The Gospel

The Gospel Truth

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Gospel and the Resurrection

Book of 1 Corinthians Chapter 15

The word “Gospel” means “Good News”. There is only one Gospel!

The Gospel is described in many ways:

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

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Act 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

The Gospel of the Grace of God.

Mar 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

The glorious Gospel.

Rev 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

The Everlasting Gospel.

This church at Corinth, like many churches today, is confused about the resurrection of believers.

This resurrection concerns our bodies, no matter if they are in the grave, have been burnt to ashes, thrown into the ocean, or eaten by some wild animal.

Some were denying the resurrection of the body.
Some were following false teaching, claiming that it occurred at the time of our death.
Some just said God couldn’t resurrect our old bodies when God made us from the dust of the ground to begin with.

There is nothing too hard for God!

Paul said this was a simple thing for God when He showed the power of resurrection by raising His own Son from the dead.

We do not need any other proof!

*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.

No matter where the Apostle Paul preached, he included the resurrection as part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We cannot take our stand on the Gospel of Jesus Christ without standing on the fact of His resurrection and our resurrection.

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Paul had said earlier that he was not able to preach the meat of the Gospel to these Corinthians, but he did preach the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is a major doctrine and principle of our salvation and our resurrection.

We, as the Church, need to pay particular attention to this chapter.

Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Eph 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

We should understand that we will see our Heavenly Father face-to-face, and we will be in a glorified body, and that body will be a version of the body we had when we were upon this earth.

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

Paul is declaring these things again to these Corinthians as if they had never heard them because they had not remained with them.

We must live by faith in the Word of God.

We already know that without faith, we cannot even please God.

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

We are being saved by the same Gospel that was presented to these Corinthians!

We must hold fast to the Gospel.

When we take a stand as a Christian, we are standing upon the truth of the Gospel!

Jas 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

*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;

The first act of the Gospel was that Jesus Christ died for our sins, fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament.

Isa 53:5-8, Daniel 9:26, Psalms 22, Zec 12:10, Gen 22.

All these Scriptures teach us the death and resurrection of our Savior, God’s Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ.

The death of the Lord Jesus Christ is the first thing that should be preached because with His death, He paid for our sins.

Paul is saying that these are the first words that he received from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

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

The death of Jesus Christ was the substitute that Our Heavenly Father allowed for payment of our sins.

Jesus died as our sacrifice.
Jesus died as our ransom.
Jesus died as our propitiation.
Jesus died according to the Scriptures.

Luk 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

Joh 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

He was wounded for our transgressions.
He was despised and rejected by men.

*1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The second fact of the Gospel is that the Lord Jesus died and was buried, and He rose again on the third day, just as the Old Testament had testified.

We should understand that there were many witnesses to these events; they were not done in the dark or hidden from sight.

There are still those today who say there was no resurrection because there was no actual death.

We need to just pay attention to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the truth, and it is our faith that saves us and our faith that pleases our Heavenly Father.

Jesus Christ did die a human death. No one buries a man who is alive except a murderer.

If Jesus had not been buried, then there could be no resurrection.

The empty tomb is still evidence that the Lord Jesus arose from the dead!

It is the resurrection of Christ Jesus that proves that our bodies will also one day rise from the grave, and our tombs will be empty no matter how our bodies were buried, scattered, or remain in some urn, or thrown in the ocean.

The resurrection proves that the Lord Jesus Christ is exactly who He says He is, the Living God!

There is no other power anywhere upon this earth that can raise people from their death!

Rom 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves that He is our Savior.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves that He is the Spirit of Life.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves that He is no liar.

Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

The resurrection proves that Christianity is real!
The resurrection proves that our Heavenly Father accepted the work that His Son Jesus did for our reconciliation, our salvation.

When the Lord Jesus prayed at Gethsemane, it was a prayer that His death would bring life through His resurrection.

His Heavenly Father heard His prayer!

Heb 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

His resurrection was essential in the plan of God for us to receive the Holy Spirit.

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.
Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Joh 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

There was an empty tomb.
There was the shape of the linen wrappings. Those wrappings still retained the shape of the body. The Lord Jesus had passed right through those wrappings.

