Our Savior

King David’s Patience

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

David’s Patience

2 Samuel Chapter 5

If we remember, we first met David when we studied the First Book of Samuel.

We should all remember when David defeated that Philistine named Goliath who was a giant of a man but he was weak man because he defied Jehovah and the people of God.

If we know one thing for sure, it is the fact that after we met the Lord Jesus Christ and began a personal relationship with Him, our lives began to have real meaning.

We know that one of the traits of David was his patience, waiting on God and we need to have that same patience.

As we studied in the Book of Mark, the Bible is a book about our Savior, but is also the Book of Promises and God will always keep His promises.

Knowing this, then we need to have patience when waiting on the truth of God to manifest itself in our lives.

Godly patience can be described as, that calm and unruffled temper with which a godly man bears the evils in this life.

God is also the God of patience and the Word of God contains the promises of God that will comfort us in those days when our patience is lacking.

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

To the world David was nothing but a lowly shepherd up until the time when he killed Goliath.

He was only about seventeen, too young to be in the army of Israel when this took place and David accomplished this thing because of his faith in Jehovah God.

David was no match for Goliath in his own power.

We do not have the power to stand against the giants that come before us today unless we have the power of God living within us!

At the end of the Book of First Samuel, King Saul and three of his sons had died at the hand of the Philistines and David was made King of Judah and Abner the general to King Saul had convinced the remainder of Israel to choose Ishbosheth the only remaining son of Saul to be King.

We know that this went against the Word of God because Jehovah had chosen David to be King of all of Israel.

The name Ishbosheth has the meaning of “a man of shame” and he was the youngest of King Saul’s sons.

Ishbosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, but it was Abner who handled all the affairs of the state and all negotiations with King David of Judah.

Abner was brother to the father of King Saul, who was Kish.

They went to war on several occasions as Abner sought revenge upon David, when it was the Philistines who had taken the life of Saul and his family.

We know that David had no part in that war but had gone back home, which was another one of our lessons.

He considered David a traitor to King Saul.

When Abner died, Ishbosheth had no support for his Kingship and because he was such a feeble man, some of the men of Israel murdered him in his sleep.

Abner’s death came when he tried to turn on Ishbosheth and tried to be friends with King David but he was killed by Joab and Abishai in revenge for Abner killing Asahel who was King David’s nephew the son of David’s sister Zeruiah.

Our lesson begins today as King David of Judah becomes King of all the tribes Israel.

We should understand that David has been the most famous of the kings of Israel throughout their history.

Israel still flies the flag that is called the “Star of David”.

A new weapon they have used in the war with Hamas is called the “sling of David”.

Israel is still waiting on the King in the line of David to sit upon the throne of Israel just as Christians are also waiting on the return of the Messiah who will return as King of kings and Lord of lords after He has removed the Church.

*2Sa 5:1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
2Sa 5:2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
2Sa 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.
2Sa 5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
2Sa 5:5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

After seven and a half years of war and skirmishes King David was finally able to unify the nation of Israel.

It had been twenty years since a teenager named David, whose father was Jesse, had been anointed by Samuel, to be God’s choice as King of all Israel.

This is a lesson on patience because David had to wait on Jehovah to do these things that he could not do himself.

This is a great lesson for us all!

David had faith.
David certainly had courage as we saw as he faced Goliath.
David was a warrior, which showed his ability to lead.
David was God’s chosen man to lead Israel.

But David was not a complete man of God without patience!

We should not look past the fact that before these things David was a shepherd, which showed that he was a responsible man.

1) These tribes of Israel found out that their strength as a nation came from their unity.

This is the truth of our own nation but we have allowed foolish sin and corruption and immorality, to divide our nation and the world now sees us as a weak nation.

Just like David and just like Israel, our true strength comes from God and we had better get back to obedience and patience.

We see it was these tribes of Israel that approached King David stating that they were all one family, the descendants of Abraham and Sarah.

2) They knew that King David was a proven military leader. He had been the leading military strategist in King Saul’s army. He had led his own small army to victory on every occasion because he had the help of God.

3) They acknowledged that David was God’s choice to be ruler and judge of all of Israel.

They looked more on his military experience, but God looked more upon him as a shepherd to lead His people who acted more like sheep, just as we do here in America today.

Even much of the Church would rather be sheep than the saints of God!

David was to be first a shepherd, and then, a prince over the people of God.

If we are paying attention, we can easily see King David as a type of Christ.

The Lord Jesus may see us as sheep but He sees us as the sheep of His pasture and not the goats of this world!

The one thing we had better understand as a nation is, that we will suffer and fail if we fight against the Divine purposes of the Lord, as would David if he went against the Lord.

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

We must be in harmony with God’s purpose as an individual, as the Church, and as a nation!

Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
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 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

This is the only way we can conquer our enemies and it is by the power of the Lord Jesus and this through the power of the Gospel.

Our nation has become corrupt, wicked, and divided and these things will ruin any nation and cause their downfall.

The people of Israel were not created for the king but King David was created for the people.

The Lord Jesus Christ was not created at all, He just is, but He came for the people.

All religions are just the opposite, the people are created for all false religions, because they are all man-made religions.

The Church is a creation of God and the Messiah is sent for the people of God!

We know that shepherds, lead, provide, and protect their sheep, and this is the same way that Jesus Christ leads the people of God.

What does a good shepherd do?

1) He guides the sheep to his pasture and away from dangerous places.
2) He seeks and saves all those who are lost.
3) He protects the sheep, willing to sacrifice his own life for the sheep to be saved.
4) He restores those sheep that go astray and returns them to the sheepfold.

The Lord Jesus Christ is proven the Ruler over God’s people.

David was thirty years old when he began to reign over all of Israel.

The Lord Jesus Christ was thirty years old when He began His ministry.

We must never forget that our Savior is also the Sovereign Lord and Majesty of the universe, all His creation!

It was King David that made Jerusalem the capitol city of all of Israel.

Psa_122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

We had better pay close attention to what this verse says today as the world and much of America are turning their backs on Israel.

Some of the so-called churches are saying things they do not understand if they go against the Word of God.

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

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 3:16 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.

Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:

David became a mighty king and part of the reason was because he moved his capitol city from Hebron to Jerusalem and in his heart he loved Jehovah.

