Jesus

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

We Must Stop Being Hypocrites

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Paul Confronts Peter

Book of Galatians Chapter 2 Verse 11 through 21

There is a short verse in the Book of Thessalonians that we need to learn, understand, and adhere to, throughout our Christian Walk.

1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

There are virtues we need to cultivate in our devotion to God and this Scripture is far more important than we realize when we first read it.

We sometimes forget that the Holy Spirit lives within us.

When we “grieve the Holy Spirit,” we lose any power we have as Christians and are no longer a good witness for the truth of Jesus Christ.

1Th 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
1Th 4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

It was no different for the Apostle Peter, and the Apostle Paul awoke Peter to this fact.

We know that Paul was clearing up a few things for these Thessalonians before he began his discussion on the Rapture and the return of Jesus Christ.

This Church had a special need for guidance and sometimes even our most devoted Christians also need additional guidance.

We will never reach a point in our lives that we should not be growing in our relationship with Jesus Christ.

Sanctification is a lifelong project!

At Jerusalem, all Church leaders had confirmed Paul’s authority!

We know that Peter had been the leader of the Apostles from day one.

Though we cannot make excuses for the actions of Peter, we must insist that we all need to watch our conduct at all times for it seems that someone is always watching for good or bad reasons.

Act 15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
Act 15:23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Act 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
Act 15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Act 15:26 Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Act 15:27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;

This Silas and this Judas were two men from the Church at Jerusalem who would verify the results of the first Council of the Church, to these Galatians.

They were chief men of the Church at Jerusalem.

Later we will see that this same Silas also known as Silvanus as the companion of Paul on his second missionary journey.

Silas became a great missionary himself.

It seems that Silas, like Paul, was also a Roman citizen.

Silas was with Paul when they were in jail where the Philippian jailer and all his family got saved.

Act 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Act 16:26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Act 16:27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
Act 16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

It is verse 37 that tells us that both Paul and Silas were both Roman citizens.

Act 16:37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, “being Romans”, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

Not much else is known about Barsabas other than he was a great man of the Church in Jerusalem.

This Judas surnamed Barsabas, seems to have been gifted the gift of prophecy which at that time could have meant that he was one of the Preachers at the Church in Jerusalem and he returned to that Church.

It was after these things had taken place that the Apostle Peter visited this Church in Antioch.

It also appears those Judaizers had remained in this Church at Antioch.

This is the background where we see Paul confront Peter, and he had every right to do so though we may not know the whole story, we do know that the Holy Spirit included it in these writings of Paul.

*Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Gal 2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
Gal 2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
Gal 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

We may not know the exact reasons that Peter came to the Church in Antioch, but who would turn down the leader of the Apostles if he came down to visit.

Paul may even have invited Peter to visit at any time.

This Church at Antioch was a great church, but it was also the first Gentile Church established outside of Jerusalem.

This church was a mission minded church, and it was important that a good example was set before all the Gentiles and the Jews, but especially before the Gentiles by the Jews.

When Peter arrived in Antioch he sat down with and enjoyed the company of the Gentiles, as we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. We all have the same Father!

When some other Judaizers came to visit at Antioch they were astounded that Peter was enjoying such fellowship with these Gentiles and he had allowed those same Judaizers to rebuke him for eating with the Gentiles who they still considered to be Heathen.

We know Peter was a great Preacher and a great man of God, but this thing could ruin his testimony unless it was stopped immediately.

It went against the decisions made at that First Church Council.

This thing caused Peter to stumble for a moment.

If the great Apostle Peter could stumble, we can be sure that we can!

Even today, the most used excuse used by the “Lost” is, that we the Church are all a bunch of hypocrites.

I used to say this myself and it shames me.

Peter sure acted like one and we know these things are true or this story would not be in the Bible.

It should be obvious to us that Peter’s error was not in preaching a false doctrine.

The error Peter made was using bad judgment!

Though we seek moral perfection it evades us much of the time.

We can believe that this situation was provided by the Devil and these same Judaizers were still full of the Devil, and they would haunt the Apostle Paul most of all his days.

