Alive to Christ Jesus

February 18, 2025 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Dead to the World

Book of Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 11 through 18

We have spent this entire Winter quarter in the Book of Galatians. This book is one of the best in the New Testament and clearly explains that salvation is by God’s ” Grace.”

We know the letter’s purpose to the Galatians was to defend the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of Grace.

Some Judaizers had infiltrated the Church claiming to be Jewish Christians and were teaching a double error.

1) They taught that a person is saved partly by faith and partly by works.
2) They also taught that a person grew in Christ partly by faith and partly by his own effort.

Both of these things are wrong!

They taught that a person had to believe in Christ, but he also had to submit to the rituals of religion which was circumcision.

We could compare this today to what some require for church membership, baptism, and other requirements today.

No one has to observe all the ceremonies and rituals of religion to be saved!

Paul taught that we are saved by our faith in Christ and Christ alone, which is the absolute truth.

What Paul did not say.

Paul never says it is wrong for Jews to be circumcised because it is not.
Paul never said it was wrong for them to keep the Law or to observe special festivals because it is not.

What Paul said is that these things have nothing to do with salvation and they do not!

Customs and practices may differ, but salvation by faith never differs!

There is only one way to be saved, and it is by the “Grace” of God!

It is the Book of Galatians that stirred up Martin Luther and the Reformation.
It is the Book of Galatians that gave John Wesley peace of heart that he knew the truth of salvation.

The Book of Galatians has moved many great men of God to a better understanding of the Gospel, and it still works today in the Bible Believing Church.

The Churches in Galatia were at the point of deserting God, but Paul’s letter to these churches made them steadfast in the Grace of God.

*Gal 6:11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.

In most cases, the Apostle Paul would dictate his epistles to a scribe who would write down the words that Paul had said.

It is possible that Paul would dictate to someone who was more familiar with the Greek language than he was.

It seems here that Paul took the pen from the scribe and wrote it himself.

1) Paul wanted to boldly emphasize the points he was making. Many of us today use capital letters to do the same.
2) Some believe that Paul could not write very well, but Paul was a well-educated man and this is unlikely.
2) Many believe that Paul had some problem with his eyes some kind of blurred vision.

It could be one of these or none of these reasons Paul wrote this epistle himself.

We know that Paul wanted to emphasize this message of Grace and to verify that he was the Author of this letter.

Paul wanted those Judaizers to know it was he who called out their hypocrisy!

Why Paul wrote in large letters is unknown except we know he was led by the Holy Spirit.

We all need to pay attention to what is written in the Book of Galatians.

This is the first of the Epistles of the Apostle Paul to the Church.

If Paul wrote the Book of Hebrews which I believe he did, he would have written fourteen of the Books of the New Testament.

*Gal 6:12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
Gal 6:13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

If you see false teachers on the TV most of them are well dressed and they make a good impression.

It was no different for these Judaizers many of them were Pharisees.

We all want to make a good impression!

If we take a look at those who have a false message today, we will see that they seek worldly popularity, and they brag about the riches they say God has provided when in fact they have stolen from the poor and the vulnerable of this world.

The Apostle Paul unmasked those who taught a false message to Christians.

The Lord Jesus was really blunt at such people: Mat 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Any man of God who begins to seek worldly popularity will change the message of the truth of Jesus Christ and twist the Scriptures to gain a following.

They will not take a stand on the truth of God.

These false teachers were afraid to teach the truth because of persecution that would come from their fellow Jews.

As many found out during that time, persecution caused the Gospel to spread even more and it does the same today.

We should understand that these men were men of the Church and a great example for us today that we all must stand against the message of false teacher and false preachers and not be afraid.

The truth will always be the truth, and no false teacher can change that.

Many of the earliest preachers or priests were men who saw Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. However, they accepted Him only as an addition to the Law and they were wrong.

Today many false teachers just say that God can make mistakes, and they are more wrong than these Judaizers were.

Even today it is unpopular in many places to proclaim that Christ alone is the way to God and God’s New Heaven.

These people need to realize that God will not be mocked, and His Word is the greatest truth in this world!

In the day of Paul, those who preached the Cross of Christ were said to be destroying established religion and this is God’s intention.

Religion cannot save anyone!

It took real courage for the Apostles and other great men of God to stand up for the truth of our Savior and most of them were murdered or locked in jails.

Remember Paul who was beheaded and John who was placed on a deserted island, but the truth of God just keeps moving along at God’s pace and God’s will.

How many today go along with false religion? Billions of unknowing people are shielded from the truth of Christ.

How many in the Church are afraid to preach the whole truth because it might affect their pocketbook and their bank account?

The Bible is specific there was only one person in the history of Judaism who morally fulfilled the Law and it was Jesus Christ!

Why? Since the time of Adam, we have inherited his fallen nature.

1Co_15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

These false teachers just like those of today wanted recognition through the appearance of a growing ministry.

I have said it before the truth of a growing ministry is not in numbers but is in growing closer to Christ Jesus.

Those who grow close to Christ will reach out into this lost world with the truth.

We are not to strive to be accepted by the people, we are to strive to get closer in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

False teachers do not impress God at all, in fact they will suffer the wrath of God!

*Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

God forbid that we should boast of anything but the Cross of Jesus Christ.

There is no other approach to God accept by His Son Jesus!

God accepts us only, if we come by the Cross.

It is at Calvary’s Cross where my sin was washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ!

There is no other way to be acceptable to God!

1Co_1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

When people cannot see the truth, it does not mean it is not right in front of them.

It is the Cross of Jesus Christ that destroys all self-righteousness and boasting!

It is in deepest humiliation we have to admit that the Lord Jesus had to die in our place.

We have to reach that place in life when we realize we are guilty of death, but the Cross of Christ saved us by the Grace of God that we are so unworthy of.

Until you realize that Christ died in your place you will not meet our wonderful Savior!

Jesus Christ was crucified for our sins, and He was raised for our justification, and by this, we can have a changed life and be “Born Again” into a new life that has not death.

It is this truth that saves lives!

The Cross was an instrument of Christ’s crucifixion, and my flesh was crucified with Him.

We can now say that the world has lost all its worldly charm and attraction and we as Christians have lost our appetite for this world.

Nothing in this world will last very long and will soon fade away.

Something new is only new for a few days then it is old.

There is nothing upon this earth that is eternal!

We now know of a place that is full of the glory of God, and this is where our home is located.

Our Lord Jesus came to this earth to die in our place.

The Law offers nothing but death!

The Cross offers nothing but life everlasting.

What really is in this world?

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.

We cannot brag about any of these things because they are worthless, and the Holy Spirit will remind us of this daily.

These are the diseases of this world that have no remedy, but that Jesus Christ came to heal!

Jesus Christ came to make us new creations!

*Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

Paul has already taught us: Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

So, faith worketh by love and this same faith and love makes us new creations of God by His Son.

Paul also wrote: 1Co 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

These commandments are not of the Law but the commandments of Jesus Christ.

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.

This new creation is the change produced in our soul by the operation of the Holy Spirit!

We leave the state of nature of this world and into a state of “Grace”.

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Those not created in Jesus Christ cannot enter into God’s New Heaven.

Again, nothing makes a person acceptable to God except God’s very own Son!

How does using the name of Jesus make us live forever?

First God knows who is sincere and who is not. God cannot be deceived!

When we are sincere in our faith, God will give us a new Spirit.

God actually places His Divine Nature, the presence of His Own Spirit, into our life.

We are then “Born Again Spiritually”.

2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

*Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

This is how we receive the peace of God that no one else understands.

Php_4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

This is how we can walk in this life understanding the true mercy of God.

When we walk by the rule of the Cross we will seek to live as a New Creation of God because, we are a new Creation of God.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Now Paul says the true Church is the Israel of God.

It is through the Church that God will fulfill His promises.

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Rom 9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Rom 9:7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

Hos 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
Hos 1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

Over and over again we see it is those whose faith is in the promises of God who are the true Israel.

We should be steadfast in the Gospel because it is the truth of God!

*Gal 6:17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.

Then Paul asserts that through the power given to him as a duly commissioned Apostle of Jesus Christ and a tried and tested servant of His Heavenly Master, he had fully discussed the matter of the Law and Grace that he had nothing else to say about it.

I know if you study this great writing of the Apostle Paul, you should be clear that we are saved by Grace through faith, and there is no law above this.

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Some things we know that the world ignores are:

1) The creation of the world is designed to reveal the glory of God.

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

2) The vastness of Heaven and the beauty of the earth reflect the glory of God.

3) God’s sovereign act whereby He predestined all believers to salvation is to the praise and the Glory of His Grace.

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.

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

God is glorified in the display of His unconditional “Grace”!

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,

Rev 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

When the Lord Jesus said we must be “Born Again”, He was speaking of the creating power of our God.

In fact, the regenerated Christian is probably the only thing that God has created since Chapter 1 in the Book of Genesis.

Our Lord Jesus died and raised again on the third day because of the predetermined plan and the foreknowledge of God even though a wicked world was responsible for His death.

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.

Even though God has decreed these things, we are still responsible for all our sins, and it is by Grace through faith that we can be forgiven.

Grace is still the unmerited favor of God!

Psa 145:8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
Psa 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

*Gal 6:18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

In conclusion Paul said he will have no more attacks on his ministry nor the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

These churches in Galatia and their people needed to repent and get rid of those false teachers.

It is still the same for every church today.

We cannot ignore the Gospel of Jesus Christ and be saved.

We cannot ignore the Grace of God and be saved.

We cannot ignore our faith in the truth of God and be saved.

Amen

Are You Weary in Well Doing

February 11, 2025 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Do Not Give Up Doing Good

Book of Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 1 through 10

We should understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to help our brothers and sisters in Christ or in fact anyone else.

We must stress this point at all times!

We are all still sinners at least as long as we are in these bodies of flesh as Paul has pointed out.

We all suffer the same passions and at times someone of us is always overtaken by sin.

How we approach a fallen brother or sister is of great importance!

It is sometimes a very delicate matter!

That one who has fallen may be sensitive or even embarrassed and easily shamed for giving into their flesh.

It is these things that may not allow this brother or sister to return to the Church.

He or she may even feel like he or she is unwelcome, and we must never allow this to be our intensions.

Unless this person is approved in the right spirit they may never return to the Church.

We must understand that a ministry of restoration, is a ministry of God and should be a ministry of the Church!

This is a ministry that God has called us all to take part in, for any of us could fall at any moment.

*Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

A wise man said: “A word of Love is more potent than any argument”.

That word “brethren” reminds us that Paul is speaking to saved people.

If we see one of our brothers or sisters in violation of the Law of God, he or she is not immediately our enemy!

They are still our brother or sister in Christ.

We all know how hard it is to fight with this flesh and win every battle.

None of us will win every battle with our flesh!

There may have been some in the Churches of Galatia that had fallen from the “Grace” of God, none of us live perfect lives.

That word “overtaken” gives us the idea that someone had fallen back into sin.

It was not deliberate, it was not planned, it was a mistake they had made.

Paul was not speaking of faults in doctrine, but a mistake through weakness of the flesh.

Jesus said to His disciples: Mat_26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Sin is like an addiction, and it is hard to break free from any addiction!

We may not know the problems of our brothers and sisters, unless we show them love where they may trust us enough to speak with us.

Why did the Lord Jesus come to this earth?

Jesus came to restore God’s children back to a relationship with our Creator that had been lost by Adam.

Why would we ever refuse to attempt to restore one of our brothers and sisters in Christ, yet many in the Church would say good riddance.

This is not what the Lord Jesus Christ taught when He walked upon this earth.

We all brag about the Scriptures of the Apostle Paul has taught us and he taught a restoration ministry.

The job of restoration is often neglected in the Church.

We tend to pretend that the sin never happened or we tend to react too harshly towards that person.

Those who are Spiritual are those who show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives and in the Church.

