Christian persecution

Obadiah God’s Prophet of Doom

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

God’s Prophet of Doom
 
Book of Obadiah
 
 
The name Obadiah means the servant of Yahweh. Obadiah was a servant of the Lord.
 
We may read a lot of things about Obadiah but in reality all we know is what is written in the book that carries his name.
 
There were several other men who were named Obadiah but we do not know of any of them being the Prophet Obadiah.
 
The Book of Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament and he is called a Minor Prophet but the message of the Minor Prophets are just as important as the other prophets.
 
This book is still given to us as a message from the Holy Spirit.
 
From start to finish the Book of Obadiah is a prophecy of judgment and doom on the people of Edom.
 
The enmity between Israel and Edom began when these to twin sons of Isaac were still in the womb of their mother.
 
Gen 25:22  And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. 
Gen 25:23  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. 
 
The hostility of these two brothers continued for years.
 
Remember Jacob bought Esau’s inheritance for the price of a bowl of stew.
 
Edom was a source of pain for israel throughout Old Testament history.
 
When Moses was leading Israel to the promised land Edom refused to allow them to cross their land.
 
Num 20:18  And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. 
Num 20:19  And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet. 
Num 20:20  And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. 
Num 20:21  Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.
 
These things only got worse as time went by.
 
God told Israel to treat the Edomites like brothers: Deu 23:7  Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land. 
Deu 23:8  The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation.

God expects brotherly love from each of us and we are not to hate our enemies.
 
The Edomites did not do the same: Eze 35:5  Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: 
Eze 35:6  Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith thou hast not hated blood, even blood shall pursue thee. 
Eze 35:7  Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it him that passeth out and him that returneth. 
Eze 35:8  And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword. 
Eze 35:9  I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
 
The Edomites were israel’s longest standing enemy and more prophecies are directed against this nation than any other in Scripture.
 
After Jerusalem was defeated by Babylon the Edomites entered Jerusalem to loot whatever valuables and food that had been overlooked by Babylon.
 
Worst of all they murdered survivors trying to flee from the Babylonians and handed over others to be tormented.
 
This did not set well with Jehovah and the Edomites would be destroyed and snuffed our forever from history.
 
The purpose of Obadiah was to warn the Edomites and was their last chance for repentance.
 
We should be able to see that the enemies of God’s people will be severely judged.
 
In the end the message of the Prophet Obadiah will apply to all people and all nations who dare to persecute God’s people.
 
*Oba 1:1  The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. 
 
It is this first verse that we get the name of the author of this great book.
 
A vision, was one of the ways God revealed Himself to His prophets, sometimes by open revelations and other times by dreams.
 
Abraham, Jacob, Isaiah and many others were called with visions.
 
Even in the day of the Apostle Paul visions are mentioned.
 
2Co 12:1  It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 
 
Act 18:9  Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 
Act 18:10  For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. 
 
I know the Lord still uses visions or dreams today.
 
This is the reason these prophets of God were called “Seers”.
 
1Sa 9:9  (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.) 
 
Obadiah says he and other prophets were given this same message.
 
Jeremiah was one.
 
Jer 49:14  I have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent unto the heathen, saying, Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle.
 
This word ambassador is the same person as a messenger who goes to the unbeliever with the message of God.
 
As Christians we are all to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ.
 
2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 
2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
 
Our home is now Heaven so we can be ambassadors to this earth and to every nation upon this earth.
 
We should be clear Jehovah gave Obadiah an actual picture of the destruction of Edom.
 
Not only did Obadiah get a visual picture of the destruction of Edom but Jehovah did speak to His prophet.

God gave Obadiah the words to say to Edom.
 
Oba 1:2  Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised. 
Oba 1:3  The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? 
Oba 1:4  Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD. 
 
These are the words of Jehovah.
 
The Edomites would be despised by the nations that were around.
 
No matter what they were into in that day, they would become a small people until they would cease to exist.
 
It was the Edomites who carved Petra and other cities out of sandstone rock.
 
They felt very safe and very secure in these cities.
 
To get to Petra you have to go through a narrow canyon that is only wide enough for one man and one horse to pass through in single file.
 
Any enemy could be stopped from entering into Petra. This where there pride came from as they had stopped many enemies at this narrow point.
 
They had begun to think like the Devil.(who shall bring me down to the ground)
 
Mal 1:3  And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. 
Mal 1:4  Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever. 
Mal 1:5  And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel. 
 
God described Lucifer: Isa 14:12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 
Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 
Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 
 
No doubt pride is still our enemy even though we should be proud of our heritage with the Lord Jesus Christ we must be careful how we use it.
 
God says that pride in our heart will deceive us and we know that Satan’s middle name is “Deceiver”.
 
Obadiah prophesies against the Edomites because of their attitude of hatred against God’s people Israel.
 
The Edomites felt secure in their rock carve homes in Petra.
 
We know the eagle will make it’s home in high places that cannot be reached by most of its enemies, and the Edomites also felt this way.
 
In fact God said even if their nest was amongst the stars, He would still bring them down to earth.
 
We should understand that God will pour out His “judgment” upon the unbelievers on this earth, especially upon those who persecute God’s people.
 
What was God’s judgment?
 
The nation of Edom would be made a small.
The pride of the people of Edom would be cut down.
 
Their land would no longer protect them. Only the Lord can protect and secure any nation.
 
Our own nation could find this out it continues to persecute the Church!
 
Oba 1:8  Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? 
Oba 1:9  And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter. 
Oba 1:10  For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.
 
The enemy that God would use against Edom would be one of their trusted allies.
 
Anyone who continues to reject the Lord could see their own friends turn on them.
 
This so-called friend of Edom would take all their wealth and and all their valuable possessions.
 
All the treasures of Edom would be plundered.
 
God’s “judgment” would strip Edom bare of their treasures.
 
All the wise leaders of Edom would leave for other places or be slaughtered.
 
Edom would lose its army and become defenceless.
 
All who oppose the Lord and His people will certainly face the terrifying “judgment” of Jehovah God.
 
2Th 1:7  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 
2Th 1:8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 
2Th 1:9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 
2Th 1:10  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
 
Oba 1:11  In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. 
Oba 1:12  But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress. 
Oba 1:13  Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity; 
Oba 1:14  Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress. 
 
You want to get on the wrong side of God? Here is how you do it.
 
1) Become an enemy of God’s people.
 
Edom had a hatred for God’s people that had lasted for many years. It is the same for the so-called Palestinians today. They rejoiced at the destruction of Jerusalem. They committed every act of voilence imaginable in order to cause problems for the nation of Israel.
 
2) They were blood relatives of the Israelites but this meant nothing to them. They were filled with a bitter hatred and they would never come to the aid of the Israelites. They would give their support to the enemies of Israel.
 
3) They looked down on the Jews just as their are many in the world who still do this today. They would rejoice everytime they saw the Jews suffering. Remember the two witnesses that are written in the Book of the Revelation.
 
Rev 11:4  These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 
Rev 11:5  And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 
Rev 11:6  These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 
Rev 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 
Rev 11:8  And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 
Rev 11:9  And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. 
Rev 11:10  And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. 
 