In Peter’s case, we find him bold and then timid many times, even when Christ was teaching him.

These are not excuses, but just the truth!

We are not to judge Peter when we know God has forgiven him.

Remember Peter preached one sermon where over three thousand souls were saved in one day.

I have not heard of anyone else who had such results from one sermon.

We can also realize that Paul rebuked Peter for this one thing, and it needed to be done, but Paul was not rude to Peter nor was Paul showing personal animosity.

Without a doubt we can see that both Paul and Peter possessed the same Holy Spirit just as we all do.

These things did not cause friction between Paul and Peter as Peter wrote.

2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

In reality we can still blame these Judaizers who continued to cause turmoil in the Church even though they were rebuked at the Jerusalem Council.

I do not know of any man of God who has already reached perfection except for those who are already with the Lord.

Paul and Peter are both in perfection today!

Paul also knew these things as he wrote.

Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

When this thing passed Paul was still missionary to the Gentiles, but he would still drop by a Synagogue of the Jews if the opportunity arose and Peter was still missionary to the Jews, but he would still help any Gentile who had a need and he may have dropped in on all the Gentile churches from time to time

Both these great men of God had death sentences on their heads, but God kept them protected until God took them home.

*Gal 2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
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.

Every believer, no matter where we come from, is justified by one thing and it is our “faith”.

Not just any faith, but faith in the work that Our Lord Jesus Christ has done so that we can be saved.

Paul admitted that he was a Jew by nature.

The Jews considered themselves to be religionists and the Gentiles to be Heathen Gentile sinners.

We could say “rank sinners”.

Paul is saying that if the Jews being religionists would claim the same thing the Gentile Sinners claimed, who believed in the work of Jesus Christ, then they all could confess they were saved by “faith”.

Any Jew who came to Jesus Christ for salvation was admitting that their religion, their works, and their law were not able to save them. Only the same faith that the Gentiles had could save them!

Is there a work that any man can do or any law that can make us perfect? That answer is no!

If our salvation depends on any work or any law, then we are lost as Job’s Turkey and Job did not have any turkeys.

God says we have only one hope! Faith in Jesus Christ.

The word “justified” means to reckon, to credit, to account, to judge, to look upon as righteous.

It does not mean to make us righteous!

We are not made righteous, but we are accounted as righteous!

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Rom 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Justification is necessary because we are born sinners!

We cannot live as we desire, we must live as God desires, and until we are saved, we are the enemies of God, even though He still loves us.

Those who are not saved do not want God in their lives, they have alienated themselves from God.

This is not God’s choice but our choice!

Remember it is God’s will that we all be saved!

We cannot turn away from God and then expect the blessings of God!

Why would God justify any man?

God will only “justify” any man because of Jesus Christ.

God will credit our faith as righteousness if our faith is in Jesus Christ!

Jesus Christ has secured the ideal righteousness for each of us!

Jesus did this when He came to this earth and lived a righteous and sin free life!

Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

The world refuses to understand that Our Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth to die!

By His death, all sinners can be saved if they were willing to trust what God has done for us.

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.
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Jesus came to die, but Jesus also came to resurrect from that death, because God cannot stay dead.

It is impossible for Him to do so!

It is His life from the dead that has given us eternal life!

*Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Gal 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

Does Jesus Christ make us sinners, by our trusting in Him that we are justified by faith in Him alone?

Is Jesus Christ a minister of sin?

Are we sinners because we reject the law?

It is the Law that makes us sinners, for the Law condemns sin!

The law only shows us where our failures are!

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.

When we sit down and think about what God has done for us, we are driven to please God and not rebel against Him.

Jesus Christ bore all our guilt and all our punishment for the crimes that we committed against His Father.

When we bow to our Heavenly Father, it is for our love and adoration in appreciation for such “Amazing Love” that He has for us.

We try to be good, not to earn righteousness, but to serve Him because He has saved us.

Jesus Christ teaches us that “Love” is a much greater force upon this Earth than “fear”!

1Jn 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

We cannot ever repay God for what He has done for us, and it is a sin to even try to.

We are bought and paid for with the blood of Jesus Christ!