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

It is those who show that Spirit of Gentleness that the Lord Jesus showed to all He met who have the best chance of reaching that backslider.

Then Paul says we need to understand there is a possibility that we could be drawn into that same trap of backsliding, and we need to be prepared.

One such thing would be that we could be so full of pride that we can manage every situation that we ourselves fall, but it includes the same temptation our brother or sister has fallen into.

The Bible says: 2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

*Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Remember the law of Jesus Christ is love!

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

It is love that caused our Lord Jesus to hang on that cross and die for each of us!

Jesus Christ bore the sins of everyone who has ever lived!

Now we cannot bear the sins of anyone, but we can bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters!

We can first forgive each other! We must understand that sin that made this person fall from Grace was a sin that Christ died for.

Again, what did the Lord Jesus teach us?

1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

*Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

We should understand to be Christian is to be like Jesus Christ. There is no other reason to be called a Christian or to say you are a Christian except you are trying your best to be like Jesus Christ.

It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to bear one another’s burdens!

It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to be forgiving!

It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to love one another!

To neglect to do these things is to set ourselves above Christ our Savior.

God came down to earth in the flesh to humble Himself and die for our sins, so how can we say we will not humble ourselves to help a brother or sister in need.

No Christian is better than any other Christian.

None of us can stand before God unless we are wearing the “Righteousness of Jesus Christ”!

There is no place in the Church for feeling superior or spiritually better than others.

Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

We need to do a self-examination to see for ourselves if we possess the right qualities to help a brother or sister in their time of need or we could make things worse.

*Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

We need to do a self-examination of our own selves comparing ourselves to Jesus Christ and not to some other member of the Church.

We need to understand our own conduct and our own understanding.

We are to examine and judge our own lives, not the life of that fallen brother or sister.

Again, Jesus says: Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
Mat 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

If we are to deal with a backslider, we need to make sure we are not hypocrites!

Criticizing and judging others is a sin!

We cannot help anyone unless we have a pure conscience ourselves.

It is a great joy knowing that we are pleasing God by the way we walk in this life.

2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

*Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

None of us can escape from our own moral responsibility!

We are personally responsible to the Lord for our own behavior and we shall be judged for what we have done.

We know when we meet the Lord in the air it is a judgment for rewards, and it will be to our own shame if we do not receive any rewards for the things we have done in this life.

If we do not periodically examine ourselves, we can never overcome any faults that we have!

If we spend our time observing the failures of others and not the burdens of our own failures, we will never be able to help anyone in their time of need.

Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

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.

We must understand that every child of God is a student who sits at the feet of the Master learning how to be like Him.

*Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

We can go up and down the hallways of our education building and we will find good teachers, but I do not claim to be one of them.

I know if I listen to the Holy Spirit, I can try to get His message across in this classroom and this is what I try to do.

Between myself and my class we should aways be able to discuss the things that I teach.

Here in this Scripture, we see the Holy Spirit speaking directly to the learner who is also a believer.

This passage speaks more to the Pastor than it does to the classroom teacher.

These same things apply to both.

If you want to be good to the teacher:

1) Be present when the teacher teaches.
2) Be attentive and learn what the teacher teaches.
3) Share in discussion of what the teacher teaches.
4) Pass on what the teacher teaches.
5) Participate in the ministry of that teacher.
6) Support the teacher.
7) Encourage others to learn.

Again, this passage is referring to the Pastor of the Church who must also be a good teacher.

Thank goodness for our own Pastor here at Gethsemane.

Teaching is a vital part of the New Testament Church.

Members of the early Church devoted themselves to the teaching of the Aposltes.

Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The Apostles taught the doctrine of our resurrected Christ.

Act 4:2 Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

They taught as they had opportunity.

Act 5:21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

Act 5:25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

Notice being locked up in prison did not stop the Apostles.

At that time the city of Jerusalem was saturated with the teaching of Jesus Christ and His atonement.

Act 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Act 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.
Act 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
Act 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Act 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Act 5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

The heart of the message of the Apostles was that our Lord Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

Act 17:2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
Act 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

It is teaching the truth of Jesus Christ that will bring the Church to maturity.

Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

The goal of the Gospel is to make us all look more like Jesus Christ.

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

This teaching is to be taught until the Lord returns.

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

We are not to forget the Scripture but continuously teach the Gospel.

Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

This the purpose of our classrooms to teach Jesus!

God knows the truth of every Pastor and every teacher.

In fact, God knows the truth of us all!

*Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

In the secular world few people are as important as the teacher.

Its the same for the Church.

We should understand that every Pastor should also be a good teacher but few teachers will ever be Pastors.

Teachers in the Church are also very important, especially those who teach the children.

The truth of the Gospel is the most important message in this world!

The Pastor has responsibilities because he is called of God.
The Teacher has responsibilities because he or she is to follow the pastor’s lead in teaching the truth of the Scriptures.
The student also has responsibilities to the teacher and to the Church.

In the Bible believing church the true Pastor, is one who accepts the truth of the Gospel and the Apostle’s Doctrine which is the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The teachers in that church are to follow his lead and teach the truth of the Scriptures.

The student then honors the teacher and the Pastor when they share the ministry of the teacher.

In the churches of Galatia many of the members were being deceived about facing the judgment of God.

They were being led astray by teachers with a false message.

They were failing to share in the ministry of the Apostle Paul and shared the false message of Judaism.

Judaism is a religion; Christianity is based upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ they cannot be intermingled.

These false teachers were turning their nose up at God who had told them of this New Covenant, but they were rejecting it.

These teachers were rejecting the teaching of the Apostle Paul, so they were not teachers at all.

They were church terrorists plotting the downfall of the Church of Jesus Christ.

When we attack the true Pastor, we are mocking God who called that Pastor into service.

The lesson these men learned at their death is that God is not mocked for whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.

God is very clear those that reject the message of God will be rejected by God.

When our Pastor preaches the truth of the Scriptures, and that message is rejected by those who hear it then they will stand before God and answer for that rejection.

If we do not listen to the warnings of the lust of the flesh, then we will reap the lusts of the flesh.

Those who reject the message of the true Pastor will worship as they desire.

They will seek some form of the truth somewhere else.

They will refuse to pray.

They will live as they please.

They will strive against the true Church.

They will reject all the Law of God.

They will seek the things of this world.

When we allow our flesh to lead us rather than the Holy Spirit we will see the wrath of God.

The flesh ages, dies, and then it decays.

If we sow to the flesh then we will age, then die, then face the judgment of God which he spells out so vividly in the Scriptures.

It does not matter what the world says, it only matters what God says!

True teachers teach the Word of God just it is written, and these lessons must be learned by us all.

God will not be mocked and there is no escape from His truths!

Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Job 4:8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

If we sow to the Holy Spirit who lives in every believer, we shall reap life everlasting!

if we listen to God’s saving message, the Gospel, the Holy Spirit will implant the Divine nature of God within the heart of each believer.

This is how we know and accept the fruit of the Spirit.

This is how we will live forever with God in the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

We know it has been close to two thousand years since the beginning of the Church Age, and we must be patient until the Church Age reaches its fulfillment.

Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

It may seem like an endless task sowing faith and hope, but we must not lose heart!

God is going to reward all those who have such patience!

There is just too much truth in the Scriptures for it all to end in nothingness.

The timing of all these things in is God’s hands but the season of sowing is in our hands.

*Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

God has given us this opportunity to earn rewards.

We should not be waiting for opportunities to develop but making them happen.

We should not be waiting on an opportunity to do good, and we should show kindness to all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Someone in the Church always has a need!

We must stay alert and not be weary if we want to receive a full reward.

We are responsible for our own family first.
We are responsible to our Church family next.
We are responsible for the lost next.

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

Amen

Christians Should Be Walking in the Holy Spirit

February 4, 2025 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Flesh Versus the Spirit

Book of Galatians Chapter 5 Verse 19 through 26

Many people will not like what I say, but when we die, we finally shed this flesh that has hindered our relationship with Jesus Christ.

It is then buried till it returns to the dirt God made us from, or more so today it is burnt in an oven till it is nothing but ashes.

What had Paul said in last week’s lesson?

Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

I believe our soul says “good riddance” to that sack of flesh at our death.

Our flesh is the cause of most of our pain!

The works of the flesh show us just how strong the flesh is!

Sin is first committed in secret, but by and by will work to the surface and advertise itself in shameless publicity.

In the First Century all the Rulers such as Tiberias, Caligula, Nero, Domitian were monsters of vice and cruelty, and they only got away with it because the people they governed were equally corrupt.

We can say the same about the Biden years he was not only corrupt and could not have gotten away with it, if all those around him were not also corrupt.

Our nation will suffer for years because of this just as we do because of this flesh we live in unless we get the help of the Holy Spirit.

*Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

After we are “born again” into the family of God we are expected to be more like Jesus Christ and Jesus would never have done any of these things written in this Scripture.

Adultery is being sexually unfaithful to a husband or wife. It can also be looking on a man or woman to lust after them.
It does not matter if it is in person, in magazines, in books, on the beaches or anywhere else, it is all adultery if you are married to a wife or husband.

Fornication includes all forms of immorality and sexual acts. Premarital sex, adultery, and it also includes looking upon a man or woman to lust after them, in person, in magazines, in books, or anywhere else. We can be attracted to the opposite sex without lusting after them.

Uncleanness is moral impurity. Doing things that dirty, pollute, and soil life.

Lasciviousness is filthiness, indecency, shamelessness. Unrestrained evil thoughts and behavior. Giving in to lustful desires.
It is those who know no restraint. Those who have sinned so much that they no longer care to hide their wrong. They become slaves to filthy words, induced body movements and immoral handling of people.

Idolatry is the worship of idols, whether mental such as false gods, or made by man’s hands.
It also includes to worship of ideas and devoting time and energy to something other than God.
Now it does not include enjoying the life God has given to us as long as do not put things before our worship of Him.

Witchcraft also known as sorcery, the use of drugs, or of evil spirits to get control over the lives of others or even over your own life. It would include astrology, palm reading, seances, fortune telling, crystals and any other form of witchcraft.

Hatred is enmity, hostility, animosity. It is hatred that lingers for a long time, a hatred that is deep within. We have seen many express this hatred for our new president.

Variance is strife, discord, contention, fighting, struggling, quarreling, wrangling against another person to get something such as a position, or promotion, or property, or recognition, doing whatever it takes to get what he is after.

Emulation is jealousy, desiring to have what someone else has.

Wrath is a burst of anger, indignation, a violent explosive temper with explosive reactions. Boiling emotions but these things do not usually last.

Strife is conflict within yourself, struggling to cope and including a party spirit.

Seditions are division, rebellion, standing against others, splitting off from others.

Heresies is rejecting the fundamental beliefs in God, Jesus Christ, the Scriptures, the Church. Holding on to some teaching which is not true.

Envying goes beyond jealousy. It is wanting the things some other person has and begrudging the fact that they have them. That wants those things taken away from that person and wants that person to suffer because they have lost the things they cherished.

Murders is to kill; to take the life of another person and it includes abortions for the sake of getting rid of that child.

Drunkenness is taking drink or drugs to affect your senses for lust or pleasure. Intoxicated, using drugs seeking to loosen moral restraint for bodily pleasure.

Reveling is carousing around, indulgence, and pleasure, wild parties, drinking parties, indulging in feeding the lust of your flesh. Orgies.

And all such things that are like these things that are named!

God has already judged those persons who do these things or take part in these things that they will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven less they come to Jesus and repent of those things.

God is righteous and He expects us to live righteous lives to be accepted by Him.

People say they are saved.
Some people even go to a church or some so-called church of false teaching.
They may even talk about Christianity and defend their beliefs.

However, they go out and live their lives like they always have giving in to the flesh.

They forget that being Christian is trying our best to be like Jesus Christ!

Many of them feel that God will forgive them no matter what they do, and he will but there must be repentance.

Many of them think they have already done enough so that God is pleased with them.