The Edomites rejoiced over every destruction that happened to the Jews.
 
4) The Edomites attacked and plundered the Israelites at ever opportunity. Even when other nations had defeated the Jews. As soon as they left the Edomites would sweep down and take anything that was left. It is an awful thing to steal from helpless people who cannot defend themselves.
 
5) The Edomites were guilty of murder. When Israel was attacked there would be survivors who fled to safety but the Edomites would ambush them and slaughter them.
 
6) The edomites were guilty of betrayal. Sometimes instead murdering those survivors they would hand them over to the enemy to make slaves of them. The Edomites were guilty of the worst sort of treachery.
 
God expects every person upon this earth to have a spirit of brotherly love and especially the Church.
 
Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 
Rom 1:29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 
Rom 1:30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 
Rom 1:31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 
Rom 1:32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. 
 
2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 
2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 
2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 
2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 
2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
 
These were the Edomites in their day and they will face the “judgment of God.
 
What are the laws of Jesus?
 
Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 
Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment. 
Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 
Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 
 
The Day of the Lord is much closer than we think!
 
Oba 1:15  For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. 
Oba 1:16  For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been. 
Oba 1:17  But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

We that love the Lord truly believe that we are in the “last days”.

God had made many promises to the Church which He will keep.

God has made many promises to the Jews which He will also keep.

In the “last days” of human history when the lord Jesus Christ returns to set up His Kingdom the prophecies of Obadiah will be fulfilled.

1) All nations will face the ‘Day of the Lord”! vs 16
2) Mount Zion, Jerusalem will be delivered from the hands of the enemies and Jerusalem will be made holy. It maybe called the Holy City today but it is not holy. Vs 17
3) God promised the tribes of Israel will inherit the land promised to Abraham and his descendants, those who truly love the Lord and are faithful to Him.
Gen 17:5  Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 
Gen 17:6  And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 
Gen 17:7  And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 
Gen 17:8  And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 

4) The divided nation of Israel will be reunited and Edom will be destroyed with no survivors. Vs 18.
There will be no one upon the earth that will oppose King Jesus.

5) Israel will reoccupy all the lands lost to other nations through the centuries. Vs 19-20

Godly leaders will govern Edom as well as all the nations that remain. Vs 21

*Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. 

Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer we ask God to send His Kingdom to this earth.

Mat 6:9  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 
Mat 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

In the not too distant future that prayer will be answered!

Jesus Christ will return to this earth and every knee will bow to our Savior and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Obadiah is known as the prophet of doom but he is also the prophet of the coming Kingdom of God.

Amen

The Christian Testimony

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Paul Shares His Testimony

Book of Acts Chapter 22

How important is our testimony?

Our testimony should reveal to others the truth of what God has done in our lives.

The opportunity to testify about the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that comes only by Him, often happens in unexpected places and under a variety of circumstances.

We should take a look at our own testimony and refine it to keep it short and to the point, keeping it full of the truth of our own lives.

We must always be prepared to give our testimony because we will be asked, “how is your life different today because you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior”?

We should lead a noticeably different lifestyle than we had prior to the meeting the Lord and our testimony should include this change!

How we came to trust the Lord as our Savior is important to mention.

What difference Jesus has made in our lives is important to mention.

God will use our testimony if we allow Him to do so!

In our lesson today, the Apostle Paul had come to this place where God caused him to give his testimony to strangers.

Even before a riotous mob is a good time to give our testimony!

We will see that Paul’s defense of his character became his offence as he witnessed to the things the Lord Jesus had done for him.

*Act 22:1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
Act 22:2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)

Here we have an innocent man, the Apostle Paul, who could not be heard because of the noise of this mob finally get a chance to defend himself before being carried off by these Roman guards.

We should know that these Roman Soldiers main job was to protect the Temple and the grounds of the Temple.

Antonio Fortress was located on the northwest corner and connected to the wall of the Temple, and someone would always be on guard to see what was going on at the Temple.

It was King Herod who had caused this to happen. This was Herod’s Temple, (the second Temple) in many views because he had spent so much money to rebuild this Temple into a showcase in Israel.

Disturbances in the Temple were sometimes dealt with harshly.

Paul was an innocent man of the things he was accused.

Paul was trying to appease the elders of the church in Jerusalem by compromising his own beliefs and it was not working out very well for him.

Notice it was not the local Jews who had stirred up this people, it was some trouble makers from out of town.

Paul loved this people.

Paul spoke in the local language which this crowd was not expecting, and these Roman soldiers would not understand much of what he said.

It is a fact that Paul would have been murdered had it not been for the work of these soldiers and this crowd could have easily overcome these few soldiers that came to put an end to this riotous mob.

The Apostle Paul was willing to face death, if it would be cause for some these Jews to be saved.

What did Paul have to say?

*Act 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Act 22:4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

In Paul’s testimony he began with what he used to be.

We all as Christians have a life that we used to be.

“We are no longer used to be s”!

It had now been about twenty-five years since Paul, at that time called by the name Saul, met the Lord Jesus Christ upon the Damascus Road.

There may have been a few that recognized Paul from those early days, but most of them would not have known anything about the Apostle Paul, past, or at that present time.

Paul wanted them to know that he was a Jew and Jerusalem had been his home for many years.
Paul wanted them to know he was just as much a Jew as any of them were.
Paul was born in Tarsus but he was raised in Jerusalem. His mother, and his grandmother were Jews, which made him a Jew.
Paul had come to Jerusalem at a very young age because his mother and his grandmother knew it was at Jerusalem where the best schools were located.

Act 26:4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

Paul was educated on the strictest laws of the Jews and became a Pharisee.

Act 26:5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

Paul was now being judged by certain trouble-making Jews, because he believed all the Word of God.

Those same laws taught of the coming Messiah, which Paul believed had already come as the Lord Jesus Christ as promised by Jehovah.

Act 26:6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:

Paul had always been zealous in keeping of the Law and had never forsaken it!

Paul claimed he had never forsaken the practice and the customs of the Mosaic Law and he had not.

Paul claimed he was as much a practicing Jew as those who accused him.

Paul even shared that part of his life which was hostile to the Church.

Many of those present knew this to be true of the Jewish High priests and the elders of Jerusalem, who had also been a part of the persecution of the Church.

*Act 22:5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.

The High Priests knew these things to be true!

Remember how the position of the High Priest had remained in one family since before the days of Jesus and was still in that family, none of them being the descendants of Aaron.

The High Priest was no more than a politician who remained friendly to Rome.

Those elders were all members of the Sanhedrin court and they could have acknowledged that what Paul was saying was the truth, but they refused to do so.

Act 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Act 9:2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

Paul explained that with his religious training and zealous devotion, only a radical, supernatural event could have altered him to what he was on that day, a child of God.

Some of same mob that was ready to stone Paul was now ready to embrace him.

Paul describes his meeting with the Lord Jesus Christ adding to his testimony.

*Act 22:6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
Act 22:7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Act 22:8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

There is only One who can save and He is the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Lord Jesus will get personal with us if we allow Him to.

The Lord Jesus will aways seek us out to save us!

