. The whole world will seek her destruction. But Israel belongs to God. Throughout this passage we see God saying "I will" on behalf of Israel
Israel cannot be defeated. Every nation that comes up against Israel will be defeated because the God of Israel fights on her behalf. How can anyone expect to have victory of Israel.
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This passage along with I Corinthians 15:50-58 are the foundation for the doctrine of the rapture. This is a doctrine that falls under eschatology, the biblical study surrounding the return of Jesus.
While the rapture sadly is surrounded by some controversy, in truth, it should not be. A solid study of the scriptures reveals with great clarity this wonderful doctrine.
As Paul delivers this passage to the Thessalonians, he tells them that is meant to bring them comfort. It is meant to comfort us in the days that we are living. As we study the rapture of the church, may we all receive comfort from it.
Maranatha!
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Sadly, the incredible blessings that God has in store for Israel have been delayed. Delayed due to their rejection of Jesus as His first coming. They rejected the true, good shepherd.
As a result, they will receive the foolish and worthless shepherd. They, for a time will receive the Antichrist. It will be a terrible and dark time for the nation. Our choices have consequences.
Thank God for His covenant with His people, Israel. God will ultimately deliver and restore His nation, Israel. What a glorious future they have when they finally receive Jesus, their true shepherd, their true Messiah.
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We now begin a new section of Zechariah. These last six chapters will focus on prophesies concerning the first and second coming of Jesus. As we look at the prophesies fulfilled in the first coming of Jesus, we can be encouraged to know that the prophesies concerning His second coming will be fulfilled exactly.
Biblical prophecy is history written before it happens. Only God can do this. Based on God's word, we have wonderful days before us. May God grant us the strength to live faithfully in the days leading up to His return.
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We are currently entering a section of scripture that covers much prophesy in depth. Our present passage deals with the doctrine of the rapture. Both prophesy and the rapture are subjects familiar with controversy. What we would like to do in this study is to revisit a key basic, how we study and interpret the bible. It is critical that as a believer, you know what you believer and why you believe it according to the scriptures.
Once that is established, we would like to discuss biblically one of the largest controversies in bible prophesy, the distinction between Israel and the Church. This is a subject that will impact your understanding of the Bible. It will also impact your world view.
As all this information is put before you, we pray that you will be a Berean and search the scriptures for yourself.
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In this study, we begun by continuing to look at our Christian walk. A solid walk in Christ is critical to our witness for Christ. Nothing is more powerful in our Christian witness then our walk in Christ.
We looked at the need to increase in our brotherly love for one another. The way we increase in our brotherly love is by aspiring to lead a quiet life, minding our own business and working with our own hands. This is a command that when obeyed will cause our brotherly love to increase more and more.
From here, we began to look at the doctrine of the rapture. This is a wonderful doctrine that will bring comfort to us. In our next few studies, we will take a deep biblical look at this great doctrine.
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In this study, the people present a question to God concerning traditional fast that they began while in captivity. These fast were supposedly for God. The question they pose is should they continue this tradition.
God sends four messages through Zechariah before he gives the answer. God has to prepare their hearts before giving them the answer. The answer is simple, you are to no longer fast, you are to have joy, gladness and a cheerful feast.
Traditions, no matter how well intended, puts the focus on self. Worship gives the glory to God. God desires reality not ritual.
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Paul now transitions from the Thessalonians being led to Christ, being established in Christ to now walking in Christ. What good is it to be led to Christ, established in Christ if we are not going to live every day for Christ.
Paul first tells them that God's will for their life is that they would be holy. That they are to be separated from the world and separated to God. This is God's will for all of us.
The first necessary step of obedience needed for our holiness is to abstain from all sexual immorality. We do this through self-control that comes from the Holy Spirit. If we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
May we all be holy to the glory of God.
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Zechariah receives the last of his visions. All took place in one night. Sometime after the series of visions, Zechariah is given instructions to make a crown of gold and silver. The person that ultimately wears this crown will be both king and priest over Israel. Never in all of Israels history has there been a person who was both king and priest. This crown is symbolic and looks ahead to when Jesus returns and set up His kingdom.
As believers, we have much to look forward to. There is a kingdom yet to come that will be filled with perfect peace and justice. The knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth.
Maranatha
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We spent much time in this study looking at love and what it means biblically. True biblical, Christian love has no trace of self. It is selfless in every way. True biblical love focuses on the welfare of others to the glory of God.
Paul prays that the believers in the Thessalonian church would both increase and abound in true Christian love. This prayer applies to us as well. To increase and abound in love will only happen in the life of a believer as we abide in Christ: as we know His word and as we live in obedience to His word.
May we all increase and abound in the love of Christ.
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In this study, we are faced with some big challenges. We have been wonderfully saved. We are a new creation in Christ. Are we walking in God's ways? Are we living our lives according to God's word? We have been saved so greatly by God's amazing grace. With grace comes great responsibility.
Are we building our lives on Jesus? Are we battling with discouragement? Are we facing insurmountable obstacles? Be encouraged. God finishes the good work that He has begun in us.
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Paul now begins to transition from the birth and nurturing of this young church to the establishing and encouraging of this young church. Here we will see much of the pastoral heart of Paul.
It is great to see people get saved. But it does not end there. Once a person is justified the process of sanctification immediately begins. It is then that we are to obediently make disciples to the glory of God. We must help to establish and encourage young believers.
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The time of exile had come to an end. The Jews were now free to return to Israel. However, many had become accustomed to the comforts of Babylon. They chose to remain in the comfort of Babylon rather than returning to the hard, challenging work of rebuilding the temple. Rather than respond in humble obedience to God's call, they chose to remain in the comfort and security of a pagan society.
The same is true for us today. Many know the call of God, yet we choose comfort over humble obedience to Jesus and His word. So often personal comfort means far more than the glory of God.
Are you ready to obediently answer the call of God?
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Zechariah is the 2nd post exile prophet sent to the nation of Israel. Both Haggia and Zechariah ministered at approximately the same time. Haggai challenged the people to re-start the building of the temple. Zechariah encouraged them to complete the rebuilding of the temple. Completing the work that God has called us to is critical in being all that God has called us to be.
Before Zechariah encourages to complete the temple, he challenges them to repent. God is far more interested in the people then what the people can do for Him. God is always more interested in the servant than the service.
Furthermore, no great work of God can continue or come to completion when repentance remains to be acted upon. The key to repentance is to not delay. Once the Holy Spirit convicts us of the need to repent, we must immediately return to God and He will return to us.
What great work has God set before us in these last days?
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Paul continues to write to the Thessalonians about how they received the gospel. They first received the word of with both the hearing of the ear and with their hearts.
Paul also speaks to them about persecution. All true believers will indeed face persecution. As persecution comes our way, we must remember that God is sovereign. Any persecution that He allows into our lives is no doubt allowed for our good and God's glory.
We indeed have dark days in front of us. As God's remnant church, we must stay strong in Jesus. We must know God's word and live in obedience to His word. We must never lose hope. Jesus is coming soon!
Maranatha
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In this verse we see the importance of the word of God in the work of God. Every work of God begins with the word of God. Paul and company did not come to the Thessalonians with gimmicks, sleight of hand or bait and switch. They came to them with Jesus and His word. As a result, God did a great work among the Thessalonians.
For us, is Jesus and His word enough. There is so much in the church today that distracts and detracts from the word of God. Where is our heart? Is Jesus and His word enough?
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We now conclude the short book of Haggai. While small, there are many great lessons found here. First, we do not just start a work for God, we must be diligent to finish the work that God calls us to. We need to be strong. We need to work hard. And we must fear God in every endeavor He calls us to. Remember that God's work begins with His word. The work continues with His word. And the work is completed according to His word.
Next, five times in this book, the people are challenged to consider their ways. Have you considered your ways? What path are you on? Are you living for Jesus? The days are short. Make every day count for Jesus.
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Paul continuing to defend himself now goes from the things they did not do to the things they did do amongst the Thessalonian church.
Paul, Silas and Timothy were gentle and affectionate like a nursing mother. They also exhorted, comforted and charged the young church like a father training his children.
Paul, in this passage that we have looked at over the past few studies, lays out what all church leadership should be. This passage is to be applied to all church leadership
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We now come to the book of Haggai. This is the first of the post exile prophets. We are presented with great lessons that must be applied to our Christian walk.
A great lesson of this book is to complete the work we begin. God calls us to a work that we begin with zeal. Yet very quickly we are tested. Our faith is challenged. At that point we must decide if we will continue by faith or come up with a godly sounding excuse for not continuing the work God calls us to.
How often do we use excuses to prioritize ourselves above God. Israel did this. Thus, God told the people to consider their ways. Have we prioritized ourselves above God? If so, we must consider our ways.
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Paul now changes gears. He goes from writing about this young growing church to defending his brief yet powerful ministry among them. Paul's defense is based on his actions of which they are all aware. Our actions will always be our greatest defense. They will also be our greatest witness and testimony.
As Paul defends himself, he lays out both things that he did not do and things that he did do. These actions by Paul are a great example of how every pastor, elder, deacon and anyone in ministry leadership should conduct themselves. It is a great example for us all to follow. May there be many that will follow this example.
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Zephaniah began with the word of God, and it concludes with God giving us His word. This book presents to us the day of the Lord, the fact that all nations will be judged before a holy God. Yet we also see that after God's judgment, the kingdom of God will be ushered in.
We are living in the last of the last days. We have some brutal days that lie before us. But according to God's word, our best days are yet to come. Jesus is coming. When Jesu returns, He will set up His kingdom that will be wonderful beyond our wildest imagination.
While these days are perilous, as believers, according to God's word, we have everything to look forward to. Look up, our salvation draws near.
Maranatha!
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In this study we see the future judgment of God that will come upon the whole world. It is a judgment that is on the near horizon.
As this judgment quickly approaches, we know according to God's word, that this judgment is righteous, holy and just. It is a judgment coming on a Christ rejecting world. As this judgment comes, the world will be without excuse.
How are we to navigate in a world that is on the precipice of God's judgment. As always, we are to both know and obey God's word. We must pray for the lost. And we must pray that God will open doors. Remember, in God's pending judgment, He always offers opportunities to repent.
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What an amazing example this church is to all churches right up to our present day. They are a young church, yet they are growing and maturing at a rapid pace. Knowing God's word and living in obedience to the word of God is central to all that they do. Doctrine from the bible is taught to all regardless of maturity level. There is no room for compromise in the slightest from top to bottom. Even more, all are taught about the return of Christ. They are excited about the return of Christ.
May we all learn from the example of the church in Thessalonica. May we all shine brightly to the Glory of God!
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We now begin a study of the letters that Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church. This was a young church, primarily made up of Gentiles. Paul planted this church on his second missionary journey.
While this is a young church with little if any biblical foundation, Paul addresses deep doctrinal subjects in his letter. This is a good lesson for us. One is never too young in Jesus to be taught doctrine. Doctrine is to be taught to all believers.
Also, there is a great focus on the return of Jesus. Again, one is never too young in Jesus to be taught about the return of Jesus. Both doctrine and the return of Christ must be central in the lives of all believers, regardless of how young or old they are in Christ.
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We now begin a study in the book of Zephaniah. The theme is the day of the LORD, the coming judgment of God. There was judgment that came through the Babylonians. But there is still a judgement to come.
The name Zephaniah means Yahweh has hidden. The only way to escape God's judgment on the near horizon is to have your life hidden in Christ. Thankfully, God's children are not appointed to wrath.
In this study we will see a call to repentance. There is urgency attached to it. If your life is not hidden in Christ, then this call is to you. If God is calling you to repentance, do not delay. Seek the LORD. Seek righteousness. Seek humility.
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
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Habakkuk prays again. But this time his prayer is one of praise not complaint. Habakkuk in his prayer recalls according to the word, God's great faithfulness in the past. Knowing of God's past faithfulness assures us of the certainty of his faithfulness in the future.
God has given to Habakkuk a revelation not an answer. The crushing external pressures have given rise to the inner beauty that God has developed in Habakkuk. He now sees everything through the lens of scripture. Habakkuk is now ready to walk on the high hill of faith.
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We come to the end of our study in Colossians. What a book filled with such great commands in Christian maturity. It is these commands that will protect us against the deceptive false teaching that has overrun this last days church. The question is, do we have the courage to live in obedience to the great commands from this letter.
My encouragement to all is found in verse 6 and 7 and the second chapter. As you therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
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Habakkuk, not understanding God's answer to his prayer, has been waiting upon the Lord. In His answer to Habakkuk, God's provides him with three assurances that are assurances we can all count on.
First, the assurance that the just shall live by faith. All those justified by the blood of Christ will live.
Next, a day is coming in the soon future when Jesus will return and set up His kingdom. When He does, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. What a time we have to look forward to.
And finally, God is in control. God is sovereign regardless of how things seem. God is seated in His holy temple. God is seated on the throne. Regardless of how things appear, God has been, is and will forever be sovereign.
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We now head into the last section of Colossians. Paul's desire is that we would all be mature in Christ. He has spent the last section laying out for us the commands necessary to be mature in Christ.
Our maturity in Christ should be reflected in our relationships. Paul gives a series of simple and singular commands beginning with the husband and wife, then the parent and child. And lastly, we will look at the master and slave, or better put in our day, the employer and employee.
Obedience to the commands concerning these relationships is a direct reflection of the depth of our relationship with Christ. It is a key component of our being a living epistle.
May our maturity in Christ be reflected in all our relationships to the glory of God.
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Habakkuk is faced with an incredible dilemma. Thing in his nation are falling apart at the seams. God does not seem to care. God does not seem to be listening as he prays. Yet God is listening and God does answer. However, the answer God gives seems to run counter to the character of God.
Habakkuk is at a crossroad. His faith is being put to the ultimate test. If he chooses not to trust God and wait upon Him, his life will certainly fall apart. If He choose to wait upon God to bring clarity to His answer, it will be hard, yet Habakkuk will grow in His faith to the glory of God. Habakkuk's answer will determine the course of His life
It is a great lesson for all of us. We to will face critical decisions that will determine the course of our life. Will we choose to have faith that will allow us to grow to the glory of God.
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In this study we are given for more commands necessary for our growth and maturity in Christ. Obedience to these commands are essential.
First, we must put on the love of God in Christ Jesus. The believer who has put on the new man must put on Love.
Next, we must let the peace of God rule in our hearts. After that, the word of Christ must dwell richly in us. No true believer will be all that God has called us to be apart from knowing and obeying God's word,
Finally, everything we do must be a reflection of Jesus according to the word of God. Everything we do must bring glory to God.
Let us all live in obedience to all that Jesus commands of us through His word to the glory of the Father.
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Ninevah was a city without excuse. They were fully aware of the grace and goodness of God. They had a history that showed this to be true. Yet in spite of this great knowledge, they turned their back on God. They had returned to their cruel and wicked ways. As a result, they would face the severe, certain judgment of God.
Twice we read that The LORD of host was against them. Their choices had placed them in a horrible position. There was no escaping the inevitable judgment of God. What choices have we made concerning God?
As we conclude this little book, we must remember that God is sovereign. Nothing takes place apart from God's great wisdom. As we look at all that is taking place in our world today, the message of Nahum should bring us great comfort.
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We are God's elect. We have been chosen by God. We have died with Christ. We have been raised with Christ. We are alive in Christ. Therefore, are we living in obedience to Jesus and His word? Have we put to death; have we put off; have we put on? Is our desire to be like Jesus.
Time is so short. Let us live every day for Jesus.
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We now begin a study in the book of Nahum. It is a powerful little book. Its focus is the destruction of Nineveh. It is a message that would bring comfort to Judah.
Judah could be comforted concerning the certainty of God's word. What God says in His word is a done deal. Nothing can stop the word of God from being fulfilled. We to can take comfort in this fact as well.
According to God's word, Jesus is coming again. Not only is He coming again, but his return is at hand. According to God's word, we can be certain of this.
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We now move into chapter three. The preeminence of Christ has been firmly established. Doctrine has been established. Now Paul presents to us commands we are to obey in light of the preeminence of Christ. What good is all that Paul taught us if it is not demonstrated in the way we live for Jesus.
We have died with Christ. We have been raised with Christ. We are now alive in Christ. In order for us to live for Christ we must live in obedience to His word.
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It is essential that we never lose sight of the fact that we have died with Christ, we have risen with Christ, and we are now alive in Christ. Our lives are to be lived in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are to know God's word and live in obedience to His word always regardless of cost or consequence.
We are never called to live according to the commandments and doctrines of men. This is an absolute. To do so is compromise. It is compromise that will entangle is in mysticism, legalism, backsliding and apostasy.
Our citizenship is now in God's kingdom. Our lives are to be governed by God's word in the power of the Holy Spirit.
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We conclude our study in the book of Micah. There is so much in this little book that applies to our present day. They stood on the precipice of judgement. So do we. God made them well aware of why judgment was coming. We also are well aware of why God's judgement is coming upon us. He also warned them of what this judgement would look like. We can barely begin to realize how horrible the judgment of God will be. Yet the people, much like us today, refused to heed the Lord.
This broke the heart of Micah. Did the people deserve the judgment that was coming? Yes! However, it still broke the heart of Micah. Does our heart break knowing the judgment that is soon to come upon this world?
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We continue to look at how the false teachers were seeking to draw the believers of the Colossians church away from the truth found in Jesus and His word. Satan does not care what false teaching a believer get lured into. Satan simply wants to see all believers drawn away from Jesus and His word. In this case, the false teachers were trying to draw them into circumcision as a means of reaching a higher level of spirituality.
Paul continues to remind them that they are complete in Christ. No born-again believer lacks in the least. We are all complete in Christ the second we are justified by the finished work of Jesus.
May we all continue to stand strong in Jesus and His word against the many false teachers of our day. May we always know that we are complete in Christ.
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As we continue in our study of the book of Micah, we encounter a verse that describes three-character traits of a believer strongly rooted in their relationship with God. They are three traits that all of us as believers should be known for.
What God desires for all his children is that we would be just, love mercy and walk humbly with God. These traits, easily seen by all, are the marks of a true believer. They identify the person who has a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus. They identify a person filled with and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Is that what others see when they look at us?
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This week we had to cancel our study in Colossians due to the storm of the century. In light of this, I wanted to take a moment and share a word of encouragement and challenge for 2026. We are certainly living in perilous times. The return of Christ is at hand now more than ever. Pressure is rising from every angle.
So with this in mind, I thought it would be good to offer both encouragement and a challenge for the remnant of God in these last of the last days.
Maranatha
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In this study, Micah first addresses the leaders. These were men who have chosen to completely ignore the word of God. The love what God hates, and they hate what God loves. God calls for a society to be ruled by justice, yet the defiantly rule by injustice. Micah compares them to cannibals.
He then addresses the false prophets who are injecting the people with venom. The evil leaders wanted religion in their government, but not God. These false prophets readily answered the call.
A time would come when the consequences for their actions would be realized. They will try to call out to God but God will not hear them. Such is the outcome for those who have defiantly and continuously crossed the line of disobedience
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Paul has shown us what true Christian maturity is. He has told us why it is so critical to be mature in Christ. And he has told us how to live in true Christian maturity. Now he will come back to warning us of the grave dangers that all believers will face.
Many don't like to hear the hard message that comes with severe warnings. Yet they are necessary. As believers, we enter the battlefield the instant we are born again. We must be thoroughly warned and continuously maturing in Christ. As it has been said before, the Christian life is a battleground not a playground.
The key to fighting this battle is to recognize always that we are complete in Christ. We fight this battle through knowing God's word and living in obedience to His word. As we obey God's word we then will abide in Christ.
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We now begin a study in the book of Micah. Micah had a tough message of judgment to deliver. This message of judgment was well deserved, yet he took no pleasure in the delivering it. On the contrary, he was devasted.
The world today stands on the precipice of the judgement of God. It is a deserved judgment. What is our response in the face of this certain judgment that will soon be poured out? Is our heart broken for this Christ rejecting world?
There is much that we can learn from Micah. May we all have a heart that breaks for those who will soon stand before the LORD in judgment.
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Paul has shown us what Christian maturity looks like. He has explained to us why it is so important for believers to be mature in Christ. And finally, he has told us how we are to live in Christian maturity. So, the question now begs, how do we measure up to what Paul has taught us?
As the return of Christ hastens, spiritual deception is rising and spreading everywhere. We will never be able to stand against this vast deception that has infiltrated so much of the church if we are not mature in Christ. Furthermore, an immature believer is of no use to the body of Christ.
So, how do we measure up? Are we mature in Christ? If not, why? If so, then steadfastly continue to abide in Christ and live in uncompromising obedience to Jesus and His word.
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We now conclude our study in the book of Jonah. He is a character through whom much can be learned. He was a reluctant prophet of God. Jonah was disobedient to a clear direct command from God simply because he hated the people that God was sending him to. Although corrected through severe chastisement, he still did not have God's heart for the lost.
It is easy to be critical of Jonah, yet we are all capable of acting exactly like Jonah. A quote from Warren Wiersbe says it best. "When reputation is more important than character and pleasing ourselves and our friends is more important than pleasing God, than we are in danger of becoming like Jonah and living to defend our prejudices instead of fulfilling our spiritual responsibilities."
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One thing we see in this study is the importance of maturing in Christ. It is important the pastor, the shepherd to preach Jesus and to warn and instruct all believers according to God's word in order for them to mature. It is also important that the believer have a strong desire to be mature in Christ.
As the return of Christ hastens, the need for true Christian maturity can never be overstated. With all the evil so rapidly rising all around us, only the mature Christian will be prepared for what is to come.
We must abide in Christ. We must spend time in God's word. We must know God's word, and we must live in obedience to His word always. The believer who does this will be on solid ground in Christ.
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We now begin a study in the book of Jonah. When we come to this little book, most think of Jonah and the whale. How amazing that a man could be swallowed by a whale and then three days later be vomited out on to dry land alive. But Jonah is about much more than a whale.
In Jonah we will see the love of God for all of humanity. God was sending Jonah to the worst people imaginable. Their actions were horrific at best and yet God loved them. He commanded Jonah to go to them.
We will also see the sovereignty of God on full display as Jonah's disobedience and attitude are corrected. God had control over the storm. He had control over the whale. And He had control over Jonah's life.
Finally, we will learn the horror of indifference. How we are all capable of indifference towards a lost and dying world.
A book filled with great lessons for us all.
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Obadiah is a short book that is filled with great lessons.
In it we will see the danger of pride, arrogance and a sense of superiority. Pride gives false hope to those who try to find their security it.
We will also see the importance of showing mercy to our neighbors and our family in times of great distress. We must always respond to our neighbors, family, siblings the way Jesus would.
Finally, we will see how Israel still belongs to God. And that God will ultimately restore Israel.
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In this study we took a look at the suffering every true believer will experience in our Christian journey. It is a tough message, but this message in not meant to discourage. Rather, this message is meant to prepare and encourage us to be strengthened for the road that lies before us.
While it is a path that is narrow and difficult, we can be encouraged by knowing where this path leads. It leads to life everlasting. It leads to the crown of life.
As we enter the new year, let us all be resolved to persevere and live in full obedience to Jesus and His word.
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We now come to the completion of our Amos study. We see in this study one of the more frightening things concerning the judgement of God. It is the famine of the hearing of the word of God. The people had refused to heed God's word. The availability was there. The knowledge was there, yet they simply refused to live in obedience to His word.
When a people continue to refuse to listen to God's word, the time will come when they cannot hear the word of God. This was the point to which the Northern kingdom had come. It was a sign that they were on the precipice of God's judgement.
Are we living in a famine of the hearing of God's word? Are we on the precipice of God's judgment?
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We continued our look at the seven unique characteristics of the preeminence of Christ. Jesus is number one on a list of one. Jesus has no equals at all. He is supreme in all ways. All the fullness of God is in Jesus.
For every believer in Christ, we have it all. We lack absolutely nothing. All we have to live a godly life in Christ Jesus belongs to every born-again believer.
How does this impact the way you live for Jesus? How does this impact we treat one another in the body of Christ? How does this impact the way we treat the lost? May we all live every day for Jesus to His glory.
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Amos was a back woods farmer from the Southern Kingdom who God called to go to the elite of the Northern Kingdom. Amos had no formal training as far as we can tell. His qualification for ministry came from the fact that God called him. When God calls you, He will qualify you.
The message Amos was to give was a hard message. It was a truthful message, but a hard message. Amos was obedient and faithful to God. He went to the elite of the Northern Kingdom and delivered the message with unwavering courage. Amaziah of the Northern elites tried to intimidate and bully Amos, but to no avail. Amos was serving the King of kings. He had no need to fear anyone or anything.
How we need some like Amos today who when called by God will courageously answer the call.
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In this study we see Paul give a brief yet powerful declaration of the preeminence of Christ. He does this by declaring seven unique characteristics that fully display the supremacy of Jesus.
It is so critical to know these characteristics. Why? When we lose sight of the preeminence of Jesus, we leave ourselves vulnerable and defenseless to the relentless attacks of the enemy.
Knowing the truth of Jesus according to the word of God and living in obedience to Jesus and His word will allow us to live a godly life to the glory of the Father.
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Amos, who is from the countryside of Judea in the Southern Kingdom is bringing a hard message from the LORD to the elite of the Northern Kingdom. Based on who is delivering the message and the hardness of the message, this upper-class elite would not be very receptive of what God's prophet had to say.
In the midst of this hard yet true message, God offers to the Northern Kingdom an opportunity to repent. They are told that if they seek the LORD they would live. They were encouraged to seek good not evil. The were encouraged to hate evil and love good.
God is still the same. God still extends the offer of repentance to the backslider, to the apostate, to the transgressor. For all who truly seek the LORD, they will live.
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In this study we see the Apostle Paul praying for the Colossian church. What a great prayer. A prayer that runs counter to so much of what is falsely taught today concerning prayer.
He prays that they would have knowledge, wisdom and understanding. With this spiritual intelligence, he then prays that they would live in obedience to all they know concerning God's word. And then he prays that in light of their knowing God's word and living in obedience to God's word, that they would live a life in the power of God. A power that would enable them to have patience and longsuffering with great joy.
May this prayer be answered in all of our lives.
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Today's study stressed the importance of the Holy Spirit filled teaching of the word of God. The presenting of the Living Word through the Written Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. The church today lacks in this essential quality, thus, the importance of the Holy Spirit filled teaching of God's word cannot be overstressed.
Because of this neglect, the church today is overrun with deception and apostasy. The same dangers that faced the Colossian believers faces the church today. How we need faithful servants who will teach the word of God faithfully in the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Amos 3:7 tells us that Surely the LORD God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
We live in incredibly perilous days. We are on the precipice of the return of Jesus. Many things are taking place in this world that would make no sense apart from the word of God. Yet God has made clear to us through His word what is happening and what will happen as the return of Christ hastens. It is through the Bible that we are able to look at what is going on in the world around us and gain true perspective and understanding.
How comforting to know that God has provided for us all we need to know through His word. No believer, who remains true to Jesus and His word, will ever walk in darkness.
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The message that God has given to Amos is for the Northern kingdom of Israel. They have no regard for the word of God. They are steeped in idolatry. Their treatment of the poor and vulnerable is both inhumane and unjust. Yet they are living in peace and prosperity. Based on their living conditions, they are convinced that God is pleased with them.
Amos has come to let them know that nothing could be further from the truth. God has been faithful to them, giving them every opportunity to live a godly life. Yet they have chosen the path that leads away from God.
The judgment of God is coming upon the Northern kingdom. It may be decades away, but it is coming. The wheels of God's justice grind slowly but exceedingly fine. Apart from repentance, there is no escaping the judgment of God.
As we go through the book of Amos, may we learn not to repeat their actions.
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We now begin a new study in the book of Colossians. This young, small church is currently under attack. Any time there is a true work of God taking place, you can be certain that it will come under the attack of Satan.
The enemy will first question the word of God. He will then question the deity of Jesus. Once a believer has been thoroughly softened up, Satan will alure us with the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.
Paul counters this attack by placing great emphasis on the preeminence of Christ. Further, he places additional emphasis on living a mature, godly life in Christ Jesus. This is done by living in faithful obedience to Jesus and His word. Obedience to God's word solidifies our foundation in Jesus.
As we go through this letter, we will see how great it is to be in Christ, how great it is to live for Christ and how great it is to know that we will live for all of eternity with Christ.
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As we come to the end of this wonderful and challenging letter, three questions stand before us. Where are we in our walk with Jesus? Do we have the mind of Christ? Are we fully content in Christ?
These answers are critical in light of the days we are living in. We are on the precipice of the return of Jesus. How we answer these questions is key to us being all that God has called us to be for the days we are living in.
Let us all stay alert in Jesus; stay strong in Jesus; stand firm in Jesus as the day of his appearing draws near.
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As we conclude the book of Joel, we are reminded that we are living in amazing days. The era we are living in began at Pentecost. It is a time where God has poured out His Spirit on all who are born again. We are rapidly approaching the close of this age. How close are we? Closer than we can begin to imagine.
As believers, we need to be living every moment for Jesus. We need to put our hand to the plough and never look back. We need to run this race to win. Let's all keep our eyes on the finish line as we make every moment count for Jesus.
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As we continue our study in the book of Joel, we are reminded that God is both just and righteous. He always gives warning before His judgment. How many warnings do we have before us today as the return of Christ hastens?
We also see that God is in control always. Knowing that God is in control should impact the way we look at all the incredible events taking place in this world today.
Knowledge of the coming judgement of God should motivate us to living in obedience to Jesus and His word. It should also be a wakeup call bringing those astray to repentance. As we return to God in repentance, He will bring restoration and blessing.
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Paul has been writing about true Christian unity. Now he must address a dispute that could destroy the unity in the Philippian church. This dispute is not a doctrinal or biblical dispute. It is personal. At the heart of this dispute is not having the mind of Christ. How sad that most disputes that lead to division within the body of Christ are not over doctrine of biblical truth. Most often it happens when believers choose not to put on the mind of Christ and allow selfish personal issues to rise above true Christian unity.