So He does own us, not just because He created us, but because He sent His Son to reclaim His right to us and all He asks of us, is to enjoy life and our reasonable service.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Ecc_5:18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

God wants us to enjoy this life He has given to us keeping in mind that nothing upon this earth is as great as the things in Heaven.

We should also keep in mind that there is no life if we do not have the truth of God in our lives.

If we do not believe our good fortune comes by the hands of God, then we do not believe in the omnipotence of God.

This is not teaching a prosperity Gospel, but our Heavenly Father does take care of His children.

This sometimes means that when we are suffering, He may take us home rather than heal us.

No one loves us as much as our Heavenly Father!

We will find that the closer our walk with Jesus the more we will enjoy life, and it does not take much prosperity to enjoy life!

*Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

There are some things we must do to live unto God.

1) We must die to the law!

People have a bad habit of comparing themselves to other people in order to show that they are better or worse than those people.

To be a Christian, we must compare ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ and we will immediately see that we just do not measure up.

The Lord Jesus Christ lived a short thirty-three or more years in the flesh, and He lived a sinless life in every one of those years.

We do well to live one day without sin!

The Law shows me just how much of a sinner I am and how far I am from the goodness of my Lord Jesus.

I will never reach perfection as long as I am in this body of flesh!

The law tells me I need to be punished for my sin, and that punishment is my payment for the sin I have committed.

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

My “faith” in the work of Christ will release me from the power of sin to keep me in bondage!

The only hope I have to get to Heaven is to die to the law!

2) I must be crucified with Jesus Christ!

How can I do such a thing?

I must believe that the Lord Jesus died in my place! He took my death to Himself!

My Lord Jesus bore the punishment for my sin, so I do not have to.

It is my “faith” in this truth that counts for my having died in Christ.
It is my “faith” in my identifying with Christ that counts for my pardon.
It is my “faith” in the Lord having already been punished for my sin that counts for my freedom from the bondage of sin.

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

We should be able to see that these are the words our Pastor uses when we are Baptized.

3) I can now live for God because God lives in me!

I am crucified with Christ and God sees me as having already died and like His Son, I have resurrected from that death!

The Lord Jesus Christ is now in charge of my life, He owns me!

The Lord Jesus Christ is still walking upon this earth because He is walking in my body!

I am just a branch growing and getting nourishment from the Vine that was my old body but is now the Body of Christ.

Joh 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Joh 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

4) I can now live for God because I trust in the “Grace” of God!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the “Righteousness of my God”.

If I set aside the “Grace of God” then My Lord, My Savior died for nothing!

Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

We know that Paul had to confront Peter because there is just too much to lose if we do not gain the life of Jesus Christ!

Amen

Christianity

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Paul’s Participation in the Jerusalem Council

Book Galatians Chapter 2 Verses 1 through 10

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Pharisees knew the Scriptures better than the average Jew.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do we believe what the Bible says or not?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What had Jesus told to Peter?

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

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

No preacher is to run in vain!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Jews were shocked that Paul taught such a thing.

These Jews were called Judaizers.

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

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

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

Jehovah was very serious about this!

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

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

Barnabas was a Jew who had been converted in Jerusalem.

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

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

Titus had not been circumcised!

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

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

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

Judaizers are just “Legalists”.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is the message of Christianity!

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

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

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

We as Christians must ask ourselves:

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

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

God treats all of us alike!

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

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

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

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

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

On the contrary they stood with the Apostle Paul!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amen

The Gospel Truth

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Origin of the Gospel
 
Book of Galatians Chapter 1 verses 11 through 24
 
 
The Word “Gospel” is the English word used to translate the Greek word for “good news”.
 
The Greek word for the English word “Gospel” is “evangelical”, so the writers of this “good news” are best known as Evangelists.
 
In reality, the word Gospel means the proclamation of pardon, mercy, and peace in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
If the word “Gospel” is used in any other way, it is a false gospel.
 
All those men who are partakers of its saving Grace, who are commissioned to preach it, are to be considered beautiful.
 
Isa 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
 
In the New Testament “Gospel” has two shades of meaning.
 
