god

Exceeding Great and Precious Promises

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Issac or Ishmael

Book of Galatians 4 verses 21 through 31

The way to Heaven is not by any work from us nor by any law; this must be clear to us.

We are also very wrong if we think God needs our help to further the Gospel.

God does not need us at all!

In Luke 19 the Lord Jesus had these words: Luk_19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

It is we who need our Heavenly Father and He offers us opportunities after He saves us.

Our life becomes our testimony as we live to be more like our Savior.

Jhn_12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

There are two words that we see in our lesson today that we need to understand.

1) Promise.
2) Patience.

First promise: It takes God’s wisdom to understand His promise.

1Co 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, “and the wisdom of God”.

We can have no wisdom without the Spirit of Wisdom which comes by the Holy Spirit and a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and in this we will have the power to work on patience and other important things.

Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power”,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

There is no wisdom of God without a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ which gives us the Spirit of Wisdom which is the Holy Spirit!

Now let’s look at the word patience as it pertains to God.

We already know that God is never late, but He is always on time.

Patience:

Listen to these words from the Apostle Peter:

2Pe 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, “they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

Patience is something we will work on most of our lives because we live in this sinful and wicked world!

God has promised Heaven only to those who believe in His Son and have patience till He returns!

Now let’s look at our lesson today:

*Gal 4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

All those who approach God by the Law or by works of goodness or religion are legalists or religionists.

Every one of them needs to understand what they are doing because they will never reach Heaven this way!

They need to understand the implications of what they are doing!

This is why the Apostle Paul was pouring his heart out to these churches in Galatia.

This is also an example for us to not just push away those of legalism, nor those who are religious, maybe we need to show them the “love of Christ” that is within us.

This will not be easy!

We are never better than any of them, we are just better off, and they need to understand why.

Paul’s final attempt to win these souls he went back to the Scriptures.

The first five books of the Old Testament were considered the sacred law to all Jews and Paul used these same passages to show these churches the error in their way of thinking.

This is also a great example for us as we tell the lost about the truth of Jesus Christ.

We must try to tell those who are lost how to escape the bondage they do not realize they are under.

*Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

If we have read the Bible, we all know this passage of the Old Testament.

Abraham, who is the father of all those who believe in the promises of God!

It is by the same faith that Abraham had that we can be saved!

We must just believe what God says and understand that God keeps His promises.

Abraham had two sons at this time though he later had others after the death of his wife Sarah.

The Jews understand that they are descendants of Sarah. This is still in effect today.

Abraham had two sons before Sarah died.

One was born of Sarah who was Issac.

This was a great miracle of God because Sarah had been barren all of her years and far past the time when she could conceive, until the birth of Isaac.

God had promised Abraham a son by his wife Sarah and Sarah just could not believe what God said, or she wanted to be sure that God’s promise to Abraham was true.

The greatest lesson we can learn here is that God does not need our help to keep His promises!

It is still a sin to go against the Word of God and trying to help God is a sin!

God does not need our help; God simply wants us to believe in Him as did Abraham.

Isaac was the Son of Promise, but there was another son who came before Isaac and his name was Ishmael.

Sarah had become discouraged from being barren and she had a slave girl who was bought or given to them by a Pharaoh of Egypt.

Sarah had no patience and thought God needed her help and sent Hagar this young slave into her husband Abraham, and she conceived, and Ishmael was born to this bondwoman.

This is the basis of Paul’s message to these Galatians.

Paul reminded us of all of this:

Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Rom 4:18 Who against hope “believed in hope”, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 “And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform”.
Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Isaac was born after the order and the process of nature to fulfill the promise of God, just as our Lord Jesus Christ after the promised seed was planted.

Sarah had a miracle birth, and our Lord Jesus had a miracle birth both of by the “Promise of God”.

Ishmael was still a precious child as much as any child until influenced by his mother and rejected by Sarah.

None of these things were the fault of Ishmael, and we know God made a promise to Hagar concerning Ishmael.

Ishmael was conceived in sin when Abraham listened to his wife and went against God’s Law.

Exo_20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

This thing has broken up more marriages than anything else in this world.

Again, we cannot help God keep His promises, and this is the basis of a works doctrine.

*Gal 4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
Gal 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Gal 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: “for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband”.Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Gal 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

We should understand that these things the Apostle Paul is teaching are teaching in allegory and there are not many such places in the Bible where this happens.

The Lord Jesus used typology in some of His teachings but not allegory.

To allegorize is to say what is either designed or fitted to convey a meaning other than the literal one, or words adapted to another meaning.

As believers, we accept the Word of God as the literal truth so we must be very careful if we try to do an allegory with the Scriptures

It is best to leave these things to true Bible Scholars who know when to use them.

We cannot ever change the truth of God to mean something else!

The Apostle Paul was a Bible Scholar and He was speaking to mostly Jews who were once confirmed in Judaism and were trying to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and had received some false teaching from Judaizers who were trying to derail the Church.

It is far better if we use typology rather than allegories!

Paul was saying that in these two women Hagar and Sarah we can see the Two Covenants.

The Covenant of Law and the Covenant of Grace.

Some preachers might use the word dispensations.

The one from Mount Sinai, which is the Law and applies to Hagar, and the other from Mount Sion which is the Covenant from Heavenly Jerusalem, bearing the children of liberty and this is Sarah.

Mount Sinai is where Moses saw the burning bush and received his call to lead the Israelites out from the bondage of Egypt and represents the covenant of the Laws of Moses that were intended to lead all of Israel to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, but the Jews refused to take that step.

Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Mount Sion is a reference to Heavenly Jerusalem.

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.

It is the New Jerusalem that is our home, the home of those whose chains of bondage are broken by Jesus Christ and are now the children of God!

It is the New Jerusalem which is that Eternal Spiritual City that God promised to all who approach Him by “faith”.

God’s “Grace” and the promise of our Heavenly Home are both free to those who have faith in the work of Jesus Christ for our salvation.

Jerusalem on earth is a place of turmoil and laws and has never been at peace and will only see peace for a while when the Lord Jesus returns

We have no work to do to get into our Heavenly Home but only believe in the Word of God!

This is why the Covenant of Grace is such a wonderful thing that comes from our Heavenly Father through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Isaac was a child of promise and every believer in the Lord Jesus is also a child of promise!

God made a way for mankind to inherit the Promised Land, and this true Promised Land is not upon this earth.

Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Rom 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

*Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

In the Book of Genesis chapter 21, we can read the story of how Ishmael had been mocking Isaac for some reason, and Sarah the mother of Isaac saw him.

Sarah told Abraham it was time to send that bondwoman away with her son.

Persecution is not specifically mentioned but any insult is considered to be persecution.

Legalism persecutes and enslaves believers.

We are mocked throughout this world because we accept the Word of God as the truth and believe God’s promises.

Ishmael ridiculed, mocked, and persecuted Isaac.

When we try to approach God in the flesh, with our own energy and our own effort, we are rejecting the Grace of God as the means of righteousness.

We cannot build credit with God!
We cannot try to get recognition from God!
We cannot work to get God’s approval!
We do not have it in our power to gain acceptance and praise of God beyond “faith”!

All persons in the flesh refuse to accept this fact and they will never make it to New Jerusalem.

We are in that Age of Persecution today!

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

What did God tell Abraham?

Gen 21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

*Gal 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

We can see that legalism was cast out and can have no inheritance with God!

I believe that most of us in the Church know but not many Jews, that Judaism and Christianity are utterly and forever irreconcilable.

The Jews must accept Jesus Christ in faith just as any other non-believer!

The Law and the Gospel are two entirely different concepts!

God will never accept anyone who approaches Him by law or by works!

No matter how much good and how many good works we present to God on the Day of Judgment God will ask, “What about my Son Jesus” and they will be cast from God’s presence.

What has God done for our salvation?

God loved us enough to send His own Son to die for us, in our place.

A simple prayer would be: Father you are my Savior and Lord. I believe with all my heart that your Christ did die for me and I surrender all I am into His keeping. I know that it is your Righteousness and your death that paid for my sins. In Jesus’ name Amen.

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

And the results:

*Gal 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

The Lord Jesus Christ has freed every believer from the curse of the Law, which ends in death, and eternal separation from the God who made us all.

Amen

Adopted Into the Family of God

/ 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.

The Family of God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Schoolmaster Is No Longer Needed

Book of Galatians Chapter 3 Verse 19 through 29

As we read these Epistles to the Galatians, we can ask why the Laws of Moses were then given.

We know there were teachers in the Galatians church who taught that a person must be justified, and we must.

1) They taught that if that person did the very best he could and honestly tried to obey the Law of God and do much good then he could be justified.

2) if that person practiced religion, by keeping all the rituals, keeping all the ceremonies, keeping all the rules of the church, then he could be justified.

3) If he submitted to the basic ritual of the church, circumcision, church membership, baptism, and whatever else they thought of, they could be justified.

None of these things are bad things, but keeping these things will not justify anyone in the eyes of God!

Only the Lord Jesus Christ can justify any individual!

The Lord Jesus said you could wrap up all the 613 laws of the Jews into two laws:

Mar 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Then Jesus said:

Jhn_14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Jhn_15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

It is only by love that we can show our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

It is only by love that we can show we truly believe in the Son of God!

When we truly love someone, we would never do anything to harm them in any way, and we would listen to what they say.