Paul then tells us all to rejoice always. To let our gentleness be known to all. And finally, to be anxious for nothing. The key in all of this is that we bring our prayer, or supplication and thanksgiving before the Lord. The result will be the peace of God that will guard our hearts and mind.
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We now begin a study in the book of Joel. We know very little about the prophet Joel. We only have a rough idea of when this prophecy was written. It is a little book with a big message.
The theme of this book is the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is still before us on the near horizon. In Joel we get a snapshot of what is to come. There is much we can learn in preparation of what lies before us.
The book starts with a tremendously devasting event. The land has been devoured by locust in unprecedented fashion. The cause is almost certainly disobedience to God's word. After reviewing this tragedy in great detail, Joel calls on the people to repent.
Repentance is the key purity within the church. Repentance is the key to living a godly life in Christ Jesus.
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Leadership is everything. Therefore, Paul continues to place great emphasis on being an example. Any leader in the church who does not lead by example is not a leader at all. It is that important.
The example that Paul set forth is that of a citizen of Heaven. The one characteristic of a citizen of heaven is that they eagerly await the return of Jesus. Everything about them, everything about their life is all centered on the return of Christ.
Are you eagerly anticipating the return of Christ? How you answer this question is a true measurement of where you are in your walk with Christ. A true Spirit filled believer, a true citizen of heaven will be filled with excitement and anticipation for the soon return of Jesus.
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In this passage Paul sets before us a tremendous challenge. It is neither complicated nor impossible, but it is a challenge.
Paul wants us all to know that none of us have fully apprehended nor will any of us fully apprehend all the God has apprehended us for until we get to heaven. Yet our supreme desire must be, to be all that God has called us to be for His glory alone.
We do this by not living on past accomplishments. Rather, we reach ahead and press on to the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. The only way this will happen is if we hear God's word, we know God's word and we live in total obedience to Jesus and His word regardless of cost or consequence.
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We now come to the concluding chapter of Hosea. In this chapter we transition from the formal charges and coming judgment against Israel, to the opportunity for repentance and restoration. Hosea began with an illustration of God's incredible love for Israel displayed in Hosea's marriage to Gomer. Now we see the reality of God's love for Israel.
God certainly loves the backslider. In Hosea we see God's love for the backslider displayed brilliantly.
If you are a backslider, confess, repent and return to Jesus. He will most definitely receive you. If you have a loved one who is backslidden, continue to pray for them without ceasing. God loves the backslider.
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We now come to the completion of the charges that God brings against Israel. There is judgment that will come as a result of these charges. That judgment is five to six decades away, but that judgment is certain. The wheels of God's justice grind slowly but exceedingly fine.
In the midst of these charges, there is opportunity to repent. God is a loving and merciful God. He desires that all would repent. The people may have given up on God, but God has certainly not given up on them.
Our nation is in a bad place. We have sown to the wind and will soon reap the whirlwind. Yet there is still time for repentance. God has not changed. He is merciful.
The only thing that will prevent God's ability to redeem us is our refusal to repent. May repentance come to our nation, to the church.
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Living a godly life in Christ Jesus comes with great challenges. What do we truly count as loss? Do we count all things as loss for the knowledge of the excellence found in Christ alone? What do we count as gain? Are we gaining in Christ? Are we found in Christ? Do we know Christ? What great challenges presented in this passage.
May each of us worship God in Spirit and in truth. May we all make the joy of the Lord our strength. May none of us place any confidence in the flesh. May all our confidence be in Christ alone.
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Paul now transitions into exhortations for living the Christian life. He begins by exhorting them to rejoice, a theme that runs throughout this book. Interestingly, Paul is encouraging them to rejoice despite his circumstance being far worse than theirs.
Paul begins by reminding them of the basic doctrines of scripture. He lets the Philippians know that these continuous reminders do not bother him at all. In fact, Paul loves to do it because it offers the Philippians safety from false teachers.
Paul also lists out three characteristics of the true believer. First, they worship God in Spirit. Secondly, the rejoice always in Jesus. And finally, they have no confidence in the flesh.
The key to living out these three characteristics is to hear God's word, know God's word and to live in obedience to God's word, regardless of cost or consequence.
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As we continue to look at the formal charges and the coming judgment of Israel, we come across some great lessons. Lessons that can be applied to our lives now.
Israel had a divided heart. It is impossible to have a divided heart and walk with God.
Israel had forgotten that God had delivered them from Egypt. They forgot the tender care and compassion that God had extended towards them. They forgot that God has stooped down and provided for them. We must never forget the love, grace and mercy that God has extended to us in Christ.
They did not fear God. The fear of God is good. It brings knowledge, wisdom and safety. Any time we lose our fear of God, disaster is certain. Any nation that loses its fear of God is a nation that is heading towards destruction.
All of this is here for our learning. May we all learn the great message and warnings contained in the book of Hosea.
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We continue to look at the mind of Christ as Paul sets two examples before us, Timothy and Epaphroditus. These men, along with Paul exemplify for us what it is to have the mind of Christ.
How much of the backbiting, infighting and silly quarrels that bring so much unholy division to the body of Christ is a result of believers choosing to not put on the mind of Christ.
There is no reason at all that any believer would not have the mind of Christ. We are born again and filled with the Holy Spirit. We are fully equipped to put on the mind of Christ. The only reason any of us would not put on the mind of Christ is because we rebelliously choose not to put on the mind of Christ.
The days are short. The return of Christ is upon us. May we all put on the mind of Christ in order that we would be all that God has called us to be to the glory of the Father.
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Hosea will now list specific illustrations of Israel's rebellion towards God. As a result of their rebellion, judgment is coming upon them. Although decades away, the judgment of God is certain.
We begin this section hearing the warning blow of the trumpet. Indeed, the judgment of God is coming, but God is still offering them opportunity for repentance.
At the end of chapter 9, we see why all of this is coming upon Israel. Because they did not obey God. Being obedient to Jesus and His word is everything in the life of a believer.
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Today we take a look at how we are to live for Jesus in the last days. The example we look at is the apostle Paul from the passage found in Acts 20:17-24.
We are living in a tumultuous time. The return of Christ is so close at hand. Things are happening that have a global impact. Only those who are true to Jesus and His word will be able to live for Jesus in these last days.
It is our desire that all of us would be all that Jesus has called us to be for the glory of the Father.
Maranatha!
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We have been commanded to live in true Christian unity. We have been commanded to put on the mind of Christ. We have seen the great example of putting on the mind of Christ in Jesus. We know that true unity will never be possible if we do not put on the mind of Christ. But now, we are told to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We will not be able to put on the mind of Christ if we do not obediently work out our salvation.
It is important to note that we do not work for our salvation, nor do we become more righteous because we work out our salvation. We have been wonderfully saved, now we must work out this wonderful salvation that we have been given.
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Hosea continues to present God's charge against the Northern kingdom. Their passion and desire for sin are like a fire in an oven. They think they can live a life of sin and live for God at the same time. Their strength has been devoured, and they don't even realize it. And yet in all of this, their pride prevents them from returning to God. And now they are like a bent bow that is totally useless in battle because it will never hit the mark.
How much of this do we see in the church today? How much of this do we see in our lives? We are on the precipice of the return of Christ. It is time that we seek the Lord in repentance. It is time that we live for Jesus in all out obedience to His Word.
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In this passage we see with great clarity the deity of Jesus. Always remember that the Lordship of Jesus is at the core of our Christian faith. This is why everything that points to the deity of Jesus is under such attack in this world.
Our Christian journey will be one of humility, suffering and an obedience that cost. What are we to do? We are to keep our hand to the plough and never look back. God's word is true. As tough as things can be and will be in this present world, we have much to look forward to.
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD. As the water covers the sea. Habakkuk 2:14
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We continue to look at the charge against the Northern Kingdom from God. God now homes in on the leadership. Leadership in the body of Christ is so critical. The leaders were not leading in a godly way. They refused to listen to God; thus, they were not leading according to God's word.
The had also removed the landmarks that were established by the word of God. They chose to live by human precepts rather than the word of God. This will lead to severe consequences.
Are we listening to God's word? Is our life built upon the spiritual landmarks established by God's word? Remember, those who hear the words of Jesus and live in obedience to them will have a life built on a strong foundation.
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Chapter 4 begins a new section in the book of Hosea. Then next few chapters will be tough as God brings a charge against His people. Their transgression, their idolatry has gone on far too long. A charge will now be brought against them.
Several things that stand out in this chapter. First, the people would be destroyed for a lack of knowledge. This was a deliberate lack of knowledge since we also read that they had rejected knowledge. God's word was available to them. God's prophets had been sent to them and yet they rejected all the knowledge that God graciously provided for them.
Finally, as result of rejecting the word of God, the people were living in disobedience to God's word. With disobedience comes severe consequences.
May we all hear God's word, know God's word and live in obedience to God's word regardless of cost or consequence.
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We now come to a familiar, oft quoted passage. Paul will set before us the supreme example of humility, Jesus. We far too often compare ourselves with each other. There is only one standard in the body of Christ, only one we need to compare ourselves to and that is Jesus.
Paul commands us to put on the mind of Christ. This means that we are to make oursevles of no reputation. We are to be bondservants. We are to be both humble and obedient. This is the example that Jesus has set for us. This is what it means to put on the mind of Christ. We will not enjoy true unity until we put on the mind of Christ.
May all of us put on the mind of Christ to the glory of God.
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Paul continues his exhortation to live a godly life in Christ Jesus and then to live in true biblical unity. The first part of this exhortation dealt with the external attacks that would take place. Now he switches gears and focuses on the internal attacks that pose a far great danger to the church.
Paul begins by telling us the qualities and characteristics that make up a person living a godly life in Christ Jesus. He then follows that with a clear and concise description of true Christian unity. Finally, he tells us how all believers are to live in true unity. A unity that is biblical and brings glory to God.
If we as believers lived in total obedience to this exhortation, beginning in 1:27 and concluding in 2:4, what would the church look like today? How would it strengthen the body of Christ? How would it glorify God?
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We continue to look at the action sermon that God has commanded Hosea to perform. God commanded Hosea to marry a harlot in order for Israel to know that their idolatry is likened to a wife committing horrible acts of adultery. He also wants them to know of His great love, grace and mercy for them.
By Hosea obeying God's difficult command, Israel will now have an opportunity to see the heart of God. How they choose to respond to this great message remains to be seen.
Several questions must be asked. Have we gone after other gods? Are we playing the adulteress? Also, if God gives us a difficult command, a command that comes with a high cost, will we obey without hesitation? God was glorified by Hosea's obedience. Are we living a life that glorifies God?
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It is an absolute certainty that all who are in Christ and living for Christ will be in an epic spiritual battle. This great spiritual battle will only intensify as the return of Christ draws near. Paul will supply for us three essentials to living in the victory of Christ in the midst of this raging spiritual warfare.
First, we are to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. We do this by living in humble, faithful obedience to Jesus and His word. Next, we are to live in true biblical unity. And finally, we are not to live in fear. We are not to fear any of our adversaries which are many. We are to live in the fear of God, not the fear of man.
As believers, we have been graciously given the privilege to believe in Jesus. But we have also been given the privilege to suffer for the sake of Christ. It is only by making application of these three essentials that we will be able to suffer for Christ to the glory of the Father
May we all live our lives to the fullest for Jesus and to the glory of the Father.
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We now begin a study in the minor prophets. While these are rarely studied books in the Old Testament, they are a treasure chest to be opened. So much is contained in these seldom studied books. We are all in for a blessing.
Now while the prophets are known mainly for forthtelling, the prophets are also the ones who would call God's people back into a right relationship with Him. These books will be filled with many challenges along with encouragement for the days we are living in. In fact, these books will provide for us biblical insight into the days we are living in.
The first book is Hosea. Buckle up and get ready to enjoy all that God is about to show us through His word.
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For to me, to live is Christ, to die is gain. This summarizes today's study. In fact it pulls together so much from God's word into once brief, memorable and simple verse. What does this verse mean to you? Is this verse central to your Christian journey?
We all must desire to be with Christ. Yet our desire to be with Christ must be what motivates us to live for Christ. May we all yearn to be with Christ and at the same time live to the fullest for Christ.
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As we conclude our study in Genesis, we see the death of two men of God. First we see the death of Jacob. What an incredible way for a saint of God to end his earthly journey. He began his journey as Jacob and ended as Israel. What an example of how a great God can use imperfect to accomplish great things to His glory.
We also see the death of Joseph. Joseph was as good as they get. He was a man used so greatly by God. And yet with his death, the work of God continues. No man is indispensable in the work of God.
In their death, both men expressed great faith. They set before us a wonderful example to follow. We all begin as Jacob but may we all finish as Israel.
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In this passage, Paul is rejoicing in the fact that nothing can hinder the work and spread of the gospel. Yes, he is in prison. Yes, he is chained to a Roman soldier at all times. Yet he is not a prisoner of Rome, Rome is his prisoner. He is not changed to Rome; Rome is chained to Him.
Paul knows that God is in control. He wants all those in Philippi and even us today to know that there is no happenstance, chance of accidents with God. god is sovereign and his timing is absolutely perfect. God will use every trial, tribulation and impossible circumstance as a tool to advance His kingdom.
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We now see Jacob at the end of his life. All his sons will be called in before him. Jacob will review both their lives and their character revealing their impact on the kingdom. There will be both rebuke and reward. Nothing will be left hidden or unsaid.
Note that he does all of this not as Jacob but as Israel. His life started as Jacob but ends as Isreal. What a way to finish his journey. May we all finish our journey as those whose lives are ruled by God.
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For Paul, to remember was to pray for all believers in Philippi. He now tells us what his prayer consisted of. That their love would abound more and more in knowledge and discernment. A love void of knowledge and discernment is not biblical love.
He then describes for us what this love will look like. It is a love that approves the things that are excellent. It is a love that is fully sincere and transparent. A love that never causes another to stumble. And finally, a love that bears the fruit of righteousness that comes from Jesus.
Do we pray for one another despite our circumstances. Are we walking in true biblical love. Is our love filled with knowledge of God's word and discernment that comes from the Holy Spirit.
May we all walk in true Christ like love according to God's word in the power of the Holy Spirit. May our lives be to the glory and praise of God.
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Israel and his sons along with their families are fully settled in the land of Goshen. God has sovereignly moved through the famine to bring them to this land. At the same time, God is moving sovereignly to ensure that they will grow into a multitude that will become a nation according to His promise to Abraham.
Jacob is now at the end of life. A life that started as Jacob but will end as Israel. He has witnessed the amazing faithfulness of God. He can declare with absolute certainty the greatness of God. What a way to finish the race.
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We now begin the book of Philippians. The theme of this wonderful letter is living the Christian life. How we all need to be living the Christian life in these last and perilous days.
There is a focus on joy throughout this letter. Paul was not in the best of circumstances at the time of this letter, yet his life is filled with joy. As believers, we will be face with trials, temptations and tribulations, yet in it all, joy must be our constant companion.
It is the severe trials and tribulations of life that will reveal the depth of the joy that we have in Jesus. It is then that the joy of the LORD becomes our strength.
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Joseph, his father Jacob and his brothers are now fully re-united. How amazing it must have been for all of them to look back on the journey that led them to this wonderful reunion. How amazing to realize the faithfulness and wisdom of God as He has worked out everything according to His will and for His glory.
We can learn so much from this passage. It should bring us strength and encouragement in our daily walk with the Lord. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is our God, and He has not changed.
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The time for full godly reconciliation has come. In all of this, take note that Joseph did not skip any of the necessary steps of reconciliation. This shows and examples for us the great spiritual maturity and discipline of Joseph.
Joseph had long forgiven his brother for the great evil that they committed against him. But his brothers needed to repent of this great evil. Both forgiveness and repentance must be present for godly reconciliation to take place.
God has done an amazing work in Joseph, his brothers and his father Jacob over the past 22 years. God has been working in them all and now God will work through them all.
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We now conclude the book of Ephesians What an amazing study it has been. The great take away from this book is both challenging and encouraging.
Ephesians tells us who we are in Christ. Furthermore, it tells us all that God has done for us in Christ. Knowing who we are in Christ and knowing all that God has done for us in Christ, should cause us to live our lives to the fullest for Christ.
The days are so short. The return of Christ is at hand. May we be all that God has called us to be for the glory of the Father.
Maranatha!
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Paul has made it crystal clear that we are in a spiritual battle. He has described for us our spiritual enemies He has told that we must be dressed in the full armor of God. Now he will describe for us the full armor of God that we must obediently put on.
He begins with the word of God. Every work of God begins with the word of God. He then moves on to our righteousness in Christ that is held in place by our obedience to Jesus and His word. Next, we have our feet planted on the solid foundation of the gospel. And finally, it all protected by the shield of faith.
This is only half of the armor. Lord willing, we will look at the other half in our next study. Until them, may we all live for our fullest in Christ to the glory of the Father.
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Joseph, guided by the hand of God, continues to test the character of his brothers. The have done well so far but are now about to enter their final test.
As the final test is applied, the brothers and especially Judah come through in flying colors. Now at last, the brothers are ready to be reconciled to Joseph. God has worked wonderfully in everyone and now God will begin to work through them.
All of this has been under the sovereign hand of God. God has faithfully worked in and through all these men in order that He would work through them to His glory alone.
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This is an amazing paragraph that we look at in this study. It is Paul's concluding exhortation to all who are in Christ concerning our responsibility towards God. This passage is the greatest statement and instruction on the spiritual warfare that we all are living in.
This exhortation is to all who are in Christ. We are commanded to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. We obey by putting on the whole armor of God. We do this because the battle we are in is spiritual not physical. It is a battle take place in the heavenlies. It is a battle that is taking place right now.
Have we put on and taken up the whole armor of God? Are we ready to stand in the power and might of the Lord?
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God continues to use Joseph in order to test the hearts of his brothers. Joseph is a godly man completely surrendered to God. We can therefore be certain that all that Joseph does is directed by God.
All the events over these past few chapters, all the incredible drama and long lapses of time will eventually conclude. At this point we will see the wisdom, love and sovereignty of God.
God has not changed. Today, He still applies His wisdom, love and sovereignty in the lives of all those who are in Christ.
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Over the next few chapters, we will see Joseph and his brothers reunited. There will be reconciliation between them but it will not be instant. True reconciliation requires sincere repentance and humble confession of sin. A heart must be right with God before it can be right with other men. Superficial lip service, shallow repentance will only bring a fragile, short-lived truce.
Joseph will treat his brothers roughly. So much so that it could be misunderstood. But remember, Joseph has completely forgiven his brothers. He is a man that holds no grudges. Joseph treats his brothers with love, patience and wisdom in order that they would come to true repentance. Reconciliation is not possible apart from true repentance.
As we go through this, remember that we have been reconciled to God through Jesus.
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Paul continues this section by going into another specific relationship. Having completed his commands concerning the husband wife relationship, he now moves on to the parent child and will conclude with the master slave relationship. These relationships are all a reflection of our relationship with Jesus.
Therefore, the key to all our relationships is our relationship with Jesus. Are we walking in obedience? Are we filled with the Holy Spirit? Do we live in the fear of God? This will define a person in a right relationship with Jesus. The key to right with one another in Christ is to be right with Jesus.
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In this chapter we see the mighty sovereign hand of God moving. Joseph has been thoroughly prepared by God. Now God will raise him up to the position for which he has been prepared.
Joseph has spent thirteen years in God's school of preparation. It has been a slow, hard and painful preparation. But now he is ready for the task that God has prepared him for. Joseph will be used fully to the glory of God.
It is not pedigree or degree that makes a man of God. It is the anointing of God that only results from great brokenness in the school of Christ.
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In this study we transition from our walk in Christ to making application in our relationships as believers.
The first relationship we look at is the husband wife relationship. As we will see, a godly marriage in Christ Jesus can only be possible if we are walking in obedience, continually being filled with the Spirit and living in the fear of God.
A godly marriage in Christ Jesus is more critical than we can imagine. It dramatically affects our children and the church. Also, it is a critical part of our witness before a lost and dying world.
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We continue to look at Joseph being prepared by God to be the man that He has called him to be. The preparation is difficult to say the least. It seems that God has sent the perfect person to Joseph who will play a major role in Joseph getting out of prison.
Indeed, the butler will play a key role in Joseph being released from prison. However, the time is not now. Joseph will remain in prison for two more years. God is still working in Joseph. God is also working in the circumstances and people surrounding Joseph.
While Joseph may not understand now, he will definitely understand once God has removed him from prison and elevated him to the role that God has prepared. Joseph is learning the great lesson of waiting on God.
God's work must be done His way. But it must also be done in His perfect time.
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We now come to the fifth command concerning our walk with the Lord. Paul has commanded us to walk worthy, to walk holy, to walk in love, to walk in the light and now to walk circumspectly. This fifth command concludes this section in Ephesians.
The question we must now ask is obvious. How is my walk. Not my walk yesterday or my walk tomorrow. How is my walk today?
Having a great walk with the Lord depends on several things. First, we must know who we are in Christ. Secondly, we need to know God's word and live in obedience to God's word. And finally, we must be filled with the Holy Spirt.
How if your walk?
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In this study we will take a deep look at Ephesians 4:11. The entirety of the passage and the verse we will key in on is straightforward, hard hitting and quite frankly may be uncomfortable. Regardless, it is God's word. We must hear it, know it and obey it.
I will be attaching links to the email blast to help you on being a Berean. Unfortunately I cannot attach them to this podcast. I will list out the sources that you are able to go to. I urge you to search out what is being taught, and by all means, do not resist what God is commanding us to do.
Bob Buford, Peter Drucker and the Emerging Church by Lighthouse Trails
Faith Undone, a book by Roger Oakland
Mega Church madness: From Whitfield to Warren. The historical disaster, this can be found on youtube
Wide is the Gate, Caryl Matrisciana. The full documentary can be found on youtube
Church of the Tares, Elliot Nesch. This can be found on youtube.
The Tragedy of Compromise, a book review by Spencer Smith, this can be found on you tube.
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In this recording, we had a minor glitch towards the end. We lost about a minute of the message and the closing prayer.
In this chapter, we come back to the life of Joseph. God is preparing Joseph to be the man that God has called him to be. His training includes betrayal by his brothers, his father thinking he is dead, being sold as a slave in a foreign country, being another man's property, being falsely accused of a sin he did not commit and now being thrown into prison.
By the standards of today, he is a failure. But by God's standard, he is right were God wants him to be.
For you and I, we need to remember that God is with us always. No matter where we are or what our circumstances are, God is with us. In fact, God has an incredible plan for our lives. How He prepares us may be vigorous and excruciating. But never forget, God loves us, and God is in control.
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Paul continues to command us on how we should walk. First, he commands us to walk in love. Then he commands us to walk in light. So, the totality of our conduct, behavior and manner of life is to walk worthy, walk in holiness, walk in love and walk in light.
We don't walk in this manner to become saints. We walk in this manner because we are already saints. We are saints because of all that God has done for us in Christ Jesus.
We have every reason to live for Jesus. Furthermore, we are fully equipped by God in Christ to live for Christ. So then, how is our walk. Are we living for Jesus?
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In this chapter we take a break from the life of Joseph in order to get some background on the life of Judah. All that we look at in this chapter takes place while Joseph in in Egypt.
This chapter presents Judah to us in complete honesty. What Judah does in this chapter is not right before God. Judah is a man who will be greatly used by God. But first we must see how God works in Judah before He works through him.
In this chapter we will see both the sovereignty of God as well as God's amazing grace. Watch how God prepares Judah to become the tribe from whom the Messiah will come.
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Paul has just commanded all who are in Christ to live in holiness. We are to put off the old man, be renewed in the spirit of our mind and put on the new man. Now that Paul has declared this great truth, he follows up with application. The truth in God's word will always be followed by how we are to apply this truth.
Paul lays out for us the commands we are to follow in order to live as a new man in Christ. The only reason we will be able to obediently make application of all that Paul commands is because we are a new creation in Christ. We are now fully equipped to live in obedience to all that we are commanded to do.
Will we choose to obediently live for Jesus to the glory of God?
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We continue in the life of Joseph. Here we see the beginning of his suffering. It is a suffering that will last 13 years. In this time, God will work in Joseph in order that He may work through Joseph. What we will see in this chapter and all that follows is how God prepares a man for great use. In order to be greatly used by God, we must be greatly broken by God.
In all of this, God is sovereign. We can be greatly comforted by the fact that God is in control, and He loves us. God will do everything that is necessary in our life in order that we will be all that God has called us to be.
May God work in us all in order that He would work through us.
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God has done such great things for us in Christ. All that we have been saved from, all that we are and all that we will ever be is because of Jesus. God has displayed His grace towards us in His Son Jesus.
In response to all that God has done for us in Christ, we now have a great responsibility to live for Christ. Paul refers to this as our walk. In this study we are commanded to walk in newness of life.
May all of us live in the newness of life that we have in Christ. May we be all that God has called us to be to His glory alone.
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We now begin to transition from Jacob to Joseph. There is much to learn through the life of Joseph. We will learn much about Jesus through the life of Joseph as he is in many ways a type of Christ. We will highlight as we come to them.
Also, in Joseph we will see the theme of suffering as a test of character. In Joseph we will see both a testing of his faith and the triumph of his faith. Faith can never triumph unless it has been tested.
Let us learn and be encouraged by the life of Joseph.
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Jesus has given gifted men to His church in order that they would equip the church for the work of the ministry. This equipping has led us to an established unity built on the faith and knowledge of the Son of God. This will only happen in a well fed, well nourished, well protected church under the consistent Spirit filled, in depth teaching of God's word.
From this will come true Christian maturity. Truly mature believers do not act like children. They are well grounded in the word of God. They will be able to both share and receive, in love, the truth of God's word. The mature will live in obedience to God's word.
The ultimate outcome being believers edifying one another in love. Mature believers will promote the growth of love in one another to the glory of God.
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Jacob has finally led his family back to Bethel. While it is a time of rejoicing, he has experienced much sorrow as well. There have been three graves and the horrible sin of his eldest son. Yet he has faced all these tragedies as Israel, not as Jacob.
All who are in Christ will face sorrow and tragedy. Sorrow and tragedy are the tools God uses to sanctify us and to set us apart for His glory. The question is, will we face tragedy and sorrow as Jacob or as Israel.
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Paul continues to build on the unity that we all have in Christ. He presents to us a diversity of gifted men who have been given to the church. These gifted men have been given according to the measure of Christ. Jesus gave these gifted men in order that His church would come to unity, maturity and Christ likeness.
As we look at this passage, it is important that we know that all who are in Christ are fully equipped to be all that God has called us to be. We are responsible to obediently use these tools for the edification of the church to the glory of God.
May we all resolve to obediently be all that God has called us to be.
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Jacob is finally leaving Shechem and heading on to Bethel in obedience to God. After ten years he is returning to the LORD. God has commanded Jacob to build an alter once he arrives in Bethel. In Shechem, Jacob built an alter in place of obedience. Now in Bethel, he will build an alter as a result of obedience.
Jacob also offers a drink offering. This is an act of gratitude that leads to worship. True worship will always come from a grateful heart that holds nothing back.
Have we poured our lives out before God?
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The Bible is honest about its hero's. David was without question a great man of God. He was a man after God's own heart. Yet in this study we will see how he failed. His failure was so great that unless God intervened, David would have lost his life.
David's failure was that he stopped fearing the LORD. David shares transparently with us his experience in order that we may learn to fear the LORD.
Do you fear the LORD? There is no downside to the fear of the LORD. The fear of the LORD is wisdom; clean and enduring; tends to life and causes us to depart from evil.
Today we see much of the world inside the church. At times it is impossible to differentiate between the two. Why? Because the fear of the LORD is absent.
Do you fear the LORD? The only fear a child of God should have is the fear of the LORD. The fear of the LORD will deliver us from all other fears.
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Jaco is a man that has experienced great spiritual advantage. He has every reason to live as Israel yet has chosen the path of compromise and disobedience. Jacob has selfishly put his whole family in grave danger by choosing this horrific path.
What we see before us is a cruel horrible story. It shows us what we are all capable of when we choose the path of compromise and disobedience.
God lovingly overrules. Jacob has no other option but to move ahead in obedience to Bethel. We can be so thankful for the sovereignty of God knowing always that He who began a good work is faithful to complete it.
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Paul now makes a transition. He goes from telling us who we are in Christ and all that we are in Christ, to challenging us to live for Christ. Considering all that God has done for us in Christ, the command to live for Christ is more than reasonable.
We are called to walk worthy in order that we would keep the wonderful unity that we already have in Christ. Paul explains to us what virtues will be needed to keep this unity, and he also explains the seven elements that make up this solid foundation of our glorious unity in Christ.
Paul is not making a suggestion. He is giving a command from God. Based on all that we have already ready, we are fully equipped to fulfill this command. The question before us is not can I live for Christ, but will I live for Christ.
Will we live for Christ to the glory of the Father?
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Jacob had an incredible encounter with God. God changed his name to Israel, a man whose life is now ruled by God. Yet as soon as he steps out of this encounter, Israel immediately reverts back to being Jacob.
Jacobs past experience with God is no guarantee of him living faithfully as Israel in the present. We cannot live on past experiences.
The key to living the life of Israel is to live in the fear of God, not man. For us, we must fear God, keep our eyes on Jesus and stay true to His word. In so doing, we will live a God mastered life.
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Jacob is on his way to meet his brother Esau. Jacob has no idea how this meeting will turn out. It has been twenty years since he deceived his father in order to get the blessing. It was a bitter departure. How will Esau respond to Jacob?
But before Jacob can meet with Esau, he must first meet with God. God has been working in Jacob and preparing him for this moment for twenty years. Jacob will never be the same after he comes face to face with God.
Jacob will soon learn that it is better to limp through life and be ruled by God then to walk through life and never be all that God has called you to be.
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Paul concludes the first half of Ephesians with his second prayer. In the first three chapters Paul described for us the amazing wealth that we have in Christ. He discussed the doctrine of salvation and the church. But before moving on to how all of this should impact the way we live for Jesus; he had to pray.