By choosing Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel, Jerusalem became the city of peace between all the tribes of Israel.

Jerusalem will again one day be the City of Peace and not the city of turmoil that it is today!

Solomon, the son of David chose Jerusalem to be the place for the Temple that was to be a House of Prayer for all of Israel.

He did this because his father David insisted that the city of Jerusalem would be the place to house the House of God, the House of Prayer.

Jerusalem also became known as the city of David.

*2Sa 5:10 And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.
2Sa 5:11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
2Sa 5:12 And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.

David was not a perfect man and he made many mistakes in his life, but he never forgot where his strength came from.

It can be the same for every Christian if we never forget that our strength comes only from the Lord Jesus Christ!

David called Him Jehovah, we call Him the Lord Jesus, they are one and the same.

Once we give our life to the Lord we will grow and mature in Him!

The phrase the “Son of David” is mentioned twenty-six times in the Bible.

Sometimes it was spoken of Solomon the son of King David, but many times it refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Son of David is proclaimed from Heaven as King of those who love Him and He will rule by treating everyone according to justice and reason.

Psa 98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.

We are to grow more and more, to be like the Lord Jesus Christ.

1) Living righteous and holy lives.
2) Showing love and compassion to all people.
3) Forgiving others as we have been forgiven.
4) Helping others when they have a need.
5) Walking humbly before all others, acknowledging them, and building them up.
6) Most of all being obedient to all the Word of God, rightly divided.

We do this by growing in Christ!

Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

As David grew in the LORD, the Philistines became aware that if they had any chance to defeat David, then they had better get started before he became too powerful.

This is the same thought the false priests and elders in the time of Jesus.

They decided they had better get rid of Him before He had too many followers to overcome them.

The world has the same thought today as the hatred for the true Church continues to grow because we are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ!

If were possible, though it is not, for the world to get rid of the Jews, the world would immediately turn to attempt to get rid of the Church and they will continue until they find this out. God loves His people!

*2Sa 5:17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.
2Sa 5:18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
2Sa 5:19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

The Philistines, the Palestinians of today, had not bothered David up until this time, because Judah and Israel were fighting with each other almost constantly, but as soon as David was made king over all the tribes of Israel, they decided to attack him before he could get his armies organized.

They feared David’s growing power!

David was not only a man after God’s own heart, but also a shrewd politician and a mighty general and we will see for many years David would always consult with God before he jeopardized the lives of the armies of Israel.

Only Israel does this today!

George Washington did this same thing and some few others, but I dare say it is only the mothers and fathers and the Church who pray for our militaries today.

The Philistines invaded Israel to try to stop Israel from growing into a dominant nation and they had gathered their entire military forces to do this.

It was the wrong time for these wicked people to attack God’s people!

The Philistines marched their armies within a mile of Jerusalem.

Rephaim, at one time meaning the valley of the giants was the same place that Og the king of Bashan belonged.

There were a few remaining of these giants in the days of David.

The Philistines had an old quarrel with David and they came to make all of Israel their slaves, at least this way their intent.

Jos 15:8 And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward:

It was a place of very fertile land:

Isa 17:5 And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.

We see that David enquired of the Lord something we should all do before we make major decisions and probably before every decision we make.

This is an example for us all and especially for every national leader!

I am sure the leaders of Israel have done the same thing many times today before they went after Hamas.

We can also see they did not rush into this war; they made the proper preparations.

It amazes me that the world sees the so-called Palestinians as innocent victims when few of them are.

They have to go to a place where they can learn the truth and see the truth and come to know the Lord Jesus in a personal way to ever change.

I saw one in the news reports the other day and i was impressed with him as he reminded me of Mary Magdalene amazed that God could forgive him of the things he had done. A sinner just as we all are.

Most of the Palestinians no matter where they are located remain partners with Hamas, a terrorist’s group who may be more wicked and evil than all the rest in the likes of ISIS!

This week I saw where they had roasted a baby in an oven in that raid into Israel and maybe more than one and beheaded several.

The abortionists cannot say much about this because they are just as guilty of atrocities like this.

The Lord told David to go up against the Philistines and He would give David victory over those wicked people.

*2Sa 5:20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
2Sa 5:21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
2Sa 5:22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
2Sa 5:23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
2Sa 5:24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
2Sa 5:25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

Baalperazim would be known as the place where, not David, but “the Lord led Israel to a great victory” over these Philistines.

Many times in the Old Testament we have seen where the Lord just took over the battles that came against Israel.

The world had better be really careful today because the Lord could take over the battle, the war Israels faces with Hamas because much of the world has sided with terrorist. Far too much of the world has sided with them!

Israel is still God’s people.

This world one day will wake up to the fact that there is a God and He is the God of Israel and the God of the Church.

In retreating from this first battle the Philistines left behind the idols that they worshipped as gods.

Some say that it was only after these idols were paraded through the streets of Jerusalem before these idols were burnt but either way, they were burnt till there was nothing left but ashes.

The Philistines later regrouped and came after Israel repeatedly again David prayed to the Lord.

This time the Lord gave David a strategy to pursue in defeating the Philistines.

One thing we should notice in these battles is the God is never on the side of the Philistines.

God will never be on the side of the Palestinians!

The Palestinians had better figure out the God is never on their side unless they accept His Son Jesus.

God told David not to attack these Philistines head-on on but to flank them and to circle around behind and attack them in front of mulberry trees.

David would catch his enemy by surprise and this time they would not be able to retreat.

Many passivist would frown on this tactic today saying it was a war crime because Israel could slaughter the Philistines.

In verse twenty-four we see that phrase “hearest the sound of going”.

This “going” would be “the sound” of a massive army all marching in step, when there was not one!

In other words, these Philistines would hear this sound like a massive army coming at them, and they would retreat and run right into Davids army waiting upon them and they would have nowhere to run and they would be slaughtered.

David and his army pursued the few stragglers that tried to get away for over twenty miles until they all had been slaughtered them all.

Israel had desired a king to lead them into battles and they had gotten Jehovah back.

King David proved to Israel that it was far better to allow the Lord to lead them in all their battles rather than any king.

A great lesson for us all today, especially as we see where this world is headed.

A world that is on the side of the enemies of God, when God cannot be defeated!