Most people believe that God will just accept them no matter how they live their lives.

God is not some Father who allows His children to do as they please.

Grace is not a license for God’s people to do wrong!

God’s New Heaven is made for true believers.

If we cannot do our best to live a pure and righteous life, we will not inherit the Kingdom of God!

Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

All those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior are then filled with the Spirit of Jesus and will live accordingly.

There should be a great difference in a true Christian from their old life that is in the past.

*Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

As Christians we cannot be perfect as long as we are in these bodies of flesh but having the Holy Spirit living within us we should be more like Him.

He gives us the strength to repent of our old lifestyle and here He gives us this passage.

Notice immediately He says the “fruit” and not the “fruits” of the Spirit.

We should have not just one or more of the traits but all of these traits.

Love: the Greek word used here is “Agape” .
This is brotherly love like that love our Heavenly Father shows to us. It also includes affection.
This love is not distinct but includes all the rest of the things that are mentioned here.

One of the greatest problems in our nation, in our world, and even in our churches, is that there is no natural affection for one another anymore. Hatred is in far too many spots in our lives today.

Rom_1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
2Ti_3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

We should have a natural affection within us for all the people of our world and that should include goodwill and benevolence for one another.

Joy: The Greek word used here means cheerfulness, calm delight, gladness, in fact exceedingly glad. This is not a selfish emotion but as the Sun whose rays warm gladden all people.

We must understand that being a Christian is not a set of facts. It is not a list of good deeds.
Being a Christian is a disposition of the heart.

Peace: The Greek word used here is being at true peace with us resting on the knowledge of our future and our true hope in the truth of God.

Longsuffering: Brings us that dreaded word patience.

One of the greatest uses of God’s patience was in the days of Noah that while Noah built the Ark that saved eight people Noah also preached to the world of that day around him for one hundred and twenty years and no one believed the Word of God.
We can also say the same for God today. There is really no other prophecy left that needs to be fulfilled before the “Rapture” of the Church, yet God patiently waits for that last soul to be saved before the return of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ to get His Gentile Bride.

1Pe_3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
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.

If God can be so patient, then how can we not be the same?

Gentleness: all these words describe our Savior, but this word gentleness is so wonderful. When we read the Gospels, we cannot help but see the gentleness that the Lord Jesus showed to all the innocent. He showed true kindness to those He touched with His life while He was upon this earth.

Tit 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Faith: Faithfulness does not doubt God!
Faithfulness does not begin with God and then back off!
Faithfulness does not walk with God then give in to the lusts of the flesh!
Faithfulness begins with God and continues with God!

We should ask ourselves are we trustworthy enough to get into God’s New Heaven!

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.

Meekness: Once we realize just how great is our God then we should have no problem submitting to God and realizing just how tiny we are in comparison. Meekness means we understand the “Providence of God”, His preserving and governing of all things. If we are going through something we do not like, then God has His reasons and we need to learn from each event and come out stronger.

Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Temperance: Every time we see temperance everyone always goes to alcohol which the Lord says do not even look at.

Pro 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Pro 23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Temperance here means self-mastery over all the indulgences of the flesh, self-control in all respects in this life.

1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.

If we have read the Bible, we know that there are no written laws against doing any of these things.

Laws are never made for those who obey the laws! Laws are written for those who break the laws. It seems our government is confused about this.

1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
1Ti 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
1Ti 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

What is the difference between a Christian and those in the world?

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

The Lord Jesus Christ took our flesh with its sin and it was nailed to the cross with Him and we are now to wear His righteousness as our flesh.

If we truly belong to Jesus Christ there will be a noticeable change from what we were!

We become the property and the possession of Jesus Christ.

We come to Christ to be delivered from our enslavement from sin, from death, and from judgment.

We want to be saved from our flesh of this corruptible world.

Paul says: Rom_8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

To mortify is put our old flesh and the deeds of that flesh to death the day we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.

No Christian should be doing the same old sins they were doing before their salvation.

This is the greatest problem in the church today along with many behind the pulpits who were never called of God.

The seminaries have forgotten the truth of God and are become useless in the work God has given us to do.

Crucifixion is a lingering mode of death, and it may take us all awhile to yield to the Spirit but it does not take long because the Holy Spirit is all powerful.

We are to be dead to sin.
We are to crucify the old man.
We are to abolish the whole body of sin with its passions and its lust!

This death is a condition of our New Birth!

The Holy Spirit lives within each Christian and being a Christian is being like Jesus Christ.

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

The Holy Spirit is a person of the Holy Trinity which is our God, so if we live to God let us walk in the Holy Spirit.

2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Rom 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

We only have a short time to be usable to God, we need to live as the Holy Spirit directs us to live and He will never direct us back into sin.

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

We all stand on level ground at the cross. God will direct our lives for His purpose the remaining of our days if we are willing to giive Him contrrol.

If God does not call us to something specific, then we already have the Scriptures which gives us our directions.

We should be very careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit.

Envy is not a fruit of the Spirit but is a great sin that will tear us down and make us useless in the work of God.

In everything we do we are to give God the glory!

Amen

Liberty in Christ Jesus

January 28, 2025 / Bobby Mayfield / 2 Comments

The Liberty of Jesus Christ

Book of Galatians Chapter 5 verses 1 through 18

The Book of Galatians can be called God’s message of liberty, but the entire Bible can be called God’s message of liberty.

Liberty is best described as the opposite of servitude or bondage and applies to those who are set free from this oppression.

Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Some people just enjoy being in bondage to this world!

Some people think of nothing else but sin!

As Christians, we do not have to worry if we are good enough because we will never be good enough, no matter how badly we try to impress God.

We simply cannot impress God; we have no righteousness in ourselves.

Jesus Christ secured the ideal righteousness for us!

The Lord Jesus Christ bore our judgment and our punishment for having broken the Laws of God, which is death.

This is the message of the Gospel!

The Churches of Galatia thought they understood this until they began to listen to the false teaching of some Judaizers from Jerusalem.

The message today is that we must stand fast in the liberty that our personal relationship with Jesus Christ has given to us!

*Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

To stand fast is to stand our ground.

It simply means to keep the position we have taken with the Gospel and never give ground to falseness.

We are able to stand fast in our argument of the Gospel because it is the truth of the Scriptures and the truth of Jesus Christ!

The truth is always the truth!

Rom 15:12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Spiritual liberty cannot be affected by outward circumstances unless we allow it!

A great man of God said: our liberty has no emperor, nor a prophet, nor an angel from Heaven, but Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son has obtained it for us.

This is the thing the Devil will try to take away from us to place us back in bondage to this world.

It is sin that is a burden to carry, and it is not a burden to carry the liberty of Christ.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus Christ has freed us from the bondage of the law, so we must stand fast in the liberty that He has provided for us.

Anything else is turning our backs on Christ and our Heavenly Father!

We can only approach God through the work that Jesus Christ has done for our salvation!

It is a complete waste of time to try any other way, and we jeopardize our chance to get to Heaven.

Gen_6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

The Law is not God’s way for us to be justified!

*Gal 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
Gal 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

The Apostle Paul is speaking in the power of an Apostle of Christ here.

It is not the fact of circumcision!

Paul was circumcised and every Jew in the Church of Galatia was circumcised.

Circumcision happens every day in some hospitals because it helps to keep certain diseases from spreading, but not everyone is circumcised for one reason or another.

Paul had been talking to the Jews in these churches but now he is talking to the Gentiles who had it in their mind that they would have to first become Jews before they could become Christians.

For these Gentiles to become proselytes of Judaism would imply that they were seeking salvation by the Law which is sealed by circumcision.

There is no advantage for a man to be circumcised or not circumcised in seeking a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

A wise man said” ‘He who submits to circumcision does so because he stands in fear of the law, and he who so stands in fear of the law distrusts the power of grace, and he who distrusts “Grace” gains no advantage from that which is so distrusted’.

When we start trusting in rituals, then we will find no profit in Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him will end!

It is the job of the true preacher to warn us when we go against the Grace of God!

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

It is a fact if you trust in the Laws of Moses to get you to Heaven, you will not get there.

It is a sad fact that all those who fall into the trap of legalism to impress God will fall from Grace.
It is a sad fact that all those who depend upon rituals to gain forgiveness of sin will fall from God’s Grace.
It is a sad fact that all those who invest their lives in religion will fall from God’s Grace.

GRACE still means God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense!

Remember Hagar and her son Ishmael were banished from God’s Grace and cast out into the world.

False teachers are just that false teachers with a false message looking to derail your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Every so-called denomination has been infiltrated with such people who serve the Devil.

When we deny the Lord Jesus Christ, who was sent from Heaven with a mission to provide “Justification”, then we have lost any opportunity to reach the true Promised Land, the New Jerusalem.

We cannot add to or take away from the message of the Gospel!

To deny Jesus Christ is to deny His righteousness, His death for our sins, and His resurrection to show His power!

We should remember our Lord Jesus took all the sins from the beginning of our world to the end for every soul and took them down to Hell for them to remain there throughout eternity, why would anyone want to live in that place?

What will be the story of every false teacher who mixes a little bit of Grace with a whole lot of falseness when they face Jesus, the God they say they worship?

Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

That woman who confronted our New President should think about these things before it is too late for her!

What in the world does the world do with the teachings of the Apostles especially the Apostle Paul when they study the Word of God except to ignore them?

The Word of God has to be rejected in many denominations today for them to do as they are doing. God have mercy on them.

What is the truth, they will be accursed!

In the first Book of Galatians, we read:

Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Who do we owe our life eternally to?

*Gal 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

Over and over again we see that it is “our faith” in the work the Lord Jesus Christ has done for our salvation sharing with us “His Righteousness” that we can please God.

There is no other way to please Him!

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

If we do not have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ we will burn in Hell throughout eternity!

Any hope for righteousness comes by the Spirit of Christ who so many in terror call the Holy Ghost.

The Holy Spirit is our Divine source of “faith” and “spiritual life”!

It is a fact that no false teacher has ever felt the Holy Spirit, and never will they unless they repent and claim Jesus Christ!

Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

We can also say that those who preach a false message have never felt the love of God or His Son!

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

We must understand that the truth will always be the truth!

We live in a world where our government and our corporations think it is best to hide the truth.

Paul tells these Galatians that they began their Christian life, but someone hindered them and we must realize that this is a favorite tactic of the Devil to immediately attack baby Christians and any Christians.

He still does this today and he frightens some so much that they never return to their race with the Christian Life, and that race will be over.

Jesus said:

Mat 13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Mat 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

We see this happening at these churches in Galatia and it happens in every church today.

When we stop living for Christ, we put our lives in jeopardy.

When we run for Jesus Christ, we must run well and stand on the truth of God!

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.

*Gal 5:8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

We must have a clear understanding that we are called by the Holy Spirit and He will never lead us to error but He will lead us only to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Any teacher that teaches otherwise is teaching a false doctrine.

All those out there today who throw out the Scriptures of the Apostle Paul and teach some other doctrines are also teaching a false doctrine.

All sinners who come to the Lord Jesus must then repent of their past life and walk like Jesus walked and taught!

There are no exceptions, and the Holy Spirit does not make mistakes!

Just a little false doctrine can ruin any church!

*Gal 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

“Leaven” stands for evil and corruption, fermentation, and infection.

It takes only a small amount of “leaven” to influence a whole lump of dough.

So, it is with false teachers!

They only have to twist and change a few Scriptures to change the meaning of what God intended.

We live in a world where you have to be careful when you pick out a new Bible because so many are changed to reflect the beliefs of certain people rather than the truth of God.

The KJV is the English Bible that most closely reflects the meaning of the Textus Receptus, the original Scriptures before they were changed by the Catholic Church after the revolt of Luther.

Most of those Bibles that are printed for English-speaking people today, who say they just want to make them easier to read, and also change the meaning of certain Scriptures.

I avoid all of them and stick to the KJV.