Paul's prayer is the perfect prayer for all those in Christ. It is perfect for God's church. Paul prays that we would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit. He prays that we would dwell in Christ being rooted in love. And he prays that we would be filled with the fullness of God.
It is a simple, brief, clear prayer offered by Paul for the church. May Paul's prayer be our prayer today for each other and for the whole body of Christ.
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Paul has now established what the mystery of the church is. He will now speak to God's purpose for His church. In the church, we see the wisdom of God, filled with beauty, variety and complexity. It is Divine wisdom unlike any wisdom we know.
It is through His Church that God displays His wisdom to all the angels, both good and bad in the heavenly places. This tells us how precious we are to God as His church.
The church is God's idea. Thus, the church must always be according to God's word. God's work must be done God's way. The church is a spiritual entity, made up of all those in Christ, living in obedience to God's word, submitted to the Lordship of Jesus and operating in the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Jacob has left Laban for good. This course in the school of faith is now complete. Jacob must now move on to his next course which involves his brother Esau. Jacob will have no peace until he faces his brother. His past unforgiven wrong must be dealt with. Righteousness always comes before peace.
Jacob will come to learn that Esau is not the problem. Jacob himself is the problem. Jacob must have a change of heart in order to face his circumstances by faith.
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Paul who is both a prisoner of Christ Jesus and a minister as well, share with us all the great mystery of the church. Now this mystery is not mystical or magical. It is a sacred secret which had not been previously know. God in His grace has revealed it to Paul. This mystery was once concealed in the Old Testament but now is revealed in the New Testament.
This amazing mystery is that both Jew and Gentile have equal standing in Christ. God's grace is the great equalizer. The ground at the foot of the cross is level. All who are in Christ are recipients of God's grace. We have all been washed in the blood of the Lamb.
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Jacob has finally left his father-in-law Laban. However, he still has one more encounter to go through before he is completely done with Laban. God will intervene and make sure that this is their last encounter. God in all of this has provided Jacob with protection and blessing.
Jacob's time in the school of faith, under the tutelage of Laban has prepared him for his next lesson. He is now prepared to become Israel. His becoming Israel will only happen as he encounters God. One lesson has ended, a new one now begins.
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In this study we will take thorough look into the foundation that we have in Jesus Christ and His word.
We know who we were before Christ, and we know who we now are in Christ. But before we are built up as His church, we must first understand the foundation that God is building upon.
Everything rises and falls on the foundation we have in Jesus and His word. For us who are in Christ, living in obedience to His word under His Lordship is non-negotiable. When we live on this solid foundation, we can rest assured that nothing will separate us from the love of God that we have in Christ. We will be all that God has called us to be to His glory.
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God is moving in Jacob's heart. It is time for him to return home. However, he enters into a new deal with Laban that delays his return. It is a deal that has the favor of God written all over it. Through this deal God brings great prosperity to Jacob.
In the process of Jacob growing in wealth, Laban is losing wealth. This creates an uncomfortable situation as Laban and his sons grow envious of Jacob. The atmosphere grows so bad that Jacob now must leave.
Jacob is leaving the classroom of Laban; however, he is still in the school of faith. Much work remains to be accomplished in Jacob in order that he will one day become Israel.
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Jacob continues in the school of faith. In this study we will see the growth of his family. This growth is rather interesting but is most certainly under the sovereignty of God. Jacob ends up with four wives and eleven sons.
All the while, Jacob remains in the school of faith. God continues to patiently work in Jacob in order that Jacob will ultimately become Israel.
Many enter God's school of faith, but none are ever simply a pawn in this school. God will patiently, lovingly work in us in order that we would become all that He has called us to for His glory alone.
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Paul now transitions from the individual to the church. Paul lays out all that we as the body of Christ have in Christ. We have been brought near by the blood of Jesus. Through the work of Christ in the cross, we have peace and unity. It is through the finished work of Jesus at Calvary that both the Jew and Gentile have become one to the glory of the Father. All of this in Christ.
It is beyond our ability to comprehend all that God would do in us and through us as the church, if we would simply surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. May we all live in surrender to the Lordship of Jesus and live in sold out obedience to His word. Who knows what God might do?
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We now conclude this passage as we continue to look deeply into all that God has done for us in His Son Christ Jesus.
We were so horribly lost and without hope. But God! But God poured out all the riches of His mercy and love because of His great love and wonderfully saved us. God has made us alive, raised us up and seated us in heavenly places in Christ. God has made us a masterpiece through whom He will work to His glory alone.
We have so much to be thankful for. We have so much to live for. We have so much to look forward to. We, as the faithful in Christ Jesus, have every reason to be living fully for Jesus!
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Jacob now leaves Bethel heading to his uncle Laban where he will enter the school of faith. If not for Bethel, Jacob would not be prepared to enter God's required curriculum for becoming the man that God has called him to be.
Laban, as we will see is a conniver and deceiver. His masterful at scheming and trickery. Jacob possesses all that Laban is. However, Jacob will never be the man that God has called him to be until his conniving, scheming and deceitful ways are removed. Laban is the tool that God will use to make Jacob into the man he has been called to be.
The lessons we are about to encounter are powerful. There is much for us all to learn as we begin to look at the next several decades in the life of Jacob.
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This past week, a dear friend and family member died unexpectedly. It was important that we take the time to minister to our family in this time of need. Therefore, we were not able to do our studies in Ephesians and Genesis. However, next week, Lord willing we will be sending out new studies in these great books.
What I do want to send out is a replay of a message that we posted on Sunday, December 18th. It is a message from the Old Testament that gives a great presentation of the gospel. God graciously allowed me to share this message with my dear friend and family member before the Lord took him. The Lord provided a prepared heart and an open door. How I pray that God brought the increase. It is my prayer that we will have a great re-union in the not-so-distant future.
I wanted to share this message with you in hopes that God would put it on your heart to share it with someone who needs God's great salvation through His Son Jesus. May God prepare a heart and open a door to share the glorious gospel of His great salvation.
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In the previous chapter we saw God's amazing eternal plan for those who are faithful in Christ Jesus. We saw the great riches that we have so abundantly in Christ. We saw how those who are faithful in Christ Jesus will all be brought under Jesus who is the head of the Church.
Now we will see the execution of God's plan. Paul will now show us all, what we were prior to Christ. Who we are now in Christ. And who we will be in Christ.
"What a miracle of God's grace! We are taken out of the graveyard of sin and placed in the throne room of glory." Warren Wiersbe
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Jacob has left home and will now begin a long journey that will lead him to the school of faith. Jabob is being separated from his home, his mother, his father and his brother Esau. All so that God can remove all the things that are hinderance to him becoming Israel.
Separation brings us into the school room of faith. Brokenness is the teacher that removes all that we love so dearly in order that we can become the man that God has called us to be. Separation and brokenness are the key ingredients to growth in the Lord
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Paul's prayer came to an end. He began by praising God for all the riches we have in Christ Jesus. Once his praise concluded, he immediately began to pray. What a beautiful example of how we should first encourage one another and then pray for one another.
Paul prayed that all those who are faithful in Christ Jesus would have wisdom, revelation, knowledge and understanding. That we would know the hope of His calling, the riches of the glory of God's inheritance in us and the exceeding greatness of His power towards those who believe. He also prayed that we would know that power according to the resurrection of Jesus, the ascension of Jesus and one day soon, the return of Jesus.
Finally, we must always remember that we are the body of Christ, and that Christ is the head of the body.
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Isaac is determined to give the blessing to Esau. This goes against the will of God. Rebekah is determined to ensure Jacob receives the blessing according to the will of God. She, along with the full cooperation of Jacob, will use deception to accomplish this. This is not the way to accomplish God's will. All parties involved will learn firsthand that God is sovereign.
There are many lessons we can learn from this passage. One lesson is the faithfulness of God. Jacob is about to enter a time of being prepared to be the man that God has called him to be. God in his sovereignty is sending Jacob to his uncle Laban's in order that Jacob will one day become Israel.
Always remember that God is faithful to work in us in order that he might work through us. God is faithful to work in us in order that we would become all that He has called us to be for His glory.
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We now come to a sad chapter. Isaac was a man who started out the race well but will not finish strong. Isaac is a picture of a carnal Christian. He has fallen so far from where he began. A good beginning does not guarantee a strong finish.
In this study we will see Isaac trying to bless Esau against the will of God. Rebekah overhears what he is doing. She then tries to block Isaac's efforts by acting deceptively to ensure God's will would be done. Jacob allows himself to become a part of Rebekah's plan. Both Rebekah and Jacob desired God's will but were trying to accomplish it through deception.
They will soon find out that God's will must be accomplished God's way. A good lesson for us all.
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We now come to the conclusion of all the eternal riches we have in Christ. We have seen the work of the Father and the Son. Now we will see the work of the Holy Spirt as He seals us. We belong to the Father, purchased by the blood of Christ, eternally sealed by the Holy Spirit.
We also see how the Ephesians were known for the faith in the Lord Jesus and their love for all the saints. This is what glorifies God and sets His church apart in a dark and evil world. How critical that we as believers, as the body of Christ, would be known for a faith in the Lord Jesus and our love for all the saints.
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In this study we looked at the redemption, revelation and inheritance that we, as the faithful in Christ Jesus, possess now and for all eternity in Christ. This is added on to our election and predestination. These riches that we have in Christ are eternal and untouchable. Although these riches belong to us now, we have barely begun to realize their immensity.
May we all realize more and more the vastness of all we have in Christ Jesus. May we live every day with humility and gratitude knowing that God has lavished His great wealth upon us all in Christ Jesus.
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This chapter is dedicated to Isaac. In it God will test Isaac's faith by sending a famine. True faith is a tested faith. Isaac's faith had to be tested. So, to will our faith be tested.
Isaac initially failed in the area of fear. Rather that fear God, he chose to fear man. The result of his fearing man could have catastrophic, however, God in His sovereignty kept His hand upon Isaac.
Ultimately, Isaac learned to fear God. In the process he also learned what it means to truly worship God.
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In our last study, we began to look at all the riches we already have in Christ. The amazing fact according to the scriptures is that God the Father has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ in heavenly places. These blessing are for all believers in Christ now.
In these riches we see the work of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We see the trinity at work in the life of the believer.
In this study, we will look at the work of the Father. As we look at it, we will tackle some huge doctrines. Not only are we already looking at the doctrine of the trinity, but now we will look at the doctrines of election and predestination. Sadly, these doctrines have been mangled and misconstrued. But in truth, they are a part of the riches we have in Christ. We will look at them and discover, according to God's word, the joy we should have in knowing that we have been chosen and predestined by God.
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In this study we come to the end of Abrahams life. Here we will see how this great man of faith finished his race strong. Abraham has been a great example of how we should run the race and how we should finish the race.
Next, we are given a brief view into the life of Isaac and Rebekah. We see the birth of Esau and Jacob and very quickly move into Esau selling the birthright to Jacob.
It is a fast-moving chapter filled with great lessons throughout that we are able to apply to ourselves.
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We now come to the conclusion of this great chapter. This wonderful picture that displays the work of the trinity in the life of the believer. It is a chapter that points us to Christ and His church. It points us to how the Father sent the Spirit to gather a bride for His Son. What a wonderful picture set before us.
In this study we look at the Christian journey that every believer must take. It is so encouraging to know the great work and ministry of the of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we travel the path set before us. It is ever so wonderful to know that the Holy Spirit will ensure are safe delivery to Jesus.
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We now begin an amazing study in the book of Ephesians. Immediately we are introduced to the riches we now have in Christ. Every blessing that we have is in Christ. The wealth of every true believer in Christ is beyond the scope of our ability to even begin to imagine.
The first half of this epistle will show us all that we have in Christ. It will show us all that God has done for us in Christ. Once we truly know this, it will impact the way we live for Jesus now.
Buckle up as we travel to incredible spiritual heights.
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We now conclude the book of Daniel with an indepth look at the last half of the tribulation period. It will be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. There is a time that the world now faces, that the nation of Israel faces that will be horrible beyond any description.
This time if fast approaching and cannot be stopped. It is a time that has been determined. However, there is hope. That hope is found in Jesus. The hope for all of humanity is found in the finished work of Jesus. One need only to believe that they are a sinner, that Jesus died for their sin at Calvary, that He was buried and rose again on the third day; and they will be saved.
The only hope is Christ in us the hope of eternity.
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We continue our study in this longest of chapters in Genesis. It is a wonderful love story. Abraham the father is sending his unnamed servant to a distant land to gather a bride for his son of promise, Isaac. It is an amazing picture of the trinity, of Jesus and of His church. So much is contained in this wonderful chapter. May the jewels of this wonderful passage richly bless you.
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Daniel will now receive understanding of the vision and message that has troubled him for twenty-one days. The angel sent to Daniel promises to tell him the truth concerning the message and vision.
The angel presents to Daniel the future history of Israel under the Persian and Greek empires. The period presented covers approximately 400 years. We know from our present history books that what the angel told Daniel was indeed truth.
A term that the angel used over and over was, appointed time. This reminds us of God's sovereignty. Daniel and Israel were facing appointed times. We also are facing appointed times. We must never forget that God is God over the past, present and future. God is in control!
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We now come to the final three chapters of Daniel. These chapters are connected as this great book comes to a conclusion. Chapter 11 will lay out before us in great detail, prophecies concerning Persia and Greece. From there we will jump forward into the prophetic history of the 70th week of Daniel. This will be followed by the return of Christ and the setting up of His millennial kingdom.
As we begin in chapter 10, we will get a glimpse of the reality of the spiritual warfare that rages all around us. This is a warfare that has a direct impact on all the events taking place in the world today. It is a raging battle that will increase in intensity until Jeus returns.
As we look at all of this, we must remember three things that will be said to Daniel. Fear not. Peace be unto you. And be strong, yes be very strong. We must remember these three phrases as we live on the precipice of the return of Jesus.
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We now come to the longest chapter in Genesis. In this chapter we have a beautiful love story set before us. We will see how Rebekah becomes the wife of Isaac.
But even more, we have set before us a beautiful picture of God the Father, God the Holy Spirit and God the Son. In this picture we will see the wonderful work of the Holy Spirit as He gathers a bride for the Father's only begotten Son.
It will take several studies to go through this passage that is filled with so many wonderful jewels. May God richly bless you as we learn of the depth of His love for us.
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We now come to the key passage when it comes to understanding biblical prophecy. This passage is referred to as the backbone of all biblical prophecy. This is a deep and intense study. It is our prayer that it will bring to you a deeper understanding of all biblical prophecy. That it will make you more aware of the days we are living in from a biblical perspective. And ultimately give you the strength to stand strong in these last of the last days.
Maranatha
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Abraham, on obedience has offered his only son Isaac as a burnt offering before the LORD. God, at the last moment intervened and provided Abraham with a ram to be offered as the sacrifice. As a result of Abraham's obedience, God blesses Abraham abundantly. He once again confirms to Abraham His wonderful covenant.
After this, Sarah dies. Abraham purchases a piece of land that he may bury Sarah in the land that God has promised to him. Although Abraham owns none of the land at this point, he knows that it is his because God has promised it to him. To purchase land and bury Sarah in the land was a great step of faith.
Abraham was a man who walked by faith. So to must you and I. We must walk by faith and not by sight. Our gaze must always be on heaven. We must always be looking for our blessed hope, Christ in us the hope of eternity.
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This chapter contains the most critical portion of scripture pertaining to all biblical prophecy. In order to understand all biblical prophecy, this chapter must be understood.
Yet before we get to this amazing prophecy, we must first start with prayer. But before we get to prayer we must start with the word of God. It is important that we never forget, every work of God begins with the word of God. Daniel is a man of the word. Every man of God must be, above all else, a man of the word.
In Daniel's prayer, there is much that we can learn. There have been countless books written on prayer. We could spend endless hours reading books on how to pray. Yet all we need to know about prayer is contained in the word of God. Spend precious time in God's word. The more time we spend in God's word, the more we will be driven to prayer.
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The faith of Abraham must once again be tested. God commanded Abraham to offer his son Issaac as a burnt offering. This command came without explanation. It is a severe test beyond description. As our faith grows, so to must the severity of the test.
Now in this we have a beautiful picture of the gospel. We see Abraham the father offering up his only son as a sacrifice. The details of this account are many. They all clearly point us to Calvary.
There is also personal application. Abraham was being commanded to sacrifice that which he loved the most. The challenge we face; are we willing to put to death the things we love the most in order to truly know and live for God?
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Daniel has another amazing vision. Again, he is not able to understand this vision. An angel must interpret the vision for him.
The vision gives a stunningly accurate account of the Medes and Persians, the Greeks, Alexander the Great, Antiochus IV and the Antichrist who is yet to rise up in the near future. So accurate are the details, the critics attack it vigorously. However, their attacks cannot stand up to the truth.
As we continue to look at these incredible prophesies found in Daniel, we must remind ourselves that this not an exercise to satisfy our curiosity or increase our knowledge. Bible prophesy is not meant to fill our minds, it is meant to change our hearts. The more we know and understand biblical prophecy, the more it should change how we live for Jesus.
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Abraham obediently sends Hagar and Ishmael away. This was a difficult command for Abraham to obey, yet he arose early and obeyed. The difficulty of the command must never affect our prompt obedience to that command. To obey is always better than sacrifice.
It did not take long for the resources of Hagar and Ishmael to run out. Their situation was dire. In this moment of crisis, Hagar forgot the promise of God from years earlier. God spoke to Hagar and opened her eyes. Not to what she thought she needed, but to the provision she already had.
How often in life's difficulties we lose sight of the provision we already have in Christ Jesus. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
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We now conclude our study in this amazing and critical chapter which presents to us and amazing overview of biblical prophecy. To understand this chapter will give us a clear biblical view of the days we are living in.
There is far too much to unpack in an introductory summary. However, we can conclude with the simple fact that God is in control. God is soverein. God knows the beginning from the end. God rules in the affairs of man.
The days before us will absolutely be more difficult than we can imagine. But let us be encouraged. Jesus is coming again. He will set up His kingdom. And when Jesus returns, He will give His kingdom to the saints of the Most High. Yes, the days before us are difficult but the glory that lies beyond will be joy indescribable.
Maranatha
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Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah. Jus as God had spoken, Isaac was miraculously born to this couple that was decades beyond the age of having children. God made the impossible possible. God said that they would have child, and they did. There is nothing more certain than the word of God.
With the birth of Isaac came the problem of Ishmael. Ishmael and Isaac could not dwell in the same home, just as the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are not able to dwell together. Ishmael had to be cast out completely. So to, we must cast out the works of the flesh completely.
We will never experience the full blessing of walking in the Spirit until we cast out the works of the flesh.
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We now enter the prophetic chapters of Daniel. The importance of these chapters cannot be overstated. These chapters are key when it comes to having a correct biblical understanding of end time events and the days we are living in. Understanding these important chapters will develop in us a 30,000-foot view of biblical prophecy.
As we embark on these chapters with their amazing pin-point accuracy, it should have a great impact on how we live for Jesus. It should motivate us to abide in Christ and live in total obedience to His word.
We are living in amazing times. We are on the precipice of the return of Christ. Let's live every day for Jesus.
Maranatha
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We now come back to Abraham. He and Sarah are on the verge of having a wonderful child of promise from God. They have met with God and been given a great promise. Yet in the midst of all this, Abraham once again fails miserably.
While Abraham was noted for his faith, the faithfulness of God towards Abraham is amazing. God has begun a great work in Abraham and God will bring that great work to completion.
There is much we are able to learn from the life of Abraham. May we all make application of the great lesson being set before us in the life of Abraham.
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Here we look at the familiar account of Daniel and the lion's den. While it is familiar, it is filled with much that we can still learn from.
Daniel was a righteous man. He was a man in whom was an excellent spirit. Accusation concerning his integrity was impossible. Instead, his enemies created a law that would prevent him from worshipping the LORD. In this, they knew that Daniel would obey God rather than man. As a result, they would be able to murder him in the lion's den.
Daniel was a godly man. A man who had been faithful for decades. How is that Daniel could faithfully obey God and end up in the lion's den? Paul tells in in II Timothy 3:12 Yes, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
Going through trials and tribulations will often be the result of righteous living. God allows trials and tribulations into our lives so that we may be formed into a vessel of honor through which He will display His glory.
Are we prepared to obey God rather than man? Are we prepared to be a Daniel?
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In this study we have our last look at Lot in the Old Testament. Lot is a sad case. Here was a man who had every reason to live a godly life, yet his love for the world prevented him from loving God. His backsliding, compromising ways robbed him of any testimony he may have had for the LORD. Lot's life quite frankly was a wasted life that produced ill fruit.
We have a choice before us. Will we go the way of Lot or will we live in sold out obedience to Jesus Christ and His word. Will we obey regardless of cost or consequences to the glory of our heavenly Father.
We cannot follow Jesus with a divided heart. Will you make your life count for the cause of Christ? Hear God's word, know God's word and obey God's word always. Keep your hand to the plough and never look back.
Maranatha!
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Due to unexpected circumstances, I was not able to record the Genesis or Daniel study this week. So instead, we are presenting a message that I have given on several other occasions that I think is appropriate for the days we are living in. I believe that God in His sovereignty has allowed for this message to go forth.
The purpose of this message is to challenge us to live fully for Jesus in these last of the last days. Hopefully it will bring reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness as Paul tells us in II Timothy 3:16,17.
Jesus is coming soon. Let us all live for Jesus to the fullest. May we be all that God has called us to be for the days we are living in.
Maranatha!
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Daniel has been in obscurity for nearly 20 yrs. Now in the midst of the crisis, Daniel, the true servant of God, is called upon. A true servant of God is always ready to answer in the midst of the crisis. Why? Because a true servant of God stands on the truth found in Jesus Christ and His word.
Daniel reads and interpret the writing that came from the hand of God. The message is simple and straightforward. God's word is about to be fulfilled. Belshazzar has been weighed and found wanting. He will now know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and appoints over it whomever He chooses.
As we look at the world around us, it appears to be a chaotic circus. But in truth, God is sovereign. God is in control. The Lord is in His holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before Him
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In this study, the Lord reveals to Abraham the judgment that will soon be rained down upon Sodom and the four surrounding cities. Abraham's responds by immediately interceding for these people. As he prays, we see the heart of God. Abraham is able to pray with the heart of God because he has drawn close to God.
In this, we also learn an important biblical principle. God will not judge the righteous with the wicked. This is an encouraging message for us in our present day. God's judgement is soon to be poured out, but that judgement will not come upon the righteous.
Finally, we once again see Lot who is no immersed in Sodom. Lot is far gone in his backsliding. As we look at the life of Lot, we can see the steps a backslider takes. It is a lesson that we all can learn from.
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We now come to the last day, the last few hours of the Babylonian Empire. The head of gold is about to fall as the chest and arms of silver come into power.
Babylon looked great on the outside but on the inside is has deteriorated greatly. The king is filled with pride and arrogance, aloof to the great danger outside the walls of his city and the certainty of God's word. He is foolishly leading a drunken feast showing his contempt for God
God reveals Himself to the king by writing a brief, simple and direct statement on the wall of his banquet hall. None of the wise men of Babylon can read it. Only Daniel, the man of God can reveal to the king the word of God in the midst of this great crisis.
When all else fails, the man of God will always stand tall. Our country, our world is standing on the precipice of the greatest crisis it has ever known. Are we prepared to stand tall and declare God's truth in the moment of crisis?
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We now see a focus on Sarah and the faith she will need to conceive seed and bear a child. Years earlier, Sarah recognized that God withheld her from having a child when it was possible. Now she needs to believe that God could allow her to have a child when it was totally impossible.
God patiently, firmly, gently and lovingly deals with Sarah as He prepares her to bear Isaac. God first works in Sarah in that He may work through her.
As we look at this passage, we must ask ourselves, am I walking by faith or by sight? Do I truly believe that with God all things are possible?
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It has been 13 years since the birth of Ishmael. During this time, Abram has not heard from God. It is during these 13 years of silence that God is preparing Abram to become a great man of faith. May we all be encouraged by those silent seasons.
As God comes to Abram, he changes Abram's name to Abraham and Saria's name to Sarah. God reveals to Abraham greater details concerning His promise to him. Here God specifically tells Abraham that Sarah is the one from whom the child of promise will come. The promise God gives to Abraham is beyond all human possibility, but with God all things are possible.
We are also introduced to circumcision as a sign of this incredible covenant. God gives Abraham clear instructions concerning circumcision. To perform this act of circumcision in adult males is very difficult, yet Abraham's response is immediate obedience. Obedience is everything in the life of a believer.
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The purpose of this chapter was the Nebuchadnezzar would know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He choose. Nebuchadnezzar learned this lesson, but only after he was brutally broken by God.
Not only did Nebuchadnezzar learn that God rules int he kingdom of men, but he also learned that God is able put down all those who walk in pride.
While this chapter is filled with many great lessons, as believers, we must embrace the truth of God's sovereignty. We must see all things through the lens of God's sovereignty. This has a direct impact on how we will live our lives for Jesus. Living in faithful obedience to God's word and the reality of His sovereignty gives power to our witness for Christ.
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We now begin to look at a unique chapter within the Old Testament. What makes this chapter so unique is that it was written by Nebuchadnezzar, one of the greatest gentile monarchs who ever lived.
This chapter is a royal proclamation from Nebuchadnezzar. But even more, it is his personal testimony. Here we will see how Nebuchadnezzar came to know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men. An important message then, and just as important in our present day.
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Once again, we see the faith of Abraham being tested. The temptation is to accomplish the will of God according to the acceptable ways of the world. The intention was well meaning, however, good motives often become the enemy to the cause of Christ. We must remember what has been said by others, "God's work must be done God's way".
While God's promises are beyond our ability to humanly comprehend, we must live by faith and not by sight. Abraham needed to wait upon the LORD. Sometimes, the greatest act of faith is to obediently wait upon the LORD.
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We now see God deliver these three Jewish men from the fiery furnace. They were willing to risk all for the God and in response, God displays his incredible glory to the entire Babylonian empire.
This is a passage filled with great encouragement and lessons that we all can apply in our present day. The question we must ask ourselves is this, are we willing to risk all for the cause of Christ.
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In this study we see Abram struggling with the fear that so readily follows a great victory. God, in His love and grace tells Abram not to be afraid. God is Abram's shield and exceeding great reward.
God reminds Abram of the great promise that He has given to him and now goes into further detail of this great promise. Even more, God strengthens his unconditional promise to Abram. A promise that is still being fulfilled today and will be fulfilled completely when Jesus returns and established His Kingdom
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Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are facing a massive crisis. It is not of their making, yet they must face it all the same. The pressure for these three men compromise and conceal the reality of their relationship with God is immense. Great courage, resolve and faith in God is needed.
The real test for them will be their willingness to risk all for the God. They have been so faithful in so many things, but now, they must risk all.
There is a great lesson for us in this. The real test of our faith if found in what we are willing to risk more than what we are willing to do. If we are not willing to risk all for the cause of Christ, then we are not ready to live for the cause of Christ.
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Once again, we see Abram faced with another test of his faith. Abram experiences a tremendous amount victory. It is in the victory that he is tested. As it has been said, faith that has been tested is a faith that can be trusted.
What Abram discovers is that there is far more danger and temptation after the victory than before. It is our response in victory that reveals the depth of our relationship with Jesus.
Abram learned that through the spoils of this world, Satan obtains many souls. Abram refused the spoils ensuring that only God would get the glory in this great victory.
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Daniel will now tell Nebuchadnezzar his dream and its interpretation. Daniel not only tells the dream and its interpretation, but also tells the king what he was thinking prior to having the dream.
In this dream, God makes know to Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter times. The time of the Gentiles is laid out before the king, and to us as well.
This amazing passage is foundational to our understanding of all biblical prophecy. It gives us a crystal-clear overview of where we are today, how we got here and what is about to take place.
What is revealed to us in this prophesy should impact the way we live for Jesus. It should cause us to live in obedience to Jesus Christ and His word regardless of cost or consequence. It should cause us to be willing to risk all for the cause of Christ.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
In this study, we once again see the faith of Abram tested. His first test was a failure; however, he passes this test to the glory of God. As Warren Wiersbe says, "no failure in the school of faith is permanent".
The test takes place with his nephew Lot. In this test we see the contrast between a mature spiritual man and immature carnal man.
Abram sets before us a great example to follow. He moves forward in faith without striving He is generous and magnanimous. He is a man no longer concerned about self-preservation, rather he is filled with Divine anticipation.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
Abram is in the land of promise. In obedience he has come to the land. God has made an amazing covenant with Abram. An unconditional promise. Abram has pitched his tent and built his alter. He is now at a spiritual high point.
It is now that Abram will enter the furnace of testing. As it has been said, a faith that is not tested is a faith that cannot be trusted. Faith is not faith until it looks into the face of the impossible and believes steadfastly that with God all things are possible.
Abram fails the test, but with God, there is always opportunity for a new beginning. God delights in mercy. He loves the backslider. God graciously allows Abram to return and repent. In so doing, God brings revival into the heart of Abram
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
Here we see the godly character of Daniel and his three friends on full display. These are four young men that were willing to risk everything for the sake of God. In spite of the great crisis that they were living in, they had purposed in their heart that they would live for God at all times, in all places and in any circumstances.
A great example is set before us. How we need someone today who would dare to be a Daniel. Are we willing to risk all for the cause of Christ in order that you and I may be all for the cause of Christ?
Are we living for Jesus today? Do we hear God's word, know God's word and live in obedience to God's word today? Have we purposed in our heart today that we will risk all for the cause of Christ so that we may live fully for Christ?
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
In this study we are introduced to Abram who will ultimately be renamed to Abraham. Abraham is the only man in the bible to be called the friend of God. This alone tells you about the godly character of this man.
Here we will see how God calls Abram. Not only does God call Abram but gives him some amazing promises. Promises that are foundational to the nation of Israel to this day. Promises that only God would be able to keep.
We have much to learn from the life of Abraham. Hold on tight as we now begin to look deep into his life through the word of God.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
In this study we look at the amazing event that took place at the tower of Babel. Only 5 generations past the flood and mankind was in open rebellion and defiance toward God. Rather than multiplying and filling the whole earth, they gathered together in the land of Shinar.