Even with all these things we read that happened, still the most important thing we read is, that it is prayer that is most important!

The greatest power we have today is prayer and we must not wait till troubles come before we ask God for help!

We need to be in daily contact with our Holy but All-Powerful God, who is always on our side!

God promises us He will deliver us no matter how terrifying our trials.

He promised to make us conquerors.

Rom_8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

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.

And one of the most important prayers in the Bible for Israel and for the Church.

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

God has His rules and we just need to obey them all!

Amen

The Lord Jesus Is In the Saving Business

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Servant’s Mission

Book of Mark Chapter 2

As we go through these lesson’s this quarter, we are going to see our Lord Jesus Christ as a Faithful Servant.

As the Lord Jesus is our example in so many things, He is also our example of how to be a servant of God.

He loves us as His dear children, but He expects us to serve Him, not as slaves but out of love and obedience.

We always seem to forget our disobedience is our greatest sin. Just ask Adam.

Before the Lord Jesus ascended back to Heaven, He gave us a job to do.

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This is the same job our Lord was doing before He went back to Heaven!

What is a servant?

A servant is a person who attends to another person for the purpose of performing menial tasks, at least that is the meaning used by the secular world.

The liberal side of America would tell us that all servants are slaves when a servant is a volunteer to do some work.

A child of God, who is also His servant, is someone who volunteers to get involved in the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is the Gospels that teach us how our Lord came here to serve His Father in Heaven, and give us the example we are to follow.

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

The Lord Jesus Christ is our Savior, but He is also our loving Master!

Eph 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

We can be servants to the Lord Jesus because we know we are more than servants, we are in the family of God, His brothers, and sisters in Christ.

Somewhat like families, who follow in the footsteps of a parent who has done well, we are to follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, it is a family thing! We do the work that our family does that our Father in Heaven has decided, and His Son Jesus has shown us how to do it right!

Our Father in Heaven “is in the saving business” and we are to follow Him and be in His saving business.

The first part of chapter two teaches us the healing powers of our Lord, as He heals a man who was paralyzed.

This miracle is so great, not just because this paralyzed man walked under his own power, but we see that word immediately, which means old muscles that had not been used and joints that had not had to do any work, all immediately began to work in this body that had been paralyzed.

As this chapter continues our Lord Jesus takes a walk on the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, but not just a leisurely stroll because Jesus had a purpose behind everything that He did.

*Mar 2:13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

By this time, the crowds that followed Jesus were too large to be contained in one home.

By this time, some of the synagogues were closing their doors to the Lord, because He spoke with authority and His message was a message of truth.

This same thing happens in America today, the government and the media decide what is right even when they are wrong and close the doors to the real truth. This is corruption at its highest!

Mar 2:6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Mar 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

The people knew better and they flocked to Jesus to hear more about this coming kingdom He spoke of.

When these people had questions, our Lord Jesus could answer them because He knows all.

As a Servant to His Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus took every opportunity to teach the truth of the Scriptures.

And then, the Lord was also in the process of choosing the twelve disciples who would later become the twelve Apostles at least eleven of them would. One was a traitor!

*Mar 2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

As the Lord Jesus walked and taught, He passed by a tax collector.

We can see that the Romans had a tax on just about everything like we have today.

Matthew was set up to tax the fishermen for their catch of that day.

Today there is a tax on rainwater in many places, and a coming tax on the methane gas that comes our farm animals, among other taxes to pay for our free spending governments.

In fact climate change is more about taxes than it is the truth!

Yes, the climate is changing, it has been changing since the Lord created it.

The greatest of all climate changes is the flood in the days of Noah.

Yet there is a greater climate change coming and it will be by fire and it will be devastating.

Climate change is then caused by sin more than anything else!

Yes, to live as humans we do produce some things that could harm our environment.

Yes we could do a much better job taking care of our world.

In fact it will be humans who will destroy our world. We are that foolish. Some governments are bound and determined to destroy our world.

No, it is not humans who are causing the climate change that we are see today.

It is natural elements that drive climate change just as they always have.

At least Rome was building roads to every nation that could be used to spread the Gospel.

We cannot get our own governments to fix the existing roads with the money dedicated for that purpose.

Our government is already plotting some sort of tax on electric vehicles to make up for road taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel that will be lost.

There was this man named Levi who was a tax collector who we know as Matthew.

The Israelites considered all tax collectors as traitors and sinners. They were bitterly hated.

They were looked upon as people who had sold their souls out to Rome.

Most of them were cheats and extortioners who lined their own pockets while collecting taxes for Rome and Rome did not care as long as Rome got what Rome demanded.

Most of them became wealthy off the backs of the people of their own nation.

We can believe that Matthew was this type of tax collector.

We can also believe that the Lord Jesus was always looking for an opportunity to save a lost soul.

Levi was an outcast and hated by those around him, but the Lord loved him as He did everyone else.

After loving on him for a moment, Jesus simply says, “Follow Me” and Matthew left the taxing table and followed the Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew lived a life of being hated by those around him no matter where he went.

Matthew was surely craving forgiveness!

Jesus tells us all:

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

This is the same Matthew who wrote the Gospel that bears his name.

Most people called him Levi, even Mark and Luke, but Jesus called him Matthew and so, this is the name he chose for himself.

The name Matthew means “gift of Jehovah”. From then on, Matthew stressed God’s great mercy upon him.

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

The Lord invited Himself to dinner at Matthew’s house, and many more tax collectors were there and we see that the Israelites referred to them as “publicans”.

*Mar 2:15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

There were many such men as Levi who were considered outcasts to society, but many of them were like Levi they wanted forgiveness for what they had done.

This dinner became a huge feast.

Luk 5:29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

Matthew had discovered a peace and a comfort that he had never known, and he reached out to his friends who were like him, so they could learn of the peace that comes from forgiveness.

This world will not show forgiveness unless

It is a life-changing experience when we have a meeting with the Lord Jesus Christ!

Jesus gladly accepted the opportunity to meet with these sinners and Jesus took His own disciples with Him, even though they were wary of being associated with publicans.

Anyone who is willing to confess their sins has a willing ear to listen to them, when that ear belongs to Jesus Christ.

Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Act 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

What this modern generation does not understand, especially those who are transgender or gay, is that the Lord Jesus Christ cannot help anyone who is unwilling to confess their sins and repent!