The reason that the “noon” time is mentioned is because it seems the sun is always brightest at noon time.

Yet, the Lord Jesus Christ will outshine the sun.

2Pe_1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

The Lord Jesus Christ is the “Day Star”!

The Lord Jesus Christ is a Nazarene not because of some pledge that was made, but because for a while He made Nazareth His home.

Joh_1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
Joh 1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
Joh 1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
Joh 1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Paul said he was overwhelmed by the things that were taking place around him that day, and he fell to the ground and it was then that he heard the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, the “Voice” of God.

The Lord Jesus has always been the “Voice” of God!

Notice how the Lord Jesus addressed Paul by name.

Notice that all sin is against our Savior. He is the One who commands us to live righteously.

In fact, this is what the Mosaic Laws were all about, God’s directions for living righteously. Our School Master.

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Paul was not sure until that Heavenly Voice said “why persecutest thou me”?

Try to explain these things to the Lord and you will find that you cannot!

Why do we treat our Creator like we do?

In today’s world God is rejected.

Climate Change is all about rebelling against God.

God has said we will have all four of the seasons until He returns.

There were many witnesses to this event the only thing they did not understand was the “Voice” of God.

They heard the “Voice” but they could not understand what was being said.

This world has not changed much since that day.

God is speaking through His many voices and His many Scriptures, but the world knows He is speaking but they have chosen to close their ears to understanding.

Eph 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Eph 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

*Act 22:9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
Act 22:10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
Act 22:11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

We know that the Lord Jesus addresses each of us personally, so it is not unusual for those around Paul not to hear what was said.

We know that the Holy Spirit had been working on Paul since the day that Stephen was murdered.

Paul had not cast a single stone, but he had held the coats of those that did.

We also know that when God saves us He does not remove us from our surroundings, He just gives us a new purpose and a new hope.

This is why it is called “faith”! We must trust God’s plan for us!

We have to make our own trip to a spiritual Damascus.

Paul had to finish his trip to Damascus to know God’s plan for him.

Paul had spent three years opposing Christianity and he would spend the rest of his life promoting Christianity.

We should not have to spend the rest of our days defending our actions while serving the Lord with all our heart.

Those traveling with Paul could not know the truth of what was happening.

All they saw was something they could not explain.

Paul continued on to Damascus, led there because he could not see for the Glory of that Light called Jesus.

God had already explained these things to a man named Ananias, who had a fear of Paul because of Paul’s reputation.

Paul had seen these things in a vision because he could not see with his eyes.

Act 9:12 And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.
Act 9:13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Act 9:14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
Act 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Act 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

So Paul went to Damascus.

Paul was a chosen vessel to bear the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and some of those people would be Gentiles in many nations.

Some those people would be kings and those in the governments of many nations.

Some of those people would be the children of Israel who had been scattered in many nations because they had rebelled against Jehovah God.

Act 26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Act 26:17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

The Lord Jesus had made a remarkable promise to His Apostles when He forewarned them of some things they would encounter when serving Him.

Serving the Lord will not always be easy.

God told His Apostles that when they were delivered up to councils, and rulers, and kings, for His sake, to take no thought of what they should speak, but that the Holy Spirit would speak at that time.

Mar 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
Mar 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

This too is a sign proving we are in the last days!

Paul may have been the beginning of these things as he stood on the stairs leading to the castle of Herod at Antonio’s Fortress.

A Jewish mob even caused fear in these Roman soldiers who were greatly outnumbered.

They would be throwing dirt up into the air and ripping their clothing, surely acting like true heathens.

We could say Paul was lucky to have escaped them if we did not recognize the providence of God in all situations.

Paul was now a prisoner in the hands of heathen masters in the very unhappy country of Israel.

Paul, not a very big man, was loaded down with the chains of this world, yet he asked for a moment to speak to this unruly mob.

Surely the Holy Spirit was leading Paul to speak and he began this speech by giving his own testimony.

This is how important it is for us to have our testimony prepared for the day or the days it will become necessary.

Paul apologized for the persecution he had caused to the Church.

Paul had nothing to hide for his actions and he did not try to. These things were well known by many in this crowd he was speaking to.

Paul could have stopped with these things, but Paul had also made a promise to his Redeemer.

The church at Jerusalem needed to know that the Gospel would be preached to Gentiles throughout this world and that the Jews and the Gentile were to become one in Christ Jesus.

Paul spoke in simplicity, because the message of the Gospel is a simple message, but what could be seen is that Paul now had a great zeal for the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation of all men in every nation.

We sometimes forget that we are all in this thing together and it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that unites all Christians.

What we witness in our nation today is the fact, there is a close connection between ignorance and violence.

Those in power today try to rule without righteousness!

Paul was a true Jew, and he loved his Jewish heritage, but it would be the fact that he was also a Roman that would benefit him the most for him now.

The conflict we see in America today is not between Christianity and political power, but it is between the truth of Christianity and false religion.

Corrupt so-called Christianity must be swept out of the way so the truth of the Gospel can take its stand and continue to stand until the Lord returns.

It is the Gospel that must reach all around the world to each individual, before the Lord can return because this is what the Lord has said.

Amen

The World Does Not Like Us

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Enduring Persecution

1 Peter Chapter 4:12-19

Persecution is pain and or affliction, deliberately designed to cause harm to others, especially to Christians.

Today according to the Open Doors Ministry there are eleven Christians per day killed just because they have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as there Savior, there are many more injured in one way or another

This ministry follows the top 50 nations for persecution with North Korea being the number 1 nation for Christian persecution.

The persecution of Christian women is also growing at a rapid pace, but even more of this persecution of women is hidden, because of the culture of male domination in many countries.

There is even an increase in government control over Christian activities, without hindering religions such as Muslim, Hinduism, and other religions.

In fact, if you claim Jesus Christ, you are then put on a hit list in many of these nations.

What happens?

In 2018 there was believed to be 215 Million Christians in these 50 worse nations for persecution.

In 2019 there is already an estimate of 245 Million Christians in these same countries.

It looks like they would be better off, just to leave the Christians alone!

We may not understand why God allows so much persecution of His people, but it cannot be denied that the Church grows during persecution.

One of the biggest reasons for this is that people begin to see that there must be some truth to the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ.

We live in a world that thinks they can stop God by getting rid of His believers, and His followers. What a foolish world!

If the entire world wants to wipe out a certain group of people, then the world must be very afraid that those people would change this world into a better place, by removing the causes of sin in this world.

What does the Holy Ghost say?

1Co 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Co 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

The world stands in fear of the Christian and just as the world did to Christ, the world wants to get rid of the truth of God, which is impossible!

Why does God still allow the persecution of His children?

1Co 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
1Co 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

God loves this lost world enough to try to save all those who reject Him!

The world can try to stop God, but the world is seeking to do the impossible which only God can do!

Let’s begin where we left off last week:

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

Many say and many believe that God will test our faith to see if we are real, but how can that be true when God knows at every moment what we are going to do.

God does not test our faith He does place things before us so we can know ourselves that we are real.

God tests us, so we can know ourselves!

If the entire world was easily converted to Christianity many would wonder if there was truly a God.