Remember Lazarus: Joh 11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

The graveclothes of Jesus had remained in that empty tomb with the napkin folded and laid aside, which meant He would return.

Then some witnessed seeing Him after He arose.

*1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

Peter, who had denied the Lord, now became one of the greatest witnesses for the Lord.

The Lord appeared to the remaining Apostles. Judas at that time was already dead having committed suicide. There were twelve Apostles after his death.

Then there were five hundred witnesses at one time who could testify to seeing the resurrected Christ.

Then the Lord appeared to James, His stepbrother, who would be the Pastor of the Church at Jerusalem.

It is then that the family of the Lord Jesus Christ found out that their stepbrother was telling the truth all along.

He later met Paul on the Damascus Road. Paul became the twelfth apostle hand-chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ.

And Paul preached:

*1Co 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

Still today, some unbelievers deny the resurrection of the human body of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We know that the Lord was one hundred percent God, but He was also one hundred percent human. That human body did die, but God cannot die. He has always existed!

Psa 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Isa 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

There may be many things I do not understand and cannot explain, but the resurrection of my Savior has enough witnesses to make me a believer, and I have enough faith to accept all the Word of God as the truth.

BUT:

*1Co 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
1Co 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.

If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, then there is nothing to Christianity.

Most of this world believes in some supernatural being, and that being would not be much if it could not bring a human body back to life.

The message of the Gospel is the “good news” of our resurrected Savior, who is the God of the Bible and the God of all truth.

Since the God of the Bible raised the Lord Jesus Christ back to life, He will have no problem raising all the bodies in the future that He wants to raise.

Jesus said to his disciples after He had risen Luk 24:38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
Luk 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
Luk 24:40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

I will live forever in the presence of the Lord!
I will have a personal face-to-face relationship with the Lord!
I will be made perfect and serve the Lord face-to-face in a New Heaven and a New Earth!
I do know that I know all these things are true!

The Lord Jesus died to free me from death and all other believers, and His Father raised Him, so He will raise all those who have been freed from death!

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

*1Co 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Christians whose bodies are in the sleep of death is a principle that we must reject as impossible!

The goodness, the faith, the love, the tenderness of that Saint of God cannot be dissolved into nothing.

God simply will not allow it!

Since Jesus Christ rose from His death, then that old body of that saint of God that is asleep in Jesus will also rise from that grave!

That old body will not only rise from the dead, but it will be glorified just as the body of Christ is glorified.

The Lord Jesus did not have to take His earthly body back to Heaven with Him, but He did.

He could just as easily have gone back in His Spirit, but He chose to take that earthly body with Him.

If the Lord Jesus Christ did not arise from that grave, then neither will we. It is just that simple.

Why do we question God so much when He expects us to have faith?

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ goes hand in hand with our own resurrection!

If all we have is hope in this life, then certainly we will be miserable as we grow older in years.

If we have served the Lord as He commanded and suffered for it, then we have endured something false.

But now Jesus Christ is risen!

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The fact is, we will live in the New Heaven with our Redeemer in our glorified bodies throughout eternity.

Since we are in our old body that is now glorified, we will be known by sight, just as we will recognize those who have gone before us by sight.

Where is our faith?

We should be very clear if it is possible to live in the presence of God, and it is, then the human body must first undergo a radical change. Th

1Pe 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1Pe 5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

*1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

If we are not settled on this issue of our bodies, then listen as Paul tells us how these things will take place.

The human body is flesh and blood. It is a physical body and not a spiritual body that will be needed in the New Heaven.

This body is made of earthly materials and substances, not spiritual materials and substances.

This body must be completely remade!

The bodies we have today are made to live in this physical world and dimension.

This physical body is made for the kingdoms of this world and not to inherit the Kingdom of God.

We cannot inherit eternity as we are; a change is necessary!

This means those who have gone on to meet the Lord and their old flesh was left behind and, includes any who are alive when the Trumpet sounds, and we will all meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

When we meet the Lord Jesus in the clouds, it will not be for salvation, but the Lord will take this time to issue rewards for the work that was done on earth.