All Scripture must focus on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer, or it is false Scripture.

The Scriptures are not about our goodness or our own works.
The Scriptures are not about rituals, ceremonies, or good works instead of our Lord Jesus.

The absolute necessity of the Lord’s righteousness and death and being born of a Virgin and His resurrection cannot be diminished or downplayed.

The false teacher will always downplay these things.

*Gal 5:10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
Gal 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
Gal 5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

If we stand by the written Word of God the true pastor will stand with us!

Paul had confidence that these churches in Galatia would do the same because the Lord would remain on their side.

Because the Holy Spirit lives within us, He will awaken us to false teaching if we listen to Him!

Paul believed that these churches would read and understand this great letter he had sent to them.

Paul always sent someone with the letters he wrote or caused them to be written, with someone he trusted to read those letters to the church.

All letters to the church were read in all churches.

We can be sure that every false teacher or preacher will stand before God and God will send them to the hottest part of Hell and to even a hotter part of the Burning Lake of Fire.

Jud 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
Jud 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

False teachers only tell lies!

God will hold up His true Pastors!

Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Jas 4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Salvation can only come through the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Only Begotten Son. through Him only!

Paul’s sermons had never veered from these facts!

What Paul had done before his conversion was irrelevant!

Paul was now a “Born Again” child of God just as any other saved soul!

We must understand that there is no punishment too good for a false teacher!

1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

*Gal 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

We must not forget that we are free from laws, religion, and rituals.

We do not have to work to secure God’s approval and acceptance.

We are acceptable to God because He loves us as His own Son Jesus.

We cannot ever become perfect, no matter how good we do!

Many people question “Christian Liberty” but our liberty does not ever give the freedom to sin just because we are under the “Grace” of God.

Our faith will always be the key to our relationship with God!

We are free in Christ, free from the law, free from restraints, and free from works.

We live in Christ, move in Christ, and our being is in Christ.

When God looks down from Heaven, He should be able to see His Son dwelling inside us!

If we are slaves, we are slaves to our brothers and sisters in Christ and free to call on the lost world with the truth of God.

Joh 13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
Joh 13:5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

*Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Every law that has been ever written can be satisfied with love!

Love does not take advantage of any people.
Love will not be used by people to fulfill their own purpose.
Love will not hurt someone else any more than we would hurt ourselves.
Love endures everything without weakening.

Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

*Gal 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

To bite and devour is to act like a wild beast and this is a picture of Satan.

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

When we act like Satan, we are certainly not being Christian (like Christ)!

*Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

If we go against the Holy Spirit, we will only cause harm to ourselves.

The answer to conquering the lust of the flesh is the Holy Spirit!

Our flesh will always fight for dominance over our being and this is why God gave us a new Spirit, the Holy Spirit.

The flesh is very strong and difficult to control but it is not as strong as the Holy Spirit.

Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

The flesh is contrary to the Spirit!

The longer we listen to the Holy Spirit the stronger we will be, but we will be vulnerable to our flesh as long as we are in these bodies of flesh!

The Holy Spirit will always give us the power to walk away from the lust of our flesh!

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It is our love for one another here in this church and any other church that keeps us focused on the things the Lord has given us to do after our salvation and discipleship.

Amen

Adopted Into the Family of God

January 17, 2025 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Privilege of Adoption into the God’s Family

Book of Galatians Chapter 4 Verses 1 through 20

Our lesson does a great job of presenting the truth of Faith and the Grace of God and being adopted into the family of God.

All our lessons have been good this quarter.

I may go a little bit differently today as I usually do.

We know some churches of Galatia were teaching that a person could be saved by the Law, the Law being the Laws of Moses.

You know that title itself should tell us that the law was lacking.

The Bible is best stated as the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

These churches had allowed some Judaizers to come in with a false teaching and they had turned from the teaching of “faith” by the Apostle Paul.

They now felt they could be saved by being good, doing their best, and being religious.

Being religious means people who have given themselves to religion and are so influenced by it that they are different from the world.

Christianity means we are a follower of the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith!

Christianity is a personal experience with our Savior!

We should all do our best to be good according to the Word of God.
We all should be faithful in worshipping God and in a good church.

We must not think this is the means of our salvation!

The Bible is very clear and forceful, that doing these things does not save a person!

When we get alone with God, “are we” speaking to Him as a maturing Christian or as a baby Christian?

He knows what we are and none of us can be perfect until we meet Jesus when He returns, and He will return!

If we ever want to get to Heaven, we had better know that we must be perfect, and perfection only comes with a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

Mat 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

In the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, He explained the big difference in just obeying the Law and the truth of God.

There is a big difference between obedience and holiness!

The big difference in being a Christian is, “we do not need a written list of laws because we have the Holy Spirit living within us” and He will put His laws in our minds and write them down in our hearts.

Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

In the Lord Jesus Christ, we have the perfect conception of love, and this is what He wants from us.

Gal 4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Gal 4:2 But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

Under Roman law, a child was an infant until they were seven years old and were a child until they reached the age of twenty-five.

During this time a bondservant would be the one to teach that child or be responsible for taking that child to the tutors or a schoolmaster.

During this time, these children “had no say so in the affairs of their father” even though they were heirs to whatever their father owned.

In this, they were no different from a bondservant who would never be an heir.

Only after maturity does this person become a true heir and then lord of that property of his father.

Even if that father no longer lived that guardian or governor would direct that heir until he reached the proper age, and the heir had no power to make those decisions concerning his inheritance.

The father could and would determine that period of time before that heir had the authority over his own inheritance!

We can see that even though this son was an heir and a future lord, he was no more than a slave until that time set by his father.

Caesar had ruled that under the Gallic tribes of Galatia, the father had sole power of life and death over his wife and children.

Gal 4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

There was a time when the entire world was under bondage to one nation, or another as described in the Book of Daniel.

Daniel 2 Verses 37 through 44.

To the Jews, this bondage meant the sacrifices, the rituals, and the sacrifices of the Old Testament that directed all the facets of Jewish life.

It meant philosophy and the traditions of men, and their teachings.

It meant the ordinances, rules, and regulations of men, including the oral law.

It meant all the laws of the Old Testament.

It was impossible to keep all those old laws.

Act 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

All things of religion will choke the life out of Christianity if we allow it!

The elements, of the world mean the things of this world that we use to get right with God and try to secure the favor of God.

This also includes anything we can use to justify ourselves to God, anything we can do through our own efforts, and we will never get close to God doing these things.

But there came a time when God decided it was time to change the things that brought us under bondage to this 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.

The fullness of time here represents the time that our Heavenly Father decided to begin the Church Age and end the Age of the Law as the schoolmaster.

The Age of Grace began.

Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

We can say the fullness of time is the time appointed by God and was foretold by the true Prophets of God.

We should know by now that Jehovah God is in control of all the things in this world.

This world lives every day under the providence of God!

God’s preserving and governing of all, by means of second causes.

Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the glue that holds His creation together!

When the first part of our Savior’s work was completed, He went back to His throne in Heaven until the Church Age reaches its fulfillment and then He will return.

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Heb 1:4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

There should be no doubt that we are in these last days.

The Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth to deliver this world from sin!

This was His sole purpose, and He completed that work.

Today Jesus Christ walks “in our bodies” until He returns to Redeem us.

Jesus was not some angel!

The first coming of Christ was not by chance!

Jesus Christ came in the timing set aside by God the Father!

He did not come one day early, and He did not leave one day late. He is always on time!

Jesus Christ was born of a particular person, at a particular time, in a particular way, and under a particular system, the Law.

Jesus was subject to the same system in which He came to save all the world from it.

The world had been specially prepared for His first coming!

The Law had done its work.
The world was full of spiritually starved people ready for a change.
The world was at peace under Roman rule.
The world was under the Greek language making communication possible no matter where you went.
The Romans had built roads everywhere making travel easier.

God’s messenger, John the Baptist, was in place.

Mar 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Mar 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Mar 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Why did Jesus come? He came to redeem God’s people!

God’s people are all those who have “faith” in the work of Jesus Christ!

Every believer becomes the adopted sons and daughters of God!

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.

When we trust in the work of Christ for our salvation we receive the Holy Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit.

Paul asked these Galatians: Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

These people knew they had never felt the presence of the Holy Spirit until they heard the preaching of the Apostle Paul.

Because we have the Spirit of Jesus living within us, God looks upon us as His sons and daughters.

What is the first thing we should do?

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

We cannot allow the remnants of our past to influence our new life!

That unclean thing is what is called an idol.

As we come out from the world we begin to meet our true family, the family of God.

As we have learned earlier, the Holy Spirit is somewhat like a downpayment on our eternal life, until Christ returns to take us home.

We become heirs and sons because of our faith in Jesus Christ and the Grace of our heavenly Father!

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.

Then the last time will be the day of the Rapture of the Church, the end of the Church Age.

Chapters 2 and 3 and the first verse in Chapter 4 of the Book of Revelation.

The word adoption means to place us as God’s sons and daughters, and He will never release us back into this wicked world.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

For many days now, we will be telling ourselves we just want to go home.

Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

We are no longer servants to this sinful world.

Gal 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.

I believe every one of us agrees with this verse.

There is no God but Jehovah who can change one thing on this earth!

When we look back on our old lives before our faith in Jesus, most of us do not like who or what we were.

We may have had knowledge of God, but we did not know Him in a personal way, and this is what God wants from us, a personal relationship.

We did not know life until we met Jesus!

We served the false gods of this world until we met Jesus!

Many of us worshipped that almighty dollar because the things of this world are only idols.

Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

We were in bondage to the things of this world.

Now we know better so, why in the world would we ever want to go back into that lost world?

Gal 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Gal 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Gal 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

It is a privilege to know the truth of God, a privilege we had better not abuse.

We should also understand that God knew us before we were even born on this earth.

In some places in the Bible, it shows that God talks to us while we are in the womb of our mothers.

God will not do for one that He will not do for another! Only He knows what is best for us.

It is a humbling fact, that God cared enough to send someone to us to tell us about Jesus and the Gospel.

There is nothing in this world that can give life.

Heb 7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Heb 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, “but the bringing in of a better hope did”; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

The Apostle Paul is not condemning the observance of these things but teaching them that God will never justify them for observing these days.

Bondage to these things forfeits the liberty of the Gospel!

We are not bound to observe any ritual of any church.

The only things Jesus said for us are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, but even these things cannot justify us.

We do these things because our Lord did these things, and He said to follow Him.

So, we follow Him in Baptism, and we partake of the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Him.

Paul knew that these churches in Galatia were about to turn back to the Law and Paul was doing His best to tell them how foolish this was.

Every religion in this world is a religion of works!

People trying to please their god making these religions, religions of works.

The only thing that pleases God is “faith” in the work of His Son for our salvation!

Once we decide that we need to do something to make God love us, we are headed for trouble.

Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

We are walking a dangerous path when we turn our backs on God!

When we speak to some in the church who seem to be losing their faith, we must remember they are still our brothers and sisters in Christ and the children of God.

Gal 4:12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.

Paul has not been too harsh to these churches because they are still family notice the word brethren.

This is an example for us all. Our own Pastor preaches hard, and some may not always agree with the message, but we had better remember that he is a minister of God called to preach the messages God has given him by the Holy Spirit.

He is also a brother in Christ who is in the same family as all God’s children.

If He does not preach God’s message, then he will answer to God.

If we do not listen to that message and apply it to our lives, Jesus may remind us of that when we meet Him in the clouds.

Every message is real when it matches what God has said in the Scriptures.

We do not have to abide by any message that goes against the Word of God!

Paul was being criticized for his messages of truth when it was the Judaizers who had the false message.

Even now Paul did not treat them as his enemies.

Paul assured them that they had not injured him, they had only injured themselves.

God gives us this time after our salvation to earn rewards given to us when we get to Heaven.

These rewards are far more than the promised Mansion and eternal life.

We can even be blessed as we witness for the Lord Jesus Christ here on earth.