There they sought to build a tower that would be the gateway to the gods. It was here that they thought they could become like God. Their pride and arrogance allowed them to be deceived into believing this original lie from Satan.
When the sin, iniquity and transgression of man rises up, the judgment of God comes down. It was here at Babel that God confused the language and scattered mankind over the face of all the earth. God overruled the rebellious heart of man.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
In this study we see the great failure of Noah. How sad to see the corruption of the best. Noah was just coming off a tremendous victory. The conditions that he was living in were good. Just a reminder that the most legitimate of situations may become the great occasion for temptation.
For us, it is a reminder, we must stay on guard at all times. Satan is ever on the prowl seeking who he may devour.
We also see how from the three sons of Noah, the entire world would become populated. All the nations of the world come from one human family. We are all one blood. It is God who sets the times and boundaries for all nations. God is the God of every nation, and He is in control.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
This was our final study in the great book of Galatians. Paul has firmly defended that great doctrine of justification by faith. Furthermore, he has instructed us on how we are to make full application of this doctrine in our daily living.
Every believer has been justified by faith alone in Christ alone. We are also being sanctified by faith alone in Christ alone. As a result, we are able to stand fast in the liberty that we have in Christ Jesus. We are able to walk in the Spirit and be led by the Spirit.
Paul also gave us instruction on how to identify a legalist. It is critical that we be able to mark a legalist and avoid them as well. Nothing good will ever come from legalism.
Finally, it is worth noting that Paul began this difficult letter with grace. He also ended it with grace. We must always remember that it is all of grace!
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
We continue the process of making full application of the doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. We must apply doctrine through faithful obedience in order to enjoy its full benefits.
Our first command in response to this great doctrine was to stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free. Now we are commanded to walk in the Spirit and to be led by the Spirit. As followers of Jesus Christ, it is imperative that we understand fully that we cannot live a godly life in Christ Jesus apart from the power of the Holy Spirt.
Walking in the Spirit and being led by the Spirit must be given the highest priority the life of a believer. The return of Christ is at hand. The days are far spent. We need to be living fully for Jesus every waking moment.
Maranatha
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
Noah and his family are now out of the ark. As they come out and offer sacrifices before the LORD, the LORD then blesses them. Noah has been faithful and obedient to the LORD. Faithful obedience to God will always be the pathway to blessing.
God also makes a covenant with Noah, his descendants after him and with every living creature. The covenant was that God would never again destroy the earth with a flood. The sign of this covenant is the rainbow.
Every time we see a beautiful rainbow in the sky, we are reminded of the faithfulness of God's word and the greatness of His amazing grace.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
Paul, so far, has defended his authority as an apostle. He has defended the doctrine of justification by faith. Now he will defend the life of freedom that justification by faith brings.
It is one thing to have a knowledge of the great doctrine, justification by faith. But that is not enough, we need to make application of this great doctrine. It is only by making application of this great doctrine that we are able to enjoy the wonderful liberty that we have in Christ.
One thing that Paul wants to drive home in this passage; legalism is no small thing in the body of Christ. It is destructive from every angle. There is no upside to legalism. Indeed, a little leaven does leaven the entire lump.
Are you ready to make a stand against the leaven of legalism, the leaven of false teachers that has saturated the church today?
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
In this study we see Noah and his family go into the storm and come out on the other side. God proved Himself faithful in preserving and delivering Noah and his family from the horrific storm of His judgment. God will never judge the righteous with the wicked.
This is a great reminder to us. Although we will experience storms in our Christian journey, God will preserve and deliver us. The key is that we hear God's word, know God's word and obey God's word.
Finally, we saw the obedience of Noah throughout. When Noah came out of the ark, he immediately sacrificed to the LORD. Obedience in the life of a believer will always make worship the priority of our lives.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
As we begin chapter 7, we note the faithfulness and obedience of Noah. Noah was a man who walked with God, he feared God. Noah had a life marked by obedience and faithfulness. What an example to follow.
In this chapter we see the judgment of God explode upon the planet. It happened with great suddenness and violence. It happened exactly as God said that it would. Every detail that God spoke was fulfilled without exception. Such is God's word. We should take notice of this fact as the judgment of God is about to explode on this planet once again.
Knowing, according to the scriptures, that the return of Christ is at hand, should impact the way we live for Jesus.
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Paul now completes his defense of justification by faith. His final argument uses the law to support this great doctrine of justification by faith. This nailed the door shut on the Judaizers and legalist.
From the scriptures, Paul shows how Sarah and Hagar as well as Isaac and Ishmael present to us a vivid picture of the stark difference between grace and the law. Paul shows us how the law brings bondage, but grace brings freedom in Christ.
Paul concludes by reminding us that we are not children of the bondwoman. We are children of the free woman. We have been justified by faith alone in Christ alone. Therefore, we are heirs of God, we are joint heirs with Christ.
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Paul continues to establish the doctrine of justification by faith. His argument now begins to go from formal to personal. Up to this point we have seen Paul the apostle. Paul the theologian. Now we see Paul the Pastor.
Set before us is the heart of a pastor. Paul sets an excellent example of what every pastor should look like. He sets the standard of defending biblical doctrine. All pastors must emulate Paul's example. In contrast, Paul also points out to us the trademarks of a false teacher.
A great challenge that we have before is this; Is our Christian life moving forward in liberty or backward into bondage? As Christians, these two paths will ever be before us. There is only one way to be all that Christ has called us to be. That is by faith alone in Christ alone.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
In this study we look at Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation and he walked with God. Noah was a man of great faith, a man of the word, a man of prayer and a preacher of righteousness. Noah displays for us a great example to follow.
Noah's days were filled with evil and violence. Demonic activity was everywhere. The great judgment of God through a worldwide flood would come in the days of Noah.
Today, we live in a time much like the days of Noah. This world is on a collision course with the wrath of God. We are living on the precipice of God's judgement. May this knowledge impact the way we live our lives. May we all be challenged to live in obedient faith to Jesus Christ and His word.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
We continue to look at the awesome doctrine of justification by faith. We take a second look at verses 26-29 of chapter 3. This is the highpoint of Paul's great argument concerning justification by faith alone in Christ alone.
We are all one in Christ Jesus. We are no longer slaves to sin or the law. We are sons. Thus, we are an heir of God through Christ.
Legalism is tragic in every way possible. There is nothing good about it. Our righteousness is found in Christ alone by faith alone. We can never improve upon the righteousness that we have in Christ Jesus
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
We now look at the days of Noah prior to the flood. It is critical that we glean thoroughly from this passage. Jesus stated that the days prior to His return would be just like the days of Noah. This passage makes it clear that we are living in the last of the last days.
While the information we have is minimal, it is enough to know that it was a time of unprecedented evil. It was a spiritually dark time. It was time when the wickedness of man was great throughout the entire earth. The state of man grieved the heart of God.
In all of this we have a brilliant glimmer heaven. But Noah found grace in the eyes of God. Noah did not earn or deserve the grace of God. God's grace found Noah.
God's grace will always rise victorious. God's grace triumphantly assures us that His will, His plans and His purpose will never fail.
Maranatha
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
Paul continues his argument for the doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. His argument now transitions into the scriptures.
This argument will once again conclude, according to God's word, that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. We are justified by faith alone. Furthermore, we are sanctified by faith alone.
Why would anyone who has been delivered from the bondage of the law choose to return to and live in the bondage that they have been delivered from?
We need to stop being so busy trying to be something better and abide in what Christ has already done for us.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
In this study, we continue to look at and draw lessons from the life of Cain. Cain was a man who clearly knew the truth of God, yet he chose to turn from it. Cain is a picture of every apostate who has lived and is alive today. The way of Cain is an intolerable life. It is a fruitless search for satisfaction apart from God. Such is the way for all who turn from the known truth found in Jesus Christ and His word.
We also looked at two Enochs. One from the line of Cain and one from the line of Adam through Seth. Enoch from the line of Cain has everything that life could offer except for God. All that he had and would be remembered by perished in the flood.
The Enoch from the line of Adam walked with God. He had a deep abiding relationship with God. This Enoch lives on in eternity. His name is recorded in the hall of faith eternally.
Which Enoch are we? Are we walking with God focused on eternity. Or are we living for this world and its temporal treasures?
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
Paul now transitions from a personal defense to a definitive argument concerning the defense of the doctrine of justification by faith. Over the next few chapters will see some of the strongest words Paul ever used in scripture.
Why the strong, direct, severe words? There is a battle raging. It is a battle for the heart of the gospel. It is a battle for the truth of God's word. The battle centers on salvation by grace alone or by works of the law.
This is a battle that continues to rage today. Failure to fight this battle has allowed a flood of deception to enter the church. Apostasy has risen to a level never before seen.
We are in this battle whether we choose to accept it or not. Do not take it lightly or half-heartedly. Resolve now to fight this battle.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
In this study we see Cain and Abel bringing their sacrifices before the LORD. God accepted Abel's but rejected Cain's. Why? Abel presented his sacrifice by faith, Cain did not.
God showed great longsuffering with Cain. Cain had opportunity to repent. However, he chose instead to murder his brother. What began as disobedience in the garden has now manifested itself in first degree murder of the innocent. Such is the ultimate outcome of all sin.
As a result of Cain's refusal to repent and subsequent murder of his brother, he has now become a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth. His life has now become intolerable. A fruitless search for satisfaction.
In all of this we see a picture of Jesus. To Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 12:24
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In this study we see the consequences of sin. Eve was deceived, Adam transgressed; transgression will always follow deception. It can never be stated too strongly to be on guard against all deception. Why? A little leaven leavens the whole lump.
Now in all of this, Adam and Eve made the choice to disobey God's command. Therefore, they were responsible for the consequences.
While their sin was great, God's grace is greater. In this passage we see the gospel presented to us twice. We have a wonderful prophesy concerning the virgin birth of Christ and His ultimate victory over Satan. We also see how on the blood of Christ can take away our sin.
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Set before us in this study is a key turning point in the history of the church. The truth of the gospel according to God's word is at stake.
Peter, an apostle and early leader in the church, through his actions had played the hypocrite. His actions caused others to play the hypocrite as well. Because of their hypocrisy, they were not straightforward about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul, seeing the great danger in this, immediately confronted Peter to his face and did so publicly. Peter was dead wrong according to the scriptures. No one is above God's word. Peters' transgression was done publicly. It impacted everyone in the church. Therefore, public rebuke according to God's word was the proper thing to do.
This passage is rich with lessons both clear and unmistakable. Paul would not be moved for an instant from the truth of the gospel. Are we, like Paul, willing to stand up for the truth found in Jesus Christ and His word? Are we willing to unwaveringly stand up for the truth of the gospel?
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As we come to the end of chapter 2, everything is absolutely perfect. There is no sin at all, not even a trace. But this would all come to an end. How did it come to an end?
Satan, who had already fallen, entered the garden of Eden cleverly deceiving and tempting Eve. Eve was deceived and gave in to the temptation, thus sin entered the world. She then went to Adam, and he transgressed.
While we see the devastating entrance of sin into the world, we are also given a template of how Satan will tempt each one of us. We have his playbook. This may be one of the best passages to make us aware of the enemy's tactics and how best to defend against them in our spiritual walk.
May God open His word to our hearts. As we live in obedience to the word of God, may we be filled with the Holy Spirit. May we learn from this passage how to live the victorious Christian life.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
As we continue in Galatians, Paul again warns against false brethren. False brethren are those who teach a false gospel which is no gospel at all. They are enemies of the cross and must be treated as such. They move secretly, smoothly and with great subtlety. What they present is not true to Jesus Christ and His word. There is no room for discussion with these evil men. Separation is the only action to take.
Next, we are not to idolize men, movements or ministries. We are to place no one on a pedestal. No one is to be placed above Jesus Christ and His word. In truth, we do struggle with this. It is so easy to allow our feeling, affections and loyalties to rise above our call to faithful obedience.
We must always hear God's word, know God's word and obey God's word. To obey is better than sacrifice.
Maranatha
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
In this study we continue to look at creation. We have set before us a complimentary commentary that focuses on the sixth day of creation. Specifically, on the last half of the sixth day with the creation of man.
We also have several great foundational pictures set before us. The first picture has to do with the church and how we were born from the side of Christ. It is a great picture that illuminates the wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ.
Also before us is the foundation of marriage. We are able to learn so much from these few foundational verses on marriage. Everything that is said about marriage in the bible is built on the foundation found in these few short verses.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
Paul continues his letter to the church at Galatia. He lets them know that he is not a man pleaser, he is a bondservant of Jesus Christ. A bondservant is a slave. A bondservant's life is not his own. Paul's life is not his own. His life belongs entirely to Jesus. Is our life our own or does it belong to Jesus?
God called Paul according to His grace in order that Paul would preach the true gospel to the gentiles. God revealed His Son Jesus to Paul. God revealed Jesus in Paul. And now God would reveal Jesus through Paul. God always works in us that He might work through us.
Paul had a dramatic conversion. He also had a great call put on his life from God. However, Paul did not immediately begin to serve. There was an extended time that God worked in the life of Paul, preparing him for what he had been called to do. God called Paul and would send Paul, but first God would prepare Paul. God is always more interested in the servant than the service
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
In this study we complete our study of the creation account that covered the six 24-hour days of creation. In this we see the awesomeness of God through his creation.
In our next study we will continue to look at creation from a different angle. It will be a complementary commentary on the first chapter. The focus will be the last half of the sixth day of creation. We will take a thorough look at the creation of man.
Again, as we look at this chapter, we see that God alone is the creator of everything seen and unseen. The undeniable fact that God is the infinite, almighty, self-existing creator is foundational to the entire bible. It is foundational to our relationship with God. We must never compromise on the literal view of the first chapter of Genesis.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
We now begin a new study in the book of Galatians. What a tremendously powerful and important letter then and today. In this letter, Paul deals with a major problem facing the church and still facing the church today. Paul is in full combat against the false teachers who are seeking to destroy the truth of the one and only gospel.
Some view this book as a battle against legalism. But it is much more. It is a call to arms. It is a bold declaration concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was under attack then and it is under attack today.
Are you prepared to stand for the truch found in Jesus Christ and His word? Are you prepared to stand for the truth of the gospel? Are you prepared to live for the truth? Are you prepared to die for the truth?
Jesus is coming soon. Let us all stand strong for the truth found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ until He takes us home.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
We continue our study in Genesis Chapter 1. In this study we will look at days two through 5 of the creation account.
The amazing creative power of God is beyond our ability to even begin to imagine. How can one begin to explain the trillions of stars contained within 24 billion light years of our awesome universe. How is it that God could do all of this in a day. Thousands of sea creatures and birds. All created in a day.
Volumes could not even begin to contain the wonders of God's creation.
What an awesome God we serve!
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
We finally come to our last study in this great book of Isaiah. We are fittingly pointed to the Millenium that will immediately be followed by the eternal kingdom of God. What a glorious future we as followers of Christ have. We have such incredible hope beyond this world. As believers we must keep our eyes on Jesus. Our hope if not in this world. We can barely imagine the splendor and glory that God is preparing for us.
The book does end on a strange verse. It reminds us how critical it is that unrepentant people need to turn to the Lord. This sobering contrast found in the last verse reveals to us the eternal importance of this present life. It is the choice presently that determines eternity.
Seek the LORD while He may be found. Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow. O LORD, I will praise You; though You were angry with me, your anger is turned away, and you comfort me.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
We will now be sending out two Bible studies every week Lord willing. The study being sent out today will be our first study in the book of Genesis. This should be an exciting study.
Genesis is broken up into two sections. The first 11 chapters being a prologue if you will with chapters 12-50 introducing us to Abraham through whom God will bless all the nations of the world.
The first 11 chapters are foundational to many things. These chapters are meant to be taken literally and that is how they will be taught. To have a solid understanding of the first 11 chapters of Genesis gives us a solid foundation for the entire Bible.
Let's buckle up and see what amazing things God will show as we begin this study in the great and important book of Genesis.
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Beginning Sunday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
We now see God's response to the beautiful prayer that Isaiah gave on behalf of the nation of Israel. Remember, no matter how wonderful and powerful a prayer sounds to men, God knows the character and intent behind the prayer. Isaiah was sincere yet the vast majority of the Israel was insincere.
God answers prayer in righteousness according to His Holy character and for His glory alone!
The answer before us summarizes the book of Isaiah. The LORD had constantly presented His love to Israel which they continually rejected. Thus, God's judgment was necessary. Yet within the vast majority of rebellious and evil Israel, there was a remnant that God would preserve.
God makes clear the difference between the way the rebellious, evil apostates live and how the righteous remnant lives. God sees and knows the difference. Furthermore, there are consequences for both. The rebellious, evil apostates will face severe eternal judgment. But for righteous remnant, their consequences will be glorious as Jesus returns to establish His kingdom for a thousand years. After that, a new heaven and a new earth will be ushered in.
In all of this and throughout the entire book of Isaiah, there is a pleading for the people to place their trust in the LORD and to live righteously. God has not changed. That plea is being made to us today. Are we living for Jesus? Are we living in all out obedience to Jesus Christ and His word? Do we truly seek the LORD?
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Beginning Monday May 5th, we have changed locations and will meet on Sundays at 10 am. If you are interested in joining us either live or on Zoom, please contact us at the above email address.
Most of Isaiah 63 and all of chapter 64, contains a national prayer by Isaiah. It is a prayer made on behalf of the remnant. It is a prayer that should both instruct us and encourage us today.
Isaiah began by praising God and declaring His indescribable goodness. He then acknowledged how Israel rebelled horribly against God's goodness. Next, he remembered the faithfulness of God. Then he plead with God that He would pity them and once again show His tender love.
Isaiah concludes his prayer with confession, repentance and a plea for God to act on behalf of His people. As we will see in the next few chapters, God does hear and answer the prayers of His people.
Much can be learned about prayer from this passage. It should be an encouragement to our prayer life. As the remnant church of the last days, may we all be encouraged to pray without ceasing.
Maranatha!
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Chapel on the Christ Home Campus
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As we begin this passage, we are once again reminded that Israel has a glorious future. God has given to them unconditional promises that are soon to be fulfilled. God through Isaiah tells Israel to prepare for his return with great urgency and anticipation.
Are we prepared for the return of Christ? Do we live our lives with a great sense of urgency? Are we preparing our lives for His return? Are we encouraging others to be prepared for the return of Christ?
In all of this we must understand that the day of God's salvation will not come before the day of His vengeance. We have some brutal days before us. Jesus alone will judge the rebellious world that has rejected His atoning sacrifice on their behalf. But once His judgement is complete, Jesus will establish His glorious kingdom.
While Jesus alone judges the world, Jesus alone has atoned for the sin of the world. All who come to Jesus in repentance and faith will be saved. As these last days rapidly wind down, may the Holy Spirit open the hearts of the lost to the wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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In this study, we immediately see the work of the trinity as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are described as being a part of both the first and second coming of Jesus Christ.
Next, we see the first and second advents of Jesus laid out for us. Jesus, in Luke 4:16-21, confirmed the portion of this passage that speaks of His first coming. The bible will always be the best commentary on the bible.
As we know, every prophesy contained in the Old Testament concerning the first coming of Jesus Christ was fulfilled precisely. This is an indisputable fact. Knowing that every prophesy concerning the first coming of Jesus was fulfilled exactly, we can know for a certainty that every prophesy concerning his second coming will be fulfilled without question.
Jesus is coming again according to the scriptures. How does this impact the way we are living for Jesus today?
Jesus commands us to live in full obedience to His word regardless of cost or consequence. We are not to tolerate compromise or corruption as it leads to backsliding, apostasy and full blown deception. We are not to fear anything other than God. We are to be faithful unto death. And we must not deny the name of Jesus.
Are we truly living for Jesus?
Maranatha
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First let me wish everyone a blessed resurrection day. Christ has risen indeed. Jesus has defeated sin and death for us all. O death, where is your sting? O hell, where is your victory? Jesus is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Jesus alone holds the keys to hades and death. All who have confessed with their mouth and believed in their hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, live every day with the blessed hope, Christ in us the hope of eternity.
Our present study looks at the millennial reign of Jesus. The time when all evil, wickedness, sin, transgression and iniquity will come to an end forever. Violence, destruction and wasting will be gone forever. Peace and righteousness will never come to an end.
This is the hope for all that have given their lives to Jesus! Knowing this should impact our perspective of the world we live in. It should impact the way we live. Where is your heart today? Are you seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Does your heart? Long for the return of Jesus?
Maranatha!
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We now enter into the final chapters of Isaiah. The focus of these last chapters are the glory of God and the millennial reign of Christ. God's glory is a wonderful thing to behold. It is the blessed hope that we all long for.
The world that we live in today is dark and evil. What lies before us in this world is a greater darkness and a deeper evil. Apart from Jesus, we would have absolutely no hope at all. But indeed, we do have blessed hope, Christ in us the hope of glory.
Knowing of the certain glory that awaits all God's people, are we truly willing to live for Jesus today? Are we willing to stand up for righteousness and justice? Are we willing to stand up for the truth found in Jesus Christ and His word regardless of cost or consequence.
We have been raised up for such a time as this. Let us all live our lives to the fullest in obedience to God's word for His glory alone.
Maranatha!
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The people were experiencing great hardship at this time. They complained that God was not able to hear their prayers nor was He able to save them from their situation. Sadly, the people have a very high estimation of themselves and a low estimation of God.
The problem was not God, it was the people. Their iniquities separated them from God. Because of their sins, God hid his face from them and would not hear their prayers. You cannot live a lifestyle of sin and have fellowship with God at the same time.
God graciously, in detail described for Israel their sinful ways. It was necessary for them to acknowledge their sinful ways, confess their sinful ways and repent of their sinful ways. Otherwise, their fellowship with God would not be restored.
Those who do choose to stand for the truth found in Jesus Christ and His word will become a prey. You will be a high priority target. The enemies of the cross will attack you brutally and relentlessly. Are you willing in these last days, to risk all for the cause of Christ? Are you prepared to live in obedience to Jesus Christ and His word regardless of cost or consequence to the glory of God?
May we all hear God's word, know God's word and obey God's word. May we all keep our hand to the plough and never turn back. Jesus is coming soon!
Maranatha!
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Worship that is filled with hypocrisy has become all too common within the church today. Hypocrisy is quite easy to identify and yet at the same time it is far too easy to be blinded by our pride, becoming the hypocrite ourselves.
God looks at our hearts as we come before Him in worship. Is our worship sincere before God? Are we truly worshipping the Lord in spirit and in truth? God certainly sees. He certainly knows.
False worship will always be revealed by how we treat one another in the body of Christ. We must stop placing one another under bonds, oppression, burdens and yokes. We must start extending our souls to one another. We must minister to the needs of one another, building each other up in the Lordship of Jesus.
Obedience to Jesus Christ and His word is everything. Obedience is the pathway to true blessing from God. As God showers us with His blessings, we must in turn bless one another.
Maranatha
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In this study we spend a great deal of time looking at the danger and great destructiveness of hypocrisy. It was a great danger in the days of Isaiah. It was a great danger in the days when Jesus ministered on the earth. And it is a great danger within the church today.
How is it that hypocrisy, being so devastating in all that it touches, somehow remains attractive to the masses drawing many into her toxic tenacles? We know that with in each one of us lives a hypocrite. How then are we able to protect ourselves from hypocrisy's lures?
Remember that we serve an awesome God who has saved us greatly. All his ways are righteous and just. We must draw near to God with our hearts. Where is your heart? We must be humble and broken before His glory and holiness. We must by faith walk in total obedience to His word regardless of cost or consequence. We must hear God's word, know God's word and obey God's word.
Keep your hand to the plough and don't look back. Our salvation draws near!
Maranatha!
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This chapter is rather interesting. Having just concluded God's scathing indictment of Israel's leadership; they have reached a point of no return. The judgment of God cannot be turned back. Israel, as a nation cannot be turned around.
God will now reveal to the people what they have done and why they have done it prior to declaring his judgment to come. God is righteous and just. No one will be able to question His judgment when it comes.
Yet in contrast to the unrighteous, the righteous remnant, during this time, will find peace, true peace. They will have the peace of God that passes all understanding. Furthermore, they will experience the wonderful blessing of God both in possession and inheritance.
Now, God is righteous and just, but He is also gracious and merciful. In the face of this great judgment to come, God offers to the unrighteous an opportunity to repent. If they do repent, God is willing to forgive and able to heal.
We live in a day where the return of Christ is at hand. God's judgement is soon to be poured out. For the righteous, stand strong in the LORD. Stay true to Jesus and His word always. For the unrighteous, God is ever willing to forgive you of your unrighteousness and to heal you of all your transgression, iniquity and sin.
Jesus is coming so soon. Let us all be prepared for His return.
Maranatha
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As we begin this chapter, we see that the grace of God has no limitations. Salvation is available to all. The foreigner and outcast are more than welcome. The abundant life in Christ is available to all who come to Jesus in saving faith.
As we get to the last half of the chapter, we are introduced to a scathing indictment of the leadership in Israel. The standards applied then, apply today as well. Those called to leadership in the body of Christ would do well to pay heed.
People get the leaders they deserve, yet the responsibility for a leader to provide godly, biblical leadership does not diminish. Leaders raised up by God are to lead God's church God's way. Their instructions are found in God's word and the example is Jesus.
God's judgment will come because of leaderships blindness, ignorance, laziness, greed and indifference. The Bible tells us that judgement begins in the house of God. Jesus is coming soon and His kingdom will be glorious beyond description. But before He does return in glory there must first be cleansing judgment.
For the remnant, stay true to Jesus and His word. Listen to all that Jesus says and obey all that Jesus says. Keep your hand to the plough and don't look back. The return of Christ is at hand.
Maranatha
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We now have a wonderful universal invitation to the abundant life found in Christ alone. This life cannot be purchased. It can only be entered into through repentance and faith.
True satisfaction can only be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We do this by seeking and calling upon the Lord. By forsaking our evil ways and unrighteous thoughts. By returning to the Lord through repentance and faith.
One we have accepted Christ through repentance and faith, we must spend time in God's word. God's word will bring amazing fruitfulness into the life of a believer. When we know God's word and obey God's word, we fully enter into the abundant life found in Christ alone.
At the heart of this abundant life in Christ is joy and peace. Joy and peace is given to every believer who enters into a personal relationship with Jesus. They cannot be taken away. There is nothing more valuable than the joy of the Lord and the peace of God that passes all understanding. Both are only available through the abundant life found in Christ alone.
May we all enjoy the wonderful abundant life in Christ!
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We now see the wonderful consequences that resulted from the brutal sacrifice of God's Servant, Jesus. The outcome is glorious. It brings salvation to the Jews. It brings salvation to the whole world. Isaiah describes for us a city whose builder and maker is God. A place where righteousness will be established. A place where oppression, terror and fear will not exist. It will be established, and no one will be able to challenge it in any way.
Based on this wonderful promise, God commands His children not to fear. God has been faithful in the past. God is faithful in the present. We can rest assured that God will always be faithful and true to His word. We have no need to fear.
All the wonderful promises and commands that we see in this chapter are based on God's word. There is nothing more certain than God's word. How important is God's word in our life? Are we willing to obey God's word regardless of our prejudice, our feelings, the cost or temporary consequences it may bring? The person who listens to all that Jesus says and obeys all that Jesus says will be the only person standing in these last days.
Maranatha
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We now come to the conclusion of this great passage that began in 52:13. In this passage we have the complete picture of Calvary and all that God accomplished through His Servant, Jesus. We see clearly what was accomplished on behalf of Israel, what was accomplished on behalf of the whole world. The death of Jesus at Calvary satisfied God's righteous demand for judgment against sin, iniquity and transgression. His resurrection proved His victory over sin and death. Now through the finished work of Jesus, we have the way, the only way, for all to come to God in faith for salvation from sin.
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In this study we were presented with several challenges. Do we have the mind of Christ? Are we willing to live in obedience as Christ did? Obedience to the point of death! Is the work that Jesus accomplished on the cross central in our daily walk with Him? Great and important questions. Our response to these questions will have great impact on our growth in Christ and our effectiveness for the kingdom of God.
We also took time to look deeply into the doctrine of atonement. Atonement is so simple to understand and yet so critical to our walk with Jesus. Atonement means to make reconciliation. All of humanity has a burden of sin that none are capable of paying. Jesus fulfilled the law of God perfectly. Jesus alone was able to offer Himself as the satisfactory payment for our sin. This was accomplished once and for all at Calvary, at the cross.
The Bible tells us in I John 2:2 that Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins and not for our sin only but for the sin of the whole world.
How incredible it is to be washed in the blood of the Lamb. To be a new creation in Christ. To know that we are looking forward to a city whose builder and maker is God.
Maranatha, come quickly Lord Jesus!
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We continue this great passage that runs from Isaiah 52:13 through Isaiah 54:12. This along with Psalms 22 gives such a clear picture of the work of Christ at Calvary. This passage as the heart of the gospel in the Old Testament.
As we come to these next few verses, I refer to them as the heart of the heart. These verses show us so clearly that all sin, iniquity and transgression lead to wounds and bruises, to a deserved punishment. And yet it was our sin, our iniquity, our transgression that all fell on Jesus. Jesus was wounded, pierced, bruised and crushed for our sin, iniquity and transgression. Here we have one of the clearest presentations of the vicarious suffering of Jesus in all the scriptures.
As we look at this passage, may we all truly know Jesus. You cannot know Jesus glorified until first seen Him crucified. Have you seen Jesus crucified? Do you know Jesus glorified? Do you truly know Jesus?
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We now transition from the summary of the Servant's vicarious sacrifice to the details. The transition is done with a rhetorical question expecting a negative response. Who has believed our report? There is great astonishment at the response. How could so many reject the wonderful loving gospel?
We learn that Jesus had no earthly advantage at all. He was tender and vulnerable. He possessed none of the attributes that allures the admiration of the world. Yet He accomplished the greatest miracle at the cross; a lost sinner could be cleansed of their sin and made righteous before a Holy God. All this because of the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus.