1) The actual message of Jesus Christ.
 
Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
 
2) It is the story told about Jesus after His death and His resurrection, in the Scripture we are studying today.
 
Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
 
It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the embodiment of the Gospel!
 
Without the Lord Jesus Christ, there can be no Gospel, period.
 
To certify is to declare that the Gospel is the truth of God’s Son and, therefore the truth of God!
 
The Gospel is not in agreement with the ways of man, nor the values of man!
 
The Gospel is on a much higher plane!
 
In verse 10 from last week, Paul proclaimed: “Am I seeking the favor of men or God”. “Do I seek to please men or to please God” being “God the Son Jesus Christ”, “God’s Messiah”.
 
Verse eleven continues, with people saying that Paul did not follow the Lord Jesus when He was alive on this earth, so how could he possibly know any Gospel?
 
They say Paul was teaching a man-made Gospel taught by a misguided man, speaking of Paul.
 
Paul the Apostle Preached what was given to him by Jesus Christ Himself!
 
The word “revelation” means a truth that is shared by God with man, a truth that man never knew.
 
The “Gospel” Paul preached was given to him by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.
 
The Gospel is God’s wisdom not the wisdom of this world and we can include the time we live in today.
 
The world’s wisdom includes many approaches to finding the truth and the meaning of life and the many approaches to finding the problems of evil and death, but these things have eluded the world and are unable to be found.
 
The world’s wisdom is full of lies and theories.
 
The wisdom of the world says there is no God. He does not exist.
 
Way back in time, as far back as the mind can go, something, some element, some molecule, some atom, some gas has brought forth all the things we see today.
 
To some, the wisdom of the world says God may exist, but after creating all the things we see, has moved on to do other things having no concern for the things He made.
 
The wisdom of this world says that God may exist, but He used evolution to create all the things we see which is still a fantasy.
 
These are just some of the things we go up against as Christians, when we reach out to those who are lost!
 
1Co 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1Co 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
 
The Gospel is not a human thing, it did not originate with man as many say.
The Gospel is not the “good news” from some men as they say.
The Gospel is not to be preached as a message handed down from one generation to the next.
 
The Gospel is to be preached as the single fact that Jesus Christ did reveal Himself with the truth of His life, the truth of His death, and the truth of His resurrection.
 
These Galatians had asked themselves: did Paul preach the truth of Jesus Christ or not?
 
1Co 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
 
1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
 
There are not as many who believe that all the things of this world happened by accident as the world confesses and it is time they stood up and listened to the truth before it is too late.
 
Paul did not ever try to hide his past life!
 
Our past life is not remembered in Heaven, but we will be reminded of it by our enemies, and it would not hurt for us to look back and see how far the Gospel has removed us from our past life. We are new creatures because of the Gospel.
 
Gal 1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
 
If we look at Paul’s life before He met the Lord Jesus upon the Damascus Road, we will see the terrible things he did to the Church.
 
We could say it was nothing short of a miracle that could account for the change that had taken place in the life of Paul.
 
Paul wrote: Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
 
The Apostle Paul had a radical change of life!
 
When we read the Scriptures, this is clearly seen!
 
Paul had launched his attack on the Church at the death of Stephen.
 
Paul had been a supreme example of self-righteousness.
 
Paul became an example of the true Christian.
 
Paul had blazed a path for Christian persecution.
 
Paul now blazed a path for the salvation of the Lost.
 
The Lord Jesus set Paul apart and called him by His “Grace”.
 
Paul began to believe that God had called him even before his birth.
 
Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
Gal 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
 
Paul began to believe that he was now doing what God had intended for him to do from his birth forward and he was.
 
Every Christian should realize that we are now in the will God had for us from the beginning of our lives, just as He did the prophet Jeremiah.
 
Jeremiah became a prophet of God, and we become witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
All those who have been called to separation from this evil world understand what Paul is saying here.
 
God has a plan for all of us and that plan began at our birth, but most of us were like Paul, we did not realize it until we met Jesus.
 
Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
 
Paul reminded others of the same.
 