The Church is open to all comers no matter their sin but all those who know the Lord as their Savior have repented and been Born Again.

What did Jesus teach?

Joh_3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

The self-righteous, the self-sufficient, the self-dependent, feel like they have no need to confess their sins and repent of them.

Our Lord Jesus did not ever act above or act better than anyone and this is a great lesson for us all.

Our Lord Jesus also did never compromise His message of repentance!

The Church cannot compromise today or more people will go to Hell because they think they have no need to repent!

The Church must open the doors to all who would enter, no matter their walk in this life, but to be forgiven we must all yield to the Lord’s message of confession and repentance.

Our faith must be in the Lord Jesus Christ and the work that He has done for our salvation, and then, we can confess our sins and begin that work of repentance with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Those unwilling to repent will find that they are not saved and in the end the Lord will say “I Never Knew You”.

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

Only after confessing the knowledge of the work the Messiah has done for our salvation and repenting of our sinful life, can we become that new person, being “Born Again” into a new life!

Those who are self-righteous will never understand these things!

*Mar 2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
Mar 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

If we have noticed the things that are happening in America, we must understand that the sins that America winks at are much worse than those that are already condemned.

Self-delusion, that we have no sin, is the sin that cannot be forgiven because it rejects the reason the Lord came in the first place!

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

There is no one in this world today who is not a sinner!

We can also know that we are to reach out to all sinners outside the Church, but we are not to run with them and partake in their sinful ways.

It is the sinner who can become a disciple and follow the Lord Jesus, and not the other way around.

You see, a religionist who is respectful of the ways of society, will become a judge to those who are trying to reach that society with the Gospel.

Christianity is not a religion; Christianity is medicine for the sin sick soul!

Religion is philosophy, Christianity is the truth of God!

The Lord Jesus expects us to change, but He also knows we need the help of the Holy Spirit to make that change!

It is the sick person (sinner) who knows he needs a doctor (Savior) because he knows he is sick (a sinner).

Those who do not know they are sick (a sinner) will not go to the doctor. (the Savior)

All those who have made themselves self-righteous will never repent!

Rom 10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

This is where the American society is failing today!

This is where the compromising Church is failing today!

Those who live in their own righteousness will not answer the call of Jesus Christ!

It is Jesus Christ who is the “Great Physician”!

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Those religionists just will not give up and they can ask some really foolish questions.

*Mar 2:18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

What is fasting all about?

Fasting is the laying aside of food for a period of time when we are seeking to know the Lord in a deeper experience.

Fasting is to be done with the object of seeking to know the Lord in a deeper experience!

There are three types of fasting:

1) Normal fasting involves the total abstinence of food but not water. The Lord Jesus fasted forty days.

Luk 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Luk 4:2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

2) There is the absolute fast for about three days.

Act 9:9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

3) There is the partial fast where there is just a restriction of diet.

Dan 10:3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
There are some physical benefits to this type of fast. It would be similar to dieting.

Daniel chose bread, meat, and grape juice to do without.

Remember all these fasts were done to get closer to the Lord!

When the early Church wanted to know the mind of God, there was a time of fasting and prayer and most all the church took part in this fast.

Very little fasting is done today!

What was the answer from the Lord Jesus?

*Mar 2:19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
Mar 2:20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

How could the disciples fast to get them closer to the Lord, when He was with them every day at this time?

The religious Jews fasted twice a week but for what purpose, we do not know because they were not getting closer to God.

They fasted simply because of religion. It was just another ritual for most of them! It was just another tradition with no real meaning! It was just something else they could brag about.

The disciples of John the Baptist also fasted twice a week just as the religious Jews because they did not have a clear meaning of the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ even though the Messiah was amongst them and John had pointed them to this fact.

They did not have the Holy Spirit until they understood the work of the Messiah.

What was the purpose of their fasting, it was just a ritual!

They should have been fasting for the release of John the Baptist, but it was time for John to cease and for the Messiah to step forward and John had also pointed this out to them.

They should have understood the purposes of the Messiah. They had little faith.

If fasting is not used to seek a closer relationship with the Lord, it has no purpose other than dieting to lose weight or for health.

Yes, we can fast for an answer to a prayer but if we do not have a close relationship with the Lord, how can we expect an answer to that prayer?

These religionists were just mocking the Lord Jesus asking, how could the true Messiah not teach faithfulness to religion.

Religion will not get you to Heaven! Only the Messiah can get us to Heaven!

If God had wanted John the Baptist out of prison, then he would be out of prison.

The time of John the Baptist had ended so, there would be no confusion about the true Messiah.

John was a powerful preacher whose message had been fulfilled.

Jesus simply stated there is a right way and a wrong way to fast.

In fact, Jesus again, as our example states, we must not judge others for keeping religious rituals.

Censuring and condemning others is uncalled for!

We must understand that all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ are condemned already.

We need to show them the only way to be redeemed and pardoned.

We will not be judged according to whether we keep or not keep religious rituals!

Only the Lord Jesus Christ can judge these things!

Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Rom 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

Jesus Himself said there were two reasons to fast.

1) Sometimes, we just do not feel the presence of the Lord, then, it is a suitable time to fast.
2) Sometimes, we feel we need that special empowering of the Lord to meet a special need, then, it is a suitable time to fast.

This fast must be sincere and we must lay out the rules of our fast with the Lord and the reason for our fast, and this fast must include sincere prayer.

We must understand that we are going to suffer in this world and it is going to get worse before we go home to be with the Lord!

We must also understand that the Lord is not trying to patch up our old way of life, but we will be “Born Again” into a new life, our old life passed away!

The Lord Jesus is not out to reform an old religious life, but He will regenerate us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

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

*Mar 2:21  No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 
Mar 2:22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

God says, if you want to alter the habits of some other person, we must begin by changing their principles.

If we are to plant the Gospel Seed into a rotten heart of some sinner and there must be some sign of progress.

To be a Christian is to be a new kingdom. That old life cannot be patched.

This is the downfall of many places of worship today. They are trying to patch up an old life and God says we must be Born Again into something entirely new.

There will be a New Heaven!
There will be a New Jerusalem!
The persons in both these places will be a New Person, the Born Again children 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.