Jesus was a man of sorrow, acquainted with grief. Jesus had sorrow. Not for Himself, but for those He came to save. Jesus was not distant from those He came to save. A true ministry of Jesus allows others to touch us and for us to touch others.
Despite all of this, Jesus was despised, rejected and not esteemed. In light of this, are we truly prepared to follow Jesus. Are we prepared to be despised, rejected and not esteemed? Jesus told us the He was hated without cause. We will be hated without cause. Are we truly prepared to follow Jesus?
Stay true to Jesus and His word. Keep your hand to the plough and don't look back. Be of good cheer, Jesus has overcome the world. A day is soon coming when our sorrow will be turned to joy. Jesus is coming soon! Maranatha!
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We now begin a passage of scripture that has been referred to as the Mount Everest of messianic prophesy. In this passage we have the heart of the gospel. It brings us to an amazing accurate description of Jesus in His finished work at Calvary. We cannot truly know Jesus, see Jesus, apart from His finished work at Calvary. It is impossible to know Jesus high and lifted up until we first know him in His awful suffering and humiliation at Calvary.
In this study, we will be introduced to God's Servant, Jesus. It is important to note and understand the servanthood of Jesus. You and I have been called to follow Jesus, obey Jesus and like Jesus we are called to servanthood. Jesus is the sole example of servanthood that every believer is called to.
Jesus in His earthly ministry dealt prudently in all His ways. Again, as true followers of Jesus, we to must live a circumspect life. We are to behave wisely in all our ways. We are once again called to follow the example that Jesus has set for us.
Prepare your heart as we are about to ascend the great height of messianic prophecy. We will take a brief look at the history of the earthly ministry of Jesus. We will look at both His suffering and exaltation. This will prepare us for the details that are to follow.
Are we prepared to follow Jesus, to obey Jesus regardless of cost or consequence. Are we prepared to humbly, faithfully and obediently follow Jesus. Time is so short. May we make every day count for the glory of God!
Maranatha!
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As we enter into the last of the last days as the return of Christ looms on the near horizon, what is the greatest danger the church faces?
While there are things we are to be aware of and should be aware of; what is the greatest danger we face? And in light of this great danger, what is our certain defense against it?
I pray this message will give perspective as we move out of 2023 and move into 2024. I pray that it brings encouragement to run the race set before us with endurance.
Jesus is coming, and He is coming soon! Now more than ever, we need to keep our hand to the plough and never look back. We need to look up as our salvation draws near!
Maranatha!
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This week's passage reminds us of the faithfulness of God. God's faithfulness to Israel throughout the scriptures is amazing. God delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt. He defended them against the crushing Assyrians. God delivered them from Babylonian captivity allowing them to return to their ancestorial land and become re-established as a nation. This has once again been repeated in our day.
Based on His past faithfulness, God then reminds His people of the future promises He has for them according to His word. A day is fast approaching when Jesus will return to His people and establish His kingdom in Jerusalem. There He will reign and rule over the entire world. This reign will begin with a thousand years and will last for eternity.
God then challenges His people, based on His past faithfulness and future promises according to His word; to depart from Babylon, return to Israel and to live clean, righteous, holy lives.
How does this apply to you and I. God has been faithful to us. God has given to us great and certain promises based upon His word. Therefore, we should obediently, faithfully and humbly live clean, righteous, holy lives to the glory of God.
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The righteous remnant in Babylonian captivity know that God is about to deliver them from their 70 years of bondage. Yet in spite of their knowledge and faith, God commands them in the strongest of terms to wake up. Why? Because our tendency is to sleep. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
The righteous remnant of today knows according to the scriptures that the return of Christ is at hand. We eagerly anticipate His return. Yet this command applies to us as well. We need to wake up and live for Jesus knowing that His return is truly imminent.
Romans 13:11-14 puts it best. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkeness, not in in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Maranatha
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Our passage begins with the righteous remnant in Babylonian captivity crying out to God in prayer. Their cry of prayer results from the word of God as does all prayer. Their prayer is not typical, nor are their circumstances.
Their prayer is consistent with the word they just heard. They remind God of His past faithfulness while looking ahead with faith to the promises of God. They don't just look to God's promises, they see His promises as already fulfilled. This is a prayer of great faith.
God answers their prayer first with comfort. He then challenges them not to fear man. God reminds them of who He is and who Israel is in relation to Himself. God lets them know that their chastisement will soon come to completion. They are forgiven. Finally, the LORD guarantees' that all their enemies who humiliated them will now be humiliated as Israel enters into the eternal promise of God.
What great comfort and application we are able to draw from this passage. God is the same, He has not changed. The faithfulness of God will never fail. His love towards those that belong to him knows no limits.
We are living in tremendous days. We are on the precipice of the return of Jesus. Now more than ever we need to stay true to Jesus Christ and His Word. Let us all keep our hand to the plough and never look back as the day approaches.
Maranatha
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The passage we look at now brings both comfort and encouragement from the LORD. It was written to the remnant in Babylonian captivity. Yet it applies to the remnant in all generations. It applies most certainly to the remnant today.
Three times the remnant is told to, "Listen to Me". How important that we, as the remnant of Jesus, listen to His word with a determined intent to obey. Listening to God's word is a discipline. Stay in the word always. Stay under the Holy Spirit inspired teaching of God's word. Stay in true Christian fellowship that is built on Jesus Christ and His word.
We are living in the darkest, most evil and discouraging time of human history. Yet we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. We are children of the Most High God. We are on a journey to the celestial city whose builder and maker is God. We are about to enter into eternal joy, peace and righteousness. We are about to enter an eternity without pain, sorrow or death. In eternity the knowledge of the glory of God will cover the earth. The glory of God will be everywhere. It will be beyond our imagination.
Look to God's word and remember all that God has done. Remember who god is. Look to the cross and remember the price paid for our salvation. Look to the empty tomb and remember that sin and death have been defeated once and for all. Look up, for our salvation draws near.
Maranatha
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Here we have a twofold message to the remnant in Babylonian captivity. There is a message for the believing remnant and there is a message for the unbelieving majority. Remember that it is never the overwhelming consensus of the majority that confirms truth. Truth is found in Jesus Christ and His word alone.
The message is given by three speakers. First God speaks to them. Then His Servant, Jesus speaks to them. Finally, Isaiah speaks to them. Warnings are issued to the unbelieving while challenges and encouragement are extended to the believing remnant.
A great take away for all who are a part of the believing remnant today; yes, times are dark and difficult now. They may indeed become more difficult than we can imagine. Never lose faith in the dark, God will always bring us into the light in His perfect time. We are never completely without light. Our end, as followers of Jesus, will absolutely be peace and light.
What are we to do? Trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon God. We are to fear the LORD God and obey His Servant Jesus always. Fear, obey, trust and rely; in these four words we have the simplicity of victorious Christian living regardless of how dark and evil the days are.
Jesus is coming my friend. Look up, our salvation draws near.
Maranatha!
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In this study, we see that Israel felt as though God had forsaken and forgotten them. God lovingly, patiently, assures them this is not true. He declares a wonderful promise sealed with an oath. However, Israel somehow thought that this promise was too good to be true. Once again God assures them. He lets them know that He is their Savior, Redeemer and the Mighty One of Jacob.
Here we are able to learn a lesson concerning discouragement. Satan loves to discourage God's children. Discouragement will follow us everywhere we go. It is in the face of great discouragement that great faith is developed. A great faith will always wait upon the Lord first. Once we have waited on the Lord in faith, we will than move ahead in faith to the glory of the Father.
The development of faith in the life of a believer is a wonderful thing. It is not a stroll in the park. Faith is not developed on the mountaintops of joy. Faith is developed in the valley of despair, darkness, loneliness and misery. It is in these times that we must remember the two most wonderful words, "but God".
God is able in all things and at all times. God knows our circumstances but is above our circumstances. God sovereignly allows great difficulties into our lives in order that we may be all He has called us to for His glory. He allows it so that you and I may be more like Jesus in all that we do.
Keep your eyes on Jesus. Listen to Jesus. Obey Jesus always regardless of cost or consequences. This is the path we have been called to. This is the path that will bring glory to God!
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What a timely passage for the days we are living in. It is such a great reminder of God's faithfulness and the fact that Jesus is coming again. God has given to Israel and to all those who belong to Him unconditional, unchanging promises. The world at this time seems uncontrollably chaotic. Yet nothing could be further from the truth.
This passage speaks of mountains that lie before us. Yet these are God's mountains. He will make highways in the mountains that He sets before us. The moment we accepted Christ as our savior, our journey towards heaven began. We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit guaranteeing our eternity in heaven. As blood bought children of the Most High God, we are heading towards His kingdom where peace and righteousness will flourish in the presence of His glory.
Let us all lift up our eyes as our salvation draws near. Keep your hand to the plough and don't look back. Run the race to win. Lighten the load that we so needlessly carry in order that we may run unhindered. Now more than ever, we need to listen to all that Jesus says and we need to obey all that He says completely. That will be our only protection in these last days.
Maranatha
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As we begin this chapter, we see the severe chastening hand of God upon His people. Yet His chastening is never separated from His love, grace, mercy and longsuffering.
Israel then, as we today, had every reason to know that God alone is God. The proof found in predictive prophesy and in creation is indisputable. Therefore, they had every reason to live in obedience to Him.
God lamented the fact that they did not live in obedience to His word. The lack of blessing and unfulfilled potential they experienced as a result of disobedience is sobering. How much blessing and potential have we not experienced due to our lack of courage to live in total obedience to Jesus Christ and His word?
Israel became comfortable with the luxury and comfort of Babylon. This brought great complacency. Can the same be said for the church today?
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Store up treasures in heaven. Jesus is coming! Let us make every day count for the glory of God by living in obedience to Jesus Christ and His word always.
Maranatha
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In this chapter we see God's judgment that came upon Babylon and will come upon Babylon in the days before us. The language used is filled with sarcasm and mocking toward Babylon. It is graphic and leaves nothing to the imagination.
As God's judgment unfolds, His people break out into a shout of praise. What other response can there be. Their captors have been cruel and oppressive. What other response can there be when God frees His people and brings final judgment on all evildoers?
This is a tough message. God's judgment is serious beyond what we can imagine. It is final. Once God's judgment comes upon a person, no one can save them!
What application can we make? Much of what we read aptly applies to America, although we are certainly not Babylon. However, we have embraced much of the character of Babylon. God's principles of judgment have not changed therefore America is on the precipice of God's judgment. We will go to bed one night in an America we have always known and wake up in an America that we have never known. It will happen with a sobering abruptness.
What are we to do!? We must be about our Father's business. We must keep our hand to the plough and never look back. Jesus is coming soon. Run this race with everything you have. Run this race to win. Always looking up as our salvation draws near.
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There are two commands in this passage that stand out. Two commands that are critical to the walk of every believer.
First, we are commanded to listen to God. This is stated many times over in the book of Isaiah and throughout the scriptures. The importance of listening to God's word cannot be overstated. God speaks to us through His word by the power of the Holy Spirit. All that God says in His word will be without contradiction and will always point us to Jesus.
Do we spend time in God's word? Do we know God's word? Are we living in unqualified obedience to God's word? Do we view all things through the lens of scripture? If not, it shows a stubborn heartedness in us that must be repented of.
Next, we have the command to remember. One of the greatest dangers in our Christian walk is that we fail to remember. Much of the churches current condition is a result of not remembering.
Remember is a verb. To remember requires action on our part. It is our responsibility to remember. We must remember who we were before Christ saved us and what it cost Jesus to redeem us. We must remember all that God says to us in His word. We must remember God's faithfulness to His people throughout the Old Testament and His continuing faithfulness to them today. We must remember His faithfulness to you and me.
We are living in an incredible time. We are on the precipice of the return of Jesus. Do we remember the awesomeness of God and all the great things He has done? Are we listening to and taking God's word to heart? Are we living in total unqualified obedience to His word? If not, then we are not being all that God has called us to be. If not, then captivity lies at our doorstep.
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In this study, we continue to look at familiar themes. We see the sureness and certainty of God's word. We are reminded again that God is the infinite almighty creator. We hear again that God is God alone and there is no other. These themes are repeated often because they are so critical to the foundation of our relationship with the LORD.
But then we come to verse 22 and find wonderful jewel. " Look to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other." What a powerful, amazing little verse. In it, we have the entirety of the gospel.
God's love is expressed to all as He says "Look to Me." The assurance of salvation that only God can give is declared as He says, "and be saved." And finally, we see the extent of the gospel, all you ends of the earth.
The simplicity of the gospel is incredible. All one must do is look to Jesus in order to be saved.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:14-16
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Come Join us. We meet every Saturday at 6:00 PM
Chapel on the Christ Home Campus
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Warminster PA 18974
In these past few studies, we have taken a look at the incredible prophesy concerning Cyrus the great. First, we see that Cyrus is a type of Christ. Cyrus, as God's shepherd and anointed was raised up by God to deliver His people and bring judgment upon the evildoers. Cyrus returned God's people to Jerusalem in order that they would rebuild the temple. This was done not for a price or a reward. This points directly to the work of Christ at the cross, who through His redemptive work, freed us from the bondage of sin and freely justified all those who choose to believe in Him.
Also, God is the God of creation. In the vastness of His creation, He created you and I. He knows every detail about us. He has always known, even before the foundation of the earth.
God is the LORD of history. The world then was not out of control. The world today is not out of control. God's hand has been upon every detail of history. His hand continues to be upon the events taking place today. All of this leads to His soon return and the establishing of His eternal kingdom.
We more than any generation of the church before us, have every reason to trust God and live in full uncompromising obedience to His word. We need to live full to His glory. May we all run the race to win as the return of Christ is imminent.
Maranatha!
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Come Join us. We meet every Saturday at 6:00 PM
Chapel on the Christ Home Campus
800 York Road
Warminster PA 18974
This week we continue to look at this amazing salvation prophesy that declares Cyrus by name as the one who will deliver those in Babylonian captivity. What makes this so amazing is that Cyrus will not be born for more than 100 years, and this conquest is more than a century and a half away.
The passage begins with thus says the LORD. This oft repeated statement throughout the bible reminds us that the bible is God's word. All that follows, "Thus says the LORD", is absolutely certain. There is no possibility of failure when it comes to God's word. The importance of God's word in the life of a believer can never be overstated.
As we come to Cyrus, we see two amazing things. First, God calls Cyrus, a pagan king to be His Shepherd. There is much we will say about how God works through shepherds to do his great work. But in this case, God has called a pagan king as His shepherd.
Secondly, God calls Cyrus His anointed. This word for anointed is the same word from which we get Messiah. The prophets, priest and kings that God called needed the anointing of God. Cyrus was called God's anointed because of the special purpose that God had called him to. Cyrus was to free God's people from bondage and to bring judgment upon unbelievers. Cyrus did both. In Cyrus we have a type of Christ. All the promises to Cyrus had spiritual fulfillment in Jesus.
God knew Cyrus before he was born. All his days were already numbered. You and I have been known to God before the foundation of the earth. Our days are numbered. What has God called us to for the days we are living in. Stay true to Jesus Christ and His word. Keep your eyes on Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Look up always as our salvation draws near.
Maranatha!
Contact Paul at Luke962theway@gmail.com
Come Join us. We meet every Saturday at 6:00 PM
Chapel on the Christ Home Campus
800 York Road
Warminster PA 18974
This week, we continue to look at the absolute absurdity and foolishness of idols and those who make them. Isaiah, as he presents to us God's view of idolatry, does so with sharp sarcasm. There is no respect given to idols whatsoever. His warning against them and how not to get caught up in idolatry is crystal clear.
We wrapped up the study with a look at the incredibly clear, precise fulfillment of Cyrus being raised up and anointed by God to deliver His people, Israel, from their Babylonian captivity. This prophesy was both stunning and accurate. Yet, what was the response of Israel. Only a remnant chose to return to Jerusalem in obedience to rebuild the temple and the city. Why?
The people fell in love with the ways of Babylon. They enjoyed the comfort, familiarity and luxury such as it was. Have we as the church today fallen into the same trap. The influence of Babylon is all over our society. Have we allowed ourselves to be woven into the fabric of this evil society. Have we allowed the comfort and luxury of our society to fill us with complacency and compromise?
If so, then what must we do? We must remember all that God has done for us. We must return to God, and we must repent. We are living in days such as the world has never known. Like the Babylonian captives, we are living in days of fulfilled prophesy. Yet what good does it do us to have all the knowledge of God's fulfilled prophesy and yet live exactly like those around us.
We are living in incredible days. The rapture of the church is imminent. The judgment of God is ready to fall at any moment. The return of Christ to set up His millennial kingdom is at hand. Does this not cause us to live sold our lives to Jesus Christ and His word? If ever there was a time to live for Jesus, now, today is the time!
Maranatha!
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Come Join us. We meet every Saturday at 6:00 PM
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As we ended our last study, we ended with a warning of judgment from God. But now through Isaiah, God declares to Israel, "Yet hear Me now". It is an urgent call for Israel to listen as God proclaims the wonderful blessing He will pour out on them. Yes they are backsliders and have drifted into apostasy, but they are God's chosen children. They continue to be the object of God's unmerited favor, His amazing grace.
Fear not continues to be a theme. As children of God we are to walk by faith not by sight. Walking by sight will cause us to immediately walk by fear. As followers of Jesus Christ, the only thing we are to fear is God. When we fear God, we will fear nothing else in this world.
Finally, it is emphasized that the LORD alone is God. There are no others besides Him. He lays out in strong wonderful terms the absurdity of idolatry. He addresses both the foolishness of those who make them and the foolishness of those who worship them.
Fear not, we serve an awesome God.
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In this passage, we have set before us the fact that Israel was and continues to be God's witness to the world. What God has done for Israel and through Israel in the past; what God continues to for Israel today; what God will do in and through Israel in the days before us declares definitively that Israel is God's witness to the world.
While God had done and was doing wonderful things for Israel, miraculous things, full of love, grace and mercy; Israel had grown weary of God. How could this be? How could Israel grow weary of God in light of all the wonderful promises, the wonderful provision and the wonderful protection that God had placed upon them. How can you and I ever grow weary of God when we consider all that He has done for us through His Son Christ Jesus?
David Guzik says the following, "When we feel like this, it is certain evidence that we are not in step with Jesus, and the true nature of Jesus. He said, Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30. If following God always seems like a great burden-then you really aren't following Him.
Israel, God's chosen people, transgressed greatly against Him. The LORD indeed would forgive them greatly yet there would be consequences for their forgiven sin. We do live under grace, but there are consequences for forgiven sin. God would chastise His people through His chosen instrument, Babylon. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11
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Our passage begins with, "But now". Israel did not know, nor did they take to heart the loving chastisement of God. In spite of their obstinance, God would graciously continue to work through Israel demonstrating to the whole world that He alone is God.
But now is followed by thus says the LORD. The answer will always be found in the word of God. Every work of God begins with His word, continues with His word and will come to full completion according to His word. God's word in the life of a believer is critical beyond our understanding. One cannot be a man of God apart from the word of God.
As God speaks to Israel, He twice tells them to "Fear not". This oft repeated command is always coupled with a promise from God. Obedience to this command is an absolute in the life of a believer. Recent history has shown us how destructive fear is when we give in to it. Obedience to this great loving command will provide the only refuge available in this sin infested world that is rapidly deteriorating.
There are many in the church today who look around and are discouraged by all they see. They see the horror of the unfolding prophesies before us; they see the rise of evil all around us and are overcome by it. But a day is rapidly approaching when all who have given their lives to Jesus, past, present and future will be gathered together as Jesus returns and establishes His eternal kingdom. The days in front of us are brutal but the glory that lies beyond cannot be described. This present suffering will soon be past as Jesus returns and establishes His eternal kingdom.
Maranatha!
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Israel would experience great and inexplicable deliverance from the LORD. The only response to God when He performs great acts of deliverance in our lives is that we would sing a new song. Israel sang the song of Moses when God delivered them through the Red Sea. In heaven there will be new songs being sung. And when Jesus Christ returns, defeats all His enemies and establishes His eternal kingdom, the response of all will be to sing a new song.
For us today, God is constantly working on our behalf. We would not survive a second without God. All we have been delivered from, all we are today and all we will ever be is because of God. Our justification, sanctification and glorification are all by the grace of God. It is all of grace.
When we become obtuse refusing to hear what God says and to see the way that God has set before us, God, in His love and faithfulness, will chasten us. God chastens those who He loves. All who belong to the LORD can be certain that when we refuse to hear, when we refuse to listen, that God will chasten us. The chastening of God does not seem joyful. In fact, it is painful. Yet it will yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness in our lives.
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We are now presented with the first of four Servant songs in Isaiah. These songs refer to God's Messiah, Jesus.
In this first song we are first presented with the character of His Servant. God's Servant, although powerful beyond description, he has a matchless tenderness. He displays great humility in His ministry. And finally, He is just. He possesses a righteous justice. A justice brought forth for truth. A justice that will be known and established throughout His eternal kingdom.
Once we know that character of God's servant, we are then shown how He will fulfill the ministry that He has been called to. It is all done in the power of the LORD. It is all done according to God's word.
Do we have the character of Christ? We will never be able to do the work of Christ if we do not have the character of Christ. When we have the character of Christ we know the call of God on our lives. We also know that God's call can only be accomplished God's way. Everything we do in the name of Christ must be done in obedience to His word. Furthermore, it must all be done to His praise and His glory.
May we all have the character of Christ. May we all obediently fulfill the call of God to the glory of God.
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As we continue our study in chapter 41, we see the entire idol worshipping world standing trial before Almighty God. In the midst of this trial God takes time to comfort His people. At the heart of this encouragement from God to His children is that they would fear not. This is not just a word of comfort and encouragement it is a command from God. With this command comes the promise that God will help us, strengthen us and uphold us. When we fear God, we will fear absolutely nothing else in this world. We cannot walk by faith in God and at the same time fear the things of this world. As God's children we must obediently fear not!
The trial continues. A bar has been established in order that the false idols, the demon gods may prove that they are truly God. That standard is prophesy. The ability to fore-announce the future.
It is crystal clear that the false gods are not able to explain the past nor foretell the future. Only God is able to do this. God's ability to do this is beyond doubt. The truth concerning God and his ability proclaim his will, His purpose and then bring it to pass in whatever future time frame He chooses is thoroughly undeniable for those who truly desire to know the truth.
The verdict is clear. All idols and the demon gods they represent are nothing. All their works are nothing. All those who worship the vile false idols are an abomination.
The LORD is the one true God, there is none beside Him!
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Fear not. This is a great often repeated command throughout the scriptures. No where in all of scripture are we as children of God given permission to fear anything in this world. We are commanded to fear God and fear absolutely nothing else.
Fear of anything other than God in the life of a believer will destroy our faith. When we as believers live in fear of the things of this world, our life will become faithless, loveless and fruitless. Nothing good will ever come from living in disobedience to this loving command from our heavenly Father.
God give us this command and all of His commands because He loves us. We keep God's commands because we love Him. How could we say we love God and refuse to keep His commands.
This command comes with a promise. As we keep God's command, he is our God and He is with us. God alone will strengthen us, help us and uphold us with his righteous right hand.
May we all determine now to live in obedience to all that God's word says regardless of cost or consequence. May we by faith embrace the truth of the promises found in His word until Jesus returns and sets up His Kingdom.
Maranatha
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We come to the verse that so many of us are familiar with. But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
This is a verse often referred to when life gets tough, or the crisis arises in their lives. While this verse certainly applies to these great and difficult circumstances, it has a much wider and deeper application.
The true Christian journey is not a stroll in the park. While the destination of every true follower of Jesus is glorious, the path leading to that destination is the most difficult path a person can choose.
As Christians, all our hope and expectation must be in the LORD. As we rely totally on Him at all times, He will remove our weakness and clothe us in His strength. As this happens, we will mount up in the time of crisis, we will run when the challenges of life overwhelm us and we will walk steadfastly in before the LORD in the normalcy of life.
We are living in crucial times. Quite possibly the most crucial in all of human history. Are we wisely using this time to wait upon the LORD. If we wait upon the LORD today, we will walk and not faint. If we walk and not faint today, when the next crisis comes, we will mount with wings like eagles and soar above it all in the strength of the LORD.
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Isaiah commands the people to "Behold your God". What a great, important and critical command for all of us as true followers of Jesus Christ. To behold our God always is the key to living a mature, victorious life in Christ.
Behold your God is the lens through which we must view everything. All that we are, all that comes across our path, all that attacks and seeks to destroy us, all the good and bad that comes our way must be viewed through the lens of "Behold your God".
The condition of the world today is directly related to a lost world that refuses to behold God. The impotence of the church in the world today is directly related to the fact that the church does everything but behold God. What would the church look like, what power would the church be walking in if the entire focus of the church would be, "Behold your God"?
Warren Wiersbe says this, "When you behold the greatness of God, then you will see everything else in life in its proper perspective.
May we today, and every remaining day of our lives on this earth, behold our God with every step, with every breath, with every waking moment that God grants to us.
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We now begin the second half of Isaiah. We go from an emphasis on the judgment of sin to restoration, deliverance and the grace of God. This portion of Isaiah is referred to as the book of consolation.
We begin by hearing God speak words of comfort to His people. These are words of great tenderness and power. These words are spoken directly to the heart of His people.
In spite of all that Israel is guilty of, they are still God's people. God is a covenant keeping God. God chose Israel and made a promise to them. God will absolutely keep His word. His word will never ever fail.
A second voice from heaven speaks to God's people. They are to prepare the way for the entrance of the glory of the LORD. Paths are to be made straight. Any obstacles that would impede the entrance of the King must be removed. The glory of God will be revealed, and all the earth will see it.
There are questions that sits before us today. Is the pathway to your heart straight before the LORD? Are you completely surrendered to God in order that His glory will be revealed in you?
Jesus is alive! Stay true to Jesus Christ and His word. Keep your hand to the plough and don't look back! Jesus is coming again. His return is at hand. There is no doubt because the mouth of the LORD has spoken it. May our hearts always cry out, maranatha, come quickly Lord Jesus!
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The focus of Isaiah now pivots. Up to this point the focus has been primarily on the Assyrian threat. Starting in this chapter the focus will now look ahead to the coming Babylonian empire as the times of the gentiles will be established.
In this chapter we have a great lesson set before us. King Hezekiah was indeed one of Judah's greatest kings. In obedience to God's word, he did many great things as recorded in the scriptures. However, in this chapter we see how greatly great men of God can fail. In the light of an awesome personal victory and a great word from the LORD, pride slithered in and Hezekiah transgressed greatly before the Lord.
At the same time, we see the greatness of God. God's grace, mercy and longsuffering is beyond our ability to comprehend. God comes to Hezekiah, speaks to Hezekiah and forgives him. God is ever faithful as He displays His greatness and glory by working in and through His frail and flawed servants.
Hezekiah, in faith, won in the battle but lost in the victory. How many win in the battle only to sadly lose in the victory. Andrew Bonar tells us that we must always be as watchful after the victory as before the battle.
We are living in the great battle of the last days. However, we have been given victory in Christ Jesus. Are we living in the victory that we have in Jesus? We live in the victory of Jesus through humble, faithful obedience to His word. We live the victory in Jesus by denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following Jesus. We live in the victory of Jesus by putting our hand to the plough and never looking back. Now more than ever, we need to be living in the victory of Jesus. Are we living in the victory of Jesus?
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In this chapter, Hezekiah is face with a personal crisis. Isaiah the prophet has just delivered to him a word from the LORD. The God's word that Isaiah delivers, declares that Hezekiah's current sickness is a sickness that will lead to death in the immediate future. God, through Isaiah, tells Hezekiah to get his house in order.
Hezekiah hears the word of God through Isaiah. His response is to pray. He prays with sincerity, determination and great bitterness of soul. Desperate times make for desperate prayers.
God hears Hezekiah's prayer and answers his prayer. Hezekiah is healed of his incurable sickness and his life is extended for another 15 years.
Hezekiah's response is to write out a beautiful psalm to the LORD. This psalm opens up with a lament and closes with a great declaration of commitment and praise to God.
In this lesson we see Hezekiah's great response to the word of God. We also see his response to God's answer to his prayer. What a great lesson and example for us all.
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God now answers Hezekiah through His prophet Isaiah. God's word through Isaiah is in response to the prayer of Hezekiah
God speaks both to the king of Assyria and Hezekiah. To Hezekiah, God tells him that Jerusalem will be delivered and God will also sustain them in the aftermath of Assyria's defeat. The same is true for us today. God will deliver us from all our enemies and God will most certainly sustain us.
To the king of Assyria, God first ask him if he actually knows who he is reproaching and blaspheming. God reviews his awful pride. God reminds the king that He is the infinite, self-existing almighty creator; that the king of Assyria only accomplished what he did because God ordained it. Nothing happens apart from the sovereignty of God. God Knows all. He knows the rage of the Assyrian king against Him. Because of this rage, God will now defeat the entire Assyrian army and send the king back to Assyria the same way he came.
We finally get to verse 36 where an angel of the LORD metes out God's judgement upon the Assyrian army by killing 185,000 soldiers in a single short night. There is little detail give. So much has been said leading up to the judgement of God, yet only one verse is given to the description of God's judgement. Once God's judgment is poured out, there is nothing left to be said.
There is so much in God's word that warns us of the judgement that is to come. There are signs everywhere confirming the authenticity of God's word. Yet when His judgement does come, it will be sudden, thorough and complete. There will be no escape for all those who have rejected Jesus Christ and His word.
For us as the remnant church of Jesus Christ, we must always be aware of the days that we are living in according to the word of God. Furthermore, we must know God's word. Even more, we are to live in obedience to God's word.
Maranatha
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Hezekiah recieved the report from his leaders concerning all that the Assyrians had declared. His response was dramatic. He tore his clothes, repented and humbled himself. He then sought to know God's word in this dire situation.
The Assyrians then doubled down on their blasphemous rant against God by putting it all in writing. Their desire was to intimidate and frighten Hezekiah thus causing him to turn away from God. However, the affect was just the opposite.