It must remain our choice to humble ourselves to follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
It must remain our choice to believe what God says or reject what God says.

Why would we expect to live a life with no problems when no one can do so?

God placed a curse upon this world because of the innocent blood of Abel that is spilled, and innocent blood is still spilled every day. This is not going to change until all evil has been removed from this world!

Gen 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
Gen 4:11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

People are not even astounded by murder any more and murder and rape and such crimes are accepted as just part of the societies of today.

Even the murder of innocent babies in the womb, is seen as a right rather than as an atrocity.

If you live the Christian life, why in the world would you think you will not be hated, when you are the opposite of what is seen as normal!

We are wrong to think we will not suffer in this world!

Joh 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

The message of God is love!
The message of this world is hatred!

These two things will never agree with each other and hatred breeds violence!

This world has been in a revolt to love for so long, that to love is even considered to be a hate crime!

To do things in the right way is considered to be a hate crime.

In fact, to read the Word of God out loudly in the ears of others is considered to be a hate crime.

In fact, to own a Bible in many nations is considered to own material that is detrimental to national safety.

For Christians to believe God will put an end to all persecution, is not accepting what the Word of God teaches.

God will put an end to our personal persecution when He takes us home and all persecution of the Church on the day of the Rapture of the Church.

Don’t be fooled by those who say there will be no “Rapture” just keep walking the Christian way these people will one day see just how foolish they have been.

It is a sad thing, but there are no unbelievers in Hell today, there are just those who beg the Lord to send someone to witness to their families so that they will get an opportunity to know the Lord in a personal relationship.

Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Luk 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
Luk 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luk 16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luk 16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

God does not teach us these things just because it happened one time. In fact i can assure you that every soul in Hell is begging the Lord to send a witness to their families which God has already promised to do!

Persecution does certainly measure our faith!

Suffering from persecution is real and it does teach us how strong or how weak our faith is.

Persecution proves to us that we must depend on God for all things, even our length of life.

The death of a Christian by persecution does not stop their ability to witness, because to die for Christ is our greatest witnessing tool.

Persecution gives us strength and causes endurance, but it also opens doors that would have remained shut to the Word of God.

Something that is so hated must possess some reality!

This is what attracts others to the Christian way of life!

Isaiah said here I am Lord use me:

Isa 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.
Isa 6:6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:
Isa 6:7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
Isa 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isa 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

When we are to be used of the Lord, who are we to dictate where He will send us, how we will be treated, or if we will suffer persecution.

The truth is, we are invincible until we have completed the work the Lord has given us to do but we will still suffer persecution!

Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We take persecution as a terrible thing and it is, but in fact we should celebrate the fact that someone thinks we look like Jesus Christ!

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

There is no one who loves to be persecuted by others! There is no one in their right mind that loves pain!

Our Scripture reads, we can rejoice because someone sees us as the disciples of Christ, and the more we resemble Christ, the more we should rejoice.

In doing so, we become attractive to those who would persecute Christians only because we have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

We must not ever forget, Jesus did absolutely no wrong and He only lovingly pointed out to those who were listening to the leaven of the Pharisees that they should not do so.

We have no business listening to false doctrine, especially from those who would try to benefit from us!

Jesus obeyed the Laws of Moses, all 613 laws!
Jesus obeyed the Commandments of God, all the Scriptures!
Jesus obeyed all the laws of the different governments in Judea, and Samaria and all the surrounding region!
Jesus obeyed the Roman laws in His area.

Most of all Jesus obeyed His Father, our Heavenly Father!

Jesus did not obey the false doctrine of the Pharisees.
Jesus did not obey the false doctrine of the Sadducee.
Jesus did not obey the false doctrine of the Essene.
Jesus did not obey the false doctrine of the Herodians.
Jesus did obey the Doctrine of God, the Triune God!

All these others rejected the truth of the Old Testament Scriptures in one way or another!

Jesus Christ suffered because of these things, in fact He suffered even unto His death because He would not give in to any of these things because they are of the world!

Again we do not rejoice because of suffering, we rejoice because the world sees us as the true disciples of Jesus Christ, and not the fakes that are used of the world that are false examples.

Jesus Christ proclaimed righteousness, which means He admonished to the world to live by God’s standards and not the things that rule in our world, which come from lust and pride, which things are of the Devil!

1Jn_2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

When we can deny these things of the world and live for the truth of God the world will see us as its enemies!

So many have gone on before us who have suffered for the same things and they are already with the Lord. We can celebrate with them now knowing that we will join them one day!

2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
2Th 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
2Th 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
2Th 1:12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

You know the Holy Spirit who lives within us, smiles when others see Christ living in us!

*1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Reproaches and cruel mockings, have always been a part of Christian suffering, but those things mainly come from those who are ignorant of the Word of God, but are enticed by those who truly hate the Lord.

As Christians, we have the Spirit of Christ living within us and have this little taste of glory while we live for Christ.

This can never be taken away from us! We can only allow this little taste of glory to fade away or grow so dim that we are not even seen as God’s children.

This is much worse that suffering for Christ any day!

The Lord suffered for me and each of you who believe, it is an honor that I should suffer some for Him!

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

If we will spend the days the Lord has given to us going about the work of the Lord, He has given to us, even when we are gone and in Heaven with the Lord, that work that is left behind will continue to work for the Lord, even when we are gone.

This can be in our example.
This can be in any writings we have done by the Scriptures.
Most important it can be done by those who have been led to the Lord because of what we have done, especially our own children and grandchildren.

We have come too far to give up now even if we are still a baby Christian!

It is all these things that make us aware of the presence of God who lives within us.

When you can feel Him, then you know Him and if you know Him, then you will love Him and be obedient to what He says, no matter what is going on in the world around you!

But if we suffer for being a part of the sin of this world, then we will grieve the Holy Spirit who lives within us!

*1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.

God simply says we will not suffer for being true Christians unless He has allowed it, to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This suffering is in His control.

1) Who is a murderer? This is a person who deliberately takes the life of another person. We normally think of this as those evil men and women who use guns, or knives or other such things to take the lives of other people which should be a law in all nations of this world, but it is not.

It’s OK for people in some nations to kill Christians without suffering for it.
It’s OK in most every nation to murder babies in the womb and even some states in our own nation, right up to the day they are born.

Yes this is murder, it is not some female right!!!!!!

The one murder that is ignored even by the Church is that it is murder for some men behind the pulpits to deliberately lead those who hear them, in a path away from God. It is these who will suffer by the hands of God the most.

When we suffer for being a murderer, God will not come to our aid, even if we become “Born Again” after we have committed this crime.

We will still suffer the penalties of this crime, but Hell will not be in that future!

2) Who is a thief? To take even the smallest item from someone else is to be a thief! It does not matter if they will ever miss it!

To be a thief is to fall into the trap of covetousness. Covetousness is an inordinate desire for worldly possessions. This also means we are not satisfied with the things that God has provided telling God He does not know what He is doing.

We are also a thief if we take away the confidence of a baby Christian. It is this we will suffer from the Lord the most, but the world does not see this as being worthy of punishment.