1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

The workman is saved the work itself is burned with fire.

Both the living and the dead will receive newly created bodies.

These things will happen quicker than can be seen clearly and will be invisible to those who will remain on earth during the tribulation period.

We should not worry, as the Lord Jesus said, the Lord’s children will hear that trumpet!

These things are absolutely certain!

The trumpet will sound.
The Lord’s saints will hear it.
The dead shall be raised incorruptible.
We shall be changed.
These things will take place in the twinkling of an eye.

Joh 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The resurrection of the damned will take place over a thousand years later than the Rapture of the Church.

*1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

The nature of our old bodies is corruptible, but the nature of our new bodies will be uncorruptible!

You do not have to tell a senior citizen about how his body is deteriorating, and his days are getting shorter, and a day of death awaits us all unless the Lord Jesus returns soon.

We are all waiting for our heavenly body that will live throughout eternity.

We know that if we are going to live with God, then these old bodies must change!

*1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

This change of our bodies will swallow up death, as it will not exist in our new bodies.

The grave will no longer be in our future.

This is the victory that was promised by Jehovah long ago.

Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

It is sin that gave death its power, and the New Heaven is a place where there is no sin and there will never be any sin.

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Sin will now be erased from the picture.

It is laws and standards that show us our shortcomings.
Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Yes, Lord, I believe you.

When we have been perfected by the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ, there will be no law hanging over our heads.

With no law, there will be no condemnation!

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

*1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

It was the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ that proved He had the power over death.

It is through Him and Him alone that we can be resurrected from our death!

His perfect righteousness overcomes sin and sin’s penalty; it condemns sin!

Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Those who are afraid of the Holy Ghost will find that He is our greatest gift after salvation.

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.

These things should encourage us all as we live for Jesus Christ.

These promises are to all those who believe the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ! These are promises!

We must stand on the truth of our Lord, unmovable!

Unyielding.
Unshaken.
Undisturbed by what goes on in this world around us.

We must work harder for those we love and those we meet.

Our labor will not be in vain!

1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Amen

Alive to Christ Jesus

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Dead to the World

Book of Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 11 through 18

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

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

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

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

Both of these things are wrong!

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

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

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

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

What Paul did not say.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We all want to make a good impression!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Religion cannot save anyone!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There is no other way to be acceptable to God!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is this truth that saves lives!

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

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

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

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

There is nothing upon this earth that is eternal!

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

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

The Law offers nothing but death!

The Cross offers nothing but life everlasting.

What really is in this world?

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

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

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

Jesus Christ came to make us new creations!

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

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

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

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

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

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We are then “Born Again Spiritually”.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some things we know that the world ignores are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grace is still the unmerited favor of God!

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

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

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

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

It is still the same for every church today.

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

We cannot ignore the Grace of God and be saved.

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

Amen

Liberty in Christ Jesus

/ Bobby Mayfield / 2 Comments

The Liberty of Jesus Christ

Book of Galatians Chapter 5 verses 1 through 18

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

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

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

Some people just enjoy being in bondage to this world!

Some people think of nothing else but sin!

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

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

Jesus Christ secured the ideal righteousness for us!

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

This is the message of the Gospel!

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

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

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

To stand fast is to stand our ground.

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

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

The truth is always the truth!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is not the fact of circumcision!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is the truth, they will be accursed!

In the first Book of Galatians, we read:

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

Who do we owe our life eternally to?

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

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

There is no other way to please Him!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus said:

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

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

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

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

Php 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

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

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

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

Any teacher that teaches otherwise is teaching a false doctrine.

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

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

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

Just a little false doctrine can ruin any church!

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

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

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

So, it is with false teachers!

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

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

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

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

I avoid all of them and stick to the KJV.

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

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

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

The false teacher will always downplay these things.

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

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

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

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

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

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

All letters to the church were read in all churches.

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

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

False teachers only tell lies!

God will hold up His true Pastors!

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

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

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

Paul’s sermons had never veered from these facts!

What Paul had done before his conversion was irrelevant!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The flesh is contrary to the Spirit!