It is in our believing, truly believing, in the work God’s Son has done for our salvation, that we can be justified!

When everything in this world goes sour, our faith must remain in the Lord Jesus Christ who died, so that we can live.

If we cannot believe that God has everything under His control, we will never trust Him.

This is where our faith kicks in.

The fundamental act that saves anyone is “faith” in the Lord Jesus Christ.

What is the will of God for every individual on this earth? It is the will of God that all mankind be saved.

1Ti_2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

This is why the Devil tries to keep us at odds with one another.

God the Father accepts our faith for righteousness just as He did Abraham.

1) The law was given to make us aware of sin.
2) The law was only temporary.
3) The law was not given by God, but through a mediator, therefore it is inferior.
4) The Law has no power to give life.
5) The law declares that the whole world is a prisoner to sin.

The law is usually a designation of the law God gave to Moses.

1) There is civil law which is given for the responsibility of neighbors.
2) There is the ceremonial law which legislated Israel’s worship life.
3) There is the moral law which we call the Ten Commandments.

It is the Ten Commandments which God identified as God’s timeless standards of right and wrong.

In all the Jews had 619 laws covering everything in their life.

We must understand that it is by “Sound Doctrine” that we will see life-changing behavior that is based upon love.

1Jn 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
1Jn 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

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

We know that love has just about left our world, and this world has become a place where lust dominates people’s behavior.

Eph_2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

This is easy to see, and abortion is the result of lust.
Lust is the power behind all immorality!

We need to take these things seriously for without love we see nothing, but compromise and we just cannot compromise the truth of God with the ways of this world as we see going on today.

Just how do we know that by the Law no one can be seen as righteous?

*Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

1) The law condemns so it cannot give life.
2) The law was temporary commencing with national life of the Jewish people.
3) The law was not given immediately, like the promises to Abraham, but by mediator, Moses, in the presence of angels.
4) The law was a contract between God and man, with life depending on the total fulfillment of its terms and not like a promise.

The law was added but not to interfere with God’s Promise to Abraham.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

The law was only the knowledge of sin!

Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

That sin could appear as sin! Most people know what sin looks like even if they will not admit it.

Rom 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

The strength of sin is the law!

1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

The law was not given to restrain or to punish sin, nor to show us how evil this world has become.

The laws are given to show us that evil is already in this world and is very active in this world.

If our politicians would only understand this, they would go back to the Ten Commandments to make us aware of just how wicked and evil our world is today.

We already know that “seed” which was to come, is in fact, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Promised Messiah.

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The seed of Abraham is the same seed of the woman! It was no accident that both of these passages use the same singular form of the word seed.

We can also say that the seed of the snake, who was taken over by Satan, will show up one day as the Antichrist which may not be far off.

In fact, he may already be on the scene. We should also understand that Satan has had a wicked individual ready from day one because he does not know what day the Lord will return.

We could name off all sorts of wicked and evil men, but we all know this is true.

1Jn_2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1Jn_2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1Jn_4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
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.

The law was ordained by angels:

Deu 33:1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
Deu 33:2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.
Deu 33:3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.
Deu 33:4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

This was the teaching given to all the Jews:

Act 7:51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
Act 7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Act 7:53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

Of course, we know that this was Stephen, and these Jews picked up stones and murdered a great man of the early church.

The Apostle Paul was aware of what happened to Stephen because he was an eyewitness though he never threw one stone.

Paul did not know for sure if this same thing might happen to him.

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.

The leaders of the Church in Jerusalem were solid in their convictions, as was the Apostle Paul and we must be the same.

The law was added because of transgressions, till the “seed”, the Messiah, should come.

Once the Messiah came the law was to be set aside!

Now the perfect life that Jesus led is our model on how we are to live because only the Lord Jesus had the willpower to keep all those laws in what was referred to as “The Law”.

We know that the Law is still in place for all the unbelieving world!

*Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

The fact that the “giving of the law” a mediator was needed marks the nature of that transaction as a compact entered into between two parties.

The law came from God, but it was given by angels and then from angels to mankind.

Deu 33:2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

Act 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

A Mediator implies that there were two parties God and man.

Then Moses became that mediator between God and man.

The law was given secondhanded, but not the promise of God.

When mankind broke the covenant of the law, then the law had no meaning other than good words to live by!

The God of promises is One and only One. Grace came as a gift to whosoever has the faith to reach out and receive it.

The Giver is everything and the receiver is nothing.

God the Father is the Bestower of the free gift to this entire world, and because He worked His Grace through His Son, is all we need to know.

Is the Law then against the promises of God?

*Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

If God was the author of both the law and the promises, how can they be an opposition.

The Apostle answers: If the law had given life, then there would be no need for the promises.

Life was forfeited by sin, by breaking the law came death!

The law was only words and rules!

The law only injected the idea of behavior into the mind of man!

As the descendants of Adam and Eve all we know is to rebel against the laws of God.

The law demands obedience, but it leaves us on our own to comply or not to comply.

The Lord Jesus Christ was the only person who fulfilled the covenant of the law between God and mankind.

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

God had to poor Himself into the flesh of a man and then die to accomplish this for us.

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

It is the life of Jesus, that is now our standard for living, and not any law!

*Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

If we have a Bible written according to “Received Text” then that Bible will teach us that we are all sinners.

That word concluded means: “leaves no means to escape”.

God says if we search all the Scriptures, we will find no other way to please God beyond ‘Grace”.

This verse shows us all, that there is no other way to get to Heaven except by the “Grace of God”!

Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

From the time we are born till the time we die, we are all lawbreakers and all under the penalty of sin!

In fact, we are all as prisoners under solitary confinement as in a dungeon with no hope for life outside that cell.

The one purpose the law had was, to encourage all mankind to seek Jesus Christ, that is, righteousness by “Faith”.

When we believe the work that Jesus did for our salvation, then Jesus will judge us righteous and each believer becomes a “partaker of the Divine nature of God!

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
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.

Before the Lord Jesus paid the price required for our sin, His blood, we had no means to become righteous in the eyes of God.

We can see it took the Apostle Paul some time to straighten this church out after they had received some False teachings in their midst.

Faith in Christ frees us from the penalties of the law.
Faith in Christ makes us the children of God.
Faith in Christ makes us one with God.
Faith in Christ makes us heirs to the promises of God.

*Gal 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

In a real sense, the law is a prison for all mankind!

We can all understand the full “Gospel” revelation of salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ!

The law is nothing more than a prison that binds us.

1) The law shows us exactly where we fail.
The law shows us exactly where we come short in our relationship with our Heavenly Father.

The laws tell us to do this and we in rebellion do that.

It is like a speed limit sign. When we pass that set speed we are breaking the law. It is really very simple to understand, and we only have to do it one time.

2) The law accuses and condemns us.

Just as soon as we break the law, we are charged for it.

The law is in black and white and there are no gray areas.

We cannot say we did not break the law because that just drives us deeper into sin.

Breaking the law leads to a life of conviction.

There is no way we can know how many are running from the law today because they know they are guilty.

3) The law has no life and no power to deliver anyone from the punishment due him.

The law cannot deliver anyone from their sin.

The bond to the law is perpetual. That person is guilty until the day they die, and the punishment is established.

The only hope for man is for someone to appear with the power to release him before he faces that judgment.

That someone has appeared, and His name is Jesus.

We who need to be set free must accept His deliverance.

The choice is ours! We can accept Him, or we can reject Him.

if we do not believe that Jesus has the power to free us from our bondage then He will not!

It is only “faith” that can give us the answer!

The law was nothing more than a Schoolmaster, or a Guardian, to lead us to know that we need Christ.

In the day of Paul, the Guardian was a trusted slave who had one job and that was to deliver the child they cared for to the Schoolmaster, then at the end of the day he would bring that child back to safety.

This is what the law was supposed to do but the law had no power to do this.

The law shows us that we cannot obtain righteousness by ourselves.

We need to look to Jesus Christ, and we can be justified by our faith.

Only, ONLY Jesus Christ can bring us face to face with God on good terms, the terms of Grace.

The law can only take us to bondage!

The law only points to us as the children of the Devil.

Joh 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Joh 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

*Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

How do we know that we are justified by faith, and not by the law, and not by doing the best we can?

Because faith makes us the children of God!

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

God is stirred to adopt us because of the work of His Son.

Faith causes us to focus on the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ.

God will accept everyone who focuses on His Son Jesus.

God will not accept those who reject His Son Jesus.

This is exactly what the Scriptures say, so why are so many in this world confused? False Teaching and False Preaching.

When we honor the Son of God, God is well pleased!

When we say the word righteousness then, we are talking about the Lord Jesus Christ.

By believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, we become the children of God, and our Baptism was the sign of this relationship, though Baptism is not a requirement for our salvation.

Baptism would be one of the first works we would do after our salvation.

Once the Schoolmaster is no longer needed it is the life of Jesus Christ that becomes our Schoolmaster.

Jesus is the pattern of what every person should be!

When we give our faith to the Lord Jesus Christ, God clothes us in the righteousness of His Son until the day we receive our glorified bodies.

When God looks down on us from Heaven, He only sees the righteousness of His Son, and He accepts us as His own children.

If we belong to Jesus Christ, if we are a part of Him, who is the promised Seed, then we are the seed of Abraham. We are heirs according to the promise given to Abraham.

We can call this adoption because we are placed as sons and daughters. After all, Jesus is the Son of God.