3) Who is that evildoer? This is everyone who goes against the Word of God!

One of the most important witnessing tools we have, is the purity we have in Jesus Christ! The purity we have in obedience to the Word of God!

To lose this great tool, will also cause us to suffer at the hands of God, but the world will only laugh because think we are all a bunch of hypocrites!

4) Who is that busybody? This is a person who interferes in the concerns of others.

2Th 3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

There are those today who will not let one day go by without practicing this art they cherish the most!

These busybodies will gather some tidbit of information, just to broadcast it at the right place at the right time just to discredit someone.

These are those who are meddlesome in the affairs of others.

Notice to the Lord, this gossiper, this busybody, is placed in the same paragraph as a murderer!

What does God say the cause of this thing is?

1Ti 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

They have nothing better to do than cause other people problems!

When we go against the laws of man we will suffer by the laws of man!

If we go against the laws of God, we will suffer at the hands of God!

If we suffer just for being a Christian, we have a God who takes these things very serious!

*1Pe 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

We should understand that since the day the Church began the Church has been persecuted.

1) The Word of God has not ceased to cause division since the day the Church began!

Luk_12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

To be honest, the forces of darkness will never cease in their attempt to stop the truth!

Most of the world looks at the Word of God as the source of division when in reality it is the lies that are told by those rulers of darkness!

This is the importance of knowing the Word of God!

Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

2) The Word of God has not ceased to reach out to those who will just listen to the truth!

Isa_55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

God has never been afraid to speak to this world because He “so loves” those that are in it.

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

The Word of God causes division but only because we are not accustomed to the truth because the world is full of lies.

1Jn 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

Evil will cling to its lies, for as long as it possibly can! Even until the return of Jesus Christ when Jesus will put an end to the rebellion against a Holy God!

Rev_22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

We as Christians need only keep one thing in mind, “it is we who are on the winning side”!

If we suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, then we have proven our love for the Lord God our Creator!

We must understand God is judging the Church right now!

*1Pe 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Peter did not say the time was coming. He did say the time is come. This time until the Lord returns in the clouds is the time God is judging His Church. This judgment will conclude at the “Judgment Seat” of Christ where there will be rewards and of course a loss of rewards.

2Co_5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

You see God will first visit the Church in justice and mercy, because the Church has already been justified!

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

We are no longer the enemies of God!

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

So knowing these things, just what will be the outcome of those who reject the Gospel?

It is this group of people who remain after the “Rapture of the Church”, who will see the wrath of God because they to have already been judged!

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The wrath of God will seem even mild in the beginning with those who are guilty will feel like they have escaped, but God’s wrath will grow and grow, until it’s severity will mean a horrible death here and eternal death in the “Burning Lake of Fire” because even Hell cannot hold all those who have rejected the truth of God!

Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Rev 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

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

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

God has taken the time to explain these things to us, we must just take the time to read, study, and be a witness to the truth of God!

It is the Church the home of the righteous and had God not sent His Son, to come down and take the flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ then there would be no one saved.

All that was before that was the Laws of Moses, 613 laws that separated God’s people from the world.

It was and is impossible to be obedient to all those laws though some are still trying today.

So yes, we are scarcely saved, many of us may even bear the scent of smoke from Hell.

You see no one would be saved without the “Amazing Grace of God”!

We must accept this perfect “Grace” of God through His Son and those who reject this truth have no idea what they are asking the Lord to do.

It certainly goes against the wishes of Jehovah God to send anyone to eternal misery, so God put His plan in place that allows them to send themselves because they will not accept the truth.

This is the biggest reason the Lord has not returned yet to get His Church!

2Pe_3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The Apostle Peter, by the Holy Spirit, has laid all these things out so we can understand them.

Remember Peter is writing to the Church just so we can know the importance of telling the world about the “Gospel of Jesus Christ” in the hope that we will get off our rears and get busy about the work of the Lord.

We must all agree that it is worth suffering if we can just get that child, that grandchild, that wife, that husband, that friend, that neighbor, to see the most marvelous plan ever conceived to save a mighty people from eternal misery, without God!

If we are going to Heaven to walk the streets of Gold, why would we not want all our family to be with us!

We can only do these things that God has given us to do, but in the end that person must make that choice themselves!

But to those who suffer because they have accepted the truth and wish only to tell others this truth, also keep themselves from getting drawn back into the lies, of this world.

God will do exactly what He says, whenever God decides to do it!

*1Pe 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Sometimes we forget that once we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and repented of our sinful life, we have then placed our souls in God’s hands for safe keeping.

The Lord Jesus had these words:

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

That phrase “the will of God” simply means that “God does what God does anytime God wants to do it”!

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

God’s plan moves along at God’s pace (Praise the Lord) and nothing in this world can change even one point of God’s actions!

Prayer is used to affect our lives and the lives of others, but prayer cannot affect the will of God for this world!

God has always determined the course of human history!

Dan 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
Dan 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

Dan 2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
Dan 2:32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
Dan 2:33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
Dan 2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
Dan 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
Dan 2:36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
Dan 2:37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
Dan 2:38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
Dan 2:39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
Dan 2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
Dan 2:41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
Dan 2:42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
Dan 2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
Dan 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Dan 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

God intended for the earth to be inhabited and He did not intend for man to try to dictate which groups of men were to survive!

Isa 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

Before the first bit of material was formed, our Heavenly Father already had a salvation plan put together.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

The truth is, the world should stand in awe of such a plan that has been in place for maybe 6000 years.

Millions and billions of years do not exist in God’s plan! Evolution does not exist in God’s plan! There is no such thing as part creation and part evolution in God’s plan!

To go beyond the Scriptures to some imaginary creation plan is foolishness!

We can entrust our lives to the Almighty God!

We should rejoice in the wonder of our salvation!

We can rest in peace knowing we have been given the truth of life!

We must know even through God’s love, God’s holds people accountable for their sin!

God’s plan puts to shame any thoughts of mankind that go against the revealed will of God!

Psa_59:8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.

There is nothing in this world that catches God by surprise!

Amen

Let’s pray!

The Early Church the Foundation of Joy

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Laying the Foundation for Joy

1 Peter Chapter 1:1-12

The Apostle Peter (the Rock) was the son of a man named Jonas who was also a fisherman and Peter took up the occupation of “fisherman” on the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). Peter and his brother Andrew were partners of John and James. Notice how God had placed these men in this place to be used of the Lord.

Although Peter may not have been as rich as James and John, he did have hired servants and his position did bring him in contact with men of education which Peter probably lacked so Peter was not as worldly as some.

Act 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

We should keep in mind Peter and John and the Apostles were called ignorant not because they had no education but only because they had not attended a rabbinical school.

Peter had first made his home in Bethsaida but then he moved to Capernaum to a home somewhat larger than the average homes of that day.

This home may have belonged to Peter’s mother in law.

Peter left all these things behind to follow the Lord Jesus Christ!

Peter would have spoken in a form of Aramaic probably aligned with the Syriac.

If you have a Syriac Bible translated into English, besides the “thous” and the “thees” it is almost identical to the King James Bible.

The Hebrew language was used mainly by those who had been trained in the rabbinical schools.