Hezekiah turned to God. He put before God all the evil that the Assyrian's had written against God. Hezekiah then prayed an incredible prayer of faith before God.
In this recorded prayer we have before us one of the great examples in scripture of prayer and how we should pray. Much money has been spent on books meant to teach us how to pray. Countless hours have been spent by so many reading the many books in order to learn how to have a better prayer life. Yet the Bible remains the greatest book concerning prayer. This passage in God's word is one of the great passages that show us how we should pray. If you truly want to learn how to pray, simply go to the scriptures and study all the prayers of the saints who have gone before us.
May we all, like Hezekiah, pray prayers of faith as the enemy rises up and surrounds us. We are helpless but God is able.
Maranatha
We continue to look at chapter 36 which lays out before us an incredible picture of the spiritual warfare we will face and how we are to respond to it according to the scriptures
Judah is surrounded and under siege by a massive international army. Judah has no resources left. They have every reason to give up. The only thing they have left is their trust in God.
The enemy speaks both to the leadership and to the people. His speech is designed to invoke fear and quickly discourage all who hear his voice. He tells them not to be deceived by God's word, not to listen to God's word and do not let God's word persuade you in any way. The enemy always seeks to have us first doubt the word of God and then deny the word of God. His method is conversation and his primary weapon is deception.
The enemy preys on a fearful, hopeless, helpless people. He offers economic security, comfort and safety. All of this he truly is able to offer. However, the cost is high. The cost is freedom. The price tag is that we must worship the enemy in order to receive all that the enemy offers. But in the end, all that the enemy offers will burn.
We must keep the walls of our lives secure and never allow the enemy to breach them. We are never to enter into conversation with the enemy. We do not negotiate with a sworn enemy committed to our destruction. And by all means, we remain true to Jesus Christ and His word, trusting God to remain faithful to His word, knowing that God will defend us as He has promised abundantly in His word.
We now come to a historical break in Isaiah. The next four chapters will bridge the first half of Isaiah with the last half. Chapters 36 and 37 give a fitting conclusion to the first half. In these two chapters, all that Isaiah has said up to this point is validated. Chapters 38 and 39 will be a springboard for the final chapters of Isaiah.
We begin by seeing the massive Assyrian army surrounding Jerusalem. They are in a helpless, hopeless situation. Every resource and advantage has been stripped away from them. The only resource left that can defend them from the Assyrians is God. And God will most certainly deliver them.
For us, there are great lessons to be learned and applied to our lives. We will see the insurrmountable odds that the enemy can bring against us. We will see the spiritual warfare that comes against us from the enemy. We will see how we are to fight these brutal spiritual battles. But most important, we will see the faithfulness and ableness of God.
The battle belongs to the LORD. There is not a foe who can stand against the LORD of Host. We belong to God and the victory has already been won. We simply need to put on the full armor of God, stand strong in the faith we have been called to, know God's word and obey God's word. In so doing, we will see the incredible victory that we have through our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have been away on vacation and so there has been a brief break in the teaching from Isaiah. During this time, I was able to review our current world situation as it relates to God's word and the prophesies found in His word.
Now to try and look at all the things going on at the ground level would be absolutely impossible. So much is happening so quickly. There is a convergence of biblical prophesies being fulfilled daily. No one can even begin to keep with explosion of prophesy fulfillment in our day.
We will take a look at things from the 30,000-foot view. This will give us a strong biblical perspective. We will not know all the details at the ground level but when we do become aware of ground level details our understanding of them will be solid because of our strong biblical perspective.
The bottom line in all of this is that Jesus is coming soon. Know God's word. Obey God's word. Keep your hand to the plough and don't look back!
We now come to the conclusion of the first half of Isaiah. It is a fitting conclusion as we once again look in vivid detail at the millennial reign of Christ to come. It is a time longed for by all of Israel since God's promise to Abraham. It is a time that all true followers of Jesus long for. A time of true peace, true prosperity and true fertility throughout the earth.
Jesus will not establish His glorious kingdom until the final judgment of God is complete. This theme runs throughout the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation. It is a theme made crystal clear by all the prophets. Judgment will always come before the glory.
Isaiah brought encouragement to the remnant believers of his day. His words should bring encouragement to the remnant believers of our present day.
God promised and delivered Jerusalem from the Assyrians in 701 bc. God promised and returned a remnant of jews from Babylonian exile in 539 bc. God fulfilled all of his prophecies, precisely and exactly, concerning the 1st coming of Jesus. He has fulfilled His promise to Israel concerning their rebirth as a nation. God's word is true. We have every reason to believe that God will fulfill all of His promises concerning the 2nd coming of Jesus.
As followers of Jesus, although we live in a world were we are outnumbered and surrounded by the enemy, we have every reason to be filled with hope. Yes the enemy desires above all else to completely destroy us. But in spite of all this, we have hope. Christ in us the hope of eternity. Let us all look up. Our salvation draws near.
Maranatha!
First, we would like to wish every follower of Jesus Christ a blessed and joyful resurrection day. It is great that the death and resurrection of our Savior is proclaimed throughout the world. May God by the power of His Holy Spirit open the hearts and ears of those who are so desperately lost in their sin.
In this study, we take a vivid look at God's final judgment, Armageddon. It is a brutal and grueling scene. This is what awaits all those who have denied God, rejected His Son Jesus and risen up as bitter enemies of His chosen people, Israel. What we look at is awful, devastating, bloody and real.
Isaiah declares that what he is saying is God's word, and it is. God's word is certain. God's word will never fail. God, through His word has made crystal clear the final judgment that is coming soon. Everything taking place throughout our world today declares the authenticity of His word.
May God use us all in these last days to further His kingdom. We have been raised up at such a special time in human history, may we be all that God has called us to for the glory of His Son Jesus.
Isaiah now declares God's sixth and final woe of this section. Unlike the others, this woe is against the Assyrians. All the plundering and treachery that they cruelly committed against others would now come against them. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap, Galatians 6:7
Hezekiah, although one of Judah's best kings, had tried to establish an alliance with Egypt that failed. Then he tried to bribe the Assyrian king and that failed as well. Any alliance we attempt to make apart from the truth found in Jesus Christ and His word will fail and fail miserably every time.
God heard the prayers of the righteous remnant in Judah. God answered those prayers by extending His grace to Hezekiah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. God would deliver them in such a way that only God could receive the glory. It would be an awesome deliverance by a Mighty God.
Deliverance, peace, prosperity, health and forgiveness will only take place by God's sovereign grace. No foreign alliance, political prowess or human cunning can accomplish this. Knowing this, we must live our lives in faithful obedience to Jesus Christ and His word. We do so, knowing that God will protect, provide and one day soon He will receive us to Himself.
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever, Amen.
Jude 24,25
In this chapter Isaiah proclaims to us Christ the coming king. How amazing that one day we will be taken out of time and enter into eternity with Jesus, our righteous king forever.
But before Jesus returns and set up His eternal kingdom, God's final judgment must take place. God's final judgement takes place in Daniel's 70th week, a time very close on the horizon. At the completion of God's awful judgment, transgression, sin and iniquity will be finished for all of eternity. Jesus will be fully unveiled as all prophesy and vision are sealed up. Jesus will be anointed the Most Holy as He establishes His eternal kingdom of justice and righteousness.
Everyone entering the millennial kingdom of Jesus will be His true followers. Never again will we know deception, hypocrisy or ungodliness. Evil schemes and wicked plans will be gone forever. No longer will the poor be destroyed with lying words nor the needy deprived of justice. It will be an eternity filled with justice. From justice will flow righteousness. As a result of righteousness filling the kingdom of God, we will live in quietness and eternal assurance. All our dwellings will be safe and secure. We will find perfect rest in the kingdom of God.
As a follower of Jesus, this is what our hearts long for. This is the blessed hope that we have in Christ Jesus. How our hearts cry out, maranatha; come quickly Lord Jesus!
This fifth woe is a continuation of the fourth woe. Judah has put their trust in the wisdom and military might of Egypt rather than in God. The wisdom and might of Egypt is less than zero before God. How sad that Judah would refuse to put their trust in God who cannot fail and place their trust in Egypt who can only fail. Sadly, both Judah who sought ungodly help will perish as will Egypt who offered to help.
We are so guilty of the same when we make alliances with the world and place our trust in worldly wisdom. How often do we rely on the power and might of man? How sad that a professed follower of Jesus would do such a thing. Disaster is the absolute outcome of all those who place their trust in human wisdom and strength rather than God.
In spite of Judah's grave transgression, God will keep His word and preserve them. He will preserve them without the use of human vessels. His protection and deliverance of Judah will be miraculous. Only God will get the glory.
In light of God's faithfulness and the future promise of His kingdom to be ruled by His anointed Messiah, God is calling on Judah to repent. It is the only reasonable response.
For us today, to be able to look back on God's faithfulness through the sureness of His word in the countless fulfilled prophesies that we have already seen, we all have every reason to live obedient, faithful, godly lives in Christ Jesus.
We now take another pause in the woes declared upon the rebellion of Judah and look ahead to the ultimate restoration that God promised to His people. In this brief break from God's impending judgment, Isaiah reminds us of God's grace, mercy and His justice. He declares to us the blessing of waiting upon God in the midst of terrible trials and tribulation.
He also describes for us the wonder and beauty that awaits us in the millennial reign of Jesus. There will be blessing upon both the field and the flock. There will be an abundance of life-giving water on every mountain and hill. The light in this time will be bright and brilliant beyond our comprehension. It will be a time filled with peace and righteousness. It will be a time where pride does not exist even in the slightest. What is described is wonderful, beautiful and magnificent yet who among us can even begin to imagine the amazing glory that lies before us.
But before all of this takes place, the final judgment of God must come. At the completion of God's final judgment, culminating at Armageddon, Jesus Christ will be fully revealed as He ushers in His glorious kingdom.
For us as followers of Jesus, we must always remember the glorious future we have in Him. We must always keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Let us have a song in our heart. May we be filled with gladness. May we always seek the presence of God. Stand firm in the power and might of the LORD. Stay obedient to Jesus and His Word regardless of cost of consequence. Keep your hand to the plough and don't look back!
Maranatha
We now come to the fourth woe against Judah. This woe deals with the fact that Judah made an alliance with Egypt rather than God in order to gain protection from the Assyrians. How did Judah, God's people, get to this point. It all started with pride. Pride not repented of at its inception will rapidly expand, contaminate and destroy everything it touches. As followers of Christ, there is no room for pride in our lives in the least.
Great judgment would soon come upon Judah, but it was not neccessary. If they would simply return and repent, God would give them rest, quietness and a strong unwavering confidence in the greatness of God. But they would not. God has called all of His children to a life of rest, quietness and confidence, yet how many choose to live below all that God has offered to us.
All that we are studying now is a picture of the greater judgment of God that looms on the near horizon. This passage is filled with lessons for us all. There is no need for us to make the same mistakes that Judah made. We are living in a lull at the moment. Things seem to have quieted down. But rather than relax, we must recognize that we are in a season of preperation. Take this time that we are living in to draw near to Jesus. Let this be a time that our roots of faint will grow deep and strong.
May our hearts and eyes continually look up as the return of Jesus draws near.
Maranatha
Isaiah now delivers a third woe to God's people. Judah, filled with pride, hypocrisy and disobedience, is now convinced that they could hide their thoughts and actions from God. They declare, "who sees us?" "Who knows us?" How ridiculous. Everything is known to God.
Their thinking is completely twisted and turned around. These are God's people who have descended to this low level of thinking. All of us are capable of this level of thinking when we allow pride to thrive within our lives. We must stay true always to Jesus Christ and His word regardless of cost or consequence.
Isaiah then takes time to remind us that there is indeed blessing after the discipline of God. He takes us ahead to the millennial reign of Christ. A time when all of creation will be restored. Every square inch of this planet will be paradise. There will be complete physical and spiritual healing. Pride will never exist again for all of eternity. The truth of Jesus Christ and His word will be known and embraced everywhere by everyone.
What a glorious future we have in Christ. His return at times seems so far away and yet it is upon us. In order for us to live for Jesus every day and endure the brutal evil circumstances by which we are all surrounded, we must keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus and the wonderful future that He is now preparing for us.
Keep your hand to the plough and don't look back, the kingdom of God is at hand.
We now take a look at Isaiah's second woe for Jerusalem. The first woe dealt with pride and drunkenness. This woe deals with hypocritical religious activity displayed in her empty worship. God has no desire for hypocritical empty worship. His response of judgment, designed to discipline not destroy, will be both stunning and brutal.
God responds with images of warfare. God will distress, encamp, lay siege and raise up siegeworks all around Jerusalem. This is God's response to empty, hypocritical religious activity. The outcome for those who choose pride, hypocrisy and disobedience will be spiritual blindness. They will stagger like a drunk without consuming intoxication drink. They will fall into a deep supernatural sleep that God will put upon them. Even more, they will become spiritually illiterate. There will be a famine of the hearing of the word of God.
All of this has been written for our learning. Pride, hypocrisy and disobedience sadly fills much of the church today. In so many cases, the wisdom of man is considered to be superior to the word of God. The miserable, poor, blind, naked church of Laodicea is growing like a weed.
As believers we must remember that Jesus is coming soon. The judgment of God has begun in the house of God. Soon his judgment will be poured out on this Christ rejecting world in a way beyond our ability to imagine. All this must precede the return of Jesus. For us as His followers, we must remain true to Jesus Christ and His word. We must remain faithful and obedient to the death. We must keep our hand to the plough and never look back.
Maranatha!
In this study we look at the fact that Jesus Christ is our sure foundation. A true Christian life is built solidly upon Jesus Christ and His word. There is no other foundation.
Not only is Jesus our sure foundation, but He also gives us clear instruction as to how we are to build our lives, ministries and His church. Everything built on Jesus must be built in righteousness and justice. There is no room for political alliances, false gods, lies or falsehoods in building a work of God. All that is built on Jesus Christ must be built in accordance with His word. There is no other way to build a work of God.
Also, we looked at the need to listen, to heed, to hear God's word and then to respond in total obedience to His Word. There is no other acceptable response for a true follower of Jesus Christ.
Lastly, we need to realized that God works in our lives like a farmer works his soil, plants his seeds and gathers in His harvest. God is the Master Farmer. God runs His divine plow through our lives in order to prepare our lives for the great things He intends to do in us and through us for His glory.
For a follower of Jesus to be greatly used by God, they must first be greatly broken by God. There is no other way.
We now begin a new section. This section consists of six woes. Woes is a strong declaration of certain impending judgment from God. The unbelief of Israel has brought these woes upon them. Sadly, Israel, both the Northern and Southern kingdoms were believing and trusting in everything but God.
The first woe deals with their pride and the awful drunkeness that results from their pride. This great transgression filled the nation beginning with the leadership. How could the people have any hope if their leaders were not willing to live a life of trust and obedience before the LORD.
God in His longsuffering had sent prophets to the people. These prophets brought to the people a simple message that even a child could understand. If they would repent, submit, yield, trust and obey God completely, He would give them security and peace. Yet the hardened hearts of the people refused the grace of God and embrace a covenant with death. They believed that they could not be touched by the judgment of God. Sadly, in a very short period of time, they would realize that no one can escape the judgment of God.
In the midst of all this, God wants His remnant to know that He is sovereign over all nations both then and today. God is in control! Furthermore, Jesus is coming again. His return is at hand. As we live in this world, evil imploding all around us, we must always be encouraged by the reality that God is sovereign, and Jesus is coming again!
We continue to look at "in that day" speaking specifically of the end of the great tribulation and the start of the millennial reign of Christ. Here we have a song of restoration. It is a song of a beautiful vineyard. This vineyard represents Israel. It is a beautiful counterpart to the vineyard song of Isaiah chapter 5.
All provision and protection in the millennial reign of Christ will come from Him. Peace and righteousness will cover every square inch of the earth. It will be a time of unimaginable feasting and joy. It is a time that our hearts desperately long for, yet we have never even come close to realizing the magnificence and wonder that awaits us.
All that God's word speaks of concerning our glorious future with Him in His kingdom is an absolute certainty. What God says in His word "shall come to pass", "it shall be in that day".
We as believers, as true followers of Jesus Christ have every reason to be filled with hope. We alone, in this lost world, have true hope; Christ in us the hope of eternity! Knowing the hope that we have in Jesus should cause us to live in faithful, humble obedience to His word regardless of cost of consequence.
We need to be a bright light shining in this dark world. However, the lost will never see the light of Christ in us unless what we say lines up with how we live. So often our words are simply what we want to be, but it is our actions define who we truly are. May we all live the life of Jesus to the fullest till the day He calls us home.
In this study, we take time to look at God's incredible grace extended towards the wicked. In spite of God's amazing, continual grace extended towards those committed to evil, they remain committed to their evil refusing God's grace. The end for them will be eternal disaster.
We come back to the faithfulness of God and wonder of the millennial kingdom to come. It will be a time of unspeakable joy. It will be a kingdom in which peace and righteousness cover every corner of the earth. We as believers have so much to look forward to. Knowing the certainty of our future in Christ should cause us to live obedient godly lives in the present.
As Christians we must live every day to the fullest for Christ. We must run the race to win. As believers, we are to put our hand to the plough, keep our hand to the plough and never look back.
Maranatha
The singing of the remnant continues. Both of Israel and the nations that have made it through the great tribulation sing in joyful celebration. These are those who have put their full faith and trust in Jesus. They have made it through the 70th week of Daniel by the blood of the Lamb.
In this song is a great verse that gives us all a wonderful promise from God. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You."
The magnitude of this promise is far beyond our ability to comprehend. There is a peace that God promises to us. It is a peace that only God can promise and that only God can give. The world longs for peace. Yet we, as blood brought children of the Most High God, have His peace available to us at every moment of our earthly journey.
The key for us to live in the peace of God is to keep our minds stayed on Him. We are able to keep our minds stayed on Him because we trust Him. Is our mind stayed on Jesus? Do we trust Jesus? Are we living in the perfect peace that only God can give?
We are now at the end of the 70th week of Daniel, the seven year tribulation in which the final judgment of God is meted out. There are those from Israel who have place their full faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus. There are also a remnant among the nations who have place their trust in the finished work of Jesus as well. This group of believers now break out in to a song of incredible, unspeakable joy.
At the beginning of the millenial reign of Christ, there will be a banquet beyond imagination. Food and wine with out compare. All at this banquet will celebrate the victory of Jesus and the establishing of His Kingdom.
We also see the conclusion of the millenial reign and the beginning of the eternal kingdom of God. At this time death, hades and all those whose names are not found in the book of life will be cast in to the lake of fire. This is the second death. After that, God Himself will wipe away all our tears. In the eternal kingdom of God there will be no sorrow, no death, no crying nor will there be any pain. Why? Because the former things have passed away.
Isaiah wrote this in the first person and in past tense. Isaiah relationship with God was personal and intimate. Furthermore, he believed, although these events would take place in the future, that they were as good as done because God had spoken. As a believer, Isaiah considered God's word as absolute fact, as should all followers of Jesus.
We begin this message with a charge and a challenge for 2023. Since March of 2020, the world has seen a whirlwind of massive changes on a scale that sets this time apart from all other times in human history. As a church, we stand on the precipice of the rapture of the church. The world stands on the precipice of the establishment of a one world government, the rise of the Antichrist, the final judgment of God on the earth and all its inhabitants. The reality is this, the return of Jesus and the setting up of His kingdom is at hand. What an incredible time we are living in! It is my prayer for 2023 that we as the true church of God would rise to the standard that He has established for us according to His word. Although we are a remnant, I pray that we would be a bright and powerful remnant to the glory of Jesus!
Our message as we start the new year is appropiate. Isaiah looks now to a world wide judgment yet to come. This judgment he describes in great detail. He is speaking of the seven year tribulation that lies before us in the very near future.
A message like this and the knowledge it provides should be a wake up call for us all. Again, it should cause all of us to be ablaze for the cause of Christ.
What Isaiah describes in this chapter is a reality. It still lies before us, but God has spoken. It is a done deal. This judgment if coming and it is coming soon. It is not a matter of if but when.
With all that has happened in a period of less than three year and knowing what lies before us, this should cause all of us who are followers of Christ to be awake, alert and on fire for the cause of Christ!
Israel, currently coming to the end of their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, are faced with a great battle against the Canaanites. They cry out to the LORD and He gives them a great victory.
With the battle over, Israel showed great courage and faith. While the battle was a great test of faith, it is after the battle that our greatest test of faith takes place. We must always be just as watchful after the victory as we were before the battle. As Wiersbe said, Courage in the battle must be followed by endurance in the race. Good counsel for all of us in these days.
Sadly, Israel failed after the victory. God gave them difficult instruction for their journey. Obedience to this command from God concerning their journey would require great courage and faith. But their response was one of great discouragement which led to complaining against God.
God, who is gracious beyond our ability to even begin to comprehend, repsonded to the Israelites by pointing them to Christ. In God's response, we will see one of the greatest pictures of Jesus in the Old Testament.
As we go through this study, we are reminded of the fact that we will never fully know Jesus until we see Him through the lens of the Old Testament.
Isaiah now proclaims the burden against Tyre. Tyre was a coastal city strategically located on the Mediterranean coast. They were a ruthless materialistic commerce center upon whom the whole region depended. This evil system of commerce was deeply, inseparably intertwined with idolatry. Idolatry is the worship of demon gods. As believers, we cannot be immersed in the world system of commerce without being immersed in the filth of idolatry.
The judgment of God will come upon Tyre in a sudden, shocking and final way. It will come upon them at an unexpected time in the normalcy of life. God's judgment will be devastating. All the surrounding nations will be impacted. No one will ever be able to escape the impact of God's judgment.
At the heart of Tyre's sin, the cause of God's judgment is the pride of Tyre. Pride is the root and foundation of all sin. The bible has nothing good to say about pride. All of us are susceptible to pride. As believers, we must ever be on guard against pride. Unrepented of pride in the life of a believer will destroy their effectiveness for the cause of Christ. In effect, pride will diminish the life of a believer to useless existence. It will be a life of nothing but wood, hay and stubble.
The key for us to avoid the downfall of pride is obedience. We are to be obedient to Jesus Christ and His word regardless of cost or consequence. Disobeying God's word is not an option in the life of a believer. It is only obedience to Jesus Christ and His word that will protect us from the destructiveness of pride. In the life of a believer, obedience is everything.
Here we have set before us a lesson in godly leadership. Much is written about Christian leadership. There are many messages and conferences addressing Christian leadership. But this passage contains a great message that far exceeds all the books and conferences that man is able to compile.
We are given a clear contrast between the characters of an ungodly leader and a godly leader. Character is everything in leadership. It is not what we say that reveals our character, it is what we do that reveals our character.
The ungodly leader is proud, selfish, obnoxious and abusive. Ungodly leaders ignore the privelege they have been given to serve God and lead His people. They believe that the sheep are there to serve them. Yet Jesus set for us the example. Jesus came to serve, not to be served.
I godly leader is first called by God to lead. They are a servant of God first and foremost. One must first be a servant of Jesus before they can lead God's people. God not only calls those to lead but He also fully equips them to fulfill His call. God commits great responsibility to those He calls. But with that responsibility God gives great authority. The authority that godly leaders walk in is determined by the throne they bow the knee to. True godly leaders walk in the authority of heaven because their knee is bowed to the throne of God.
In this passage, Eliakim is a picture of Jesus, the ultimate godly leader who is soon to return and set up His kingdom. Of the increase of His government and peace, there will be no end.
Maranatha
This passage has such a strong message for the church today. What ails you was the question to Juday then. What ails us is the question to the church today. We as a church have transgressed in so many ways. We have left our first love through so many seemingly small acts of disobedience that gradually turned in to large acts of transgression. Leaders filled with pride and indifference, congregations filled with those addicted to comfort have allowed watered down doctrines to flow through the church giving rise to compromise, corruption and death. The end result being a last days church that wallows in vile apostasy.
Yet at the same time, the vast majority of the church is joyous. Many are feasting when they should be fasting. Talk of a great last days revival and the blessed abundant life monopolize the focus of the church. Many give lip service to the return of Christ but in reality they cling to this world like Lots wife.
We know that we are living in the last days. We know that God's judgment is upon us. Yet we seem to be trusting in everything but God. We say we trust in God but if we are not living in obedience to Jesus Christ and His word regardless of cost of consequence, then we are clearly trusting in everything but God.
Obedience is the litmus test concerning our total trust in God.
In these last days will we truly live in obedience to Jesus Christ and His word? Will we humbly repent when the Holy Spirit lovingly convicts us to do so? Are we willing to live a life that truly declares our deep conviction that we are living in the last days and that the return of Christ is at hand?
Who do we make alliances with? Where do we place our expectations? Do we place our trust in government, the economy, education, ministries or the church, career, relationships, medicine or science? Do we actually think that our country, this world is going to get better?
Everything that we make alliances with other than God will ultimately fail. Our alliances, our expectation must be in Jesus Christ and His word alone. As the old hymn says, "On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."
When all that we have built our lives on fails, we are left with the burning question, "How shall we escape?" What a great place to be. How great when God removes everything from our lives save Himself. A day is fast approaching when the true church of God will be stripped of everything but Jesus Christ, His word, the power of the Holy Spirit and the fellowship of the saints. What a great day that will be!
The return of Christ is at hand. Keep your hand to the plough and don't look back
In this study Isaiah presents to us the decline and collapse of Egypt. As we look at what Isaiah has to say concerning Egypt nearly 2700 years ago, it is amazing realize that what is happening in our nation today is practically identical to what was happening in Egypt back then.
Egypt was a nation coming under the judgment of God. God first set all the Egyptians against one another with internal fighting and dissaray. This condition would last for several decades. Next, God destroyed any good counsel that existed within Egypt. And finally, God gave them over to a cruel master, a fierce king.
God continued His judgment by removing the natural resources that only He could provide. God brought judgment upon the Nile Rive, the lifeblood of Egypt. Without the natural resources provided by the Nile, Egypt would implode both economically and at every level of society. Egypt could not exist without the Nile.
God continued His judgment by sending deception and strong delusion amongst all the people. They had refused to believe the truth for so long that God would now give them over to strong delusion so they would not be able to believe the truth. When a nation is filled with deception and delusion, we can know for a certainty that God's judgment is upon that nation.
What an incredible passage. What great insight and perspective concerning our nation and the days we are living in. This passage is such a great reminder to always look at all things through the lens of scripture.
As we go through this passage, may we be encouraged that God is in control in spite of how things may appear. Let us all keep our hand to the plough and never look back.
Isaiah now declares the burden against Damascus. Israel, the northern kingdom had made an alliance with Syria rather than putting their trust in God. Therefore, the Northern Kingdom would become partakers in the judgment that would come upon Syria. Who we trust in is critical. Who we make alliances with is critical. As Christians, our total faith and trust must be in Jesus Christ and His word.
Assyria was raised up by God to be a tool of judgment. Ephraim would be devestated by the judgment that came to them through this mighty army. The people, the wealth, the land would all be devestated by this invasion. Of the few who would remain, they would respond by looking once again to their maker and having respect for the Holy One of Israel.
The reason for this brutal judgment from God was because they had forgotten the God of their salvation. They were not mindful of the fact that God is the Rock of their stronghold. It is ever so critical in the life of a believer that we never forget the God of our salvation. We entered our relationship Jesus at the foot of the cross. Our Christian journey must always continue at the foot of the cross.
The key to living a strong, mature Christian life is to never forget the God of our salvation. The evidence that we have not forgotten the God of our salvation is a life lived in obedience to Jesus Christ and His word.
Those who are backslidden, have fallen into the depths of apostasy, who are floundering in lukewarmness are there because they have chosen to forget the God of their salvation.
We are commanded not to forget the God of our salvation. To remember the God of our salvation is an act of obedience. To obey is better than sacrifice.
Moab was being offered refuge from the judgment of God. It would require the setting aside of their pride and humbly surrendering to Israel and their God. Yet Moab refused. Famous for their pride. Steeped in their pride. They simply rejected God's gracious offer of refuge.
Moab's vile pride, their refusal to humbly surrender to Israel shattered any hope of gaining refuge from the sure judgment that was to come upon them. Sadly pride will destroy everything in its path. Not only did the people of Moab suffer severly but the land of Moab was to be destroyed as well. Nothing escapes the desructive consequences of pride.
Sadly, our nation stands on the precipice of God's impending judgment. We are a nation filled with pride. Like Moab, we are famous for our pride. Yet like Moab. we can find refuge from this awful judgment that is certainly coming upon us. That refuge can be found in Jesus. One must simply turn to Jesus, confess and repent of their sin, ask for God's forgiveness and believe that Jesus died for their sins and rose again from among the dead on the third day, and they will find refuge from the judgment they so richly deserve.
As it has been said, "Whenever pride is not broken by humility, it will have to be broken by justice". How close we are to the impending, inescapable judgment of God. Yet, there is still time to find refuge in Jesus.
Isaiah continues to declare the burdens that God has given to him. He completes his burden against Babylon which includes a burden against the Assyrian empire. He then proclaims a burden against Philistia and then Moab.
There is so much to learn as we hear and look into these burdens. One is that we have so many lessons provided for us through biblical history foretold to us by God's chosen prophets. In addition to this we are able to look at all of human history and realize the sovereign hand of God upon all of human history. History is filled with the witness of God. Yet who has learned from history? It is only the proud and arrogant who disdain the great lessons of history that God has afforded us.
God declares through Isaiah that what He thinks has already come to pass. What He has purposed shall stand. God simply thinks and what He thinks is done. All of God's purposes shall stand. No one is able to stand against it. For us as believers, living in these incredible last days, we should be comforted by what is said here. Our God is sovereign. He is in control. Our lives are built on the solid ground found only in Jesus Christ and His word.