Rev_21:5  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

A patched up sinner will be worse than he was!

The word bottles in this Scripture means wine skins.

A new bottle made of an animal skin would be elastic enough to expand as the gases of fermentation built of pressure.

Old skins that had already been used would be hardened and they could not take the pressure of the fermenting process and that old bottle would burst.

Jesus said that He was bringing a new life built upon expansion and a new excitement for eternal life. A life never ending!

Our old sin nature cannot be repaired!

Just like corruption, it must be removed!

We must understand that all those old forms of religion in this world will one day perish and the only thing left will be Christianity.

The true foundation of life is the Lord Jesus Christ, and our “Born Again” new life will be clothed in the “Righteousness” of our Lord!

2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

We cannot be fixed in our own ways; we must be elastic and expandable in the life that Jesus offers to us!

Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Amen

Coming Back to the House of God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Back to Bethel

Book of Genesis Chapters 34 and 35

As we study the Old Testament, we see that these people who preserved the Word of God were just historical people as we are.

These are real people with real problems who found out that it is Yahweh who has all the answers.

These stories of life in the Old Testament are real and they are true.

We see that it is not always easy to be a believer.

We will face many challenges as we try to serve the Lord.

The best solution is the solution the Lord gives us, which is to keep the commandments to God, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jacob had to live with the decisions he had made, and he had to find God’s “Grace”.

The best place to begin in search of God’s “Grace” is at the House of God!

We must always understand God does not need our sacrifices God needs our obedience!

*Gen 35:1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

Jacob had made a vow at Bethel. God had kept His side of the vow, but Jacob had wavered in his vow.

Gen 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
Gen 28:21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
Gen 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Many a Christian today, who were on fire for God, when they first asked Jesus to come into their heart, have now cooled off and they need to go back to Bethel, the House of God, and renew their vow as did Jacob.

Jacob had been blessed many times over. Jacob had not given his tenth and Jacob had not given his heart to God which is far more important.

During this “Covid” Plague, many of God’s children have grown cold and afraid and they no longer give their heart to God.

In fact many have even forgotten to support the House of God!

They have just quit on the Lord no matter their excuse!

Ecc 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Ecc 5:5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

We make a vow to the Lord the day of our salvation, the very moment of our salvation, or we are not saved!

God wanted the heart of Jacob just as he had the heart of Abraham!

Jacob did not need to go alone, he needed to take all his family so they too could join him at the altar of God.

But there are always some things that need to be left behind!

*Gen 35:2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

No matter who we are or where we come from, as Christians we need to renew our commitments to the Lord first and then to each other.

The second will not work without the first!

The family is the first government that our Creator endorsed.

We might say “I have never had strange gods in my life”, but we are fools to think so!

Gal 4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
Gal 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Gal 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Gal 4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

All these things are false gods that we have allowed into our lives without thinking that they are false.

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

We must keep the Lord “first” at all times and those weak and beggarly elements, which are worldly things, need to be replaced with the Word of God, that is the Word of Truth!

We need to be clean!

The Bible does say come as you are, but in this instance, we are talking about the children who are already in the family of God.

We must cleanse ourselves because we spend every day in a wicked and sinful and corrupt world.

Jesus said to Peter:

Joh_13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

To wash our feet as Christians is to walk holy and undefiled.

We must wash the filth of this world off before we make request of the Lord.

It is called recognizing we are sinners, asking for forgiveness every day and asking for a refilling of the Holy Spirit every day or more often as the need arises.

We still live in this filthy flesh!
We are still dirty rotten sinners saved only by God’s Grace!

That “Grace” comes only by Jesus Christ!

In our Spiritual life, that has been “justified” by the Lord and purified by the Lord, need not think that we are undone if in our walk in this life we will contract some stains.

We need to wash away those stains!

We get this same meaning where it says a change our garments.

We need to wash away the filth of this world and the Word of God is that cleansing agent.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

This washing occurs as we are doers of the Word, we are obedient to the Word of God!

1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: “but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God”.
1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

We cannot allow ourselves to be brought under the power of this world when our power is of the Lord.

We just need to go to the “House of God”.

*Gen 35:3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

We are foolish if we do not remember from where God has brought us from.

Where were we?

1Co 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

We must never forget the power of our “faith” in the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must remember our deliverance!

The Lord will always, “Always”, deliver those who come to Him in faith and repentance!

2Sa 22:2 And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
2Sa 22:3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
2Sa 22:4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: “so shall I be saved from mine enemies”.

If we love the Lord, truly love the Lord, He will always deliver us from our day of distress!

As far as Jacob was concerned Laban was in the past and it was Esau, his own brother who brought these fears to him.

Jacob may not have known just how to approach Esau but as God does, God said to “let his journey begin at Bethel, the House of God”.

This is a great lesson for us all.

No matter what we are going through, we need to go to the Lord in prayer and there is no better place to pray than the altar at the house of God.

Yes, we are to go to our closet and get alone with God.

But a Spirit filled House of God, where others who love the Lord can bring great peace of mind.

God is our deliverer!

Psa 18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
Psa 18:18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.

Jacob had asked his family to give up all false gods and to go with him to the House of God.

Anything people worship is to them a god!

Anything we put before the Lord has become our god!

But there is only one true God!

*Gen 35:4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
Gen 35:5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.

If we go back to where Jacob had begun his journey to escape from Esau, we will understand this better.

Gen 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
Gen 28:21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
Gen 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

Jacob had vowed a vow to Yahweh and God was doing His part and had done His part.

God always does what He says He will do!

We must repent of our old life and walk in the Word of God!

We must bury our old gods and seek the Living God!

Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We must put away our own thoughts and seek the “Mind of Christ”!

1Co_2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

What was the mind of Christ?

To do the will of His Father!

Joh_8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

When we are doing the will of our Heavenly Father, we will be doing the will of our Savior!

Until the Lord takes us home, we will still be amongst our enemies!

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy!

*Gen 35:6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him.
Gen 35:7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.

Luz was a royal city of the Canaanites.

By the direction of God, Jacob was directed right into the mouth of the enemy.

This is the location of the Church today.

As long as we are upon this earth we will live amongst our enemies.

In reality, this nothing to be frightened of.

We are strangers and pilgrims in the land.

Even in the midst of our enemies we can find the “House of God”!