We will notice that the Lord Jesus Christ had no problems at teaching and understanding any of the language differences.

We can better understand that phrase “cloven tongues” as the Apostles new only one language the slang version of the Syriac, yet when they spoke everyone understood in their own language.

Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

So let’s see Peter after he had received the Holy Spirit:

*****1Pe 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Who was Peter writing to?

Peter was writing to the Christian Jews and other Christians who were scattered because of persecution!

Act 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Some of these Christians did find a way to stay in Jerusalem and some of the Apostles elected to stay in Jerusalem for them and they too met with death.

Peter had three names used by the Lord.

Peter was called Simon or Simeon which means he had been circumsized according to the Laws of Moses.

He was called Cephas (a stone) given to him by Jesus Christ, our Lord.

He was called Peter, which is the Greek equivalent of the Syriac name Cephas of which he was also called.

I believe Jesus will give us a new name according to how He thinks of us, just as He did to Peter.

As Christians we are all strangers in this world, because Heaven is our true home!

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

Who are the elect? These are all the Body of Christ, called the Saints of God. Not as the Roman Catholic do, but all those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior after being called of God and Baptized into the family of the Church.

Father God calls each of these His Jewels!

Mal_3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day “when I make up my jewels”; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

How do we know we are the elect?

We have been and are continuously being “sanctified” by the Holy Spirit!

We have been washed in the blood of Jesus!

Election is the source of salvation!

Again election is being called of God,

Saying yes to the truth of Jesus, washed in His blood,

Being filled with the Holy Spirit!

Having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

Being the elect means we are being obedient to the Word of God and connected to God by His GRACE!

God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense

You see if God loves believers this much, to actually choose us out of this world and elect us to be His very own chosen people, then God will look after us and take extreme care for us!

No matter what else is going on in this world God will provide for His elect children!

God has foreknowledge which means no matter how far we can see into our future God has already seen it!

God knows exactly what all men will do and when they will do it, but God knows the past, the present and the future, all at the same time!

God sent the Lord Jesus Christ to die for our sins!

Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

God knew the response of the people to the Messiah then and He knows the response of the people to the second coming of the Messiah and most of all God knows those who love Him!

This is the very reason that we can read the Word of God and know it is true!

The foreknowledge of God is a wonderful truth of God that we can depend upon as believers!

The Book of Revelation is all about reveling our future and the future of the Jewish people!

Why did God allow all the things to happen in the past if God knew all these things?

God wants a people, “of their own free will”, to choose to live with Him throughout eternity!

You see, God is willing to go through the pains of rejection in order that some, a small remnant will choose to live with Him forever!

God knows that love, His love, is His greatest trait and most of the world would never understand His love!

Rom 9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Rom 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Though all we see now is hate in our world, this does not negate the fact that love is the greatest force that exist upon this earth, of course besides our prayers.

Nothing teaches us love better than the words given by the Holy Spirit to the Apostle John.

1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

God is determined to see these things through till completion!

We may not understand everything in the plan of God, but we do not know the things God knows.

God just ask us to trust Him and this trust is called “Faith”!

We must understand that all things do work according to the purpose of God!

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

We must also know that God has great plans for those who have chosen to spend eternity with His Son!

1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
Again we see that word “love”.

Remember what is God’s purpose?

God is seeking all those who freely choose the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and choose to live with Him throughout eternity!

Once we have chosen to do this thing, God begins the sanctification process by sending the Holy Spirit to live within us therefore sealing us as His children.

2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

God would not have repeated Himself these 3 times if this was not His intention and His truth!

The most important thing we can do is to respond to the Holy Spirit when He begins His work within us!

It is by the Holy Spirit that we are set apart for salvation!
It is by the Holy Spirit we are trained to live a life in Heaven that is totally different than this life we have on earth.

In the end when we are completely sanctified, we will be “glorified”, ready to be obedient to the Lord throughout all eternity!

You see God wants the very best for us!

2Co 7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

You see this is the way “grace” is multiplied toward God children!

It is those chosen of God who are washed with the blood of Jesus, filled and sealed with the Holy Spirit and sanctified who are the very ones who bless God!

*****1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

There is no way to improve on what the Holy Spirit is teaching us in this passage and Peter knew it when He penned it!

We must only believe!

God does not just give us hope, but He gives us a living hope, which means it is not a dead, lifeless hope, that is in this world and those who trust the world.
,
The hope that we had when we were in the world!

Our hope is in the promise of God which says we will live with Him forever once He calls us home!

The source of that hope is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

We should say Lord because He is our Lord!

Jesus Christ is our Lord!
He is Jesus the Carpenter of Nazareth!
He is Christ the Messiah of God was the promised Deliverer!

When we follow the Lord Jesus Christ, God becomes our Father as He is the Father of Jesus. Two parts of the Holy Triunity, adding to the Holy Spirit which makes the three parts, the three persons!

How are we blessed of God?

We are the blessed of God’s entire creation!
We are blessed in His Son Jesus!
We are blessed by the Angels!
We are blessed by God’s called ministers!
We are blessed by the “Gospel” of the Lord Jesus Christ!
We are blessed by the Word of God!
We are blessed in His promises!
We are blessed in His salvation.
We are in blessed in being adopted into His family!
We are blessed in being at peace while we remain in this world!

All these things are the most wonderful things we can know while we are alive!

Eternal life exists nowhere else certainly not on this world!

Eternal life can only come by and through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Jesus Christ is perfect, and it is by Jesus Christ we can have the perfect victory!

We have been begotten which means God has made us to be “new creatures”.

All we see in this world is destruction and death.

We are born as babes in an evil and wicked land, we live in a cruel world in a life that soon seems too short and then we die!

By the Lord Jesus Christ we are “born again” into a new life that will not be on this earth but in the Glory Land!

This great blessing of God came by the death of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This great blessing came by the “resurrection” of Christ Jesus showing that He is even Lord over death!

Just so we can get a glimpse of our blessings, verse 4, we are born again to an inheritance, a shared inheritance with the Lord Jesus Christ!

What is so good about our inheritance? It is incorruptible, it is undefiled, and it will be there when we get to Heaven.

It cannot perish! Things on earth come as new and fade with oldness but not our inheritance!

Who makes sure these things are ready when we get to Heaven?

Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

We know that the Lord has to power to do all these things!

2Co 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
2Co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

We know that whatever comes against us and whatever lies the Devil tells our Father, Jesus is right there to intercede on our behalf!

Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

God hides us from trouble that we do not even know about:

Psa 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

This is the kind of power that gives us the hope of the truth of our salvation!

It is in all these things that we can rejoice in the truth of God!

*****1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

We know that life is full of trials and temptations! Anyone but a child can look around and see that this true.

To go along with these things there are the sins of omission and sins of commission as we are all sinners.

Life can be harsh many times, and this is just as true for believers and unbelievers. The believer can add to these things the hatred for Jesus Christ that is many times taken out on His believers!

We must understand that this world we live in operates opposite of God! The world will hate those who choose to believe what God has to say!

Peter is writing to all believers.

These believers in the day of Peter had to flee from their homes because of their love for Jesus Christ.