God has all these things in mind when He sends a message to our Pastor for him to preach to us.

Gal 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
Gal 4:14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Gal 4:15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.
Gal 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

Even on a bad day when our pastor is feeling bad, he will always give us the truth of God!

Our Pastor is never ever our enemy!

Paul had a physical affliction that bothered him from time to time and he asked the Lord to remove it, and the Lord said to him, “My Grace Is sufficient” for it to overcome your weakness.

When a true man of God is preaching full of the Holy Spirit, God’s power to him will overcome all his deficiencies.

It is the message that is important, not the physical condition of that man of God!

When Paul first came to these people he was welcomed with open arms.

It was the legalism of the Judaizers that made things change.

This is what a false message does. It will cause friction in that body of believers.

Many a church has split for these same things.

1Ti 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

Tit 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Tit 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Tit 3:11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

Verse 15 also hints to us that the physical problem that Paul had was with his eyes.

The people who reject the truth of Jesus Christ are outside the church.

We are not to hate them, but we must know this fact and witness to them if we are able.

Notice it said if you have witnessed to them at least twice then you are not obligated to go that person a third time but someone else can go.

It was the Judaizers who were religionists who were Paul’s true enemy and the enemies of the Church!

Gal 4:17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
Gal 4:18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

Notice Paul did not mention names. Everyone present knew who Paul was referring to.

Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

All those who pervert the Gospel of Jesus Christ are false teachers!

We must always be on guard and reject false preachers and teachers.

These Judaizers were very zealous in their work, trying their best to reconvert as many of the Jews as they could and convert any Gentile to Judaism who listened to them.

They did not care if they got saved or not.

Their goal was to stop Christianity in its tracks.

Most of the world is trying to do the same today but this is impossible!

The very first thing they will try to do is to discredit that Pastor (preacher) who teaches the truth.

False teachers try to focus people on the law, work, effort, rituals, sacrifice, and rules.

False teachers reject the Grace of God.

Today false teachers claim some imaginary powers that they do not have and work for the money they can get from those who trust them.

Today God does all healing without the help of some mediator.

The power of healing belongs to God Himself and He does this work through prayers!

The true preacher seeks to focus people on this Almighty God who gave us a plan for salvation.

It is His plan and there is no other plan than His that will work!

God’s plan works only through the Lord Jesus Christ. These are His conditions, and we must not question His plan!

The Lord Jesus said: Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Jesus also said: Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Those who deny the truth of Jesus Christ are all antichrists!

2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2Jn 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Gal 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
Gal 4:20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

We as a church should welcome those Evangelist and Missionaries who preach the truth and in our church our Pastor makes this selection, and this is the way it should be in every Gospel church.

There is only one Gospel!

The true preacher seeks only to help believers.

The true preacher considers all believers as his dear children.

The true preacher will guard the church from error.

The true preacher’s heart is tender and warm, protecting and providing for the church.

Most people think of a growing church as one that adds many new members, but the truth is a growing church is a church growing in its relationship with Jesus Christ and His Heavenly Father who becomes our ABBA Father

Nothing else in this world is more important than our relationship with our Savior.

These are the same ones who are God’s children!

Amen.

Christianity

December 13, 2024 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Paul’s Participation in the Jerusalem Council

Book Galatians Chapter 2 Verses 1 through 10

From Chapter 1 we learned that the Apostle Paul’s preaching of Salvation by the “Grace of God” had met much criticism, but this criticism was mainly from the Jewish religion.

This criticism had reached a point where it was determined that the Church leaders would come together to make a final decision on this matter.

It had been the Jews known as Judaizers, who had called for this council hoping the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem would side with them.

Though there were many Church councils over the years, the first Jerusalem Council was the most important.

What we find is that our old friends the Pharisees are stirring up trouble again.

In reality, there was a large number of Pharisees who accepted Jesus as the true Messiah after His death and resurrection.

In fact, this would be a natural result for an honest-thinking Pharisee.

Most of the Pharisees were looking for the Messiah to come.

The Pharisees knew the Scriptures better than the average Jew.

When the Apostles proved that Jesus was the Messiah from the Scriptures, the Pharisee was bound to see the evidence.

If a Pharisee had an honest and open heart he would be convicted by the Holy Spirit as much as any other Lost Soul.

However, the Pharisees would tend to see Jesus as the fulfillment of Judaism, not a replacement of it.
The Pharisees would see Jesus as an addition to the Law of Moses, not replacing it.
The Pharisees would see Jesus as adding belief to their rituals, not replacing them.
The Pharisee would see Jesus adding Baptism to the ordinances, not replacing the ordinance.

Because the Pharisees had extensive training and had made a lifetime commitment to the keeping of the Law, oral and traditional, they would be very slow to give up the Law.

They would be very slow to rely on the Righteousness of Jesus the Messiah and not the righteousness of the Law.

But we do see where some of them made a complete break with Judaism.

It is these things that caused the First Council of the Church.

Act 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
Act 15:6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

We will immediately be able to see that the question at the Council in Jerusalem had grown much greater than circumcision from the Church at Antioch.

The question at Jerusalem became “does a man have to keep the whole law to be saved” and accepted into the Church?

We would be wrong to believe these questions have disappeared today!

1) Can a person earn favor with God? Or do they receive the favor of God?
2) Are they acceptable to God because they keep the Law? Or are they saved by confessing that they have broken the law and are dependent entirely upon the Lord Jesus Christ?
3) Do we work to make ourselves righteous or do we cast ourselves upon the righteousness of Jesus?
4) Do we pray to the Lord saying Lord I come on my own righteousness, or I come on your righteousness?
5) Do we pray Lord I come with my own package of works, or I come seeking your mercy and grace?
6) Do we pray to the Lord I came to be praised for my own works, or do we praise the Lord because He did all the work?
7) Are we to receive glory because we have done good, or is the glory to be lifted to Jesus for who He is and what He has done?
8) Is the Lord Jesus God, who came down from Heaven to save us or not?

Martin Luther broke with Catholic Doctrine on some of these same issues!

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Do we believe what the Bible says or not?

Luther came to realize that works have no part in our salvation.

It is a fact that there are no works to do to receive the Grace of God but there are some works that should happen after salvation.

Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

We need to study every question that is asked about salvation in order to properly lead someone to the Lord!

*Gal 2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

At the end of last week’s lesson, Paul had returned to his hometown of Tarsus and then to Antioch Syria where the first Church outside of Jerusalem had been established.

Now in the first verse of Chapter Two, Paul is returning to Jerusalem for the first council of the Church and fourteen years have passed.

This first council at Jerusalem could easily have stopped the Church before it ever got started.

The Apostle Paul was faithful to give a full account of the Gospel he had preached among the Gentiles, who were still known as Heathen to the Jews, indicating a lower class of people.

Paul preached that Christianity must be free from all mixture of Judaism.

This would have seemed ungrateful to some because even the Lord Jesus was a Jew.

Joh 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: “we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews”.

Notice Jesus claims to be a Jew just like the disciples who were with Him.

We should understand that Christianity is the New Testament, the New Covenant, God has made with all the people of Earth.

We should also notice that Paul was very careful and going to extra pains, to list his contacts with the Church in Jerusalem.

It had to be understood that the Doctrine of Salvation that Paul preached had come from Jesus Christ and not from the leaders of the Church of Jerusalem.

It was for the benefit of the Jews that these precautions were made and not so much for the benefit of the Gentiles.

Paul was not going to change the way he preached so easily.

Likewise, the Jews were not going to accept the Gentiles so easily.

We must also understand the other Apostles had to recognize that the calling of the Apostle Paul had met the basic qualifications for being an Apostle being called by Christ Himself.

Paul’s calling and his service had now proven itself for fourteen years.

Paul did not enter Jerusalem to answer his critics.
Nothing that happened in Jerusalem would change the calling of Paul, because Paul was God-called and not man-called.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

*Gal 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Paul’s intent was for him to defend his work in the Gospel.

If the other Apostles disagreed with Paul, it would not have changed Paul’s calling.
God intended for the Church to survive at all costs.

What had Jesus told to Peter?

Mat_16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

I think it is almost every message that our Pastor says he will not back down, and we had better be prepared to stand with him.

No preacher is to run in vain!

Every evangelist, Pastor, preacher, and missionary, must preach the “Gospel” and only the “Gospel” and he must build upon that ministry as the truth and it is.

We are not to allow ritual, rule, ceremony, or law to be added to the Gospel!

People are saved and people grow only by the Gospel, the “Good News” of God’s love for the world, His creation!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

*Gal 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Gal 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
Gal 2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

We must never be intimidated into giving up the truth of the Gospel as our own government has been trying to do lately!

There are as many so-called preachers who have only enough truth to be called a man of God when they are lost as Job’s Turkey and causing damage to the Church and they don’t care, they just buy themselves another Jet plane or they write another book but we can be sure they will answer to God.

There is only one Gospel and there will never be a modern version because God never changes!

The Lord Jesus Christ will never come back to this Earth, (His Creation) to face another cross!

The Apostle Paul’s version of the Gospel is still the Gospel that saves!

There is only one “Gospel” and there will never be another “Gospel” that is the “Good News” for mankind!

The ‘Gospel” of the “Grace” of God and “Grace Alone” that Paul preached did arouse many of the Jews.

Every practicing Jew was circumcised when they were eight days old and they leaned heavily on the Law of Moses all the days of their lives.

When they accepted the truth of Jesus Christ, they still refused to reject Judaism.

In their minds the Lord Jesus only changed a few things and Judaism was still the key to life with Jehovah.

They proclaimed that every Christian would first have to become a practicing Jew.

Only after becoming a Jew could, they then accept the teachings of Christ and be baptized.

Paul rejected this and Paul was right even though Paul was a practicing Jew.

The Church would have failed before it got started if this had been true.

The Jews were shocked that Paul taught such a thing.

These Jews were called Judaizers.

It was determined by these Judaizers that Paul could not have gotten his message from Jehovah, and they were wrong.

If anything is added to the Gospel, then it is no longer the Gospel.

If anything is taken away from the Gospel, then it is no longer the Gospel.

Jehovah was very serious about this!

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Paul took with him Barnabas and Titus who were fellow workers with him in the Gospel.

Barnabas was a Jew who had been converted in Jerusalem.

Titus was a Heathen Gentile, and he was not about to become a Jew.

Titus had never been inside the Jewish Temple, and he had no desire to enter into it.

Titus had not been circumcised!

Titus had not committed himself to the Law of Moses nor the rituals of Judaism.

Titus was a perfect example of salvation by “Grace Alone”.

Titus had answered the calling of Christ to become a Preacher.

Judaizers are just “Legalists”.

Legalists are those people who add to the salvation plan of God.

Christianity is not now and never will be a blend of Judaism and the teachings of Christ.

Christianity is not now and never will be a blend of the Muslim and the Koran, and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Christianity is not now and never will be a blend of Hinduism and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In fact, Christianity can only be the “Good News” of Jesus Christ and nothing but salvation by the free gift, of the “GRACE” of God.

Though many Jews even today are impressed with Jesus Christ, they will not give up their religion for Him and therefore they cannot be saved.

This was the first great battle for the existence of the Church!

This is the message of Christianity!

Legalism still exists today along with many of the teachings of a false Gospel, which is not the Gospel.

*Gal 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Gal 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Gal 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

The Christian Preacher and teacher must defend the “Gospel” before any and all persons or they are not who they say they are.

We as Christians must ask ourselves:

1) Are we seeking the approval of church leaders over the approval of God?
2) Are we seeking the call of the Church or the call of God?
3) Are we seeking favor of the church or answering the call of God?
4) Are we seeking to build a reputation or seeking to serve God who called us?

How many of us add our own ideas, our own rituals, our own rules instead of the Pure Gospel?

God treats all of us alike!

God has no favorites, He loves you as much as He loved the Apostle Paul!