We should understand that our Heavenly Father has complete power over His children as long as He lives, and He can never die.

Adoption is a serious thing!

Adoption is a permanent thing!

Those who are adopted have all the rights of Jesus Christ the only Son of God.

Those who are adopted have lost all rights in their old family and therefore a “new person”, so new that old debts and obligations connected with their former family are canceled out and abolished as if they never existed.

This is the meaning of being adopted into the family of God.

We have a new relationship with God.

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

We have a new Father!

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

We have a special relationship with all our other brothers and sisters.

Eph 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Eph 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

We just become a new person.

Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
Eph 4:23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

We are ready to meet the One who gave us all these things when He died on Mount Calvary and then arose from that death.

1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

*Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Our faith in Jesus Christ makes us brothers and sisters in Christ. We are one in Christ.

We are all together the Bride of Christ.

We all stand on equal footing at the feet of Christ!

The Lord Jesus Christ reaches out and embraces every believer, and it does not matter that we are so different from Him.

He treats us as His equal though we can never be His equal!

When we look at other believers, we know to treat them as our equals, and we all are equal.

When we look at other believers, we should be able to see the righteousness of Christ in them as God the Father sees in us.

We pay no attention to the color of their skin, their nationality, their sex, their social status, or any other difference.

Psa 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

*Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

To be justified by faith we become heirs of the promises to Abraham!

Abraham was to receive God’s blessings which include God’s acceptance, God’s righteousness, and eternal life in the New Heaven and the New Earth as a child of God.

Amen

The Curse of the Law

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Curse of the Law and Redemption in Christ

Book of Galatians Chapter 3 verses 10 through 18

We must understand that to be righteous, we must live by faith!

As we continue in this Chapter, we will see that Paul continues with the example of faith by Abraham.

We cannot live in this world without faith and certainly will not have eternal life without faith in the Word of God.

Today, it takes a lot of faith just to step outside the safety of our homes and go to work or anywhere.

We must first have faith that the automobile will take us where we need to go.

When we lose faith in that car then most of us will trade it or at least get another one.

Most of us who have a weapon have one because of the lawlessness we see in this world.

Our own nation is not as safe as it used to be, and we have more laws than we ever had.

As a child, we could walk to meet our friends or walk to town and not worry about harm.

We would walk to school without worry.

Our children and grandchildren do not have this same safety, and protection becomes necessary even in the safety of our homes.

Laws are useless to those who will not obey them.

The Liberals in our nation do not understand this, yet they shield themselves from this lawlessness with walls, guards, and all sorts of weaponry that they want to deny us, the average taxpayer.

Lawlessness is increasing in our nation, and we see no end to it!

We left last week’s lesson seeing that God’s blessing comes to those who have “faith” in the Word of God.

Abraham’s righteousness came from his faith in what God had told him!

If God’s blessings come by obedience, then we can see that God’s curse will come by disobedience!

Therefore, the Laws of man put mankind under a curse just as the Laws of Moses did to the Jews.

We cannot say that these laws are all bad, it is the lawbreakers who are bad!

The word curse means; to be condemned and doomed to punishment by the righteous judgment of God.

Let’s put God’s curse into His words.

2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
2Pe 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
2Pe 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
2Pe 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

When does this judgment take place? At our death and it is immediate even though the final judgment will come till the end of the Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

All those who deny the Lord Jesus as our Savior will wait in Hell until the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ, then they will face Him in judgment.

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.

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The thing about death is we never know when our death will come.

We live in fragile bodies of flesh, and we had better know that God the Father has both life and death in His hands.

So, why does the Law put a curse on mankind? Disobedience.

*Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Why does the Law have such a curse?

It is really simple! No one wants to keep the Law!

Many people believe they are to live as they see fit and some do.

As we have seen recently, there is a hierarchy in our Nation and our government who believe that the laws are made for the little people and not for them, they are so special.

The curse is the “mark of death”, the “mark of condemnation”, or guilt: alienation from God both in this life and throughout all eternity.

There is a righteousness that comes by the Law! This righteousness promises life to any person who can obey the Law perfectly.

If there is someone who can meet every requirement of the Law during his or her lifetime and never once falls below God’s standard, then that person can escape the penalty of sin, which is death.

Rom 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

If you choose to live by the Law rather than faith, then there is no place for error!

The only person we know for certain who has done this is the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, our perfect Savior!

Jesus secured righteousness for each of us because He lived in righteousness!

The Gospel message is that instead of claiming this right for Himself, He offered to give His perfection and His righteousness to the people of earth because He took our sins upon Himself.

Jesus Christ accomplishes the same purpose that God the Father had for the Law!

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 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

This verse in Ephesians 1 verse 7 is where we get that phrase, “God’s Riches At Christ Expense”.

The law is filled with cold letters with no power to give life!

We should know that the Law was only a temporary arrangement between God and man.

The law was to extend only from Moses to Jesus Christ.

Gen 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

God never intended the Law to be the way to salvation!

The Law was given to show us our guilt, our sin, and our awfulness.

We realize this once we walk in the Grace of God!

We can look back and see how awful we really were.

The law was given to show us our guilt.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The Law has never had the power to give life!

The Law is in fact, much inferior to God’s “Grace”.

*Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, “The just shall live by faith”.

In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit said the same thing.

Hab 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
Hab 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Hab 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but “the just shall live by his faith”.

There is only one answer, and it is the Lord Jesus Christ!

1Jn 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

None of this is confusing so, those who hate Jesus have chosen to defy God!

No one is justified by doing the best they can because God will not excuse sin.

God does not excuse sin, but God will forgive sin under the right condition and that condition is recognizing the work that Jesus has done for us for our salvation.

Once we have truly trusted God, we can be justified because the just shall live by “faith”.

We can only have life by the principle of faith, not the principle of works!

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.

When we believe in God and believe the promises God has made to us, and we do what God says, then the power of faith energizes us to live a justified life.

*Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

The Law is all about performance.

Rev 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

The Apostle Paul explains this to all the Christian Church.

The life element of the Law is not of faith, it is of work, and we simply cannot work our way to Heaven.

By “faith” we will receive the gift of God, which is salvation and eternal life in God’s House and it is a free gift.

By our work means we are trying to pay for salvation which dishonors God who has offered us His free gift to us.

The Lord Jesus Christ has “redeemed” us from the work of the Law!

*Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The word “redeemed” means ransomed; delivered from bondage, delivered from distress, delivered from liability, delivered from penalty, or from the possession of another, by payment of an equivalent.

In the Scriptures the Greek word used for ransomed (exagorazo) meant, to buy up that is ransom, to rescue from loss, redeem.

In reality, the work that the Lord Jesus did on that cross freed every believer from the dominion of the Mosaic Law and that price was His death!
We must also realize that the Lord Jesus died for all the sins of this world by all people!

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

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

Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Eph 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

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.
1Jn 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Our Lord Jesus Christ substituted Himself, His perfect life, for our sinful life.

What did God tell Abraham?

Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide “himself” a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

When we stand before God, we will stand in the righteousness of our Savior, perfect because Jesus was perfect!

When we see that word cursed, it does not mean that a man is cursed because he is executed upon a tree.

It means that man was cursed because he was judged as a lawbreaker.

This is the curse that Jesus Christ took in our place.

We were lawbreakers but Jesus led a perfect life according to all those 613 Jewish laws.

Rom_10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

It is because He did this that He opened the door to the blessings of God to all mankind, but we must believe.

Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

This is how God the Father kept His promise to Abraham for God will never break a promise.

This is where the Muslim break rank with the Jews, but still try to cling to Abraham and it does not work that way.

All those who believe in Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, will receive the promise of God’s Holy Spirit which is the answer to the promise of a “divine nature”.

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.

This is the answer to God’s Promise of a “new birth”!

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Joh 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

This is the promise of being made a new creature. (a new creation of God).

2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This is the answer to the promise of being made into a new man.

Eph 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Without being a home to the Holy Spirit none of these things can take place!

So, when we hear people say, just be the best you can be and God will accept you, we know that this could never be true.
So, when we hear people say, there is more than one way to get to Heaven, we know that this could never be true.
So, when we hear people say that God will never break His promises, we can know that this is the greatest truth of the Bible.

*Gal 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

Promises, Promises, Promises.

God has given us a permanent covenant, that is lasting.

A covenant is an agreement between two parties, a special relationship.

We should understand that once a covenant has been made and executed, it stands, it stands forever.

It cannot be annulled or added to!

God seals His covenant with us with promises, so He cannot ever break His promises!

God and Abraham’s seed are bound to keep their word to one another.

We can now see the meat of this covenant.

*Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

God made this covenant with Himself!

What the Apostle Paul was teaching these Galatians was that trying to get saved according to the Law would only end in death and eternal separation from God.

That seed of Abraham to which the promises were made is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Gen 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

We see the word “seed” is singular and not plural and that seed is Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the descendant who was to inherit the land promised to Abraham.

We see the land of Canaan belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. And he will settle with israel for one thousand years.

Canaan of course is a type of the New Heavens and New Earth. Which will be the home where the Bride of Christ will be located.

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

Jesus Christ and His descendants will receive the Promised Land which are the New Heaven and New Jerusalem.

Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Those who do not think Abraham was looking for the same things that all believers are looking for today are wrong and there are many others who also believed the Gospel before Christ came.

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

*Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

How do we know that we are justified by faith alone?