Jesus said these trials and temptations would only last for a season.

Because all these things are true, then we can rejoice because this is just another way that we know the Word of God is true!

Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Php 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

The darkness of our world is a fact and we should not deny it!

The two things that hold us together should be our love for our Savior and “faith” in the things He has done to bring to us His gift of salvation.

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

The fact is, God will allow certain trials to test our “faith”!

God knows what He is going to do all the time, but He will test us so that we can know if we are for real.

When we know we are real, we can do the work God has ask us to do, without regret.

We must come to ourselves knowing that we are for real and then dedicate ourselves to the Lord!

It is these trials and temptations that will draw us closer to the Lord!

While we are “Born Again” we share our new man with our old life, and we can have rejoicing in the new man and heaviness of temptation in our old man!

Isa 48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

Another thing we must understand is, as long as God is chastening us, it shows His great love for us!

2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Heaven and the things of Heaven are eternal!

*****1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Today my heart and my faith are my eyes. If is cannot lord the Lord without seeing Him, how can I say I have “faith”?

It is because I can see my Lord in my heart, that I can defeat my trials and temptations!

I also know that if I go against my God in any way, I am committing treason!

If we die without God, we will be exiled and cut off from God forever.

Go back and read about God’s creations, because none of these things will be in Hell, except the unbeliever!

God created Hell for the unholy trio and the fallen angels, only the unbelievers will join them there of their own choice!

Each of them will have gotten an opportunity to come to the Lord but rejected His offer!

We all have the strength to conquer our trials and temptations, but many Christians walk around defeated. A defeated Christian is of no value to the work of God!

It is the “Love of Jesus Christ” that gives us strength to claim victory over all obstacles upon this earth!

When we fail because of disobedience we are rebelling against our Lord!

If we love Christ enough, we will take a stand with Him!
If our faith is real, we will stand with Him!
If we have that unspeakable joy of our salvation, we will stand with the Lord!

Joh 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Joh 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Joh 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Resting at the end of our faith is our salvation!

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

Even today, the practicing Jews and the true Muslim are looking for a Messiah, but both are looking for some man to claim to be the Messiah.

Jesus Christ was and is, God in the flesh and He is coming again in strength and power.

They do not understand a personal relationship with God.

To the Jews, they will see the truth at that time!

To the Muslim, they will be disappointed because they serve a false god who has no power to do anything!

Salvation is having a close personal relationship with Jehovah God, peace restored like the first days of Adam, when God walked with him before sin entered into this world.

Lucifer had already sinned in Heaven, and he by temptation, caused Eve to sin who was the cause of Adam’s sin!

The prophets of God could not see that personal relationship that God wants with us all.

The plan of God is so marvelous, that it hides in plain sight for all those who reject it’s truth!

Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The prophets searched each other’s writings to see what they could find about “Grace” and “Salvation”.

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

We already know that the Spirit God would guide these prophets in any manner He chose to reveal the truth of God.

The prophets revealed that the Messiah would come into the world to die.

The Messiah would take the guilt of the sin of man and bear the judgment of all men’s sin!

Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

The Jews had missed this Prophecy.

Then the Messiah would be raised from the dead and be exalted to the throne of God.

Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Isa 25:9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

These are not the only Scriptures, there are others, but we can see that Peter now knew the truth, and all the Jews should have known this truth, but the Priests, the Levites, rejected these truths.

*****1Pe 1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

God has caused “Salvation” to be destined to all future believers in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the truth of the Scriptures!

Upon a profession of faith in the work of the Lord Jesus, The Messiah, the Holy Spirit would immediately take up residence in each believer and this one thing the angels cannot understand.

Angels as powerful as they are will never know Holy Ghost conviction and neither will they ever have the “fruit of the Spirit”!

As Christians we are no longer in bondage to this world

Gal 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Salvation has come to each and every believer, no matter who they are or where they come from!

It costs us so little, but the rewards are so great, that it takes a fool to reject the truth of God.

It takes a fool to reject the Lord Jesus Christ!

Amen

Let’s Pray!

Opposed By Our Enemies

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Opposition from Enemies

Book of Nehemiah Chapters 4 thru 6

The one thing we will always see as we are involved in the work of the Lord is, we will always be opposed by those in the world! Persecution is a fact of life for those who are believers and follow the Lord Jesus Christ!

Most of the younger generation have never heard of the Ten Commandments but that does not mean they are free to live as they want to.

This next generation has been led to be against anything that is good, because it carries with it a high price and they are only interested in things that are free, when nothing in this life is free!

None of these things change what the Lord has given His followers to do!

Nehemiah had returned to Jerusalem with the blessings of King Artaxerxes but the king was 900 miles away and did not realize how the enemies of Israel would act.

The spirit of antisemitism flowed heavily through those nations that surrounded Israel just as it does today!

This comes because these Jews served Jehovah God, who requires obedience and who rejects sin!

God was beginning again to show favoritism to the Hebrew children and the neighboring nations wanted to stop anything they did!

*****Neh 4:1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.

Before we see who this Sanballat is lets see who Eliashib is.

Eliashib was the high priest at that time, he did assist in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem but only that portion that connected to his house.

The truth is he and his family sided with the enemies of Israel.

Neh_13:4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:

Neh_13:7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

Neh_13:28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.

Tobiah was an Ammonite and a Gentile and a partner to Sanballat but married into the Jewish family of the High Priest.

Sanballat was a Moabite but his daughter was married to the son of Eliashib and would also be a priest of Israel, and what did God say?

Neh_13:1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God “for ever”;

We should remember Gentiles could not enter into the Temple grounds.

Sanballat was a high ranking official of Samaria and would have been much better off trying to make Samaria a proud nation but he wasted his time seeking the destruction of Israel.

*****Neh 4:2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

When we see those who have a sickening hatred of the Jews today, we can know it is hereditary and is from a long history.

These that have hated the Jews have seen what Jehovah has done for this tiny nation, but they have also seen how God has loved them and the prophecies of them, yet they have no fear of God and it will cost them dearly in the end.

Gen_12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

This world of today is just like the those of the day of Nehemiah, and should be trying to get the blessings of God instead of the cursing of God!

Those who hate Israel will see complete destruction less they repent!

It had taken many years by great kings for the walls of Jerusalem to be built, no one could believe that these ordinary people could accomplish what Nehemiah had encouraged them to do.

When we seek God’s blessings, we can accomplish great things because He is always willing to help!

Now we see that Tobiah was also an enemy of Israel even though he was also in the family of the high priest.

*****Neh 4:3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

One of the first things people filled with hatred will do is to mock those they hate!

Tobiah was an enemy of the Jews but was married into a Jewish priestly family.

He actually had a room in the Temple that was reserved for the priest. This went against the Laws of Moses.

It was a mockery to the laws of God!

Remember the Jews wanted Titus stoned to death because they thought Paul had allowed him into the Temple

His son Johanan was married to Meshullam the daughter of another high-ranking Jew. They were also linked to Sanballat in causing problems for Nehemiah in rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

These two Jews and their families did not approve of what Nehemiah was trying to do.