Everyone in Heaven are there because they are saved by the same Gospel that Paul preached!

Every true Preacher, Pastor, Evangelists, or Missionary are called by the same Lord!

*Gal 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Gal 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

If we take notice, we will see that the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem did not agree with those Judaizers nor could they, as the Judaizers had hoped they would.

On the contrary they stood with the Apostle Paul!

They saw firsthand that Paul had indeed been called of Christ Jesus to preach the Gospel.

They saw that Paul had been called to preach the truth just like every other man called of God.

They saw that Paul had been called to preach to the Gentiles.

This means that everyone called of God, are called with a specific purpose in mind.

Every person called of God is called to preach to the poor just they are called to preach to the rich still having the same message.

Paul promised to try to help the Church in Jerusalem because every Christian who felt the same as Paul would be excommunicated.

James the step-brother of the Lord Jesus was the lead Pastor at the Church at Jerusalem.

James and Jude both the step-brothers of our Lord did also write a book of the New Testament being lead by the Spirit of Jesus their step-brother.

Are we going to have faith in God or are we going to trust what man can do for us?

Amen

The Gospel Truth

December 6, 2024 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Origin of the Gospel

Book of Galatians Chapter 1 verses 11 through 24

The Word “Gospel” is the English word used to translate the Greek word for “good news”.

The Greek word for the English word “Gospel” is “evangelical”, so the writers of this “good news” are best known as Evangelists.

In reality, the word Gospel means the proclamation of pardon, mercy, and peace in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

If the word “Gospel” is used in any other way, it is a false gospel.

All those men who are partakers of its saving Grace, who are commissioned to preach it, are to be considered beautiful.

Isa 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

In the New Testament “Gospel” has two shades of meaning.

1) The actual message of Jesus Christ.

Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

2) It is the story told about Jesus after His death and His resurrection, in the Scripture we are studying today.

Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the embodiment of the Gospel!

Without the Lord Jesus Christ, there can be no Gospel, period.

To certify is to declare that the Gospel is the truth of God’s Son and, therefore the truth of God!

The Gospel is not in agreement with the ways of man, nor the values of man!

The Gospel is on a much higher plane!

In verse 10 from last week, Paul proclaimed: “Am I seeking the favor of men or God”. “Do I seek to please men or to please God” being “God the Son Jesus Christ”, “God’s Messiah”.

Verse eleven continues, with people saying that Paul did not follow the Lord Jesus when He was alive on this earth, so how could he possibly know any Gospel?

They say Paul was teaching a man-made Gospel taught by a misguided man, speaking of Paul.

Paul the Apostle Preached what was given to him by Jesus Christ Himself!

The word “revelation” means a truth that is shared by God with man, a truth that man never knew.

The “Gospel” Paul preached was given to him by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

The Gospel is God’s wisdom not the wisdom of this world and we can include the time we live in today.

The world’s wisdom includes many approaches to finding the truth and the meaning of life and the many approaches to finding the problems of evil and death, but these things have eluded the world and are unable to be found.

The world’s wisdom is full of lies and theories.

The wisdom of the world says there is no God. He does not exist.

Way back in time, as far back as the mind can go, something, some element, some molecule, some atom, some gas has brought forth all the things we see today.

To some, the wisdom of the world says God may exist, but after creating all the things we see, has moved on to do other things having no concern for the things He made.

The wisdom of this world says that God may exist, but He used evolution to create all the things we see which is still a fantasy.

These are just some of the things we go up against as Christians, when we reach out to those who are lost!

1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1Co 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

The Gospel is not a human thing, it did not originate with man as many say.
The Gospel is not the “good news” from some men as they say.
The Gospel is not to be preached as a message handed down from one generation to the next.

The Gospel is to be preached as the single fact that Jesus Christ did reveal Himself with the truth of His life, the truth of His death, and the truth of His resurrection.

These Galatians had asked themselves: did Paul preach the truth of Jesus Christ or not?

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.

1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

There are not as many who believe that all the things of this world happened by accident as the world confesses and it is time they stood up and listened to the truth before it is too late.

Paul did not ever try to hide his past life!

Our past life is not remembered in Heaven, but we will be reminded of it by our enemies, and it would not hurt for us to look back and see how far the Gospel has removed us from our past life. We are new creatures because of the Gospel.

Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

If we look at Paul’s life before He met the Lord Jesus upon the Damascus Road, we will see the terrible things he did to the Church.

We could say it was nothing short of a miracle that could account for the change that had taken place in the life of Paul.

Paul wrote: Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

The Apostle Paul had a radical change of life!

When we read the Scriptures, this is clearly seen!

Paul had launched his attack on the Church at the death of Stephen.

Paul had been a supreme example of self-righteousness.

Paul became an example of the true Christian.

Paul had blazed a path for Christian persecution.

Paul now blazed a path for the salvation of the Lost.

The Lord Jesus set Paul apart and called him by His “Grace”.

Paul began to believe that God had called him even before his birth.

Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Paul began to believe that he was now doing what God had intended for him to do from his birth forward and he was.

Every Christian should realize that we are now in the will God had for us from the beginning of our lives, just as He did the prophet Jeremiah.

Jeremiah became a prophet of God, and we become witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ.

All those who have been called to separation from this evil world understand what Paul is saying here.

God has a plan for all of us and that plan began at our birth, but most of us were like Paul, we did not realize it until we met Jesus.

Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul reminded others of the same.

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

The source of our change was the purpose of God!
The means of our change was His calling by the Holy Spirit.
The result of that change is that we might teach Jesus Christ to the Lost.

For Paul, his job was to reach the Gentile world that God had included and not just the Jews!

Thank you, Lord God for I was once a heathen, but now one of your children.

I was never worthy of your “Grace”!

The job of the Apostle Paul was to be a vessel to reveal Jesus Christ!

We must understand that we are not called just to come to know Jesus Christ, we are also called to make Christ known to others.

We must bear witness to what Jesus Christ has done in our lives.

God has given us all the Gospel to study and to preach.

The world needs to hear the message of Jesus Christ not the message of wicked men.

It is every day now that we can still hear the crying and the moaning because a wicked president has been defeated.

America should be ready to hear the message of Jesus Christ.

Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Only Jesus Christ has the message that the world is seeking the answer to!

How to live forever!

Far too many people wake up in Hell who spent their lives and their finances, searching for the means of eternal life having rejected the Gospel, the “Good News” of our Savior.

Joh 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

Paul was called by the Lord Jesus and then taught by the Lord Jesus Christ how to teach the world about Him.

Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
Gal 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.

The spread of the Gospel was beginning to produce real fruit and much of the world did not like it.

Just like today, Satan cannot stand to see the Truth of God, the Gospel, to take fruit in our world and he will do everything he can to stop it.

I have never heard so many lies as they are told today about the true Church.

If those who hinder the spread of the truth of God did not have our biased news sources under their wings, they could not cause the havoc that they do.

I cannot understand why this world is so afraid of Jesus Christ!

Now I am nothing compared to the Apostle Paul, but what was he guilty of?

Paul was attacked from every side and the only thing he had done was to tell the truth to a world that cannot stand the truth about a man named Jesus who spent just a few years going about doing good.

Paul’s real guilt was that he had become a Christian and had forsaken Judaism though Paul still kept the Laws of Moses.

What were they afraid of?

The Lord Jesus did not just declare to be God, He was and is God in a world where many have multiple gods and the most evil have riches which is their god.

How can the world be mad about Jesus when the entire world has their gods whom they worship?

I tell you why, it is because the world is afraid of the truth and those who get richer every day. After all, there are great riches in wickedness and immorality.

They went after Paul because Paul proclaimed the power of the Gospel and was a living example of a Christian.

God said: (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.

The world is afraid that there might be a real God!

You see the Bible from the true Received Text, is filled with the actual words of God!

Paul was not lying because Jehovah God cannot lie!

Heb_6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

In fact, the only thing that is impossible for Jehovah God to do is to tell a lie!

Paul knew this and every child of God had better know this and the lost world will find out that the Word of God is all truth.

Now if this frightens you, then all you need to do is to have a personal conversation with Jesus.

Some call Him God, but I call Him Savior, and I call Him Friend, and I call Him Father just as the Apostle Paul did!

Paul continues:

Gal 1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
Gal 1:22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

We look at and hear of all the things that are going on in Syria today and we can say that for a period of time, there was some great churches in Syria.

I might not should say it, but Syria went to pots since the Muslims have maintained rule.

Paul had to leave because there were so many who threatened Paul’s life.

They brought Paul down to Caesarea and then to Tarsus which was Paul’s home town and he had many friends and family there.

It is this Tarsus where Barnabas had found Paul to get Him back into the functions of the Church at Antioch, Syria.

Act 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

It is around this time that a great famine came to the world, the parts ruled by the Romans, during the time of Claudius Caesar.

This is exactly what happens when there is war!

The militaries of Rome caused great destruction in the fields and those who fought against them could not tend to their fields to raise crops.

Those men who cause war are foolish!

Only those who build the armaments and make the bullets and war machinery get rich.

Those who hold great riches usually finance both sides the, enemy, and those who fight by necessity, and their riches grow immensely.

Paul took advantage of his time in Tarsus and the surrounding areas.

This is what Jesus told all of us to do: Luk 8:39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

Paul was treated with respect in his hometown, and they listened to what great things the Lord had done in Paul’s life.

Gal 1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
Gal 1:24 And they glorified God in me.

There will always be those who will see the change that a relationship with Jesus Christ can bring.

Those who know the best are usually our family and some of them will listen to our testimony.

Maybe some of our childhood friends will listen to our testimony.

We can be certain that those in and around Jerusalem had heard of the changes in the life of Paul, who was still Saul to them, until they heard his story.

In most cases, those who love us will glorify God who can make such great changes in people.

The Lord Jesus commanded every Christian to do this; Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

We will do this if we show the love God has shown to us through His Son Jesus!

Amen

God Gives Us Hope

November 13, 2024 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Hope for the Persecuted Soul

Book of Psalms Psalm 143

The phrase it “came to pass” is used 457 times in the Bible which teaches us these things that we are so afraid of may come, but they will not stay, they come, and they will pass on out of our lives.

Most of us can say that every obstacle we have faced in our lives has come to pass on out of our lives.

Some of them may leave scars, but they cannot keep us out of Heaven!

We must completely understand that the faithfulness of God makes it impossible for God to go against the covenant He has made with us.

God has revealed Himself as the God of mercy and forgiveness, and He can never go against these things.

So, we can boldly plead for mercy and if we are living a righteous life, then that mercy will come.

What is the truth?

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

The prayers of every saint today are just as important to God as those prayers David prayed in his day.

*Psa 143:1 A Psalm of David. Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.
Psa 143:2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.

We see David in another crisis because his life was filled with danger.

We cannot link this Psalm to any one particular thing that happened in David’s life.

David knew at this point in his life, that if he did not get God’s help he might die, or some terrible thing might happen to him.

I believe every one of us have had this same feeling.

1) David appealed to God to hear his prayer.
2) David appealed to the faithfulness of God.
3) David appealed to the righteousness of God.

David knew he needed a quick answer from God.

It seems that we need to know more about the characteristics of God, and we must never ask God to go against His own characteristics.

We cannot know these things unless we study the Bible!

We should shape our prayers according to God’s characteristics, as did David.

We must never ask God to be unfaithful to His Word!

We can plead to God for His help and sometimes we need to pray and fast, to show God that we are serious.

When we are in a real crisis God already knows this.

Prayer is not merely a self-improvement exercise that is good for us, whether God hears our prayers or not.

Prayer is a real plea made to a real God!

God is always faithful to do just as He has written down in His recorded Word.

Our faith in Him, is the key to every answer we get from Him.

We must remember that if we ask for forgiveness of our sins, then there is no record of our sins in Heaven.

Psa 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1Jn 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We will pay for our sins, but God has already forgiven us of our sin, and He will not remember them.