God gave His covenant of “faith” four hundred and thirty years before He gave Moses the law for the Jews.

1) When the Law was given the Promise of Faith to Abraham had not yet been fulfilled so the Law could not make the promise to Abraham void.

The promise to Abraham and his descendant Jesus Christ still stood.

Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

2) The covenant made with Abraham told mankind how he was to follow God to receive the promises of God, “that is by faith”.

The Law was given for a different purpose entirely!

The command to follow God had already been given and established by the covenant of faith to Abraham.

By the Law no man can be justified, but only “by faith” in the Promises of God!

God’s Covenant of Faith by the Grace of God is sure!

It cannot be revoked or changed!

As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and the work that He has done for our salvation, we shall inherit the promises made to Abraham and the Lord Jesus Christ.

These things are not that complicated if you accept the Bible for what it says and the promises God has made, still knowing that God can never break a promise and still be God.

Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

*Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

How do we know that a person is justified by faith alone?

Because God gave His covenant and His inheritance by Promise and not by the Law!

All through the writings of the Apostle Paul he came back to make this same point in every church and every group of believers because it is the truth.

The inheritance given to Abraham by Promise is that of “righteousness” which is being accepted by God and given the privilege of living with Him forever.

God does not accept righteousness in any other fashion than the Word he has given to us.

Who would not want that?

Who would not give all they have for such a promise, but God offers it for free just for “Faith”?

God would not break a promise because it would go against His nature and His character.

It is a great privilege to be offered a chance to live with the Almighty God forever throughout eternity.

Jesus said:

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”.

Jesus would not have said this if it were not true!

Amen

Oh, Foolish Church of Today

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Salvation by Grace Through Faith

Book of Galatians 3:1-9

If we are not firm in our beliefs right now, then we need to learn as the Apostle reintroduces the Doctrine of Salvation to these Galatians.

We must understand that we can have the most solid church in the world, but if we allow one false preacher or teacher to come into our church with his false message, it will cause confusion to one or more of our brothers and sisters, and it may take months to straighten out the mess they leave behind.

Salvation comes to us only through God’s ” Grace” and only through our “Faith” in Him!

Faith is accepting that the Word of God is true! Not just a few words but all His Word. Not just certain Words but all His Word! Not just the red letters, but all the letters.

If we get confused by the red letters, which are the very words of Jesus, then get a Bible written all in black ink.

We can remember “grace” as “God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense”.

The Spirit of Jesus, God’s Holy Ghost caused all the Scriptures to be written according to what God wanted to say.

All the writers were like typewriters with the Holy Spirit leading their fingers to the right keys or as the printer with God inserting all the letters of type.

From last week’s lesson, we read:

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”.

Paul has already taught these Galatians that no one can keep those 613 Jewish Laws to God’s satisfaction, nor can any man-made law save anyone.

Our own government writes biased laws that will never accomplish anything.

Every Jew sought “righteousness” through those old laws, and this is the reason that they had to bring a sacrifice to the High Priest which brought forgiveness for one year only.

The next day after that sacrifice they were already guilty of sin again.

There is only one way to meet God’s demands, and it is by “faith” in the work of His Son, the Messiah, who has completed to save us.

It is easy to say God’s demands or God’s commands when everything God does is for our salvation and eternal life.

Jehovah God has never been unrighteous!

Any doctrine that makes the death of Jesus Christ unnecessary for our salvation is irreverent toward our Heavenly Father and revolting to Christians who know better!

These Galatians had taken their eyes off of Jesus and looked to the world for the truth, and many a church has done this today.

Just look at how many places of worship closed their doors and refused to celebrate the birth of our Savior. The Church is the Body of Christ.

It is a shame that we cannot celebrate our Savior which began with His miracle birth!

In order to die for our sins, God had to pour Himself into a body of flesh that could die and then resurrect from that death because God simply cannot die, but He raised Himself to show us the power of His resurrection.

To bewitch is the work of a Sorcerer!

it is believed that these Judaizers were influential Jews who were gladly accepted into the Church in Antioch and were immediately given positions of authority and their full intention was to destroy the Church and grow Judaism.

It was intentional.
It was revolting.
It was wicked.
It was Devilish.

It is clearly seen that our teachers and preachers need to be vetted or well-known for the truth before they are allowed to teach in any church or any place of worship.

We had better realize that religious rituals have saved nobody.

We had better know that a false doctrine only opens the gates of Hell and there is no escape.

There is no such place as purgatory and those who believe only put some so-called priest in a new luxury car as I saw in Mexico as they wear holes in the collection boxes trying to pay God to move that soul from a so-called purgatory to Heaven.

*Gal 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

That word “foolish” means; void of understanding sound judgment.

In Scripture it means wicked, sinful, acting without regard to Divine Law or the Glory of God.

It can also mean proceeding from depravity.

One of the most stupid things we can do is to leave the Church after we have heard and understood the truth!

The Greek word that was used also meant to be foolish or unwise.

The Apostle Paul was just saying, why have you Galatians allowed these people to come in and rob you of your happiness?

The “Good News” of Jesus Christ brings happiness when any news of this world will rob us of our happiness!

It is the errors of this world that totally ruins our lives and our future lives!

The simple way that Jesus has made for us to get to our real home just seems too hard for many people and they falsely believe they must have to do something to earn it when there is nothing we can do but be obedient to the Word of God, all the Word of God.

2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2Co 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

So many people believe that we need to hear from some great mighty man of God such as the way that the Catholics see the Pope, to be able to understand the simplicity of salvation that they just cannot imagine a God so humble that He would die for them.

In truth, we do not have to understand it, for who can explain “Grace”?

Grace is the unmerited, undeserved favor of God!

Without God’s “Grace,” there is no saving power.

One of the greatest Scriptures in the entire Bible says:

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.

False teaching can stop all salvations in every place of worship!

It was the Law that placed Jesus Christ upon that cross!
It was love that kept Him there.
It was “Grace” that made Him do all these things.

God would have sinned Himself had He not died for His creations!

When those fancy-mouthed religionists came to the Church in Antioch it was to put a stop to Christianity, and they could have succeeded if not for the power of Grace.

Grace still means: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

Errors deceive people and when those errors are intentional, they will destroy you!

The word bewitched means to fascinate, or cast a spell, to mislead or deceive.

The Judaizers were very capable, persuasive speakers with dynamic personalities.

They had charisma as some would say.

These are qualities I sometimes wish I had, but in reality, if you get any knowledge from these things I say every week then you got them from the Holy Spirit because I do not possess those qualities.

I just try to go where the Lord leads me.

When those Judaizers spoke, the things they said just made sense to these baby Christians.

When they said, you need to keep such and such ritual, it just made sense.
When they said, surely there must be some work that needed to be done, it just made sense.
When they said God had certain laws for us to obey, it just made sense.

It all sounded reasonable and logical, but it was all false teaching!

God said we might never understand His “Grace”, and we may never understand the amazing love of God!

We do not have to completely understand “Grace”, we just have to have “faith” that what the Lord Jesus did for us was what is needed for us to be saved.

Be sure to understand that if not for Jesus, we would have certainly seen the wrath of God on our person.

We will never understand the wrath of God without a complete understanding of God’s holiness.

Since God is a Holy God then those around and near Him must also be holy!

God cannot be near sinners for very long because in our flesh we can never be holy unless we are a home for the Holy Spirit.

All those who do not have the presence of the Holy Spirit in them will feel the wrath of God!

The Word of God tells us that showing His wrath is the proper thing for Him to do at sinners.

Isa 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 5:25 Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

The truth is error will lead us away from Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit will only lead us to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The elements of love and compassion are always connected to God’s anger and He would rather show these than His anger but His anger is promised if there is no repentance.

When Paul preached, he preached the straight truth that Jesus Christ took our place on that cross and by this action, He took away all our sins and put them upon Himself.

Jesus Christ bore the punishment for everyone who has ever lived and forever who will come in the future until He returns to take us home.

Why is it so hard to understand that God sent His Son into this world to die for us?
Why is it so hard to believe that God expects all His creation to understand this?
Why is it so hard to believe that God took their faith and love in His Son and accepted them for their righteousness?

Over eighty percent of this world believes in some god, I just believe that my God is the most powerful of them all and that He would never lie to me about anything.

If this makes me to be a fool, then so be it but my God says they are the ones who are fools!

Just how do we receive the Holy Spirit?

*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?
Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

Just how do we receive the Holy Spirit?
Just how do we begin our Christian Walk?

There is one thing all believers know and the believers in the churches of Galatia knew it too: no person earns, wins, or merits the Holy Spirit of God!

We are too polluted and with all the news about “climate change,” we all know something about pollution and what it means to us today.

We all fall far too short of the glory of God to get anywhere near the Holy Spirit!

Even when sinners are doing nothing at all, their minds are usually in the gutter or they are planning their next sinful act.

If we go back to the very day that we got saved, we know that it was by faith that we received the Holy Spirit because there is no law in the Bible that allows for this to take place!

We know by what happened in our own heart that God took our faith and counted it for righteousness and the Holy Spirit moved right on in.

Since the Holy Spirit has moved in there no evil spirit can ever move back in because the Holy Spirit is far too powerful to allow that to happen.

We may not be what we could be by complete obedience to the Holy Spirit and for certain we can grieve the Holy Spirit, but He will never leave us neither will He forsake us.