2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
 
The source of our change was the purpose of God!
The means of our change was His calling by the Holy Spirit.
The result of that change is that we might teach Jesus Christ to the Lost.
 
For Paul, his job was to reach the Gentile world that God had included and not just the Jews!
 
Thank you, Lord God for I was once a heathen, but now one of your children.
 
I was never worthy of your “Grace”!
 
The job of the Apostle Paul was to be a vessel to reveal Jesus Christ!
 
We must understand that we are not called just to come to know Jesus Christ, we are also called to make Christ known to others.
 
We must bear witness to what Jesus Christ has done in our lives.
 
God has given us all the Gospel to study and to preach.
 
The world needs to hear the message of Jesus Christ not the message of wicked men.
 
It is every day now that we can still hear the crying and the moaning because a wicked president has been defeated.
 
America should be ready to hear the message of Jesus Christ.
 
Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
 
2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
 
Only Jesus Christ has the message that the world is seeking the answer to!
 
How to live forever!
 
Far too many people wake up in Hell who spent their lives and their finances, searching for the means of eternal life having rejected the Gospel, the “Good News” of our Savior.
 
Joh 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
 
Paul was called by the Lord Jesus and then taught by the Lord Jesus Christ how to teach the world about Him.
 
Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Gal 1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
Gal 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
 
The spread of the Gospel was beginning to produce real fruit and much of the world did not like it.

Just like today, Satan cannot stand to see the Truth of God, the Gospel, to take fruit in our world and he will do everything he can to stop it.

I have never heard so many lies as they are told today about the true Church.

If those who hinder the spread of the truth of God did not have our biased news sources under their wings, they could not cause the havoc that they do.

I cannot understand why this world is so afraid of Jesus Christ!

Now I am nothing compared to the Apostle Paul, but what was he guilty of?

Paul was attacked from every side and the only thing he had done was to tell the truth to a world that cannot stand the truth about a man named Jesus who spent just a few years going about doing good.

Paul’s real guilt was that he had become a Christian and had forsaken Judaism though Paul still kept the Laws of Moses.

What were they afraid of?

The Lord Jesus did not just declare to be God, He was and is God in a world where many have multiple gods and the most evil have riches which is their god.

How can the world be mad about Jesus when the entire world has their gods whom they worship?

I tell you why, it is because the world is afraid of the truth and those who get richer every day. After all, there are great riches in wickedness and immorality.

They went after Paul because Paul proclaimed the power of the Gospel and was a living example of a Christian.

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

The world is afraid that there might be a real God!

You see the Bible from the true Received Text, is filled with the actual words of God!

Paul was not lying because Jehovah God cannot lie!

Heb_6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

In fact, the only thing that is impossible for Jehovah God to do is to tell a lie!

Paul knew this and every child of God had better know this and the lost world will find out that the Word of God is all truth.

Now if this frightens you, then all you need to do is to have a personal conversation with Jesus.

Some call Him God, but I call Him Savior, and I call Him Friend, and I call Him Father just as the Apostle Paul did!

Paul continues:

Gal 1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
Gal 1:22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
 
We look at and hear of all the things that are going on in Syria today and we can say that for a period of time, there was some great churches in Syria.
 
I might not should say it, but Syria went to pots since the Muslims have maintained rule.
 
Paul had to leave because there were so many who threatened Paul’s life.
 
They brought Paul down to Caesarea and then to Tarsus which was Paul’s home town and he had many friends and family there.
 
It is this Tarsus where Barnabas had found Paul to get Him back into the functions of the Church at Antioch, Syria.
 
Act 11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:
Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
 
It is around this time that a great famine came to the world, the parts ruled by the Romans, during the time of Claudius Caesar.
 
This is exactly what happens when there is war!
 
The militaries of Rome caused great destruction in the fields and those who fought against them could not tend to their fields to raise crops.
 
Those men who cause war are foolish!
 
Only those who build the armaments and make the bullets and war machinery get rich.
 
Those who hold great riches usually finance both sides the, enemy, and those who fight by necessity, and their riches grow immensely.
 
Paul took advantage of his time in Tarsus and the surrounding areas.
 
This is what Jesus told all of us to do: Luk 8:39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.
 