Mat_18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Notice that Jacob had found something that is more important than the House of God.

Jacob came to realize if God is not in the House, then it is not a true House of God.

It is El-bethel, the “God of House” that makes a true Church!

So many places of worship today have forgotten this.

Jesus is finding that in America, He is no longer welcome, much like when He came the first time.

Luk_9:58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

My question is how have we allowed this to happen?

We as Christians have to be the laziest people on the face of the earth!

We think once we are saved, we can forget the world we live in.

We are left in this world to make a difference and we are failing because we refuse to do the work of God.

It is the “God of the Church” that makes the difference, and He must live within us!

We cannot abandon our places of worship as we are told to today, but we had better bring Jesus with us when we go.

We need revival in America.

Not just for lost souls, as many believe, but to revive all the Church, the “Body of Christ”!

There can be no revival if it does not begin with each Church member, each believer!

Jacob built an altar to sacrifice the tenth he had promised to complete his vow, and he was now much closer to the Lord, the God of the House.

It was not the animals that made the sacrifice, it was the heart of Jacob that was important if he was to be Israel.

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

If we do not look to Jesus, then we have not laid aside every weight we carry, and we will be worn out before our journey begins.

It was not the journey Jacob made to get to the House of God, it was the journey he made after he had been to the House of God.

Will the God of the House be with him?

Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

It was a good time for one to repent and give her heart to God.

*Gen 35:8 But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth.

We do not know for sure, but Deborah would have been more than 140 years old at the time of her death.

Gen 25:20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

Compare

Gen 35:28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.

Deborah had left Haran with Rebekah 140 years before this death.

“Allonbachuth” means, the “Oak of Weeping”.

No doubt this nurse had spent many of Jacob’s early years teaching him and helping to raise him.

If we set our roots down in a Bible believing Church, we will see over time, many of the Saints of God go home to glory.

These will be days of sadness until we wake up to the fact that they went to where we want to go, to the Glory World of Heaven.

Death and burial is in all our future unless the Rapture of the Church takes place before our day comes!

We must also understand that on our journey to Heaven the true “Promised Land”, we will not be exempt from the things that happen to all humans.

Our journey will not always be easy nor is it intended to be.

Life is not all that fun especially as we get older, but we live, knowing that a life given to the Lord is a life that cannot die.

I am so glad I am no longer a “dead man” but am alive forever in Christ Jesus!

So Yahweh came to visit Jacob another time.

*Gen 35:9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.
Gen 35:10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

We might miss this if we are not looking.

God takes the time to remind us who we are!

God provides us that assurance we need to stay motivated!

Once Jacob had given his heart to Yahweh, The Almighty God, He then reminds Jacob he is no longer the supplanter, but he is a prince in the family of God and the priest of his own family.

Rev_1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev_5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Our Lord God likes it get up close and personal and He tries much more than we do to get close to us.

We sometimes forget just how much we are loved by our Creator.

And God said:

*Gen 35:11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;
Gen 35:12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.

The great “I Am” said call me “El Shaddai” there is nothing in this Universe as powerful as the Almighty God.

Why do we express the fears that we do?

He is God “All Sufficient”!

He is able to make good on every promise He has ever made!

We must allow El Shaddai to do His work at His own pace and in His own time.

We can see that He had His watchful eyes on Israel, the man, as He has always had His eyes on Israel, the nation.

Part of those promises given to Abraham would be given to Israel and many of those promises are not yet fulfilled even today, and we should understand that we can only be a living part of God’s plan if we listen to what He says and then do as He has commanded us.

Israel would be the father of a great nation.

The tiny nation of Israel today stands a small but powerful nation, because of these blessings given to Jacob on this day we are reading of.

Also the Lord Jesus Christ is the “promised seed” and all nations have within their borders those who love and serve the Lord.

We know that Heaven where the Lord is today is that true “Promised Land”, open to all to give their heart to God Almighty, El Shaddai!

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen

Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

The things of this world from Creation until today, have come about exactly as the Word of God has said, and things will continue until they reach their climax at the return of our Savior.

We have no reason to doubt the Word of God!

How can we doubt something that has proven to be true over and over again?

*Gen 35:13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
Gen 35:14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.

We know God did not meet Jacob face to face or Jacob would have died on the spot, but God did meet with Israel in some visible display of His glory that hovered over him while God talked to Israel just as He did in the time of Moses over the Tabernacle.

When Jacob had first met the Lord at Bethel, he set up a stone he had used for his pillow.

Israel now took the time to erect a more stately and more lasting memorial probably placing that first stone in some part of it.

Israel then hallowed it with freewill offerings.

If our offerings are not given freely then they are meaningless!

This is the first place the drink offering is mentioned in the Bible.

In many places we will see the English word wine, but alcohol would have never been used in an offering to God.

The Bible says we are not even to look upon fermented grape juice.

Pro_23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

We know that God will never go against His own Word!

Many so-religions forsake these words, but Israel would not have.

This grape juice was to be poured on the altar as a sacrifice!

There is more to a drink offering than we think!

We can call it symbolism, but we use the phrase “typology” which is more appropriate.

He first poured a drink offering of wine and then he poured oil over it.

If we look closely, we can see Jacob was prophesying about the sacrifice of Jesus by his actions.

We know that Jacob was the father of twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel.

The Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel.

One of Jacob’s sons was Judah; where we get the word Jew, and we know that Jesus was a Jewish Man from the tribe of Judah.

Jesus stated emphatically, “Salvation comes by the Jews”.

Salvation came by the Jews in their act of preserving the Word of God and teaching us by example!

Jacob poured the offering on a stone that he had set up.

Jacob did not just see a stone and use it; he set it up to make an altar. It was a pillar it was a cornerstone!

The Bible says God was going to lay a Cornerstone of salvation, a sure foundation.

The scriptures tell us Jesus is that Cornerstone, set up by God!

The drink offering of wine or grape juice symbolizes Jesus’ blood, poured out for us.

After the ‘blood’ came the oil, which symbolizes the third Person of the Godhead; the Holy Spirit, Who has been poured into Christians for us to
‘drink’.

We know of course, we receive the Holy Spirit after we have been washed in the blood of Jesus; so Jacob poured the offerings in the correct order.