Jhn_14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Jhn_14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Jhn_15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Jhn_16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

These are all things that the Holy Spirit will do when He enters into us!

He will not enter into us without our faith in the work the Lord Jesus Christ has done to save us.

Those who question if there is such a God will know the answer to that question once they accept the truth of Jesus.

Every person must hear the glorious message of “Faith”!

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

Each believer can only grow and be perfected after that person has preached the Word of God to them.

The hearing of “faith” is the only way a person can ever become acceptable to God!

The Holy Spirit is God’s gift to each believer!

This gift cannot be earned.
This gift cannot be won.
The Holy Spirit can only be given and can only be given by Jehovah God!

The Holy Spirit is given at the moment of our salvation, and the Bible refers to this giving as what we would call a down payment.

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

In the days of the depression people would put back what they called “earnest” money to be used in an emergency or maybe a downpayment on an item they sorely needed but could not afford.

The word earnest in the Greek meant a pledge or token given as assurance of the fulfillment of a promise.

As a believer, we need to focus our love, our attention, and our life upon the Lord Jesus Christ!

Without this, we cannot be accepted by God the Father.

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.

These Galatians had already suffered greatly because they had first accepted Christ.

*Gal 3:4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

If we do not know now, we will suffer because we have placed our faith in the God of the Bible, Jesus the Messiah.

This happened immediately to the Jews for forsaking Judaism.

They suffered ridicule, abuse, isolation, and persecution from any Jew who knew them beforehand.

Since this suffering had already taken place for believing the truth, they would surely look foolish if they turned away from the Lord Jesus so, they suffered in vain.

If they repented and came back to Christ, then this suffering would have not been in vain.

In fact, every Christian who turns away from this world and turns toward Jesus the Messiah will still suffer today.

Such things as “denying self” would at first bring some suffering.

“Taking up our own cross” and following the Lord Jesus would have suffering.

Just “separating” ourselves from this world will bring suffering, even today, especially in certain countries.

The Lord Jesus said many of our rewards and blessings would come from this action against us.

Mat 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Then Paul asked these Galatians again just how did you obtain the Holy Spirit?

*Gal 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

We can be sure that we will receive nothing from God unless we have this “saving faith”!

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.

I know we see this Scripture a lot, but we need to realize just how important our faith is.

No one would climb aboard an airplane if they did not have the faith that it was safe to do so.

In fact, no one could even sit down in a chair if they did not have enough faith that chair would hold them up.

Faith is important to us in our everyday life, but it is most important when we put that faith in the hands of the Supreme God!

Our faith is not what it is, our faith is what it does!

Our “Faith” does the necessary work so that we do not have to do any work for our salvation.

A wise man once said; “The only thing I can give to Jesus toward my salvation is a dirty rotten sinner”.

We know that the Apostles of Christ had some power to heal along with some other powers shared with them by the Holy Spirit, but it always was built around faith.

So, these Galatians had seen some miracle healing and some other miracles.

Act 14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked:
Act 14:9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
Act 14:10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

Now we must not be confused about these powers the Holy Spirit shared with the Apostles.
Today we have the complete Canon of Scripture, and these powers are not given to men.

We should be able to understand that miracles did not happen at random throughout Scripture but occurred in three major periods.

1) In the days of Moses and Joshua.
2) In the days of Elijah and Elisha.
3) In the days of Jesus Christ and the Apostles.

There were select miracles outside the scope of time, but not many.

During this time of Jesus and the Apostles, miracles were given to authenticate a message!

God gave enough of His power to these men and in these periods only, along with a New Message, the “Good News”.

Miracles came in the time of the New Testament to validate the New Message given by Jesus Christ to the Apostles.

With the completion of the canon of Scripture the need for miracles as validating a sign disappeared.

Any miracle associated with the Word of God today is done by God Himself!

The gift of miracles is much broader than the gift of healing.

The gift of miracles would also mean “power” or “a work of power”.

There is also a distinction between miracles and the gift of miracles.

Still, the ability of any individual to perform miraculous acts ceased with the Apostolic Age.

God does times still answer the prayer of a believer but this is His choice and for His reasons, but He does not do this through a medium of another person.

Those who claim such power today are false preachers and liars!

Again, God may heal in response to prayers, and He does I am living proof!

Even when God allowed this power to a few men, we should remember that God did not heal every person including the Apostle Paul.

2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
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.
2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Paul admitted that he was stronger under God’s power than he would have been if God had healed him, and it is the same for most all of us. I know it is for me!

There is no longer a need for any of the powers given to men because we have the full Canon of Scripture given to us by the Holy Spirit and it is the Holy Spirit who provides the things we need working through the truth of the Gospel and our “Faith”.

Remember there was a city where even Jesus could not perform any major miracle because they had no faith.

Mar 6:4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
Mar 6:5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
Mar 6:6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Next Paul gives us the example of Abraham.

*Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

All Abraham needed was the “Word of God” and “his faith” in it!

Abraham was justified by his faith alone!

What is the truth?

It was the Word of God that promised Abraham the “Good News” of the Messiah even though it could not happen during his lifetime.
It was the Word of God that told Abraham that the Law puts man under a curse.
It was the Word of God that promised that only the Messiah could redeem Abraham from that curse.

Abraham was the founder of the Jewish nation, but Abraham was a Gentile!

It was Abraham who was the first Ambassador of God. He left the only home he knew and was searching for a new home, a Promised Home.

Abraham left a place where many gods were worshipped and Abraham began to worship the One True God, Jehovah.

Abraham’s one work was for him to follow the Word of God and have faith in the Truth of God. Abraham had to believe, and he did.

Not many of us would have been like Abraham yet we frown on the few times that Abraham failed God.

Abraham left his family, his friends, his job, and his nation to go to a place he had never seen nor ever heard of.

Abraham believed God and he was judged righteous for that one reason!

Abraham had no law to follow the laws of Moses had not been given!

Abraham simply believed what God told him!

We should know that God did not give these same promises to anyone else.

Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Rom 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

Abraham’s faith preceded his obedience to God, and it is the same for us today.

*Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Gal 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

God promised the Gospel to Abraham many years ago and Abraham knew he would never see its completion, but Abraham was looking out for his children at a time when Abraham did not have any children.

Abraham trusted God to give him children from a barren woman!

To Paul, the Scripture was the Word of God just as we believe today, and it is true.

There was no Bible for Abraham to place his faith.

Abraham had a voice in his head or some vision to place his faith.

The Scriptures declared the Gospel truth from the time of creation!

It was by Abraham’s faith that he was justified because Abraham was not a perfect man and none of us can be until we believe and God accounts that faith it for our righteousness.

Abraham did finally have one son who was Issac, a miracle birth.

When we study the Word of God, we will see that the events in the life of Isaac were a parallel to the life of Jesus Christ.

1) Isaac had a miraculous birth:

Gen 15:2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
Gen 15:3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
Gen 15:4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

2 Isaac (was delivered) Isaac was to be offered up as a sacrifice.

Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

3) Isaac was delivered from death by a miracle of God.

Gen 22:10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
Gen 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Gen 22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
Gen 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

So today, as we witness for Jesus Christ, it is the truth of the Gospel that will win every lost soul.

We do not need to change it but teach it as it is the truth of God.

Salvation still comes by Grace through Faith in the promises of God found only one place in the Scriptures given to us by the Holy Spirit who lives in every Christian.

In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ still walks this earth in the body of every Christian.

Amen

Praise Ye the Lord

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Let Heaven and Earth Praise the Lord

Book of Psalms Psalm 148

The phrase “praise ye the Lord” has been used twenty-five times and only in the Old Testament.

The phrase “praise Him” has been used twenty-two times and only in the Old Testament.

The phrase “praise the Lord” is used thirty-two times in the Old Testament except for one verse written by the Apostle Paul which says.

Rom_15:11  And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.

When we try to grasp the Greatness and the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, we find that it overwhelms us so much that, we wonder why He would even have thoughts of us.

Many people believe that He could have just set all His creations in order and then gone off to do godly things or created other people on another planet.

We know that He did not create any other people, and Adam and Eve did not look like they came from apes, nor did any of their descendants.

Evolution played no part in creating plants, animals, or people.

What puzzles evolutionists so much is that Adam possessed far more intelligence than the people of today.

We are getting dumber, not smarter, as time passes by.

I did not mean to chase that rabbit, but I believe the Holy Spirit led me.

This Psalm is known as the joy-song of creation.

This Psalm calls on all the things in the Heavens and Earth to praise our Lord Jesus our God.

Everyone from the lowest to the highest, no matter where they are located, is called on to Praise the Lord.

This is the God who made us and there are no other Gods! We are called upon to adore our Creator.

Scientist have spent their lives studying God’s creatures and many of those creations are so complicated in their structure, that they cannot figure them out this was God’s plan to show these doubters that there had to be a Maker, a Creator.

It is wicked men who have caused so many of God’s creatures to no longer be with us.

Most of the time, it is the goal to be rich that is destroying our planet, and all our government can do drive our nation into obscurity because it is afraid to go after the real polluters.

I do not believe this will change under our new President!

Fifty-seven companies cause eighty percent of pollution, and no one is speaking of changing their ways because of money.

That lasts twenty percent (us) no matter how hard we try can change the pollution of this world.

Those who make so much money off of pollution and those who accept bribes to be quiet about what they do are not going to change.