Paul was treated with respect in his hometown, and they listened to what great things the Lord had done in Paul’s life.
 
Gal 1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
Gal 1:24 And they glorified God in me.
 
There will always be those who will see the change that a relationship with Jesus Christ can bring.
 
Those who know the best are usually our family and some of them will listen to our testimony.
 
Maybe some of our childhood friends will listen to our testimony.
 
We can be certain that those in and around Jerusalem had heard of the changes in the life of Paul, who was still Saul to them, until they heard his story.
 
In most cases, those who love us will glorify God who can make such great changes in people.
 
The Lord Jesus commanded every Christian to do this; Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
 
We will do this if we show the love God has shown to us through His Son Jesus!
 
Amen

The Power of God’s Grace

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Danger of a Different Gospel

Book of Galatians Chapter 1

The people native to Galatia were emotional, impulsive, and changeable people.

They were fickle, impetuous, arguing, loud, boastful, and immoral people.

They had a love for the strange, the curiosities, and the unknown.

They were attached to a false religion that was a worship of nature, and these types of people are all over the world today, nature lovers.

Galatia was an area that had a heavy population of Jews who were staunch in the religion of Judaism.

There were also many Greeks who had a strong Hellenistic influence.

Hellenists were normal people who spoke the Greek language.

Some Jews were also called Hellenists because they had settled in foreign countries and had adopted the prevalent form of Greek civilization.

Act 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

Another verse says.

Act 9:29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

These were Jews who had become Greeks in their beliefs.

We can also find them at the first Church in Antioch.

Act 11:20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.

Some of these were also true Greeks who had become proselytes of Judaism.

We can see that Paul knew beforehand that planting a Church in Galatia would be no easy task.

It is only the Gospel that has such power of conversion because it is the truth!

The message of the Book of Galatians will pierce the heart of any generation.

The message of the Book of Galatians will also stir Christians to action if we understand its message.

*Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Notice Paul immediately establishes that he is an Apostle of Jesus Christ and God the Father who had raised the Lord Jesus from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul introduces Galatia to the triune God.

What was Paul’s commission?

John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

What is the Great Commission?

Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

The phrase “and is baptized” simply means “making a public profession of faith”.

We can add this commission as Paul saw it.

2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
And Paul continued.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

This message of Paul extends to every man called by God to preach.

Next Paul tells us who gave him his commission:

(not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Paul states that no man gave him this commission but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself after God the Father had raised Him from the dead.

There would have been no need to preach a Gospel if God the Father had not raised Jesus from the dead!

We serve a living Savior!
Our God is alive because He is the Almighty Living God.

What did God tell Moses?

Exo 34:5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
Exo 34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
Exo 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

This is the God who we serve!

But notice if ignore this God that Moses saw, then we more than likely send our children, our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren to Hell also.

If that man standing behind the pulpit of any church does not have the same calling as the Apostle Paul, then he does not deserve to be called pastor, preacher, evangelist, or any name associated with the calling of Jesus Christ!

These Galatians needed to understand this as well as those who were once Jews.

Some are called by the Holy Spirit to be Preachers, Pastors, Evangelists, and Missionaries for sure, but every child of God also has a commission given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Mar 5:19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

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

There should not be any doubt that we are all called to be witnesses for the Lord our Savior, Jesus Christ, God’s Messiah.

It was a painful moment when Paul first became aware that some counterfeit preachers, who were Judaizers, questioned the validity of his calling, but Paul was strong in the Lord and full of the Holy Spirit.

How can a counterfeit preacher judge anybody’s calling, but they do because they belong to the true counterfeit Satan?

It was they who had no calling at all except for Satan’s calling.

*Gal 1:2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

The Preacher of God must be recognized as the Lord’s man by all Christian believers!

Paul was not alone; he had some Christian believers with him who agreed with everything Paul preached.

Timothy and Titus were probably part of those with Paul and there were others.

Paul knew that there was safety in numbers.

Paul never forgot that He was a member of the Church.

Paul spoke out to the Churches of Galatia with not a word of praise or privilege.