Finally, it is worth noting that Isaiah's heart is breaking as he declares the impending and inescapable judgment that is coming upon all these people. Our nation and the world is standing in the crosshairs of God's judgment. According to the Word of God, the wrath of the Lord and His fierce anger will soon be poured out. Does that break our heart? Does that impact the way we live our lives for Jesus? Have we determined that we will follow Jesus, listen to Jesus and be obedient to all that He says regardless of cost or consequence?
Jesus is coming soon. Let us live our lives in a way that reflects this.
In this study we continue to look at both the far and near prophesy concerning the destruction of Babylon and its king. We see some of the near fulfillments accomplished in 539 bc. Yet we also see much remaining to be fulfilled in the days before us.
As we look at the final demise of the King of Babylon, we realize that we are looking at the fall of Satan. Satan was lifted up in pride and as a result was cut down to the ground. From the heights of heaven, he was cut down to the lowest part of the earth.
At the heart of Satan's fall is pride. It was expressed in what is referred to as the five I wills of Satan. Satan said first in his heart. The origin of all sin, transgression and iniquity begins in the heart. The foundation of all sin, transgression and iniquity is pride.
It can be so easy for us to downplay and overlook the depth of wickedness that dwells within the depths of our hearts. We attempt to camouflage our pride in goodness or righteousness. It is ever so critical that we guard our hearts with all diligence for out of it flows the issues of life. We must stand solidly on the truth found in God's word. In wisdom, we must listen to all that Jesus says and live in obedience to all that he declares.
God has displayed His justice in the chastisement poured out on His people. His sovereignty in raising up the Assyrians as a tool of His justice and judging them for going beyond His call upon them. We also saw God's faithfulness in working through His remnant, reminding them of the promise of His Messiah who will set up the eternal kingdom of God. But now, Isaiah now begins a new section. The focus now turns from Israel to the surrounding nations.
In this study we will look at the burden Isaiah has been given towards Babylon. This is a study that will look at the roots of Babylon, Babylon at the time Isaiah declared this burden and Babylon that will be destroyed in the great day of the LORD.
It is important to remember that as the evil of man rises up the judgment of God comes down. We are living on the precipice of the great day of the LORD. This is a time for us all to keep our hand to the plough and never look back. It is the time for us to remain faithful, always looking up as our salvation draws near.
We are most certainly living in the last days. Jesus is coming soon! The greatest danger the church faces in these last days is deception. Jesus, Peter, John Jude and Paul all warned of the growing and dangerous deception we would all face in the days just prior to the return of Christ. It is so easy for us to get caught up in the political, economic and social issues of our day. Yet the real danger slithers into the church unnoticed and unchallenged. Deception is Satan's weapon of choice, and he wields it against the church at every opportunity.
John approached these false teachers with great authority. He allowed no room for compromise. He was not gentle with the ministers of Satan. They are enemies of the cross and must be identified as such and treated accordingly.
In this passage, John commands (not a suggestion) everyone who names the name of Christ to test the spirits against the word of God. This is not an option. We are never to assume that a "Christian" book, music, ministry, teacher, radio station or anything else that labels itself as Christian is in fact Christian until we test it against the word of God.
As we come to the conclusion of this section, we are once again introduced to the Messiah. We first see His righteous character endowed by the Holy Spirit. We see how He will rule and govern. His reign will define His character. The conditions that will exist in His eternal reign will be void of wickedness. There will be justice and equity. It will be a time of unimaginable peace. No hostility will exist anywhere in the eternal kingdom that Jesus will establish. How can this be? For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
God Himself will bring all of Israel, both the northern kingdom and Judah back into the land from the four corners of the earth. There will be no barrier preventing them from coming back to the land that God has provided for them. God has declared this according to His word. It shall come to pass. Israel will be united, and no one will be able to defeat them.
Today we see Jews from all over the world returning to Israel in record numbers. This is unique to Israel. Israel is surrounded by committed enemies seeking to remove them from the face of the earth, yet Israel survives. They have not been defeated nor will they ever be defeated.
This passage confirms for us according to God's word that we are on the precipice of the end of the age. We are so close to the return Jesus. As followers of Jesus Christ, we need to be encouraged. Let us look up and know that our salvation draws near.
Maranatha
In this study we twice see the phrase, "And it shall come to pass". This phrase reminds us of the certainty of God's word. His word will never fail. God alone speaks of things to come in past tense. He can do so because it is His word. The word of God has never failed, nor will it ever fail.
We also see the recurring theme of a remnant. God is always at work, and He always works through His remnant. He will protect, provide and preserve His remnant in order to accomplish His good work according to His will and for His glory alone.
Because God has promised according to His word to protect, provide and preserve His remnant, we have no need to fear anything. God's message to His children is always to fear not. We need only look back to His word to be reminded of how faithful God has always been. Isaiah told the people to look back at God's word and His faithfulness with the Midianites and the Egyptians.
God also reminds the people that all the leaders of high stature, all the militaries of great power, that all the mighty and haughty things of this world will simply be cut down by Him. They are like a great forest. Nothing but trees as far as the eye can see. But when the judgment of God comes, a once great forest will be completely barred with only stumps remaining as a reminder of Gods judgment.
Isaiah alternates back from prophesying about millennial kingdom to the present day and the Judgement that will come upon the Northern Kingdom as well as the Assyrian empire.
The people's hearts were filled with pride and arrogance. They took the judgment of God lightly. They believed that in spite of how severe God's judgment was, they could build back better than ever. They refused to seek the LORD of Host. They refused to humble themselves and repent.
The purpose of God's judgement was that they would indeed repent. Their refusal to repent gave rise to the anger of God's judgement as well as the inescapable certainty of it. No one will ever escape the judgment of God. As it has been said, the wheels of God's justice grind slowly but exceedingly fine.
Isaiah asks three questions of the evil, unrighteous, hypocritical evildoers who refuse to repent. What will you do in the day of punishment, and in the desolation which will come from afar? To whom will you flee for help? And where will you leave your glory? These questions were for the wicked leaders and all who followed them of Isaiah's day. But these questions also apply to us today.
A refusal to repent before a Holy God will only assure the certainty and increased intensity of God's judgement.
Isaiah has been bringing a strong scathing message against the people. The have chosen the path of apostasy. They have chosen the path of the backslider. They have chosen to turn from the known truth. They refuse to fear God, to live in obedience to God's word and they have defiantly chosen the power of man over the power of God. While this happened nearly 3000 years ago, it is a reflection of the days that we are currently living in.
But Isaiah does not stop there. Isaiah says, "Nevertheless". He transitions into the hope that they have in the promised Messiah. For us, he transitions into the hope we have in Christ.
Do we truly realize how great God is? Do we truly realize how much He love us? Do we truly realize the awful sinful condition that He saved us from? Can we even begin to imagine the glorious future that lies before us all because of our awesome God?
All of God's word is true. God has made incredible promises concerning the return of His Son, King Jesus. Great promises concerning the kingdom of God that His Son King Jesus will establish and maintain in Jerusalem on the throne of David as promised more than 3000 years prior.
We are on the precipice of the fulfillment of all that God has promised through His word. What an incredible time to be alive in Christ. We must lift up our eyes for our salvation draws near.
God speaks directly to Isaiah. He challenges Isaiah in both a challenging and encouraging way. Isaiah has been called by God to speak the truth of His word to a people that will not see, hear or understand. Those who are called to speak the truth of God's word will have no popularity even amongst God's people. Therefore, Isaiah, like all those called by God to speak His truth, must be challenged and encouraged in the ministry that they have been called to.
The challenge before us is that we will not walk in the way of the people but always in the ways of God. That we would not fear man and all the evil that arises around us, but we would fear God. Fearing God is the safest place for a believer to be.
We are challenged to be true to God in all circumstances and in all ways. We are to obey God's word regardless of cost or consequences. In our daily living and in the face of crisis, we must always seek God's word first and remain obedient to His word at all times.
Fear God. Heed His word always. Obey God's word exactly and always. This is the pathway to blessing. Obedience is the first step on the pathway of faith
We continue to look at the prophesy given to Isaiah concerning the Northern Kingdom and Syria alliance. This great threat looms ominously against Judah, the southern kingdom. God has amazingly, graciously offered to King Ahaz, a most wicked and vile individual, protection from this evil alliance. All he must do is believe. Yet King Ahaz refuses to trust in the power of God and places his full trust in the power of man. What a fatal choice.
Any time we choose to trust in man rather than God, we can be certain that the result will be disastrous. Not at first, but as time rolls out, the folly of trusting in the power of man will come to full fruition.
In the case of King Ahaz and Judah, they did not reap the consequences of their refusal to trust in God for a little more than three decades. As it has been said, the wheels of God's justice grind slowly but exceedingly fine.
Any time we choose to trust in the power of man and our own clever devices, it will appear to be brilliant and successful at first. Yet as time unfolds before us, the consequences of our evil desire to trust in the power of man rather than trusting in the power of God will come to fruition. The absolute outcome of trusting in the power of man is utter humiliation, devastation, poverty, famine, desolation and destruction. If we choose to sow to the wind, we will indeed reap the whirlwind.
God displays His amazing grace, love, longsuffering and justice as He sends Isaiah to the wicked, vile king Ahaz. Ahaz has lived in absolute rebellion and defiance toward the LORD in spite of having every reason to put his full trust in God. In his present situation, Ahaz has no desire to trust in the power and protection of God in spite of God's gracious offer through Isaiah. He stands on the precipice of calamity yet he arrogantly in willful ignorance refuses the incredibly gracious and loving offer from the LORD God.
God in His longsuffering told Ahaz to ask for any sign without limitation to confirm the word that He had given through Isaiah. Ahaz responds in hypocritical piety. This petty, arrogant king has thoroughly rejected God and His word by refusing God's offer to show a sign for him.
In spite of Ahaz, God Himself will show a sign to Ahaz. An undeniable sign confirming the authenticity of His word through the prophet Isaiah. This ultimate sign, that is a sign for us today, would be the virgin birth of Christ to Mary. Jesus is the word that became flesh. Jesus Christ the Living Word and God's written word are inseparably truth. The entirety of God's word points to the person of Jesus the Christ. Jesus displays the authenticity of the entirety of God's word. How blessed we are to know Jesus the living Word through the written word by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah having been thoroughly prepared by God for ministry is now able to hear the voice of God calling him to ministry.
As God described the ministry that He was calling Isaiah to, it did not sound like a successful ministry at all. In fact, in the eyes of men, it would be deemed a failure. True ministry that God calls us to is not deemed successful by quantifiable results. It is deemed successful by inward faithfulness to God and uncompromising obedience to His word. The success of ministry will be determined when we stand before Jesus at His judgment seat. The ministry of Isaiah was a great success.
Chapter seven begins a new section in Isaiah. In this passage, Isaiah will deliver prophesies of hope and deliverance. He will remind Judah that God is with them and is calling them back to faith in Him.
It begins with Isaiah bringing a message of hope to the most undeserving Ahaz. Ahaz was as wicked, vile and evil as they come. How could a person like this receive a message of hope from God? But he does. This displays to us the incredible grace of God. The enormity of His longsuffering and the love He has for His people.
God's message to Ahaz in the face of impending peril and disaster is a message for us today. God has not changed nor has His message changed. The same hope that He offers to the vile Ahaz is the same hope that we have today.
Chapter 6 of Isaiah is a critical chapter. It is here that Isaiah shares with us the details concerning his call and qualification for being a prophet of God. This message is so critical yet largely forgotten and ignored by many. It is God alone who calls one to ministry. It is God alone who qualifies a person for ministry.
Here Isaiah will share with us an incredible vision he had of God. A vision of God is at the heart of our preparation to serve God. A true servant of God must be fully prepared to serve God before they can answer the call to serve God. Anyone who chooses to serve God apart from a vision of God is thoroughly unprepared. They will never serve God to the highest glory of God. All efforts will be feeble, futile and filled with the flesh. Men may marvel at all these great ministries, but God will never be glorified in it.
Isaiah's immediate response to this vision was a deep sense of his utter depravity before a holy God. So to should be anyone's response be when they enter the presence of God. Convicted to the core, Isaiah cried out in confession and repentance of his vulgar sin and iniquity. What else are we able to cry out in the presence of God?
God's grace hastened to meet Isaiah's need. God's grace is always sufficient. Through the intermediary work of the seraphim, Isaiah's iniquity was taken away and his sin was purged. Now, Isaiah is fully prepared and qualified to answer God's call on his life.
Isaiah has just finished his song of the vineyard. It is a song about a vineyard whose owner provided it with every advantage to bear good grapes. However, in spite of all its advantage, the vineyard produced wild grapes. These wild grapes are disgusting and poisonous. Therefore, the owner would remove all the advantages it had and allow it to be trampled down and destroyed. Isaiah clearly identifies the vineyard as Israel.
Isaiah will now spend the rest of the chapter defining what the sins of these wild grapes are by declaring six woes in exacting detail. He will present to Israel their horrible transgression and the depth of their iniquity.
God is both longsuffering and just. His longsuffering with His people is beyond our understanding. He is just in that He makes clear to His people in exact, clear and simple terms, what their sin, transgression and iniquity is.
In reading a passage like this, we have a tendency to look at others, to look at the Christ rejecting world and say that this applies to them. It does apply to them in many ways for sure. However, Isaiah is speaking to God's people. We need to first look at this passage in light of how it applies to us. Before we look out the window at others, we must first look in the mirror and see how God's word applies to us.
In the midst of Isaiah telling the people why and how God would judge them, he brings hope to the righteous remnant. He tells them of both the messianic kingdom to come and of the Messiah who will rule in that glorious time. It will be a time marked by holiness. God will wash away all the filth and purge all the blood from the land. The tangible presence of God will be known throughout the kingdom of God. It will be a time of incredible joy.
Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:3,4
We then come to the song of the vineyard. It is an exquisite literary masterpiece. So far, the people have not listened to the challenging messages from Isaiah. Maybe they will no listen to the incredible message contained within this song.
God had provided Israel with every possible advantage to be all that God had called them to be. Yet Israel failed in spite of these great Divine advantages. They had been rebellious, defiant and disobedient. In spite of all God's goodness displayed in these amazing advantages they chose to transgress and go after other gods. The result of their great disobedience would be the removal of God's protection and blessing. All that they had would be destroyed in order for them to learn the pain of their transgression and that they would repent before God who loves them so dearly.
This is a study filled with lessons and applications for all of us. May God give us all ears to hear, a heart to receive and a will to obey.
God now makes clear how He will bring judgment on the people. The Lord, the LORD of Host will take away from the people all that they need the most. He will take away the whole supply of bread and water. He will also take away every form of leadership that the nation depends on for survival and security.
The people will be desperate for leadership as a result of God's judgment. God will give them the leaders they deserve. Leaders who are unqualified, unprepared, unequipped, filled with evil and unrighteousness, to lead the people. In essence, as a part of God's judgement, the nation will get the leaders they deserve.
God holds these evil leaders as well as all leaders to a high level of accountability. The judgment of these evil leaders will be severe. There will be harsh judgment on the high society, evil woman who have such a great influence on these men who rule so wickedly. But there is also accountability and judgment for the people that choose to follow after such evil leadership rather than living in faithful obedience to God's word.
In the midst of all this judgment, it will be well with the righteous. God is so faithful. Not only will it be well with the righteous remnant but there is a wonderful, beautiful future beyond any possible description that awaits the righteous remnant.
Isaiah has just concluded a wonderful exhortation concerning the latter days when Jesus will return and set up His millennial kingdom. In light of this great exhortation, Isaiah challenges the people to walk in the light of God's truth. Any time we are presented with the great scriptural truths concerning our glorious future with the Lord, it must impact the way we are living today in the present.
In spite of this great exhortation and challenge, the Israelites are living in stark contrast. They are filled with Eastern ways. They are filled with prosperity, luxury and military might. Their land is filled with idols. They are living in disobedience to God's word. They have a mixed form of worship, yet because of their seeming success they are convinced that God is pleased with the way they are living.
Isaiah makes it clear that God is not pleased and that His judgment is certain and will soon be upon them. There will be no escape for anyone from the judgment of God. There will be no place to hide. Everything that is exalted will be brough low. Only the LORD will be exalted in the day of His judgment.
Isaiah challenges the people to stop trusting in man and his feeble accomplishment. Man is but a vapor and all that he has built and accomplished will be gone in an instant before the mighty judgment of God. The judgment of God will bring both the terror of the LORD and the majesty of His glory. None shall escape the judgment of God.
We are to stop trusting in man. We are to trust in the LORD with all our hearts. We must be obedient to Jesus Christ and His word regardless of cost of consequence.
In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, Jesus dictates seven letters to seven churches. These letters are of the utmost importance to the church. They must not be neglected. Even more, we must heed the words of Jesus and live in obedience to the challenges He presents to us.
In this study we will look at the first church, the church of Ephesus. It is a church that has chosen to leave her first love. While many good things appear to be happening within the church, they have chosen to leave their first love, Jesus.
What does it mean to leave our first love? How do we return to our first love? These questions and the answers to them are critical if we as a church are going to be all that God has called us to be.
We are in the last days most certainly. The return of Christ is at hand. Time is short! As a church there remains so much that God desires to do in us and through us. If we have left our first love and refuse to return to our first love, we will never be all that God has called us to be.
The remedy for purity in our lives as believers and as the church corporately is repentance. Have you left your first love? If so, are you ready to repent in obedience to Jeus Christ and His word?
This is a message that was given on June 30th of 2019. Given before the breakout of mayhem and chaotic evil that floods our world. The message given then is as relevant today as it was then. May God through the power of the Holy Spirit make His word come alive to you and convict you in the way of righteousness.
Isaiah continues to present God's scathing indictment against His chosen nation of Israel. This once faithful city has become a harlot. She is filled with murderers and thieves. They love bribes and have neglected the fatherless and the widow. They are rebellious, filled with iniquity, corrupters. They have forsaken the LORD and provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger.
Therefore, the LORD, the LORD of Host, the Mighty One of Israel will take vengeance upon them. The children of Israel, through their rebellion, have made themselves as the enemy of God. There will be consequences. They shall stand in the light of God's righteous judgment. There they will be ashamed and embarrassed of all that they have done in rebellion and disobedience towards God who loves them. They will now face the eternal judgment of God.
Yet as Isaiah concludes this indictment, he presents the people with the glorious hope that they can have in the LORD. A glorious hope that lies ahead because of the promises that God made to the fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and David. God remains faithful to His word always.
The scathing indictment followed by the glorious hope of the coming kingdom should bring the present generation to repentance. There will be a generation to follow that will be taken into captivity. This should encourage them that God is a covenant keeping God. His word is sure.
For us today, to be able to look back on this, we can know that God desires us to live in obedience to His word, to repent when we fail to keep His word and to always be looking ahead to the glorious hope we have in Jesus, Christ in us the hope of glory. God has promised that a day is coming when Jesus will return and set up the kingdom of God. What great hope we have as followers of Jesus!
We now begin a study in the book of Isaiah. It is a tremendous book, referred to as a major prophet of the Old Testament. The book of Isaiah is quoted many times throughout the New Testament. It is a book centered on God, the work that God was doing and the work that God will continue to do, right up to the present and beyond.
Isaiah is broken up in two parts. Chapters 1 through 39 emphasizes judgment and deserved punishment. In this section the people of Isaiah's day are being called back to holiness and obedience through repentance. Chapters 40 through 66 deals with salvation, restoration and atonement. This message is to those in the future. God is assuring the people of Israel that they would be restored to the land and that He would establish His kingdom.
In these opening verses, Israel is called into the court room of God with all of creation as witnesses. Isaiah reveals a scathing indictment by God against the people. The accusation and its details should come as a surprise to no one. Isaiah under the power of the Holy Spirit is calling it straight. He will not tip toe around the crisis that the people have brought upon themselves. He is calling it straight and clear according to God's word. There can be no mistake as to what he is saying. He is speaking the truth of God's word without apology. How desperately we need Isaiah's in our present day.
In spite of this scathing indictment and the fact that God has every reason to punish with great severity the nation of Israel, yet God offers to them full pardon. God offers to them complete forgiveness if they will choose to repent. For those who refuse to repent, judgment and destruction. God's offer is gracious but includes no middle ground.
God is both just and the justifier. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
We all stand guilty before a Holy God, but by His grace through Jesus we can all receive full pardon and forgiveness through the blood of the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.
As we conclude this wonderful little book of Ruth, much stands out before us.
We see the incredible sovereignty of God revealed throughout. Over and over again we see God working supernaturally in the natural. The book concludes with a genealogy. Beginning with Perez and concluding with David, yet it ultimately points to and will conclude with Jesus.
Through this genealogy we see God well at work before Naomi, Boaz and Ruth arrived on the scene and long after they are off the scene. God's work continued then and continues up to our present day. In spite of the chaos, evil, tribulation and lawlessness, God is sovereign. He is in control. As it has been said, history is His Story.
We saw Ruth display humility, faithfulness, courage and endurance as she continually lived in obedience to God's word. She is a hero and a great example to follow. The Christian life requires courage and endurance. The life of victory by a believer will never be achieved apart from courage and endurance displayed in steadfast, unwavering obedience.
God's word tells us not to despise the day of small things. So much took place in Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the thousands of Judah. The messianic line was kept intact in the little town of Bethlehem. Centuries later Jesus, our savior, Christ the Lord was born of a virgin, a poor peasant teenager scorned by all who knew her. He was born in a manger, in a place that was barely fit for animals. Yet from this small humble beginning came the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
In a day and age were so many are infatuated with mega churches, mega movements, the massive Christian culture that has been built, we would do well not to despise the day of small things but remember well that it is not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the LORD of Host.
Finally, Ruth is a timeless story of love and redemption. By the grace of God and the blood of Jesus, our lives have been woven into this timeless story. God is still at work in this world seeking a bride and reaping a harvest. God has placed us here for such a time as this. May God grant us ears to hear, a heart to receive and the courage to obey at all times in order that we may be all that God has called us to be for His glory and His glory alone. Maranatha!
As we begin this last chapter of Ruth, it is critical that we never forget the fact that God always writes the last chapter. This little book began with three funerals but will now end with a wonderful marriage. Christ was crucified between two thieves at Calvary. What began with three crosses will end up with the marriage supper of the Lamb. As believers, we have more hope than we can even begin to imagine. Our hope is in Jesus our Lord and Savior who was crucified, died, buried and rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven and will soon return to receive us to Himself. What incredible, glorious hope we have as followers of Jesus.
We also see in this final chapter that Jesus alone is able to redeem us from the bondage of sin into which we are all born. Redemption requires that a price be paid in full. When Jesus cried out on the cross, "it is finished", He was declaring that the debt of our sin, of the sin of the world had been paid in full. For all who confess, repent and ask Jesus to redeem us from the bondage of sin in which we live, He will freely, graciously forgive us from all our sin and clothe us in His righteousness.
The world will continue to grow darker and darker as the return of Christ grows on the horizon. For us as believers, we live with a hope that can never be diminished. We have Christ in us the hope of glory. God always writes the last chapter. That chapter has been written and it is glorious. Look up to Jesus! Look ahead to the kingdom of God. We are living in a hope that grows brighter every day in spite of the growing darkness all around us.
Maranatha!
Ruth now presents herself to Boaz, her kinsman redeemer. She followed the biblical counsel from Naomi exactly without any deviation. The biblical instruction from Naomi coupled with Ruth's obedience has led her to the feet of her kinsman redeemer.
The gospel of Jesus Christ, according to the scriptures will always lead the lost sinner to the foot of the cross, to the feet of Jesus.
Boaz embraces Ruth's request. He first comforts her by telling her not to fear. He recognizes the great courage and boldness that brought Ruth to his feet. Next, he assures her that she will indeed be redeemed that very day. He will do all that she requests. Her redemption will be accomplished according to the scriptures without any deviation. Boaz will not rest until the matter of Ruth's redemption is accomplished.
The gospel of Jesus Christ, according to the scriptures will always lead the lost sinner to the foot of the cross, to the feet of Jesus. Jesus found no rest in this world until the matter of sin had been resolved and paid for. At the cross, the sin of the world was paid for. The matter has been resolved. All who come to the foot of the cross, the foot of the cross will receive redemption through the finished work of Jesus.
Ever since Boaz has entered the narrative, Naomi is a changed person. No longer is she consumed with the bitterness of her experience. She is now focused on the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. Naomi is now able to focus on Ruth and not herself.
Naomi is a woman of great faith. She now determines in accordance with the word of God that she will develop a plan for Ruth allowing her to present herself as a bride to Boaz, their kinsman redeemer. The plan is a simple, biblically based plan. It is a plan that will ultimately lead Ruth to the feet of her kinsman redeemer.
The true gospel of Jesus Christ according to the scriptures will bring a lost sinner to the foot of the cross. A person will never know redemption until they first come to the foot of the cross.
This passage, as you will see, is filled with treasures of Christ. As we dig into these verses, be amazed and encouraged at how clearly the gospel of Jesus Christ is on display.
We continue our journey through the book of Ruth. Ruth although a small book in the Old Testament, is one of the greatest treasures within the scriptures. It is filled with incredible typology that illuminates the great truth of so many biblical doctrines. Even more, we see with great clarity, the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a refreshing and encouraging read in light of the dark days in which we currently live.
In this study we will see the initial meeting between Ruth and Boaz. In Boaz we see an example of true Christian leadership. A great example of leadership that we would all be wise to follow. Boaz also exhibits many Christ-like qualities within his character. The grace and kindness displayed by Boaz bears forth a great reflection of Christ. Boaz is a type of Christ, therefore we would all be wise to take note of and follow the example he sets for us.
Ruth on the other hand, a picture of the church, displays a character filled with humility, gratitude and diligence. Ruth is truly living in the worst circumstances imaginable. She is a widow in a foreign land. As far as she knows, the balance of her life will be lived in utter poverty as a stranger in a strange land. Yet she allows nothing of her circumstances devalue her character. Ruth does not have two nickels to rub together yet her character is priceless.
At the end of our study, we once again see Naomi. Hearing the name of Boaz gives her great hope, just as the name of Jesus gives us all great hope. Naomi recognizes the hand of God in all that is happening. Her heart is bursting with joy and hope. No longer is she Mara, but she is now once again Naomi. God has taken her bitterness and once again poured pleasantness back into her life.
This was a message given in September of 2018. The relevance of this message today cannot be overstated.
The last days before the return of Christ will be marked by great deception. In fact, the greatest weapon on Satan is deception. In spite of all the warnings contained within the entirety of the scriptures concerning deception, this great evil has slithered in at every opportunity giving great rise to the apostasy of the last days church.
The danger of deception is quite frightening. Those who are deceived believe sincerely and zealously that they are living in the truth. They will defend the deception that they are living in more vigorously than they would have defended the truth. Deception is a deadly foe. Once a person has been infected with this venom, only a powerful work of the Holy Spirit can remove it thoroughly and completely. Needless to say, it is better to never be deceived in the first place.
This is why John admonishes us to abide in the truth found only in Jesus Christ and His Word. Sadly, we live in a day were the importance of Jesus Christ and His Word has been set aside. As it has been said, the first casualty in war is truth. Nowhere is that statement truer than in the church of these last days.
It is our prayer that as you listen to this message you will be encouraged to abide in the truth found only in Jesus Christ and His Word. It is only by abiding in the Truth that you will be protected from the deception of the enemy.
This is a message on the book of Habakkuk that was given in December of 2016. The puprose of the message then was to show its contemporary application to Christian living in today's world while at the same time offering comfort and encouragement. Although the message is more than seven years old, it remains a contemporary message. Habakkuk was written around 609 BC, yet its message applies to each and every follower of Jesus Christ today. Hopefully and prayerfully, the Holy Spirit will anoint His word from Habakkuk, bringing you both comfort and encouragement for the days that we are living in. Maranatha!
Naomi and Ruth make it safely back to Bethlehem as a result of God's Divine protection. Their arrival brought much excitement to those in Bethlehem. They recognize Naomi but can see clearly that the past decade away from the presence of God has been hard on her. She is Naomi yet her appearance has changed dramatically for the worse. She went out full, ten years prior, but now returns home a widow without sons. She is empty.
Hope is starting to spring up on the horizon. The barley harvest has begun. They are in the land of promise. The blessings of God are slowly beginning to unfold. Naomi has chosen a great time to return to Bethlehem, to the presence of God. For those that have left the presence of God, it is always a good time to return to Him.
We are introduced to Boaz who God will use to change the course of Ruth's life and Naomi's life. This Divine meeting that will take place between Boaz and Ruth will change the course of eternity. God's eternal plan for mankind, the perpetuation of the messianic line is tied up in the meeting of Boaz and Ruth along with the guidance and encouragement of Naomi.
In this little book of Ruth, we see the providence of God acting supernaturally in the natural to bring about the fulfillment of His perfect will. What we see before us is the depth of the wisdom and the height of the majesty of Almighty God.
It was time for Naomi to leave and return to Judah. Obviously, there was a tremendous amount of love between Naomi and her two daughters-in-law. Both Orpah and Ruth insisted on returning to Judah with Naomi. Although Naomi loved them both as if they were her own daughters, she discouraged them from returning with her. Naomi knew that if they returned with her to Judah, they would be subjected to the same inescapable life of poverty that she would have to endure for the remainder of her days. Staying in Moab would offer them the security of their mother’s house and possibly allow them an opportunity to start again. Naomi must return to Judah. She could not endorse either Orpah or Ruth going with her.
What Naomi said apparently made sense to Orpah. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye and remained in Moab. Ruth, on the other hand, clung to Naomi. Although Naomi had given Ruth a perfectly acceptable reason to stay in Moab, Ruth would not listen. Ruth was beyond reason.
Ruth somehow realized that a life of poverty in Judah was far better than a life of wealth in Moab. Ruth knew nothing of comfort or convenience. Ruth was driven by a deep conviction.
Ruth than gives one of the great confessions of faith recorded in the scriptures. As great as this confession is, it should in fact be the confession of everyone who has chosen to become a follower of Jesus. The question we must ask ourselves is this, "Does the vow of Ruth reflect my level of commitment to Christ?