Another rabbit.

We just need to praise the Lord!

What is praise? The word praise comes from the Latin word “pretium” which is “price” or “value”.

True praise consists in a sincere acknowledgment of real conviction of worth.

How can we not praise Him?

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. 

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

We need to be honest in our praise of the Lord, He knows when we are not sincere.

These things are another battle for Him, and we are just to praise His Holy Name!

The Lord Jesus Christ will come to this world just in time to save it!

It is not because He cannot make all things new because He will, He will save this world because there are still people upon this world that can be saved.

We should know that as long as people are alive if they pray that sinner’s prayer in truth, they will be saved.

*****Psa 148:1  Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights. 

You can bet the cherubim and the seraphim; the angels all praise the Lord constantly.

We are certainly fools if we do not praise our Maker!

When we grasp the greatness, and the glory of the Lord, how can we not praise our Creator?

It can be said that we are created to praise the Lord!

There is no excuse for us to not adore our Savior!

All our praise must be directed at Jehovah, the “I AM” of the Old Testament, who in the flesh is the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament.

 “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living”

All of Heaven does certainly praise the Lord.

*****Psa 148:2  Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

Not one of the Lord’s Creatures in Heaven is exempted from praising their Creator and their God.

Not even Gabriel nor Michael is exempt from praising the Lord of Host.

The angelic army will praise their Commander, who is the Lord of all the hosts of Heaven.

Let us just get real, every part of everything that was created by the Lord will praise Him!

*****Psa 148:3  Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

Psa 148:4  Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. 

The Heaven of heavens is the home of the Lord.

The lower heaven is the place where the birds fly and where the clouds that hold the waters bring rain.

The middle heaven is the space where all the stars and all the planets are located.

There are only three heavens and if we look at the vast expanse of the second heaven we can just wonder how vast is the Heaven of heavens.

One thing is certain this Heaven of heavens cannot be reached by spacecraft!

It can only be reached by loving the Lord Jesus our Creator and believing in the work He has done for our salvation.

On the day of the Rapture, all those lifeless bodies in their graves will go to Heaven faster than any spacecraft.

All the places of God’s creation are commanded to praise the Lord.

Psa_33:9  For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

Most people have forgotten that all the Lord has to do is speak things into existence.

The world had better realize that all the Lord has to do is speak and this world can be destroyed.

Rev_1:16  And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Rev_19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Rev_19:21  And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

All these scriptures tell us of the power of God that He only has to speak things into existence, and he can also speak things into destruction.

Psa 33:6  By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 

Psa 33:7  He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. 

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

Psa 33:9  For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. 

Psa 33:10  The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. 

Psa 33:11  The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 

How could we ever believe that we can step into Heaven and not praise the Savior who freed us from the chains of sin?

I have news for you, we are saved to praise and worship our Maker among our other duties.

*****Psa 148:5  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. 

Psa 148:6  He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. 

It is our creation that gives us a reason to praise our Creator.

For those who say it is then better to not be created, I can tell you that Heaven will be far greater than any place you have ever seen and you should want to go there for its beauty and where you can find the life that the Lord wanted us to have from the beginning.

What does God actually say:

Pro 8:32  Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. 

Pro 8:33  Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. 

Pro 8:34  Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 

Pro 8:35  For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. 

Pro 8:36  But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death. 

The Lord is serious about all those who want to be with Him.

*****Psa 148:7  Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: 

When we see this verse we need to accept as it is written.

Gen 1:21  And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 

Psa 104:26  There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

All of the earth must praise the Lord.

All that is in the Seas must praise the Lord.

Psa 74:13  Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. 

Psa 74:14  Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

We know that there are places in the Oceans where there are depths that are deeper than the highest mountains that can be seen, these are those places that are called the “deeps”.

The deep is the deepest part of the Seas and these are the places where the largest animals in the Seas play out of sight most of the time from the people.

Some people are privileged to see them come to the surface on occasion.

Most people write them off as non-existent.

Psa 104:4  Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: 

Psa 104:5  Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever. 

Psa 104:6  Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.

Psa 33:6  By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 

Psa 33:7  He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.

No one has been to the deepest seas so only God knows what lives in those places.

Psa 33:13  The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men. 

Psa 33:14  From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.

Some things have been proved by mankind:

Pro 8:28  When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:

These are the same waters that burst forth in the days of the flood.

Gen 7:11  In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 

These waters returned to their place at the command of God.

Gen 8:3  And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. 

We know that the waters of the deep can be both constructive and also destructive.

These waters can also be a blessing.

Deu 8:7  For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; 

It is only the Lord God, the Living God that can control these waters of the great deep.

Psa 95:2  Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. 

Psa 95:3  For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. 

Psa 95:4  In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. 

Psa 95:5  The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. 

We are in the season of Thanksgiving now and we can see why we need to praise the Lord while offering Thanksgiving to Him.

*****Psa 148:8  Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word: 

Psa 148:9  Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: 

Psa 148:10  Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: 

Psa 148:11  Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: 

Psa 148:12  Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: 

Psa 148:13  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. 

We humans are the most stubborn creations that God has made!

All the other of God’s creations will gladly praise Him.

They understand that He is the God of all creation.

In verse eight we see the Psalmist calls upon all of the natural elements of weather to praise the Lord.

All these elements can merge together at the command of the Lord.

There are “laws of nature” but they too are the creations of the Living God.

They will certainly do His bidding if He so chooses!

After the weather, the elements, all the elements of the earth will offer praise to the Lord.

Then all land animals, all the birds, and the insect world will offer praise to the Lord.

Then the most stubborn of all of them!

The various rulers of this world, all the people, the princes, those considered to be next in line to rule, and all the judges.

Then the young generation and the old generation are left behind, all these are called to praise the Lord.

Why should humans offer praise to the Lord?

1) The Lord Jesus Christ is the only true and Living God!

His glory is above all of His creation!

His name is above and greater than all universes and greater than the earth and the heavens.

Notice that all the universes and there are many, and many more unseen, but they have less value than the Earth and the people of Earth.

2) There is no one more powerful than our Lord!

Psa 148:14  He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD. 

In the New Testament, the Horn represents strength.

Luk 1:68  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 

Luk 1:69  And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 

That exalted horn is the Lord Jesus Christ.

He is the praise of all His saints. These are not those saints chosen by the Catholic Church; these are all those who have accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

These also include the children of Israel who in the last days will join the Church.

In other words, everything that God has created is to offer up praise to the Lord!

Those who have received the salvation gift of the Lord should be praising the Lord the loudest and the longest.

Just so we know, God’s most powerful creatures the Angels, long to understand salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Only the saints of God can praise Him for His redeeming love, a love so great that He sacrificed His Son for us.

Rom 5:8  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Praise ye the Lord

Amen

God Gives Us Hope

/ 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

/ 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

The Promises God Makes

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Remembering the Promise to David

Book of Psalms: Psalm 132

This is another Psalm that was sung as the Israelites traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast’s days as commanded by God.

They had begun to remember the promises of God and it brought joy to them just as it does to each of us.

If we take a look into David’s past, we will see all the pains, the trouble, and anxiety he underwent in his lifetime for the cause of God, especially in the establishing a sanctuary in Jerusalem and making preparation for the building of the Temple.

David was building God’s special dwelling place on this Earth, a place where God would meet with His people.

If you do not have a longing to meet with God, then you cannot be a Christian!

You cannot be a Christian because the Holy Spirit will not come to live within you!

Every Christian is a sanctuary for God to dwell in!

If we look at the very first word of this Psalm, we see the word LORD, this is the Almighty God Himself, Jehovah.

David had accomplished what no lowly shepherd could accomplish.

Except we do know of another man who was a shepherd who came to save His people and His name is Jesus the Christ, the Messiah.

We know that special days are set aside to honor special people and some of the heroes of our nation.

In fact, almost every nation has set days to remember their national heroes.

For the Israelites, David was a hero and in fact, David is still honored as one of the Jews greatest heroes.

The Star of David is the national flag of Israel today.

The “Sling of David” is the name of one of the air defense systems of Israel.

This Psalm was probably written for the dedication of the Temple built by Solomon.

We know that David had spent many years gathering the wealth to build a magnificent Home for God, when He would come to visit this planet, but we know that God is everywhere, and He even abides in every “Born Again” child of God.

He lives in every person who has their name written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

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 21:27 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.

David was now dead and gone, we know He is with the Lord, but the Jews had a great fondness for King David.

By remembering the hardships David faced before he was made king, it inspired the Jews to face their own hardships!

It has never been easy to live in this world since the sin of Adam, and it is not always easy to be a Christian.

We do still live in a cursed world!

The word cursed is used seventy-two times in the Bible.

We know that the Serpent who was Satan is cursed:

Gen_3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Gen_3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

If you look up the word cursed in the Bible, you will see that many of our leaders of today are cursed by their actions.

Deu_27:25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.

We know we have been sold out by our leaders for riches, they will never spend.

We know that every doctor who is paid to end the life of an innocent baby is also cursed.

God has also placed a curse on all those who reject any part of the Scriptures:

Deu_27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

And to all those so-called churches that have left the truth of the Bible, God says:

Jer_11:3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
Jer_17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

God is very serious about the words He has given us to live by.

Let’s begin.