All the other Churches, even the Corinthians received a kinder salutation because they had not “erred concerning the faith” as had these Galatians.

The word Church was used for:

1) A body of believers, “the entire congregation of Christian people dispersed throughout the world”.

Paul was not the only one who was spreading the Gospel at this time, Paul was the one who was writing the Bible as the Holy Spirit led Him.

Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon “this rock” I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

2) The word Church could also mean a particular congregation under the same ministry of God’s Word.

1Co 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

3) The word Church is also used for those who assemble in one Church to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

It should also be very clear that all around the world some gather together to worship some god, but not the Lord Jesus Christ, they are not part of the Church, and neither should they be called a Church.

The news sources have a field day when every building they see where people gather is called a church when this is not true.

If we are not the brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we are not part of the Church!

If we are not in unity with the Word of God, we are not part of the Church!

True brothers and sisters in Christ have a deep rich bond and relationship when that bond is with Jesus Christ.

We should be clear when we attack the preacher who preaches the truth of Jesus Christ, and then we have given up our privileges in the Church.

It is the Word of God, the entire Word of God, from a legitimate translation of the original Scriptures, that the Church is based upon and there are no additions, and it cannot be modernized because if God gave a new Word today it would be a replica of the Word, He has already given to us.

There are no errors in the true Word of God!

The Word of God is true in every generation and the Word of God will be here when most all the world is gone.

The Word of God is alive.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

A true Christian will defend every other Christian and come to the aid of brothers and sisters when they are attacked when they are declaring the truth of God.

And then came Grace.

*Gal 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

To be sure there would be no Church and no believers without there being first the Grace of God!

Act_20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

2Co_13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

This verse perfectly describes the true Christian!

It is Grace that is the gift of God!

Eph_2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Tit_2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the person who came by Grace, He is the living picture of God’s grace!

It is because of the Grace of God that we can find peace in this world!

Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Act 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

There should be no doubt that we are saved by the “Grace of God”!

That grace comes to us in the form of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*Gal 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Gal 1:5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Here is another place where we can see the will of God!

It is the Will of God that we be delivered from this present evil world.

It is the will of God that we are delivered from sin, and this was done by the sacrifice of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus, God’s Messiah.

We cannot talk about being pardoned without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
We cannot talk about justification without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
We cannot talk about the acceptance of God without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
We cannot talk about eternal life without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
We cannot talk about salvation without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.
We cannot talk about God’s “Grace” without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ!

Our salvation depends upon the voluntary act of Jesus, our blessed Lord, to “reconcile” His Heavenly Father to us and to be a sacrifice, not only for our guilt but also for all the actual sins of all mankind.

Oh, What a Savior!

The Father gave a Son. The Son gave Himself!

The Lord Jesus did not merely denounce our sins, this would have been a mockery, Moses and all the Prophets had already done this.

His death was for our sins!

This was the Job of Paul and every preacher since Paul, to explain the difference!

Many have failed to make this clear.

The Lord Jesus had the power to die for our sins and He had the power to resurrect from that death.

The Lord Jesus gave Himself for us because we needed to be washed in his blood!

Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Rom 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

To God be the Glory forever and ever. Amen

When the world looks up to that glorious nighttime sky, most of them take no notice of it because they believe it happened by accident, but if you really look, you have to see the Glory of God.

God the Father does little things all the time and He always has, but they go unnoticed, but when God the Father does something big, He wants all the world to take notice.

God wanted all the world to see the truth of His Son Jesus!

Our Heavenly Father did these things that He might deliver us from sin and this present evil world!

The world was evil in the days of Jesus, and it has gotten very much worse today, but for those who believe in the truth of God, our sins have been paid for we are sin-free.

Paul said all these things to cause these churches at Galatia to remember that they were saved by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that there is no other gospel, period.

*Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

When we need to be praising God, we see America going against the Word of God because people have forgotten the truth of God which says we are to “love one another”.

What is wrong with America?

2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Before we get to verse six, we see that Paul has presented the truth of the Gospel in the previous verses.

We just cannot afford to allow false teachers into the Church!