The Samaritans and the Jews were already enemies, and these things just made the Jews hate them even more, so that by the time of our Lord Jesus, the Jews would not even walk through the nation of Samaria.

They mock and threatened the people of Jerusalem trying to stop the construction of the walls of the city.

Neh 13:4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah:
Neh 13:5 And he had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of the priests.
Neh 13:6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:
Neh 13:7 And I came to Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.
Neh 13:8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber.
Neh 13:9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense.
Neh 13:10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field.
Neh 13:11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.

Nehemiah prayed to the Lord against these evil men.

*****Neh 4:4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:
Neh 4:5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

What is the strategy of the devil? Mockery, Scorn, Insult, Making fun of, Taunting, Ridicule, among other things in an attempt to cause us to give up the work of the Lord.

So many who begin a work for the Lord, fall into this trap and become dishearten and will just quit on the Lord.

So, what is an imprecatory prayer? It is a prayer that is prayed for some evil to fall upon an enemy.

Psa 5:10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.
Psa 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.
Psa 5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

This prayer is for those who are wicked, reap exactly what they sow!

Without repentance this is exactly what will happen because this is truth of the Word of God for us all!

Job_4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

We must understand that God will execute justice on all those who reject Him.

This one thing is hated by all those who are lost! They cannot stand anyone who will not allow them to do as they please!

Those who reject us, as we seek to do the work of the Lord, are not rejecting us they are rejecting God!

Nehemiah was not praying for emotional vengeance, Nehemiah was praying for God to deliver His people from these wicked people!

This is the only way this prayer should ever be prayed, for our deliverance from evil!

Jesus Christ gave us this example.

Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Mat 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Mat 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, “but deliver us from evil”: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen

What is perseverance?

1Pe 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Perseverance is when we know we are kept by the power of God till He takes us home, and we just need to keep going with the work God has given us to do, no matter what opposition we face!

What did Nehemiah and those with him do? They continued to build the wall ignoring the threats of this enemy.

*****Neh 4:6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

What does it take to do a work for the Lord?

We need a mind for the work!

What is earnestness? We could say that earnestness is an intense desire to please the Lord.

Earnestness is a zeal to accomplish what we set out to do for the Lord!

What is the truth of this world? Our world is full of Sanballats!

All the Sanballats are not dead yet, in fact there may be more now than there have ever been!

When we criticize the work of the Lord, we have become a Sanballat ourselves!

Sanballats stand up and say, “we as Christians are not able”.
Sanballats offer active opposition even when the work of the Lord is going on.
Sanballats even cause despair to their friends who are involved in a work of the Lord.
Sanballats refuse to pray for certain works of the Lord to succeed!

How are we to react to Sanballats?

We are to work together to succeed.
We must be willing to strive for success.
We must pray to the lord for His help.
We must set our minds to the work.
We must have a courageous trust in the Lord!

Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Php 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

When the Sanballats of the world have been ignored and that work is near completion, then we as Christians must be prepared for a frontal attack!

*****Neh 4:10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
Neh 4:11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.

The truth is, the more we know about our enemies, the better we can resist them.

What does the Holy Spirit say?

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We must always understand, we will never have the strength to stand against this evil world alone, we must have with us, the Power of God!

Praying and standing guard are the very first things we must do to protect against the enemy’s attack!

We must understand that the enemy cannot take away our salvation, so we should know that our enemies want to ruin our testimony, and stop or hinder any progress we may have in our ministry for the Lord.

Knowing these things, then we know what to prepare for!

Satan is a persistent foe, but he is also already a loser, so we must understand a wounded lion is still a very dangerous enemy.

1Pe_5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

We must never forget we are in a war!

*****Neh 4:14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
Neh 4:15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.

We should get one thing very clear as we approach the Rapture and the Second Coming of the Lord.

We will have to fight for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We will have to fight for our sons and daughters.
We will have to fight for our spouses.
We will have to fight for our homes.
We will even have to fight to keep our nation, remembering our true home is in Heaven.

The war with Satan and his followers is getting closer every day. In fact it has been going on since the time of Christ!

When these things are firm in our minds, then we can continue on with the work of the Lord because He wants us to succeed!

If we are too scared to fight then that fear did not come from the Lord!

2Ti_1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We cannot allow the works of Satan and those rulers in high places, to cause us to fear for our lives because our lives are already in the hand of the Lord!

It is well that we should know our enemies then we can better resist them!

We must understand that some of our greatest enemies are already inside the Church!

Neh 6:10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
Neh 6:11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
Neh 6:12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

There was only one answer then, and there is only one answer now!

*****Neh 4:16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
Neh 4:17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.

How did Nehemiah counter the enemy?

Nehemiah placed people to work whose sole job was to look out for the enemy, and be prepared to fight to preserve the Children of God!

Every working soul was also given a weapon to keep near him or her.

We must be very clear. our God is much mightier than all the foes of the Church and if we will make our stand on the Word of God and not give in to the world, God will show His might to our enemies!

Confidence and faith go hand in hand!

Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

We must clearly understand that as far as life is concerned. salvation is much stronger than anything our enemies can throw at us!

Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Php 1:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

What is the truth of our world?

*****Neh 4:18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

Throughout history life has been to work and life has been warfare.

Most of these things are because of the curse of Adam.

Gen 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Gen 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

These things will not change until after the Rapture of the Church and the Second Coming of the Lord.

As Christians we will face these things every day, but we will find that our greatest enemy is ourself.

Our internal wars are our most severe battles and the most painful.

If we overcome this our greatest enemy, we will be ready for the Lord. If we cannot overcome these things, then all our lives we will be subject to the fear of this world.

Our enemies of the world are all those who oppose the Word of God, and reject the Lord Jesus Christ even though some of those we may call our friends and even our family.

The one thing we need to remember when the trumpet sounds, we will be going home.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Our strength will always be the Lord!

*****Neh 6:15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
Neh 6:16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.

There are things that happen today that when the world observes them, they can only say that it had to come from God.

It is the job of the Holy Spirit to hold back the evil in this world and He cannot do that when the children of God are either too lazy to do the work or the church has quit on God.

We can say what we will, but both these things are happening in our Church today.

There is in reality a great falling away from the Church.

2Th_2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

There should be no doubt that we are in the day of that “falling away”.

Since this is true, then we could see the “man of sin”, the Antichrist come onto the scene at any time and he might already be here and has gone unnoticed.

The enemies of Israel in the day of Nehemiah had missed a great opportunity to cause harm to God’s people, not because they were afraid of Israel, but because they were afraid of the King of Persia.

Today the Children of Israel are safe from a true attack because they are allies of the United States of America.

If America ever withdraws the help to this tiny nation, or if America becomes too weak to help defend Israel, we will see that Israel will be attacked and then we will see that the prophesies of God will become a reality.

The job of the Church, at least here in America is more important now than ever, because we need to place our watchmen and gird up our loins, for we are in a war with the evil in our own nation.

We are foolish if we do not let our voice be heard.

God does not need any of us nor does He need our nation, His plan is going forward every day, but if we are on the Lord’s side, then we need to get busy!

Amen

Let’s Pray!