Ruth is one of the greatest treasures within the entirety of the Old Testament. A small book, yes, but one that possesses an ever-revealing value. The more this little book is read, the more its inexhaustible worth and beauty is discovered. Ruth is a timeless, priceless treasure to hide deep within our hearts.
There is so much to discover in Ruth. While we will do our best to discover all that Ruth has to offer, in all reality, it will simply arouse a deep interest to discover more of God's great truths buried throughout this beautiful love story.
Ruth encapsulates the entirety of God's word. It reveals to us the heart of God found in the wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ. Ruth will bring great illumination to the truth of God found in Jesus Christ and His word.
Ruth begins at a dark time in the nation's history. Yet no matter how dark and desperate things seem, God is still at work accomplishing His Divine purposes through ordinary people in the common affairs to which we are all accustomed.
Paul concludes this incredible masterpiece of an epistle. Clearly, the letter to the Romans was inspired and anointed by the Holy Spirit. The truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and its importance in the life of every believer cannot be overstated. For all who have been born into the body of Christ, familiarity with the book of Romans is essential.
As Paul closes this letter, he gives special commendation to Phoebe, a sister and servant in Christ. He sends the warmest heartfelt greetings to those now in Rome who he had met over the years. He also sends greetings from those who are joined with him in ministry to those who are in Rome. Sandwiched in all of this is one final warning to identify and avoid those stealthy, deceitful workers of evil.
What better way to close out this great letter than with one final prayer? Now to Him who is able to establish you. It is through the Gospel of Jesus Christ alone that we are able to receive spiritual life. It is according to the Gospel and preaching of Jesus Christ that God alone is able to establish us. Make Jesus the center of your life and you will stand. God will establish you in all of your ways.
The final words of Paul's prayer sum up this great epistle perfectly. To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
Paul now summarizes his discussion that began in chapter 14 verse 1. We who are strong have a continuing obligation to bear with the weaknesses of those in Christ who are not strong. For the strong in Christ, to bear with the weak is not a burden, rather a privilege. We are called to live a life seeking to please our brothers and sisters in Christ for their good and for building them up in the body of Christ. In summary, all Christians, both weak and strong, are to receive one another in the love according to the truth found in Christ Jesus.
Our ultimate example in true courageous living is Jesus. All Christian are called to follow Jesus. Jesus alone is the true measure of every Christian. The question a true believer must always ask themselves is, how much like Jesus am I?
Paul in his summary statement prays several times for those to whom he is writing. These are great examples of prayer and how we as believers should be praying for one another.
Finally, Paul begins his concluding remarks to this church that he has never seen. In these remarks he will discuss his philosophy of ministry as well as his plans to visit them in the future. Paul's concluding remarks are rich with instruction and encouragement. There is much we will learn from Paul's closing remarks.
Paul continues to give the church commands to obey in light of the great salvation we have through the finished work of Jesus. Paul presented to us the doctrine of salvation in the first 11 chapters. Now he is declaring to us our duty in light of this great doctrine.
In this study Paul speaks with us about relationships within the body of Christ. Specifically, he is speaking to mature Christians and how they should relate to the weaker Christians in the way of non-doctrinal, non-essential issues. Paul describes them as doubtful things.
In this study, Paul will establish two laws that we as believers are to live in obedience to if the body of Christ is to be healthy. The first law is the law of liberty. Paul describes the great freedom that we have in Christ. Next, he presents to us the law of love. Our freedom under the Lordship of Jesus is awesome yet dangerous if not balanced against the love we have under the Lordship of Jesus.
The liberty that we have in Christ must be lived in the love of Christ.
In this study we are going to continue to look at Romans 13:11-14. It is such a great exhortation from Paul. He is commanding us on how we are to live in light of the great salvation that we have in Christ Jesus. We want to make sure that none of these commands are missed.
However, prior to re-looking at these scriptures, we are beginning this study with a short prophesy update. I light of the passage we are looking at and the rapidity of events taking place all around us, it would seem a good moment to take a quick pause and look at current events through the lens of scripture.
There are five key take aways from this study. First, we must live in total obedience to Jeus Christ and His word, Next, we must know the times that we are living in. Then we must wake up. After that we are to cast off the works of darkness and make absolutely no provision for the flesh. Finally, we must put on the armor of light, we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
We continue to look at the duty to practical Christian living that all true believers have been called to in light of the great doctrine of salvation. Paul spent 11 chapters declaring to us the doctrine of salvation. Now we are looking at the obedient, practical, godly Christian life to which we have all been called. Every aspect of the Christian life must be lived in total obedience to God's word regardless of cost or consequence.
We first look on how we as Christians are called to live under a secular government. Paul first explains that God has established human government and raises up those who rule in human government. He explains God's purpose for raising up authorities and rulers. Finally, he explains our role as believers within the human government that God has established and raised up.
Paul then moves from our obligation to government to our obligation to show the love of Christ in all our relationships. This includes all relationships, both within the church and without the church. As followers of Jesus Christ, love must be the ultimate expression of our lives.
Paul concludes this section with a charge for us to be obedient to everything he has written, beginning with Romans 12:1 up to Romans 13:10. He challenges us to be aware that we are living in the last days leading up to the return of Christ. He exhorts us, the church, to wake up and remove the works of darkness from ourselves and dress fully in the armor of light.
We are living in a time that no one in the church should question, even in the slightest, that the return of Christ is at hand. Many do say they believe Jesus is coming yet how many are actually living like Jesus is coming. What we truly believe in our heart will impact the way we live our lives. Are we living as though Jesus could return at any moment? If not, why?
Start living in full obedience to Jesus Christ and His word. Know the time that you are living in. Wake up! Cast off the works of darkness and dress fully in the armor of light.
We continue to look at our duty to live the practical obedient Christian life in light of the great doctrine of salvation that Paul has presented to us. We do not live the obedient Christian life in order to receive God's love, we live the obedient Christian life in response to the love of God that we have already received in Christ Jesus.
Obedient Christian living involves how we are reacting to the actions and emotion of those around us, both the believer and the unbeliever. We are to be in the habit of speaking well of those who persecute us. We are to be mindful of the emotions of those around us. We must not repay anyone evil for evil. Our love must continue even when we have been wronged. And we must be on guard against conceit and pride. These will destroy our ability to live the obedient Christian life that brings glory to God.
We will also begin to look at the way we as Christians are to live the obedient Christian life in response to the government we are living under. This is a crucial area in the life of a believer. Paul's instructions to us through the Holy Spirit have quite often been misinterpreted and in some cases abused. In this study we will begin to take a thorough look at this aspect of our Christianity. We will do so by applying the whole counsel of God.
As Christians we are to live in response to the great salvation we have in Christ Jesus, initiated by God the Father toward us. We are to follow Jesus with such love, devotion and obedience that we may become more and more like Him. Let us live lives of obedience that brings glory to God in all that we do.
Paul has presented to us the great doctrine of salvation. Now we as believers have a duty to respond to this incredible biblical doctrine through obedient practical Christian living.
In the first two verse of Romans 12, Paul laid out for us the foundation required for obedient Christian living. This foundation is established by the consecration of our lives upon the alter of God as a living sacrifice. In addition, we are not to be conformed to this evil world, rather we are to be transformed within our minds by the daily renewal of the Holy Spirit.
Paul opens up his exhortations and commands to us concerning practical Christian living with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He identifies and describes some of these gifts. He points out the parallelism between the church and the human body. The church like the human body is a living thing. Also, in both, there must be unity, diversity, mutuality, respect, harmony and no rivalries. We as members of the church draw our life from the head, Christ. The gifts bestowed upon us by the grace of God alone, through the Holy Spirit are intended for the benefit of the entire body of Christ to the glory of God.
Following his instructions on the gifts, Paul moves on to what our attitudes should be as we exercise these gifts within the body of Christ. He presents to us a series of firm commands. He begins with love. We must have a love that is sincere. A love that can only come through a mature and abiding relationship with Jesus. A love that bears the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The maturity displayed in the fruit of the Spirit is essential in order for us as believers to utilize the gifts of the Spirit fully for the benefit of the body and to the glory of Jesus.
Finally, this study will begin and end with a warning against pride. Pride has a destructive nature. Pride will wreak havoc within the body of Christ. Nowhere throughout all the scripture does the Bible commend pride. Pride is a great evil. It is the origin of evil. Pride has no place whatsoever in the church. Paul's warnings of pride must be heeded. May God give us the ability to see these warnings with great clarity. Furthermore, may we have the courage to obey these warnings with all soberness.
The first 11 chapters of Romans has been an outstanding presentation of great theology. Paul has laid out before us the great doctrine of salvation. Where would we be without God's great doctrine of salvation. He concludes this great doctrine with a doxology. A hymn of praise that he simply could not contain. But Paul does not stop there, nor should we. Paul immediately moves into what should be our practical, reasonable response to the incredible mercies of God displayed in this great doctrine of His salvation.
A principal of scripture that is essential, if we truly desire to live a victorious Christian life; duty always follow doctrine. Great biblical doctrine should inspire us to practical Christian living displayed in total obedience to God's word regardless of cost of consequence.
In this study we will only look at the first two verses of Romans 12. These are familiar verses, yet they are verses that we must fully understand and embrace. The balance of Romans pivots on these two verses. It is these two verses that perfectly connect God's great doctrine of salvation with our response of practical, obedient duty.
Paul comes to the end of his great treatise on the doctrine of salvation. God has taken this brilliant, well educated, skilled man and anointed him to put in writing for the entire world God's great gift of salvation. A gift available to all mankind through the amazing sacrifice of His only begotten Son Jesus.
The theology presented by Paul is overwhelming and outstanding. Paul as he catches his breath from this great work suddenly breaks out in a hymn of praise. As it has been said, the great theology that Paul has laid out before us now turns to doxology.
What Paul declares to us in this doxology should leave us all breathless regardless of how many times we read it. Paul does his absolute best to describe for us the greatness of God. Again, inspired by the Hopy Spirit, he does an outstanding job. Yet God's greatness has no bounds, no limits. The more we realize the greatness of God the greater He becomes.
Paul concludes this great doxology by declaring, "for of Him and through Him and to Him are all things". This concluding statement may well be one of if not the greatest statements in the bible. It is written in the simplest of terms yet the depth, the expanse of its meaning is boundless. For all of eternity we will forever be learning the greatness of God.
To God be the glory forever!
As we began our last study in chapter 11, Paul made it quite clear that God had not permanently cast away His chosen people, Israel. Paul now continues in chapter 11 establishing that Israel has not stumbled and fallen beyond recovery. Paul's answer is firm. Israel has absolutely not fallen beyond recovery. God has elected Israel. In spite of their current rejection of Jesus as their Messiah, the promises that God made to Abraham and the patriarchs stand. Israels rejection of Christ does in no way nullify God's unconditional promise of their future restoration.
Paul now speaks directly to the gentile church. He wants us to understand first that our salvation was made available to us because of the falling away of Israel. We are enjoying the blessings of God's promises made to Abraham. However, our salvation is meant to provoke Israel to jealousy in order that they would indeed one day embrace Jesus as their messiah.
Furthermore, he warns extensively against spiritual pride. Paul makes clear that our understanding of who Israel is according to the word of God is essential. Paul reveals a previously unrevealed truth. Blindness in part has happened to Israel, but that blindness will be removed when the fullness of the gentiles comes in. The rapture of the church will bring the fullness of the gentiles to completion. Then will Israel's blindness and hardening be removed. As Paul declares according to scripture, all of Israel will be saved.
A failure to understand Israel according to the scriptures will lead to the despicable transgression of spiritual pride. It will cause us to be ignorant with an inflated opinion of who we truly are.
Israel will be restored. We cannot even begin to imagine how glorious it will be when they are fully restored. Jesus is coming soon and when He does, all of Israel will recognized and receive Him as their Messiah. What a glorious day that will be!
As we begin chapter 11, Paul makes his final transition concerning God's faithfulness to Israel. He does so by asking rhetorically, "has God cast away His people." The manner in which Paul asked this question was to elicit a negative reply. To ensure there is no misunderstanding concerning the fact that God has not cast away Israel, Paul answers with his familiar affirmative, certainly not. According to the scriptures, there is a future restoration for Israel.
Paul presents himself as the first example showing that God is not finished with Israel. Paul declares the fact that he is an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Paul, once one of the most bitter enemies of Jesus Christ and the Way, was now a part of the body of Christ. Paul was living proof there were some Jews chosen by God who by faith embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Next, he presented Elijah as a biblical historical illustration that God had not cast away Israel. Elijah at the lowest point of his prophetic ministry thought that he alone was the only one in all of Israel who remained faithful to the true and living God. He actually lashed out in prayer against his people. God graciously answered his prayer and told Elijah that there was a remnant of 7000 men in Israel who had not bowed the knee to Baal.
Paul, from this historical illustration, supported by the scriptures, declared that as God had a remnant in the days of Elijah, so to there was a remnant in Paul's day, The remnant in Elijah's day, in Paul's day and up to our present day, is a remnant according to the election of grace. Because of God's electing grace, there has always been a remnant prior to the church age, during the church age and will continue until the return of Christ
What then? There is a majority in Israel that sought to obtain the righteousness of God through the keeping of the law rather than submitting to the righteousness of faith that only comes through the gospel of Jesus Christ. As a result, this unbelieving majority is experiencing God's judicial punishment. They should have believed, could have believed but refused to believe. Now there is a spiritual blindness upon them. They are now living in spiritual drowsiness. They have a deadness towards spiritual things.
On the other hand, there is a faithful, believing minority, a remnant, elected according to grace, that have embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is this faithful remnant that bears clear witness to the fact that God has indeed not cast away His chosen people, Israel
In our last study, Paul transitioned from Israel's past election to their present rejection of their Messiah. He transitioned from the sovereignty of God displayed in His Divine election to the human responsibility of responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul declared that the gospel is near, accessible and simple. He declared that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
This immediately gives way to a series of questions. How shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?
Paul answers according to the scriptures. Preachers had certainly been sent yet not all chose to obey the gospel. Paul concludes and confirms that true saving faith comes by the hearing of God's word.
Several more excuses are addressed concerning Israel's present rejection of the gospel. First was the claim that they had not heard. Paul answers, yes indeed they did hear. There was no room for any doubt at all. Okay, maybe they did hear but they did not understand. Paul again responds and does so by quoting the scriptures according to Moses and Isaiah. Israel had indeed heard the word of God and understood the word of God. The problem was not hearing or understanding. They were a disobedient and contrary people. They chose not to believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In spite of their disobedience and contrary ways, God's hands are still stretched out towards Israel. God's love for them has not waned in the slightest.
We continue to look at three critical chapters in the middle of Romans, chapters 9-11. In these chapters Paul will clearly establish that God's promises to Israel are indeed valid and will be fulfilled exactly. Paul makes the case by showing us Israel's past election, their present rejection and their future restoration. In the past few studies, we have looked at their past election. In this study we will begin to look at their present rejection.
Paul begins by asking that familiar question of his, "What shall we say then"? Paul asks this question as he not only transitions from Israel's past to their present, but also from God's divine sovereignty displayed in election to human responsibility.
From our human perspective, it is impossible to reconcile the sovereign election of God with human responsibility. Yet we must remember that nowhere in the scriptures are we commanded to choose between these two divine truths. Both come from God. Both are according to the scriptures. Both are essential and mutually true in God's plan of salvation.
While human responsibility and God's sovereign election are impossible to reconcile this side of heave, do not miss the universal appeal of the gospel presented in the last half of our study. Righteousness of faith found only in the gospel of Jesus Christ is available, accessible and simple. No difficult works are needed. No special knowledge is needed. One simply needs to believe in the plain, simple gospel of Jesus Christ. In order for a person to be saved, they need only confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead and they shall be saved. For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.
This week we continue our critical our study in chapters 9-11, a continuation on the doctrine of salvation. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, has brilliantly declared to us the gospel of Jesus Christ, the power of God unto salvation. Yet a question looms. What about Israel? According to the scriptures, God has made tremendous and undeniable promises to Israel. Promises that are unconditional and depend on God alone. These promises centered on Jesus, their messiah who they crucified and were now in the process of rejecting. Had God failed to keep His promise to Israel? Had God failed to keep His word?
Paul begins to answer this question by presenting to us the righteousness of God revealed in His sovereign choice. Last week we looked at two illustrations of God's sovereign election according to the scriptures. This week we will look at one more. God's sovereignty displayed in His Divine election is a subject that is far beyond any human mind yet to us as believers it is critical that we embrace it by faith.
It has been said, "Try to explain election and you may lose your mind. Explain it away and you will lose your soul."
The sovereignty of God displayed in election must be embraced by faith. No one is able to fully understand the sovereignty of God. Yet as believers there is great comfort when we embrace the reality of God's sovereignty by faith. It will develop a humility in our walk with God and even more, will make us more Christ like in our Christian journey.
Remember that the gospel of Jesus Christ is based on His word. We can be secure in the promises God has made to us according to His word through Christ since He indeed is keeping His promises to Israel. God's promises to Israel are indeed valid, they have been fulfilled, are being fulfilled, and will be fulfilled completely. God is true! His word is true! God's word to Israel is sure. His Word to us is sure as well. We are eternally secure in Christ Jesus.
As we begin the next three chapters, it may appear as though we are making an abrupt turn. Yet we are not. The next three chapters are a critical continuation on the doctrine of salvation. So critical, that a failure to fully grasp chapters 9-11 actually lessens the greatness of what we have learned up to this point.
Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, has brilliantly declared to us the gospel of Jesus Christ, the power of God unto salvation. He has taken us from condemnation, to justification, to sanctification and finally to glorification. In all of this declaring the fact that we are eternally secure in Christ.
Yet a question looms. What about Israel? According to the scriptures, God has made tremendous and undeniable promises to Israel. Promises that are unconditional and depend on God alone. These promises centered on Jesus their messiah who they crucified and were now in the process of rejecting. Had God failed to keep His promise to Israel? Had God failed to keep His word?
The gospel of Jesus Christ is based on His word. How can we be secure in the promises God has made to us through Christ if He is not able to keep His promises to Israel? Paul will take the next three chapters to establish the fact, according to the scriptures, that God's promises to Israel are indeed valid and will be fulfilled completely. God is true! His word is true! God's word to Israel is sure. His Word to us is sure as well. We are eternally secure in Christ Jesus.
Paul is writing to those that have been justified, are in the process of being sanctified and will with absolute certainty be glorified. In our last study we looked at how God is working all things together for good for those who love Him. The idea of working all things together is for our eternal good. It is a working together that is preparing us for eternity.
In this study we will look at all things working together for good for those that are called according to the purposes of God. The idea of being called is to be summoned by royal proclamation. We have been summoned by God according to His purpose. Furthermore, we cannot love God apart from being called according to His purpose.
The key words in this passage are, foreknew, predestined, called, justified and glorified. As it has been said, these words represent the eternal chain of God's working. These words embrace and eternity past, our present temporary time and the certainty of an eternity yet to come.
Many have struggled and argues over this passage. In truth, this passage can only be understood in the realm of God. Things said in this passage are far beyond our ability to even begin to comprehend. We will never understand this passage in human terms, it can only be embraced by faith. Remember, this passage is meant to bring comfort to those of us who are the called according to the purpose of God.
Paul indeed will conclude this entire passage with words of comfort; the irrefutable fact that absolutely nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God found only in Christ Jesus.
Paul makes it clear that when we are living in the victory of Christ, persecution, tribulation and suffering will come to us at unexpected times, in unexpected ways and from those we so often expect the least. Living in the victory of Christ does not always appear to be a life of victory.
In light of this, Paul first wants us to know that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in every true follower of Jesus Christ. We have an eternal, unspeakable, unimaginable inheritance with Christ in glory. Regardless of the temporary suffering we will endure, none of it can even begin to compare to the eternal glory that awaits us.
Paul goes on to say that "we know", meaning that we as followers of Christ should possess this knowledge, that all things are working together for our eternal good. Every second of suffering we endure, is all allowed within the sovereignty of God for our eternal good. As a follower of Christ, nothing happens in our life outside the knowledge and sovereignty of God. And all that happens has been allowed for out eternal good.
Knowing this should impact every follower of Jesus in the way that we live for Him. All of us should be living in the victory of Christ to the glory of God.
Paul encouragingly reminds us that we are not in the flesh but we, who have been justified freely by His grace through redemption that is in Christ Jesus, are in the Spirit. The instant we gave our lives to Christ, we were indwelt and sealed with the Holy Spirit.
We are now debtors to the Spirit and thus are to live according to the Spirit putting to death the deeds of the flesh. Furthermore, we are led by the Spirit, we are sons of God. We have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba, Father. We have been born into the family of God, we are sons of God, moreover we our heirs of God. We have an eternal inheritance based solely on our relationship to God through His Son Jesus.
Because we are heirs of God, we are joint heirs with Jesus. We are recipients of all spiritual blessings. We will share with Jesus in all the riches of God's kingdom for all of eternity. Yet being a joint heir with Jesus involves more than anticipating the unspeakable glories and riches of heaven. To be a joint heir with Christ means that we will first be fellow suffers with Him.
For the life of a Christian living in true victory, suffering will be the unavoidable prelude to glory. The experience of suffering will come before the experience of glory.
Suffering with Christ, suffering for Christ is not optional in the victorious Christian life. Only the follower of Jesus who lives in victory will be able to share in the sufferings of Christ.
Romans chapter 8 opens with some of the most beautiful words in all of scripture. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
Paul who only moments before cried out, "O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me?"
Paul had exerted every ounce of energy that he had to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. Yet he, like all of us, failed with impeccable consistency. He was completely bewildered, troubled and distressed at the fact that he had absolutely no power whatsoever to live a godly life in Christ Jesus.
What a relief to come to the end of yourself and realize that Jesus and Jesus alone will indeed deliver us from all our futile efforts to accomplish sanctification in our own power. Jesus not only delivers us but now there is no condemnation because we indeed are in Christ Jesus
In this passage , Paul speaks personally and with deep emotion. He is expressing to us his personal struggle with trying to live the sanctified life according to the law, in his own power. As Paul speaks to us in this passage, he does so in the present tense first person singular. What Paul says here is personal and transparent. It is the required lesson that every born again Christian will have to learn, we cannot live a righteous sanctified life in our own power. We will fail every time and fail miserably at that.
Paul finally comes to the point were he cries out, "O wretched man that I am". This is the cry of a person who fully realizes the futility of trying to live a godly life in his own power, He cries out for who will deliver him, The answer is so simple; Jesus!
Until we come to the end of ourselves, realizing our incapability to live a victorious godly life in our own power, we will never embrace the victorious life that God has called all His children to who have been justified freely by His grace.
Sanctification requires that we first cry out, "O wretched man that I am". Only then are we able to cry out who will deliver me. The instant we cry out who will deliver me, Jesus is right there to deliver us. This is the only way to reach the path of Christian victory that God has prepared for each and every one of His children.
Paul has firmly established the amazing fact that we have been justified freely, without cause, by God's grace alone and now have complete redemption in Christ Jesus. In the previous chapter he began the transition into the sanctified life of the believer. Knowing that we have been marvelously justified in Christ must impact the way we live for Christ. The sanctified life should be a life of victory for every true follower of Jesus.
In our previous chapter Paul showed us that not being under the law but under grace does not give us the license to live as we please. We are not free to live in habitual sin or occasional sin. We have died with Christ to sin. We have risen to newness of life in Christ.
We now begin to look at the other side of the coin. We were not justified by keeping the law therefore we cannot be sanctified by keeping the law. We have died to sin; we have died to the law. The victorious Christian life that we have all been called to, must be lived according to grace, not according to the law.
Paul began his discussion on sanctification by making it crystal clear that in order to live the victorious Christian life that we have all been called to, we must be dead to sin.
Paul made it perfectly clear that habitual sin in the life of a person that has been justified is out of the question. Being under grace does not give us license to sin habitually. Now he will establish that all sin, occasional sin, a little sin here and a little sin there is just as unacceptable in the life of a believer as habitual sin.
We cannot expect to live the victorious Christian life that all believers are called to and at the same time have a soft attitude toward sin.
We must know, we must reckon at all times within our Christian walk that the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord
Paul has firmly established our justification by faith alone in Christ alone. The amazing fact that we have been justified freely, without cause, by God's grace alone and now have complete redemption in Christ Jesus.
Paul now transitions into the sanctified life of the believer. Knowing that we have been marvelously justified in Christ, how does it impact the way we live for Christ.
Paul will make it clear that the sanctified life, the Christian life we are all called to live as a result of our justification, should be a victorious life. The sanctified life should be a life of victory, freedom and security. Paul will lay out to us the key components of living the victorious Christian life over the next three chapters
Paul continues on with the blessings we have as a result of our justification by faith alone in Christ alone. We shall be saved by wrath through Him. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are not appointed to wrath. Much more, because we have been reconciled, we will be saved by His life. This gives us great cause to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul now wraps up his case of justification by faith alone in Christ alone by contrasting and comparing justification with condemnation. This section is a contrast between Adam and Christ. Adam as representative of ruined humanity and Jesus representative of redeemed humanity.
Paul has brilliantly presented his case, according to the scriptures, that justification is by faith alone in Christ alone.
He now lays out before us the wonderful results of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. Our justification by faith provides us with incredible blessings from God that we can enjoy here and now. We have peace with God. We have access to God anytime and anywhere and we are able to rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Even more, we are able to glory in tribulations knowing that through them God will produce in us perseverance, character and hope. Our lives have eternal purpose to the glory of God.
The last blessing he mentions is that the love of God has been poured out into our hearts. Having made this declaration, he will now take the time to describe the character of God's love.
In our last study, Paul began to present to his readers, justification by faith in Christ. In these first few verses Paul defined justification by faith. He presented to his readers the heart of the gospel. We are justified freely by His grace through redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
The gospel of Jesus Christ leaves no room for boasting. Man is not justified by the law or works; we are justified by deeds apart from the law.
Paul will now show that justification by faith in Christ alone is the universal remedy for all of mankind and that it honors the law. He will illustrate through Abrahm and David, by the scriptures, justification by faith.
Paul continues to build his case of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. He now shows, according to the scriptures, that justification is by faith apart from the law.
God's original promise given to Abraham and his seed, was not given through the law but through the righteousness of faith.
Paul presents to his readers then and to us today that the same righteousness imputed to Abraham is the same righteousness imputed to us as we believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.
We are all saved the same way. Abraham looked ahead to the finished work of Jesus; we look back to the finished work of Jesus.
Paul transitions with two simple but powerful words, "but now." "But now" would have no meaning apart the pitch-black darkness of looming sin that blocks out any possibility of hope. It is at this darkest of moments as a guilty world stands before the awful wrath and judgement of God that Paul now makes his transition.
Paul will now reveal God's righteousness through faith. He will declare to his readers that justification by faith is available to all. Paul will now reveal that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation.
It is like a ray of sunshine piercing through the dark thick impenetrable clouds of wrath and judgment. This ray of sunshine will soon shine like the sun in its full noon day strength.
Paul now concludes his indictment against all of humanity. From the depraved pagan to the moralist to the religious Jew, the final verdict is in. The whole world is guilty before God.
Mankind is completely helpless and hopeless to his wretched, sinful condition. On one hand this is the worst place a person can be, yet on the other hand it is the only place where a person can truly find hope. It is here that we come to the end of ourselves. It is here that we come to the only place where God can save us, the foot of the cross.
It is a dark road that leads to the foot of the cross, but now Paul will finally be able to show us the salvation that comes through faith in Christ alone and the glory that lies beyond the cross.
Paul has concluded his scathing condemnation of the grotesque, obviously immoral group of sinners. He now begins to build his case against the basically descent, moral, cultured, refined, educated, ethical and in some cases, the religious of society.
This group of moralizers consider the sins of the previously mentioned group to be far worse than their own. However, these moralizers have chosen the wrong standard by which to measure themselves. God will judge men by the standard that He sets. That standard is found in Jesus Christ and His Word.
These moralizers are hypocrites. They are indignant at the grotesque sins of others yet at the same time are indulgent of their own sins. The hypocrite; the self-righteous have an intrinsic blindness to the filth, the cesspool of iniquity contained within their own hearts. Thinking it safely out of the sight of their fellow man, yet it is all fully in the sight of God.
Paul's introductory statement now complete; he wastes no time as he presents to his readers the thesis statement of the entire letter. Here before us, in these two verses, are all the great ideas that will be spoken of in great detail throughout this amazing letter.
Paul having showed the gentile moralizers as well as the flagrantly immoral gentiles, both inescapably guilty before a Holy God, now turns to the Jews. God had given them the law. In their estimation, this not only confirmed their status as God's chosen people but ensured their salvation.
Paul will show that as well as they know the law, they are actually condemned by the law. Even more, he will show that the advantage they have as a Jew will make their condemnation much greater.
From Romans 1:18 through 3:20, Paul will bring all of humanity into the court room of God showing unquestionably that the whole world is guilty before a Holy God. He will show that God's condemnation rest upon all of humanity because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
In this study we will look at the wrath of God revealed. We will how the universe and all of creation are a revelation of the power, sovereignty and Deity of God. So much so that all of humanity is without excuse. We will go through the painful stages of unbelief and then look at the horrific results that come blatant unbelief.
This passage is difficult to read and to teach for that matter. Yet it is critical that we not avoid it. This passage is a cesspool of iniquity. It is disgusting beyond our imagination yet we must study and understand that this is what we have been saved from. It is only when we realize how great a sinner we are that we can begin to comprehend how great a Savior Jesus is.
Romans, by many, is considered to be the greatest of all Paul's epistles. Some refer to Romans as Paul's magnus opus. Others as the first in every list of Paul's teachings. And one most colorfully, the flagship of the fleet of his epistles.
Paul's other epistles deal with either the church and its challenges or they are pastoral. But in the case of Romans, Paul's focus is on God and His great plan of redemption. It is an incredible statement of God's divine plan for the redemption of mankind.
Romans is broken out in three parts; chapters 1-8 are doctrinal; chapters 9-11 are national and chapters 12-16 are practical.
In our first study we will look at Paul introducing himself through this amazing letter to a church that he has never met.