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

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

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

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

Amen

The Gospel Truth

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What were they afraid of?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paul was not lying because Jehovah God cannot lie!

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

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

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

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

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

Paul continues:

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

The Marks of the True Preacher

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Marks of Paul’s Ministry

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 2

What seems to be the problem with the Church today, is the fact that there are not enough strong preachers who preach the Word of God as the truth that it is.

It seems that far too many have their own concept of what the Word of God is teaching.

Many of them just tickle the ears of those in the pews so they can pad their pockets and keep their job.

God teaches us that we are not to have our own interpretation of the Word of God!

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

Not one of the prophets of God came by their own interpretation of what God was saying.

They wrote down exactly what God was telling them to write and they were guided by the Holy Spirit to make sure what they wrote was the message that God intended for us to have.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

It is not the preacher’s job to interpret what God is saying, it is the preacher’s job to explain what God is saying.

Neh_8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

Too many so-called preachers are just preaching their own version of the Bible when God said not to do that.

What were some of the marks of the ministry of the Apostle Paul?

*1Th 2:1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
1Th 2:2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

If we look at the city of Thessalonica, we can see the same things happening then are still happening in our own nation today.

Those that reject the Word of God were trying to convince the general public that the preaching of Jesus Christ would destroy their freedoms and affect their jobs and businesses, when the fact is that this is far from the truth.

We know that Paul had to flee from Thessalonica to save his life.

The Word of God did not flee, so the attacks upon the Church and its believers continued.

Since the persecutors could not get to Paul, they then attempted to destroy his reputation.

In America today we see that there is an attempt to destroy the Church.

In fact, these people have become so bold they attempt to destroy anyone and everyone who stands against their wicked and immoral ways.

Not much has changed in this sinful world as we approach the same sinful ways the days before the flood and the days of Lot.

Again the Word of God did not flee and the Church at Thessalonica prospered for many years.

The Word of God cannot be destroyed nor can the true Church with the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Paul could not go to Thessalonica, he wrote the two books to this church that bear their name.

We also know that the writings of Paul were also shared with every church.

The Holy Spirit included these letters in what is known as the New Testament today.

Paul knew how the unbelievers liked to exaggerate the lies that they proposed, and stirred up as many problems for the Church as they could and we still see these same tactics today.

The tactics of the Devil do not have to change because most people want to do as they please rather than live righteously.

People are only concerned about themselves and not anyone else.

The Lord Jesus is our example in how to live righteously.

The Apostle Paul can be our example in how to serve in the ministry of God.

The Apostle Paul was good Church Planter because the Word of God is true and the cause of Christ is real.

The faith of the true Church is valid!

We are truly saved and our names are truly written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life in Heaven!

Heaven is a real place just as Hell is a real place.

These things are real because they are true!

The message of the Apostle Paul was not empty, ineffective, or fruitless, because the message of the Lord Jesus Christ is a real message because it is a true message.

When we live for Jesus Christ were are living in reality!

The “fruit” of the “Gospel” is permanent and cannot be changed by this world.

The “Tempter” the Devil, may ruin our testimony if we succumb to his tricks, but he cannot change our outcome.

A good preacher will preach boldly the truth of God because he knows it is the truth.

A good preacher will preach boldly the truth of God even when he is opposed by those in the pews.

Thank God for our Pastor!

The Apostle Paul was opposed in every city he went to, but it did not change his message.

Those who change their message because of opposition to it, are then liars and no longer have the truth.

Bold preaching is one proof of a strong preacher.

Bold preaching is to preach the truth of God and not to concentrate on those who oppose his message because there will always be those who oppose it.

Those that oppose the Gospel of Jesus Christ will also break the laws of the land to do so.

Act 16:37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
Act 16:38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

It was not an easy task to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles in Europe.

The secret of the bold preacher is that they always preach the message that the Holy Spirit has given to them!

Without the power of the Holy Spirit there are no true preachers!

*1Th 2:3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

When we speak the message of the Lord Jesus Christ, we know we are speaking the truth!

The Word of God is free from all that is false and impure.