*Psa 132:1 A Song of degrees. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:
Psa 132:2 How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;
Psa 132:3 Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;
Psa 132:4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,
Psa 132:5 Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

The Psalmist who wrote this Psalm reminded the Lord how David was devoted to Him.

We all say these things such as, “Lord remember me”.

The truth is that God only forgets when He decides to forget.

His memory is perfect!

He has forgotten our sins, and it is He that said we are covered by the blood of Jesus that has washed away our sins.

Rev_1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

We know that King David had made a vow to find a place for the Almighty God to dwell in Jerusalem.

David was determined that He was going to build a House for God for God to dwell in Jerusalem.

This was David’s vow.

David had endured much suffering at the hands of Saul.
David had endured much suffering in finding a neutral place to worship God.
David had not yet taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites so, this too had to be done.
David had to transport the “Ark of the Congregation “ to this new House of God, but it was not in his hands at this time.
David had to also defend Jerusalem from the attacks of the Philistines two times, while all these other things were going on.

These things may have hindered David in completing his vow to God, but it did not stop Him.

In fact, David said; I’m not going to rest until I build a House for the Lord.

David said it was not right that he was living in a beautiful palace and worshiping God in a tent.

We can see that David’s devotion to God provides a worthy example for us to follow.

Many missionaries today have this same vision as David, to build a house for the worship of our God.

I believe Nathan had this vision and I believe Scott David had this vision.

These were church planters as David wanted to be.

*Psa 132:6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.
Psa 132:7 We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.
Psa 132:8 Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.
Psa 132:9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.
Psa 132:10 For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.

Though this Scripture is hard to understand, what we do know is that David found the Ark of the Covenant and moved it to Jerusalem where it would remain until 70 AD when Titus destroyed Jerusalem.

At this time nobody really knows the whereabouts of the Ark!

These people recalled the passion of David to obtain the Ark and bring it to Jerusalem where he intended to build a House for God.

The Ark had been gone so long that many people had forgotten about it.

It was David who had to remind the people:

1Ch 13:2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:
1Ch 13:3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.
1Ch 13:4 And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

The people thought the Ark was in Ephratah, but Bethlehem and Kirjath-Jearim were both known as Bethlehem at this time.

There is the city of Bethlehem but there is also the region which was called Bethlehem.

It was Bethlehem Ephratah that provided the sheep for the Temple.

Rth 4:11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:

Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Kirjath-Jearim would be the place that was in the woods!

We know that David failed the in his first attempt to retrieve the Ark, but he succeeded when He retrieved it according to the Word of God.

We will always fail if we do not do things according to the proven ways of God!

It is easy to see how this Scripture can be applied to the Lord Jesus Christ.

If King David did not have the zeal for the Lord that he had, we do not know if anyone would have remembered the Ark of God.

David challenged the people to get back to the worship of Jehovah God.

David referred to the Ark as the Lord’s footstool.

1Ch 28:2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:
1Ch 28:3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

Psa 99:5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

The world knows nothing about the Holiness of God and many in the Church have also.

Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

David built a tent for the Ark of the Covenant, but he must have also built a place where the people could gather to worship though many of them and the priests still went to the Tabernacle that was in Gibeon, but did not have the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy Place.

The reality of these things is that God will sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem.

1) The Ark is not only a symbol of God’s presence, but it is also a symbol of God’s power!

2) The priests that serve the Lord will be godly servants and agents of righteousness!

3) The saints of God will be a happy people.

4) God would not reject David’s anointed successor. Solomon would be the next king, but these things also make reference to God’s truly anointed which is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today we worship together in a building set up for worship.

It is the people that are the Church.

The building or the place that we worship is just that, a building or a place.

We should never defile our bodies with the sins of the flesh.

We must obey the commands of God which say we are to separate ourselves from all unrighteousness and ungodliness.

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.

Today, God is still searching for people like David who love to worship Him.

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.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

We must be wholly devoted to the Lord!

Next we will see some of the promises made to David.

*Psa 132:11 The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
Psa 132:12 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.

There is no greater promise of the Lord Jesus Christ than this.

This verse points to the Messiah and His Kingdom!

Psa 89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Psa 89:4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Psa 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

2Sa 7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
2Sa 7:29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

The thing we know is true is, that a descendant of David will occupy the throne in Jerusalem.

That throne is the government, and that government will be located in Jerusalem and the Messiah will rule the world from Jerusalem.

There were some conditions to be met for each descendant of David.

We should clearly understand that our unfaithfulness cannot defeat God’s purpose and neither could those sons of David who rejected the truth of God.

We know that God will keep His oaths, and He expects us to keep ours!

It is Jehovah God who chose Jerusalem when He could have chosen anywhere.

King Jesus will rule from Jerusalem.

*Psa 132:13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
Psa 132:14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.

We know that some of the descendants of David turned from God and He had to discipline them.

The Israelites would be singing this Psalm as they traveled toward Jerusalem.

We know for a time there was no son of David sitting on the throne in Jerusalem, the fulfillment of the promises had been interrupted and it will stay that way until King Jesus takes control of the governments that remain in this world from Jerusalem.

God’s promise will be fulfilled, and the world is moving toward that moment when the Messiah will return.

The promise will be fulfilled in two stages:

1) Jesus Christ returns and rules the entire earth from Jerusalem for one thousand years.

Jer 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

2) When Christ Jesus takes us to New Jerusalem and reigns from there forever and ever.

Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

God promises to provide abundantly for those who are now His people.

*Psa 132:15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.
Psa 132:16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

I believe this speaks of the point when the Jews will join the Church.

God will provide any and all needs to His children.

The poor will not lack food and necessities as they had on Earth. These are material needs.

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

Then God will supply their Spiritual needs.

In verse nine we see that it was a prayer that asked the Lord for the priests be clothed in righteousness.

Psa 132:9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

We see in verse sixteen that God has answered that prayer.

I still believe that this is the Jews as they have now joined the Church, and all the saints will shout with joy for the Church is now complete and the Bride of Christ can join with the Bridegroom.

*Psa 132:17 There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
Psa 132:18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

The Lord promised to make the horn of David to sprout.

To sprout means to bud to spring forth and grow.

The “horn” is a symbol of power.

This phrase means that a powerful ruler will come forth from the line of David and this ruler will fulfill all the promises made to David.

He will be a lamp or a light to all the world!

The “lamp” and that “horn” mean the Messiah.

1) Zec 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

2) Jer 33:15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.

3) Isa 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Zacharias the father of John the Baptist said:

Luk 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.

Luk 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

We know what is going on in Israel today is turbulent times for them.

We need to remember these promises of God to David, and they will be fulfilled.

As far as the Church, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem which will take place at the return of Jesus Christ.

We know that the conclusion of God’s plan may be nearing its end, and we will live forever in the presence of the Mighty God!

All evilness and wickedness will be gone, and we will finally be at peace on New Earth and the New Jerusalem.

Amen

God Does Only Righteous Things

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Lord Our Help and Our Shield

Book of Psalms 115

We have just witnessed nature’s power, and those folks in Florida have seen much more of nature’s power than we have seen.

No doubt many will blame God, and most others will question God’s love and concern for people.

Some will sneer at the mention of the existence of God.

When many of our brothers and sisters are affected, the unbelievers will mock our faith.

We know our God is righteous so everything He does was the right thing to do.

Did God send these Hurricanes, my answer would be no.

Could God have stopped these mighty storms from causing devastation then certainly my answer is yes.

We know that Satan has some powers even over storms just read the Book of Job where a tornado or something similar causes all of Job’s children to die at the same time. There were ten of them.

When tragedy strikes, our first response should not be “Where is God”!

Today’s lesson will teach us that God is great in His moral excellence.

“Mercy and truth” are the foundation of moral greatness!

This was the mission of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Jhn_1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

A man may be capable of making some laws for people to live by, but most of them are seldom based upon righteousness.

Grace and truth came from the Lord Jesus Christ.

The question we should ask when tragedy comes is, how have we treated our Savior?

Have we given Him the glory that He deserves?

*Psa 115:1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

Our faith must be based upon the truth or reality.

Without love, we will live in a world of selfishness which we see today.

Selfishness is the essence of sin!

Selfishness is contrary to the law of God!

The reality is that we have no right to question God for any action He might take!

We can ask the Lord any question, but we will not always be pleased with His answers.

We must not show any lack of faith when we are talking to the Lord our God!

If the Lord does not interfere on behalf of His people, we must not think that His attributes of love and faithfulness have vanished.

No matter what is happening in our world, we must give God the glory!

Here in Anderson during the last storm, five deaths were storm related.

We must not condemn God for those deaths, we must give God the glory that there were no more than five deaths here where we live.

When Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar, we can be sure that many unbelievers were mocking God, but the truth is that God was using the Babylonians to discipline Israel.

Israel had turned to idols but after the conquest by the Babylonians, Israel never turned to idols again.

Sometimes God’s methods may be harsh, but they are effective. Harsh does not ever mean abuse!

As God’s people, we will suffer through trials and tribulations, and unbelievers will mock us, but we must never retreat from our goal of serving the Lord until we get to Heaven.

Why should anyone question our loyalty to God?

We must always do our very best to look like Jesus Christ!

*Psa 115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
Psa 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

When we go about our daily routine looking defeated our enemies will ask us, “Where is your God now, when you need Him so desperately?

if we look back at the Jews, we know that they had endured the taunts of the idolatrous nations.

We do not have to go that far today as our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are blasphemed today.