The “blood of Jesus” is poured upon that lost soul, then the oil the Holy Spirit is pour into that lost soul to cause a New Life!

We see over and over again we can find salvation in the Old Testament played out to teach the Jews of the coming New Covenant by the “Blood of Jesus Christ.

God would never use some fermented corrupt liquid to show us these things!

“Fermentation” is a corruption of the “Fruit of the Vine”!

Jesus Christ was without sin and without corruption.

if we want to pour out our own drink offering, then when we go to the altar, we need to pour out our heart to a “Righteous Savior” and not some “fermented substitute”.

The best place to do this is at the House of God!

*Gen 35:15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel.

Remember the only city that was near this place was Luz a royal city of the Canaanites.

In the future this place would be named Bethel.

In this day of Jacob (Israel), he was saying the House of God!

God will speak to us anywhere and at any time but there is just something special about meeting with the Lord at the House of God.

Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

Amen

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Jesus Christ Guaranteed Guidance

Book of John 16:1-15

When Jesus says guaranteed guidance what does He mean?

We need to take another look at a verse in last week’s lesson:

Joh 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:

Every “Born Again” child of God upon accepting Jesus as their Savior will receive the Holy Spirit to live within them. This is the guaranteed guidance we will receive as another free gift from our Heavenly Father.

We should know that the Holy Spirit will never lead us away from Jesus, but it is also true that the Holy Spirit has free will to change us and to provide gifts as He sees fit.

The one gift we will all receive is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and notice it is fruit single and not fruits plural.

Gal 5:22 But the “fruit” of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Eph 5:9 (For the “fruit” of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Notice again that “fruit” is single and not fruits plural.

Every child of God will receive this fruit.

Any other gift of the Holy Spirit comes as Holy Spirit decides!

We should also know a physical talent is not a gift of the Holy Spirit even though He may enhance that talent for God’s use!

The Holy Spirit will be our Guide throughout everything we face in our Christian life, even when we go home to be with the Lord because once inside us, He will never leave us!

*****Joh 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

We live in a dark, dreary, and evil world full of lies and immorality and this world hates everything about the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord will test our “faith” but most things that we confront will be because the world hates Jesus Christ, so it will be to anyone who represents Jesus Christ,

We will go through many personal sorrows with our love ones and with dear friends, but we must rest assured we will never be alone again because everywhere we go, we carry with us God the Holy Spirit.

He is certainly a Comforter, but He is also truly God, with all the power of God!

Jesus will explain these things in our lesson today, so we will know to expect them, so we can be prepared when they come to us!

Jesus is explaining these things to His 11 remaining disciples, who are Jews, but these things will also apply to every disciple from that point even into our future and beyond.

*****Joh 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
Joh 16:3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

We know the Lord is addressing these 11 men concerning false religion, using the Jewish system as an example to us all. We need only remember Stephen and Saul before he became a Christian to realize this truth.

Act 7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
Act 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Act 7:57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
Act 7:58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
Act 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
Act 7:60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

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

Act 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Act 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

It is the same for a Hindu who converts to Christianity.
It is the same for a Muslim who converts to Christianity.
It is the same for most all false religionist who convert to Christianity
Even the Atheist, the Agnostic, and the Non-believer, who persecute Christians today.

As God does, He will take something bad and make use of it!

Act 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

These hardline Jews felt like they were cleansing the Synagogue by cleansing it of, what they called, evil Christians.

Religionists do not see how there can only be one way to God so then Christ Jesus must be a liar, when He is about the truth of God.

Religionists believe goodness must be a trait recognized by God, but it is not.

Religionists believe that Church membership accounts for something, but it does not.

Religionists believe that Jesus was just a good man who was called to be prophet, but Jesus was God in the flesh (Immanuel).

Jesus said they would do these things, because they did not know God the Father in Heaven. nor God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now if Jesus states that Religionists have no idea of the truth of God, then it must be true because Jesus cannot lie!

Religionists reject anyone who makes demands on their lifestyle and a right to seek freedom and their own desires instead of any God who makes demands of them. They reject that any god should make demands on them period.

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

Jesus told these disciples before He was crucified, so that they could prepare themselves after Pentecost.

We should not be surprised when persecution comes to us!

*****Joh 16:4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Because Jesus is God the Son, He did not allow persecution to be a problem while He was teaching these men.

Mat_23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

When Jesus returns, He will eliminate all those who have persecuted the Church!

We must understand, that accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior means we will see some persecution, some much more than others.

It has been a special blessing to be born in a Christian nation where persecution has been minor compared to heathen nations though persecution is making its way into our lives by false religion and crooked politicians, who open the door to falsehood.

These 11 men needed to know that the truth of the Scriptures, as was told by Daniel and some others, would certainly take place.

Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Dan 9:26 “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off”, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Jesus had to return to Heaven, so the Holy Spirit could begin His new job of putting together the Church, that has the foundation of Jesus Christ!

*****Joh 16:5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
Joh 16:6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

What was another reason Jesus had to go back to Heaven, in terms we can understand?

1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Not only was the Comforter sent by the Lord, but now the Lord at the right hand of God, will plead our cause to God the Father.

Christ Jesus exhorts, defends, comforts, and prays for us now, from the throne room of God!

What is our job besides being a witness for the Lord?

1Jn 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
1Jn 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

God the Holy Spirit becomes our comforter and sheds His gifts upon us to be able to do the work of the Lord.

God the Son becomes our “Advocate” in the throne room of God.

When we get to Heaven and meet God the Father, He will already know more about us than we know ourselves!

What is the truth? If persecution causes our death, we gain, we do not lose. We go to the Father in Heaven and begin our life in eternity.

We must not allow persecution to cause us to lose our joy of knowing just how wonderful Heaven will be!

As long as we are alive, we will have God the Holy Spirit living within us to guide us through all these things!

*****Joh 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.

Another reason we can trust the Lord Jesus, He has never misled us in any way. He has told us the truth of this thing called salvation!

In fact this is the main message that Jesus has had to us all.

Yes Jesus loves us.
Yes Jesus died for us.

If Jesus had not given us His words of truth, that would be all we would have known about salvation.

Even Caiaphas understood salvation but loved his job of High Priests too much to accept the Lord Jesus.

Joh 11:49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
Joh 11:50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

It amazes me sometime what people will say and then refuse to believe what they said.