There is no other Gospel than the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

When any church departs from the faith, they are no longer a church, they are just a group of people gathering together for no means except to fall into Satan’s trap!

After learning the truth of the gospel by the grace of God, Judaizers had come and given them a false gospel which was not the Gospel.

God loves us so much that He has provided a way for us to become righteous and acceptable to Him and this is the only way.

There will never be another way to get to Heaven than going through the Lord Jesus Christ and there are still thousands of people who think there is another way.

This is the only way God has shown His love to us where it is meaningful.

We cannot be justified in any other way than by the grace of God than comes by the Lord Jesus Christ

God will still love us when He sends us to Hell, but He has to judge sin!

Martin Luther said, “From Christ who called you in grace”.

Grace is the Lord’s free and unmerited favor and goodness, as opposed to all notions of salvation by moral or ceremonial righteousness.

The person who turns away from the Gospel is not turning away from a set of beliefs or principles, nor a church.

That person has turned away from God who sent His love to that person.

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

We cannot throw away this scripture and then say we are saved!

*Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Sometimes that false teacher only has to add a little addition or leave out a little truth and it becomes a false Gospel.

It is the same as some teacher intentionally subtracting a truth of the Gospel.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

I think this is the teaching that is going on in many so-called churches today.

It is evident what God feels about these teachers, they will be accursed.

Accursed means separated from the will of God who they are separated from, and suffering even more than the Lost on “Judgment Day”!

You have to ask yourself why anyone would do such a thing, and the only answer is the Devil.

2Co_11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Anyone preaching a false Gospel is one of Satan’s demons or Satan himself.

We must understand that the “Gospel” is more important than the Apostle Paul even though the Apostle Paul was probably the greatest Christian who has ever lived.

The “Gospel” is greater than all the angels in Heaven. Even if an angel came from Heaven and preached another Gospel, we would have to reject him.

The “Gospel” is greater than any man who has walked upon this earth and any man who does so in the future.
The truth of the “Gospel” is settled and cannot be changed here or in Heaven!

The preachers of any false gospel are doubly cursed. This means they will be sent to the hottest part of Hell!

*Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

The Judaizers came into the churches of Galatia suggesting that Paul preached only one side of the Gospel and there was room for their false preaching, which was the Laws of Moses.

This is the same thing going on today where the false church is told that there is more than one way to get to Heaven.

Paul taught that there is no Gospel other than what they had heard from him, which is the truth.

There can only be one truth!

These are the same questions we ask ourselves today!

We should ask ourselves; “What has been the effect of the Gospel on my life”?

“Have I been redeemed” out of this world, a world that will pass away, into a place that is supposed to be the grandest of all places?

Do I live according to the will of my Heavenly Father?

Paul asked himself if he was to satisfy men or to satisfy God.

Paul came to the conclusion that if he indeed pleased men who had not heard the Gospel then he would not be a servant of Jesus Christ.

We can learn so much from the actions of the Apostle Paul!

John and Peter came to the same conclusion.

Act 4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
Act 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

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

It is the same with our own Pastor Preacher Sam.

It is His job to preach the truth of the Gospel even if we do not like the message!

We must understand that the Gospel has some hard truths.

The Lord Jesus asks us to put our faith in a man we have never seen who claims to be God when the world at that time killed because they said He was a fake.

Jesus asks us to believe in a place that we cannot even imagine the glory of.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians;

1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
1Co 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Which is a love greater than just being affectionate, it is closer God’s love

I do not believe Paul was a self-made man of God,
I do not believe that Paul used the Gospel as a way for an income.

I do believe Paul sought to please God and not man.
I do believe Paul proclaimed the true Gospel.
I do believe that Paul had a radical change of life.

Our goal must be to be more like Jesus, and this begins just as soon as we accept Him as our Savior.

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.

What is the Gospel truth?

1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

So, it boils down to 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.

Paul admitted that once he was a man-pleaser, a time when he sought the approval of man for his actions.

Paul now said because the Gospel had changed him, he no longer sought the approval of man but the approval of God.

Paul said honor, position, and wealth were no longer important to him.

Paul now wanted one thing and one thing only: the favor and the approval 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.

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