On that day, the heathen had scoffed at the invisible God.

Keep in mind those who scoffed had to go home and wipe the dust off of some idol who could not even talk to them.

When the Jews returned to Jerusalem, they made a strong confession of their faith and even though they were far from perfect they were not called idol worshipers again.

Though they struggled to put their lives back together they knew to go to God and not go to man.

We have seen over and over again that when we pray, we need to tell God what we are going through.

Yes, He already knows, but He wants us to understand that that is nothing too hard for God!

They happily proclaimed the superiority of the Living God to all who had ears!

When we are true to the Lord, He will be true to us!

It angers the Lord for His name to be blasphemed, and He will show His power by His people much of the time.

If God does not help His children, then Satan and his children will triumph!

Where is God? He is in the Heavens in a place where He can see all His people.

The truth is God does as He pleases all the time.

There is never a time that Jehovah God is wondering what He is going to do next!

Our dearly loved Savior always, ALWAYS wants to help us through this life and He has already prepared for our future non-ending life in Glory.

God not only has the will to help those who love Him, He also has the power to make sure what He does is done right!

Mic 7:10 Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

Another thing we must understand is that, if we are suffering then it is the will of God and He has a good reason for that suffering.

In most cases it is to bring us closer to Him!

God never lacks the power to end our suffering.

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.

There are no gods who can hinder the work of God!

False gods are either a figment of their imagination or they are pieces of wood, gold, silver, or some other handmade object that can do nothing.

*Psa 115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
Psa 115:5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
Psa 115:6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
Psa 115:7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
Psa 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

Anyone who comes to us questioning our God, we should ask them about their god!

People may scoff, which is mockery and ridicule, at Jehovah who we worship but the fact remains that He is alive, but He is invisible.

He is invisible for the reason that if He had shown Himself without His glory people would have made an idol of Him and they would have worshipped that idol instead of the invisible God just as people did the pole with a serpent of brass.

Num 21:6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
Num 21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
Num 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
Num 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

What happened?

This brazen serpent known as Nehushtan, became on object of idolatry and King Hezakiah destroyed it.

2Ki 18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.

This brazen serpent upon a pole had a reality as a type of the Lord Jesus upon the cross, when He died for our salvation.

Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Idols cannot speak, see. hear, smell, feel, or walk.

Yet even today some people still worship idols.

Psa 135:18 They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.

An idol is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, and anything that you seek to give you what only God can give.

Many today have made themselves to be idols such as so-called movie stars, or some sports figures, and yes, some political figures think they should be worshipped, and we certainly cannot leave out those who worship Satan.

Then there is the idol of money/material things:

We already know what God says about this.

1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
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.

Money is the root of all the evil of today. Most all our politicians are bought out in one way or another.

Other modern idols include, status, physical appearance, entertainment, influence, and yes sex has become an idol which is why abortion is fought so hard along with the LBGTQ is prevalent in our nation and now sex change.

These are all idols that are worshipped by the “now” generation and God is tossed aside as irrelevant in today’s world.

All these people are in for a terrible surprise very soon.

Such gods drag down their worshippers to a level of senseless stupidity!

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

God does not play around with idol worshippers!

We must trust in the Lord!

*Psa 115:9 O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
Psa 115:10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
Psa 115:11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

Trust means we are reliant upon God for all things including life, justice, and our love for one another.

We do not worship a god we have made, but we worship the God who has made us, our Creator, our Maker!

There is only one true God.

There are many today that say all religions worship the same God, but nothing could be further from the truth! They just do not know Jehovah.

God has revealed Himself to us through the Lord Jesus Christ and the Bible if you have a true Bible.

It is true that once we come to know Christ as our Savior, we need to constantly examine our hearts for spiritual idolatry.

Jehovah is also a jealous God! The lost do what lost people do, but anyone that claims Christ as their Savior and falls into the trap of idolatry could come under the truth of God’s jealousy.

Three times these verses say the word trust.

1) God is our help and our shield.

God is safe to depend upon for defense and for offense for all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

God is also our shield to cover us from danger and to protect us from assault and injury.

2) For all those who preach the truth of the Scriptures, God is also their help and their shield.

3) The Lord has had His mind on us since our creation. The remnant of this world who love the salvation gift of God.

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

This one verse should tell all those who think we all worship the same God that it is simply not true. By the way, this was the lord Jesus Himself that was speaking. He knows everything.

We could look at this passage as God’s invitation for Israel to join the Church because it is the Church that God is protecting in this world.

The battles of Israel will show that only the Church is on their side along with Jehovah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even this week our administration has sent a unit to Israel that can intercept missiles from Iran to try to keep Israel from going after the oil and nuclear sites of Iran.

This is only bribery when Israel should destroy Iran, and this world would be a little bit better because of it.

We cannot trust man, but we can trust God to do the right things.

Many scientists and archaeologists wonder what happened to many old civilizations, but they are not around, and many have no history because God knew no one needed to know how wicked they were.

We should not forget that Iran is that part of old Persia and the other part Iraq is trying its best to get away from the USA and then they will join Iran and Persia will be again and war mongering nation.

God will only bless those who trust Him!

You cannot trust idols because they cannot do anything at all!

The Holy Spirit wants us to grasp the importance of trusting God!

We will face persecution, but we must not falter in our trust for the Almighty God!

If we are worried about what is going on in our nation and in this world, then we do not trust the God of all creation and His plan which He has given us a copy of.

We must have confidence in our Holy God and His Word salvaged by the Holy Spirit and is the truth.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

We were once a part of the world but now if you love the Lord Jesus, we are part of Heaven. Ambassadors to this world.

We are always on the mind of our God!

*Psa 115:12 The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
Psa 115:13 He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.
Psa 115:14 The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
Psa 115:15 Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.

Who does the Lord bless?

He blesses those who trust Him!

Even though Israel does not trust the Son of God, most of them do trust Jehovah (Yahweh).

They reject that they are the same God!

They are wrong to not accept the Messiah, but they will eventually, at least a remnant of them will.

We should keep in mind that this Psalm was probably written for the dedication of the Second Temple after the return from Babylon.

They had been released by the King of Persia who had defeated Babylon.

We could say that God would bless those who had returned with many children for only about fifty thousand had returned of those who were captured.

Israel began to see just how great their God is.

God is always, ALWAYS, working to do good to His people!

God is always, ALWAYS, mindful of the covenants He has made with all His children!

God is always, ALWAYS, mindful of the promises He has made, and He will never break a promise He has made to anyone.

Why is God able to bless so much?

It is pretty simple, God is our Creator, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and God can do anything He wants to His creation, but He cannot go against His Word!

Notice that Israel is back in a part of the land God had given to them and God will get the remainder of that land that was promised back to Israel.

We may be seeing this today, the Lord giving Israel their entire homeland and the world cannot stop it!

No, there will never be a Palestinian nation within the boundaries of the land God gave to Abraham, the same land God gave to Israel!

When those who hate God scoff at us, we need to stand firm in our confidence in the Lord.

We may go through trials.
We may go through persecution.
We may go through attacks.
We may be oppressed.

God’s purpose for us cannot be defeated!

Nothing can separate us from the love of God!

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.

*Psa 115:16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

Verse fifteen says it is our LORD who is the Creator of the heavens, and we know of three heavens.

The first heaven is the space where we get our air to breathe and the place where the birds fly.
The second heaven is what we call outer space, a place where all planets, all stars, and anything we find in outer space, and it is immense.
The third Heaven is the place where God dwells with His angels and all those souls who are in that Heaven today.

Notice the Earth is mentioned as the only place God has given mankind to live.

We know the earth is also the Lord’s:

Psa 24:1 The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

This Psalmist has said that God has given the earth to mankind to live upon.

Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Gen 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Gen 1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

God has not given mankind any other planet, moon, or star to live.

This earth is where we belong, where we live and work and where our future lies unless we believe all these things and our Creator who made all these things, then our future lies in the third Heaven with our God.

We know that mankind has not cooperated with God on the development of all the resources of this Earth, but they are all gifts from God for our use.

God has given the occupants of Earth the responsibility of overseeing the resources of Earth.

This Earth is the only planet that God gave to be inhabited!

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

We need to be sure to know that God only declares things that are right and not wrong!

Isa 45:19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

The trouble today is that a few greedy people have tried their best to gain control of the earth’s resources and for the most part they have, and the governments control the rest.

But you see God has reconciled the world back to Himself by the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Co 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Now I cannot explain the meaning of all these things, but I know that these words are true.

Jesus Christ (Messiah) came to this earth to establish the only means of salvation which is available to all people.

The desire to let the whole redeemed world know of its redemption should move in the heart of every man but the world is tied up with greed for the resources of our planet, corrupt governments, and immorality.

*Psa 115:17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
Psa 115:18 But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.

It should be obvious that those who are dead cannot praise anyone.

When we die our voices are silenced.

In fact, those who are dead lose all communication with the Lord who died for them.

Isa 38:18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

I must never forget my job is to praise my Lord.

No matter what I’m going through, I need to praise the Lord, and I know I do not praise Him enough.

Even when the Lost World scoffs at me, I will praise the Lord!

My opportunities to praise the Lord will cease when I take my last breath, but my blessings will continue because I am a child of God!

Psa 118:17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
Psa 118:18 The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
Psa 118:19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
Psa 118:20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
Psa 118:21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Amen