We need to understand that we live in a body of flesh that is going to die, but this is not the end of life because our life is not in the flesh!

Our life is in our “Soul” that is like a precious stone to our Heavenly Father!

Our Heavenly Father can give us a new body of flesh at any time, but we can have only one “Soul”!

The Holy Spirit could not do His new work until the Lord Jesus Christ ascended back to Heaven, not like He came but in a “Glorified Body” that He promises to us all!

You see we have no reason to worry because the Holy Spirit is creating a glorified body with every believer!

The Holy Spirit will remain with us all the way to Heaven!

The Holy Spirit also had another work to perform, while He is within us!

*****Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

The fact remains that even after we accept the gift of salvation by God’s “Grace”, we are still sinners. In fact the only difference between a “Born Again children of God and those who do not have a personal relationship with the Lord, is the “Grace of God”!

If we were not endowed by the Holy Spirit, we would slip back into the misery of a sinner!

The Greek word “parakletos” is translated “comforter” in this verse and “advocate” in another verse, which means One who will plead our cause when we commit sin, which He will also convict us of that sin.

This same “Comforter” will also be with us through the miseries of this world!

The Apostle Paul may have never used the word Comforter nor Advocate but he understood the work of God the Holy Spirit.

Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

It is our job to stand up for the Word of God, and God the Holy Spirit is our strength to do so!

Why is our world growing darker in sin? Because the Church has gotten lazy and just wants to wait on the return of Christ when it is within our power, because of the Holy Spirit, to make things better.

We should all be ashamed of taking the Holy Spirit to places that grieves Him!

We hinder the power of God!

Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

Since Jesus went back to Heaven, we have an Intercessor in the throne room of God!
Since Jesus departed, we have the presence of the Holy Spirit with us at all times. He will never leave us.
Since Jesus departed, we now have the “Gospel”, the “Good News” sent down from Heaven from God the Father!

We should understand, all the sin of man can be forgiven but one:

*****Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
Joh 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

By now we know that sin is the one thing that separates us from God and places our soul in the jeopardy of Hell.

The Cross of Jesus Christ was God’s method of reconciliation.

When we reject the truth of God, we are defying the love of our Supreme Creator!

It is sin that convinces us that we need a Savior, a Deliverer.

It is the Holy Spirit who first convicts us of sin and then convinces us that there is a Remedy!

1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
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:

We have no righteousness ourselves, so the Holy Spirit brings the righteousness of the Lord into our hearts and we will know the truth.

Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Isa 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

After our salvation and the gifts of God the Holy Spirit, there is one more thing that has great importance:

The prince of this world is judged, and he has no more dominion on those who believe upon the works of Jesus.

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

When Jesus took away all the sin of the past, all the sin of the present, and all the sin of the future by His death on the cross, Satan was eternally defeated.

The only work he can do now is to try to convince those who listen to him, that God is a liar!

What is the truth? My Savior can save anybody, anywhere, at any time and this drives Satan crazy!

We could say Satan is crazy now, but he can only do what God allows to the believer, but God still allows him full access to the unbeliever!

2Ti_2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

There were still many things that Jesus needed to teach these 11 disciples, but He could not at that time.

Many things we must experience under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

For the believer we now have the complete Word of God and Jesus will also talk to us through our prayers!

*****Joh 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

We certainly cannot know everything that Jesus could not tell these 11 men, but what we do know that if Jesus had laid out every detail of His capture, and His beating, and His crucifixion these 11 men would have been too broken to heal.

A wise man once said, a bar of gold is a wonderful thing to have but if you are too weak to carry it, it will not do you much good.

It was the same for the Lord’s passion, these 11 men could not have bared that knowledge until it was all over.

Jesus taught them more about His resurrection, which they still did not understand, until it also happened, and 11 men became so bold that nothing could stop them from preaching the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ.

It would only be when they were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, that these men would understand all things.

Even today, the Bible is a great history book and a book of great knowledge but when the Holy Spirit moves in at salvation, the Bible then becomes the Word of God that the entire world needs, and we can know the great truths that are included in the Word of God!

What is the mark of Satan?

Joh_7:18a “He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory”: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

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.

What is the mark of the Lord?

Joh_7:18b He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: “but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him”.

Joh 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
Joh 12:50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

We must understand that God the Father, God the Son (Christ Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit dwell in each and every believer as our next passage teaches us.

*****Joh 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

It is impossible for the Holy Spirit to put bad thoughts in our head as some believe.

It is only possible for the Holy Spirit to lead us to the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is only possible for the Holy Spirit to teach us the things of Jesus which were given to Him by God the Father.

This is not hard to follow. This is a simple truth which we dare not try to avoid!

Not only does the Holy Spirit leads us the truth of salvation, He will also teach us of the things to come!

We must also remember we are taught by the same Spirit as these Apostles.
We are saved by the same God the Son, Jesus Christ, as these Apostles.
We are to worship the same God, Jehovah, as these Apostles.

The Holy Spirit will glorify the Son, as the Son glorifies the Father.

None of this is so hard that a child cannot understand!

Satan is the father of all lies.

The Holy Spirit is the guide to all truth!

The Holy Spirit(Holy Ghost) is not to be feared, He is to be believed!

Joh 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.

Another thing we must understand is that if someone comes along teaching anything but Jesus Christ our only Savior, then that person does not have the Holy Spirit living within them and they do not know the salvation of the Lord!

What did the Apostle Paul preach?

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

In truth if we feel like Jesus is not speaking to us, then we are deaf and are not listening, because the Holy Spirit is never silent unless we have cause Him grief!

Solomon was wise in the things of this world, remember, the half has not been told.

The words of Jesus Christ contain all the wisdom of eternal life, all the truth has been told!

Jesus Christ speaks the wisdom of God because He is God!

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.
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Mat 11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Today we live in a materialistic age, our world is the kingdom of who has the most and no one cares about another.

We know that the love of the world is enmity with God.

The world is unwilling to see its wrong!
The world is unwilling to be corrected!
The world is unwilling to be directed in the right manner.

The world says the teaching of a Savior is too spiritual.
The world says a Savior would demand too much from them.
The world says a Savior would interfere with their sensuous desires.

We live in a foolish world!

Amen

Let’s Pray!