These are the only things God forgets.

God does this because He chooses to do so because our sins are under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ

God’s memory is perfect, but He just chooses to forget our sins!

Because God has chosen to forget our sins we have missed out on the judgment for our sin.

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

David was in the same shape as we are, but sometimes we have a lack of faith, and we will think that God still has something that He will punish us for.

Faith is still the key to a perfect relationship with our Heavenly Father and His Son because they are both the same!

*Psa 143:3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead.
Psa 143:4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.

We must understand that our enemy is vicious!

Our enemy wants the worst possible evil to happen to us!

Our enemy wants us to die in some evil situation that will make us an embarrassment to God!

David felt like he was just thrown out onto the street to be trampled alive.

We must understand that our adversaries, who are led by Satan, want us dead and useless in the work the Lord has given us to do.

Satan will do everything he possibly can to cause us to lose our testimony!

Satan would kill us in a split second if the Lord allowed him to have access to us.

We may feal like Satan is about to take over our lives, but our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will always save us, as long as it is true faith.

We know from the Book of Job that Satan needs God’s permission to attack us and if we think we are in the class of Job, then we are not, but God loves as much as He loved Job.

Certainly, we will face persecution, and certainly, we will call upon the Lord for help, but most of the problems we will face in our lifetime are of our own making and we may need the Lord’s to help us in those situations also.

We must understand that our enemy is powerful, and we cannot face him alone, we need the Lord to fight all our battles, and He will, if we remain faithful.

If the Lord permits us to dwell in the darkness of the dead, then He will surely bring us into His Light and cause us to dwell with those who are enjoying eternal life in Heaven.

We should understand that we are already in that realm of eternal life now as we exist here on earth.

We are already on our journey to Heaven because we can never die even though we will shed this useless flesh that we live in today.

Lam 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

We know that King Saul had banished David from Judah, and it was felt by David, and when he thought about these things it broke the heart of David.

We are wrong to sit and mull over our circumstances, when the Lord has shed His light on our future!

We have a marvelous future ahead of us and nothing in this world can change that fact.

God cares too much for us to allow those things that are pressing heavily on us to remain on us.

God does not want us to suffer stress in these crises that come into our lives.

We must remember God has a job for us to do and He wants us to be busy doing this job.

When our burdens are too heavy for us to bear God knows, and He will take those burdens away from us if we ask Him in faith.

Psa 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

1Pe 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

God is our Father, and we are his sons and daughters, He will not allow His children to suffer very long.

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

God has enough “grace” to see us through every obstacle in our path!

2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

We sometimes wait until we are deep in trouble before we call upon the Lord, but we should call upon the Lord when we first see trouble coming our way!

In fact, we need to be in constant communication with the Lord God!

God has a plan that cannot be altered and if we have a part in that plan, and we do, then we cannot fail and the trouble we are in will cease to exist.

*Psa 143:5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
Psa 143:6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

I love those worship services when it seems like I can just reach us and touch God.

So, sometimes we just need to think back on what God has already done and know that He is still All Powerful.

God will do whatever it takes to fulfill the glorious plan He has for us!

God had anointed David to be the King of Israel and David would soon be the next King of Israel.

1Sa 16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
1Sa 16:12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
1Sa 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

This is God’s plan not David’s plan and God’s plans never fail!

David had a burning desire to know that God would answer his prayer.

Nothing would satisfy David, but the presence of the Lord!

We must keep in mind that there is nothing too hard for God.

Jer 32:27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

There is nothing that God cannot do but go against His character.

God rescued Israel once long ago and God’s plan for Israel is not yet complete.

God had called Abraham and made a covenant with Him.
God had placed Joseph into Egypt so Israel could be fed during a drought.
God had raised up Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt.
God had caused a great miracle at the Red Sea.
God had brought Israel through the wilderness.
God had led Israel into the Promised Land.

For David, God had already given Him victory over Goliath.
God had anointed David to be the next King of Israel.

We can see that God’s plans simply do not fail!

We can be sure that God will rescue Israel again so, His plan can be completed as He has it written down.

David had said that His soul was thirsting after God as a thirsty land.

David’s distressing situation had drained every last drop of life out of Him.

His soul was parched and cracked like dry earth that was in a drought.

We simply need to get our mind off of our own circumstances and remember God’s power and God’s faithfulness to obey His promises.

What God has already done for us is nothing compared to what God is going to do for us!

When we dwell upon things that seem to be impossible, we must know that the word “impossible” is not a word that God uses because nothing is impossible for God!

Isa 40:25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.
Isa 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Isa 40:27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
Isa 40:28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

There is nothing that God cannot do, if He so chooses.

God did not give us the Bible to show His failures because there are no failures of God in it!

David kept praying:

*Psa 143:7 Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
Psa 143:8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

After expressing his thirst for God David resumed praying about his crisis.

David had pressed the Lord to answer quickly, and David was becoming more desperate because David was afraid God would be too late answering his prayer.

God will not fail when our spirits fail!

God does not know how to fail; failure is not part of God’s agenda!

The truth is, if we have God’s countenance we live, but if God turns His back on us, we will die!

When the Lord looks with favor upon our efforts we prosper, but if God refuses to look upon them, we labor in vain.

God will not look upon sin!

We cannot cause God to rush because God always knows what is going on in our lives and the Holy Spirit has already told Him, He just knows.

Psa 139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
Psa 139:5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
Psa 139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Psa 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

We should understand that Divine loving kindness is the root of which all other blessings come.

We could say that God’s love is the fountain from which all blessings flow!
We all desire to walk in the way that the Lord has chosen for us.

Psa 5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.

David would worship Jehovah daily but in the morning hours and many times God spoke with David in that time and here David desires that the Lord would speak to him as He did in those morning worship services.

David was desperate to hear from God, but we cannot make demands of God.

Why was David so desperate? Look again at verse three.

“For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead”

David felt like he could lose his life at any time!

We know that it is God that knows when our life will end, no one else.

What was the best thing David could do?

*Psa 143:9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
Psa 143:10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
Psa 143:11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
Psa 143:12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.

At the first sign of trouble, we need to flee unto God to hide us from our enemy.

**Psa_17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings,
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.
Psa_64:2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

All these Psalms were attributed to David, so we see David had prayed for Jehovah’s help many times.

What does God teach us? God teaches us that sometimes we need to sort of pester Him to get an answer from Him.

God wants to know how sincere we are.

Luk 11:5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
Luk 11:6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
Luk 11:7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
Luk 11:8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

Importunity means persistence, especially to the point of annoyance.

David prayed that God would keep him out of the hands of his enemies.

What prayers will God surely answer?

God will teach us His will for us!

God will also deliver us for His namesake!

The Lord is glorified when it is proved that He is true to His Holy Name!

One of the reasons people are powerless in prayer is because they do not pray specifically.

When we pray in general terms and not specific terms, we are thoughtless and effortless.

God already knows why we are praying we need to be specific.
God already knows our needs we need to be specific, describing them to God.
God knows how desperate we are to evade our enemies, and He will answer in time, but He knows exactly what the right time is!

We know that in David’s early life King Saul was trying his best to kill David or have him killed and we know David needed the Lord to rescue him and He did.

Again, we need to make specific requests in our prayers!

Most of the time in our prayers we just need God to show us His love!

We cannot be fervent in our prayer life if our requests are general and not our specific needs.

If we put ourselves in David’s shoes, we would have panicked far more than David did.

When we desire God’s help, we need to cry out passionately to Him.

We must clearly understand that God wants to answer our prayers!

We would like to think that God would only answer those prayer that are good for us but I believe He will allow us to get some things that are bad for us so we can learn some valuable lesson.

His will for us is for us to do His will for us and most all of it is written down and all we have to do is study the Bible to know His will.

In the end God wants us to be obedient to His Word, live godly lives, and spread the Gospel and enjoy the life He has given us.

Amen

God Cannot Go Against His Word

November 4, 2024 / Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

God’s Promise to Honor His Word

Book of Psalms, Psalm 138

This is the beginning of a group of Palms written by David, and they will remind us of some of the troubles that David went through.

We will also see that this prayer of David concerns the prophecy of the return of Jesus Christ.

We should know that trouble will either bring out the best in us or the worst in us.

Serious troubles in our lives can be used to test to see how we will respond.

God does not cause our troubles, but He will use them to teach us from time to time.

None of us like serious troubles, but God says they are a part of our Christian growth.

How does the Bible describe troubles?

2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
2Co 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

What is God’s remedy for trouble?

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.

Let us see these things that affected David.

****Psa 138:1 A Psalm of David. I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

David is writing to the Lord God Jehovah as He always does.

We cannot be saved unless we praise the Lord Jesus Christ with our whole heart!
We cannot be Christians unless we make a public profession of our faith as David describes in this Scripture.

We must stand face to face with the might of the wickedness of this evil world.

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 know that it is Satan who controls the wickedness of this world, and those little gods are the gods that David is referring to.

Satan continues to flash money in the face of those who believe Him, and we know that it is money that is the root of all evil.

1Ti_6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Those who are lost and rich will seldom come to God, but those who have been saved, but leave the church because of some sum of money like an inheritance, we may be able to entice them with the truth of the Scriptures to come back to the Lord.

The so-called gods of this world need to hear us continuously praising the Lord God Jehovah in their faces.

This is what riles them up when we speak the truth of God.

Only then will the power of Jehovah go before us in a show of strength.

We must stand boldly in our own nation and other nations if we get the opportunity.

That opportunity we have today is our vote and we must vote according to Christian principles from the Word of God.

It is really quite simple! Take each candidate and put them in as a character in the Bible and see how they match up.

We know that money is the root of all evil, but there are still the idol worshippers of Buddha, Mohamed, and the many other little gods of this world.

*Psa 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
Psa 138:3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

When David prayed, he would do his best to face toward Jerusalem.

Even though the word temple is used here, the same Greek word “hekal” is used for temple and also used for tabernacle.

The object is still that David prayed toward Jerusalem.

The Temple was not yet built, in fact, it was not built in David’s time.

For the Church, we have the Holy Spirit within us so we can pray anywhere.

David lists five different reasons for worship:

1) Because of the Lord’s lovingkindness. (His unfailing covenant of love)
2) Because of the Lord’s faithfulness and truth.
The Lord is always true to Himself.
The Lord is always true to His character.
The Lord is always true to His attributes.
The Lord never changes so we can trust Him to always do right.
All these things make the Lord absolutely trustworthy.
3) Because the Lord has exalted His Word above all things even Himself.
4) Because He answered David’s prayers.
5) Because the Lord revived David’s soul (strengthened him, encouraged him, and made David bold in the Word of God)

When we are surrounded by trouble, we find it hard to praise the Lord.

Sometimes this is because of shame, which is a sin, but also for fear of our lives.

We must do our best to be truthful to the Holy Spirit who lives within us and remember the power of God.

We are never to blame God for the circumstances that we face, we live in a wicked world whose god is Satan, and it is getting worse.

Most everyone you meet will say that our world is getting worse as far as the treatment of people.

Just remember that God is with us at all times and God hears us when we cry out to Him!

When we are around other gods, then it is a pretty good time to praise the Lord for, He is the Highest and we should praise Him.

Satan will take His bunch and flee rather than tangle with God because he knows his time is short.

*Psa 138:4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
Psa 138:5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.

Many things will take place before the Lord sits upon the Throne of David!

The two witnesses of the Book of Revelation Chapter 11 will appear and do the things described in that Chapter.

The Antichrist will make war with those two witnesses and he will kill them, but they will not stay dead.

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.
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

Then there will be a great earthquake, and I believe it will affect the entire world, but in Jerusalem, it will be terrible.

Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

Before the Lord Jesus sits upon the Throne of David all the Trumpet woes of the Book of Revelation will have taken place and we can be sure that those kings who are left will fall upon their knees before the Lord Jesus Christ as the Almighty God steps down from Heaven and steps upon this earth at the same place where He had left from on the Mount of Olives.

Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

This is the time when this world will hear the words of God directly from His mouth.

This is when the answer to David’s prayer will take place.

The entire world will sing in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ for Great is His Glory!

*Psa 138:6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

Before King Jesus does anything else He will rescue the poor and the helpless.

This would probably be those who had refused to take the number of the beast.

Rev_13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

The Word of God says:

Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

To the Proud, the Lord says:

Isa 2:10 Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.
Isa 2:11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

David prayed earnestly for the rulers of the earth to believe the Lord.

We should know that David prayed these things, but they would not take place in his day, but the Lord God Jehovah has stated when He will return to this Earth.

Not in David’s day and maybe not in our day but surely in the day of our children or grandchildren.

We will see that the disciples of the Lord wrote down exactly what the Lord Jesus said about these events to come.

Mat_24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mrk_13:29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
Luk_21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

What things were these men talking about?

Certainly, Christian persecution is on top of the list of things that will take place just before the return of the Lord Jesus.

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.

Today the Lord Jesus is on this earth in the bodies of believers, but soon He will return to Earth Himself, but many things will take place just before His return.

The entire world will hear only one Book of Truth when the Lord Jesus speaks with His own mouth the Words of God.

The saints of God will return with the Lord and there will be only one Gospel.

We can see that David prayed the same as we pray, that God’s Kingdom to come to Earth.

Mat 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

This is what the Lord Jesus told us to pray.

Many things will certainly take place before this day happens, but it will happen.

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus is coming back, and we can be sure of it!

*Psa 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
Psa 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

David reminds us of another Psalm:

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

We see that David had more faith than most Christians today.

God wants us to have a good life, and He will see to it that we do if we would only trust Him!

It is easy to see that our world is falling apart which lets us know that we are getting closer to the Day of Christ.

God will not allow our troubles to overtake us if we snuggle up to Him in these last days.

If we would just remember that this is the Lord’s fight, our job is to spread the Gospel until the day He takes us home.

Psa 60:4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah

That banner is our faith.

We must also remember why the Lord will save us; it is because the Lord loves us.

Psa_136:26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

We may not understand everything but one thing we must know is, that all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ, worship some other god who is a false god.

2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

It is not a time to be against Jehovah God!

It is time to be busy with what the Lord gave us to do!

And above all never give up!

Amen

Being Obedient to God

October 23, 2024 / Bobby Mayfield / 1 Comment

Coming to the House of the Lord

Book of Psalms 122 Verses 1-9

Up until October 7, 2023, when Israel’s war began, millions of people traveled to Israel, most of them were Christians.

Some few go now but not many.

Most Christians are headed to Jerusalem because everyone knows Jerusalem is special.

Some people say “It just feels like home” even though they had never been there before.

We know that our Messiah walked all over Israel, but He was crucified at Jerusalem.

As Christians, we know that our spiritual roots extend to Jerusalem!

We will spend a thousand years in Jerusalem serving the Lord, but we will spend eternity in New Jerusalem.

The redeemed of all the ages who will walk through those pearly gates of New Jerusalem to bask in the glorious presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

One day that trumpet will sound, and we will hear and heed the call to worship in God’s true House.

Let us listen to these clear instructions to all believers.

Psa 122:1 A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

We know that David rejoiced to go to the house of the Lord!

There was no Temple yet in Jerusalem, but David had built a Tabernacle in which the Ark of the Covenant was placed.

2Sa_6:17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

David was a man after God’s own heart.

David loved to be in the presence of God.

We know the Lord had chosen to put His name in Jerusalem many years before this.

Deu 12:11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:

Every Christian should have a great desire to go to the House of God and even go more often because of the things we see today going on in Israel.

Israel is God’s timepiece!

So, let us see if this phrase could have another meaning.

It could be describing to us the restoration of Israel when the Lord returns to restore this Earth as it was in the day of Adam.

Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
Amo 9:12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

The phrase “that day” points toward the future.

In fact, it is probably referring to the time when the Lord Jesus will restore Israel as it was in the days of King David.

This means all the land God gave to Abraham.

So let us see which way the Scriptures go.

The Israelite men had to go to the Temple three times a year according to the Law of Moses.

For believers today, we should be in God’s House every time the doors are open to Praise our Savior!

We should know how to act in God’s House!

1Ti 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
1Ti 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

We should go to God’s House often and know that it is a command of God.

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Those who do not go to God’s House often are sinning against the Word of God!

We ought to rejoice when the appointed time comes to go to God’s House.

The Jewish feasts were special times, the highlights of the year and they celebrated the opportunity to go to God’s House.

I live in the Bible Belt and when I meet people on the street and ask them about Church most of them will claim to be saved, but they do not attend church regularly.

Many others go to church, but it seems to be a dreadful duty to them. They just as well stay home!

It should be a joyous occasion every time we go and hear what God has to say!

We must make being at church to be joyful, but it cannot be that way unless we love the Lord.

He is always at church to worship with us and even the Holy Spirit is always there because He lives within us.

Heb_13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

God has a purpose for everything He does.

What was God’s purpose for the founding of Jerusalem?

Psa 122:2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.
Psa 122:3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:
Psa 122:4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.
Psa 122:5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.

***The most important reason for going to Jerusalem was the fact that God had chosen Jerusalem as the place where He would establish His name!

Deu 12:5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:
Deu 12:6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
Deu 12:7 And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

Psa 87:2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Psa 87:3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

There should be no doubt that God loves Jerusalem!

We can also understand that Jerusalem is a picture of the New Jerusalem, but we will not know the full picture of this until the Lord Jesus sits on the throne of David in Jerusalem.

We could also say until the Lord Jesus sits upon the throne of David to rule this world.

God will dwell among His people in the New Jerusalem!

Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

***There is a second reason:

Jerusalem had strong, closely guarded walls.

Jerusalem was a secure city.

2Sa 5:9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.

Most people felt safe when they were inside the walls of Jerusalem.

***There is yet a third reason.

The walls of Jerusalem were solid walls.

Jerusalem was without a doubt the City of God!

Psa 48:8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.

This same God Jehovah is the same God today, still full of power and majesty.

Psa 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

When the gates of the city came into view of God’s children, they knew they were almost home!

Israel was a nation of tribes, and they were all essentially one family. Their leaders were each the sons of Jacob who became Israel. They may have forgotten that for a while, but they are bound to remember when it becomes time to choose the world or time to choose God’s family.

***There is a fourth reason.

As a nation of tribes who had a common ancestor, then they needed a place to gather in the name of God.

Each tribe may operate independently but they could come together in unity because they all had the same God!

When they gathered together for the feast to give thanks to the Lord they obeyed the testimony of Israel, the laws that God had given to them.

Exo 23:14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
Exo 23:15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:)
Exo 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
Exo 23:17 Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord GOD.

There is a great feeling of relief that comes from knowing that you have been obedient to the Almighty Living God.

Jerusalem was the appointed worship center where they came in unity.

God ordained this physical location on our planet for Israel to gather to worship Him.

The world may refuse to acknowledge this, but it does not make it any less true.

Anyone, anyone who tries to alter this ordination of God deserves the punishment that God will place on them!

***A fifth reason also comes to us.

Jerusalem was also Israel’s political center, much like Washington DC is the political center of the United States of America.

We could say the United Tribes of Israel, and this is who they are when they are obedient to God!

In Jerusalem was the location of the Throne of Judgment.

One of the King’s most important duties was to render judgment and execute justice.

The thrones of the house of David would extend until it will be the Lord Jesus Christ, King Jesus, who will sit upon that throne in Jerusalem.

2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

2Sa 7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
2Sa 7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

The Jerusalem of old is a picture of New Jerusalem to come in many ways.

When the Apostle John was on the Isle of Patmos, the Lord Jesus showed him the New Jerusalem.

John reported what he saw.

Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

God’s people will rejoice in New Jerusalem, and all the painful things of this life will have passed away.

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

This new city will be full of God’s Glory.

Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Rev 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

We will all be secure within the walls of New Jerusalem.

Rev 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Rev 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
Rev 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

All God’s people from every nation and every tribe will come together in New Jerusalem.

Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
Rev 21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

We see that God has a plan and those who are against Him cannot stop it!

The greatest privilege after salvation is the privilege to stand in God’s House in New Jerusalem!

There will be a gathering of family members who have gone on before us and those who will come after us.
The Word of God will be exalted because we will understand the things that God has done.
We will praise God like never before because we will truly have the mind of Christ.
We will understand that we are safe and secure throughout all eternity.

Today, especially because of what we see and what we know, we need to pray earnestly for the peace of Jerusalem.

*****Psa 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
Psa 122:7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.
Psa 122:8 For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.
Psa 122:9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.

If you are a Christian, you will love Jerusalem.
If you are a Christian, you will be on the side of Israel.
If you are a Christian, you will pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all of Israel.

To the Eastern part of the world, Jerusalem is called the Holy City and it is.

The Apostle Matthew used this phrase in Scripture and so did the Apostle John.

Mat_4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

Rev_21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Nehemiah, Isaiah, and Daniel used this phrase in the Old Testament all speaking of the same Jerusalem.

Shalom is living happy, untroubled, with a sense of fulfillment.

Shalom and its related words are among the most important theological words in the Old Testament.

Jerusalem has not seen peace throughout the Bible.

The closest this city of God came to peace was in the time of King David, but Jerusalem will finally see peace in the time of King Jesus.

David prayed for peace in Jerusalem asking for peace inside the walls of his city.

David was praying that God would bless the leaders of Israel and would protect them from the wickedness of this world.

How many of us pray such prayers?

David prayed for the peace of Jerusalem for the sake of his family friends and those of all of Israel.

We should remember that King David was responsible for the peace of Jerusalem in his day.

It is one thing to look out for your own self and that of your family, but it takes a lot more to look out for each individual in an entire city.

David next prayed for peace in God’s House.

If we consider all denominations to be the Church today, we can certainly see that there is no peace in God’s House.

We may brag about the church that we attend, but the truth is many denominations are throwing the Bible away and listening to what the world has to say rather than what God has to say.

The Pope the leader of the Catholic Church is one way today and another way tomorrow.

The Wesleyans have thrown out the truth of the Gospel.

The Methodists have forgotten the methods of truth.

The Protestant church has forgotten about those who protested for the truth.

The Southern Baptists have left the truth for lies.

We could go on and on, but the truth is God’s House is not at peace and the church is no longer holding back the evilness and the wickedness in this world.

We know that Israel is at war, so we surely know we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all of Israel as the world turns its back on reality.

The fact remains there will be no peace in Jerusalem until the return of Christ!
There will be no peace in the Church until the Lord Jesus returns to separate the wheat from the tares!
There will be no peace in this world until King Jesus speaks with that sword in His mouth and brings an end to the time of Satan!

Today the Temple of Jerusalem lies in ruins part of it under the Muslim Dome of the Rock.

The Jews have to pray at what is called the Wailing Wall most of them have never been able to even go upon the Temple Mount.

Even so-called Christian sects in Jerusalem haggle over shrines and the Arabs and Jews are at each other’s throats.

The world refuses to recognize that land belongs to the Jews because God gave it to them and God is going to give it back to them.

Those nations that surround God’s people trying to rid this world of them will find that the shoe is on the other foot at the appearance of King Jesus.

The fact is that the Arab nations will almost destroy this world just to annihilate all the Jews, but King Jesus will settle this issue forever before this happens.

We can be with Him, or we can burn in Hell with all other unbelievers.

I choose the Lord!

Amen

LESSONS IN GOD'S WORD

Taking time to read the Bible

Christianity

Alive to Christ Jesus

Are You Weary in Well Doing

Christians Should Be Walking in the Holy Spirit

Liberty in Christ Jesus

Adopted Into the Family of God

Christianity

The Gospel Truth

God Gives Us Hope

God Cannot Go Against His Word

Being Obedient to God

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