It is true Christians that make brave Christians.

To exhort, is to incite which is good and that which is commendable according to the dictionary.

Listen to Jeremiah: Jer 4:14 O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

Paul wrote to the Colossian Church: Col 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Col 1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
Col 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of the few truths that is left in this wicked world that is so full of deceit.

No one even expects to hear the truth anymore, especially from our politicians.

We do not get the truth from our news sources, or from our government, nor is the truth taught in our schools anymore.

The truth is being erased from all documents because the truth will upset too many people and change the narrative of our government which strives on deceit!

The Gospel stands out as the eternal truth of the Living Unchanging God!

The bold Preacher preaches a pure “Gospel”, and lives a clean life, and certainly does not deceive the people of God!

The bold preacher does not follow the latest theological fashion in order to appear up to date with some so-called modern “Gospel”.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is pure and needs to be preached as pure.

No preacher has the right to change the message of God!

Every wicked rumor about the Apostle Paul proved to be false.

I can assure you, if we hear an immoral rumor about our own Pastor, you can bet it is a false rumor and should be ignored and our Pastor defended.

The Apostle Paul was sincere and genuine and he preached the truth so that people could be truly saved and their names written down in Heaven.

Paul preached for the glory of God and not for any personal glory which none of us have.

If we are not trying to please God then we are not who we say we are!

Most people do not want to hear about sin and judgment, but these are facts.
Most people do not want to hear that the Lord Jesus is the only path to Heaven, but it is a fact.
Most people do not want to hear that we are to commit ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, but it is the truth.

Preaching the truth is not very popular, but a bold preacher will not tone down his message to appease those before him.

It is God’s “Gospel” and it will be God who will judge that one He has called to preach that Gospel”!

Those that reject the truth of God are already doomed to Hell!

Every child of God will give an account of the ministry God has given to us, even that bold preacher.

It is God which tries our hearts to see if we have deviated from the truth of the Gospel!

This should frighten those who preach a false gospel, but they are not believers themselves and most of them are just in it for the money and the true Judge will eventually get them in His court and their judgment will be terrible.

*1Th 2:5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
1Th 2:6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

That word “flattery” used in this Scripture implies compliments that are given in order to get something out of people.

Paul refused to flatter people in order to secure their friendship or their following, or their support!

Paul’s message was that “we are all sinners”.

Paul did commend many people and we read about those things in every epistle that he has written.

Paul said God was his witness to this truth.

The Apostle Paul was accused of being in the ministry of the Lord because of His greed, so Paul supported himself all his days by menial work.

Every church that Paul established in the Lord knew this to be true.

We should understand that there is much in the word of God that is distasteful to the unbeliever, and it is because they do not understand God’s purpose for including these things in the Scriptures.

Even if the Word of God was considered to be perfect in the world, there would be many who would find fault in what God has said to us.

The Word of God exposes our depraved sin nature and our helplessness against the Devil.

The Word of God exposes us to some mysteries that the world says God should explain.

The Word of God has only one “judgment” for sin, when the world sees minor sin and major sin.

The Word of God says it is the truth of our world, yet earthly science rejects this truth because they reject the Divine God.

Just because the world objects to the truth of the Lord Jesus, our God, it does not make it any less true!

The strong Pastor and preacher does not minister for glory, nor for prestige, nor for authority.

They seek only to please the God that called them into His service.

This should be true of every child of God!

It is only the false preacher that has a selfish ambition.

The “Gospel” belongs to the Lord Jesus!

He is indeed the Author of our salvation!

There is no other “gospel” for mankind!

As a wise man once said, “The Gospel is that Star by which we can navigate through the Sea of Life and land upon the Shores of Eternity”.

Those that preach the true “Gospel” are not angels nor can they ever be!

An angel knows nothing of the passions and the feelings of being a human.
Angels cannot understand the trials and temptations that we go through.

The “Gospel” must be preached by men such as Paul and Silas and James and the others called of God.

Men cannot be preachers who become Christians.

Preachers must first be Christians who have been called of God to preach the Gospel.

They must be sincere and bold because they preach the only truth of this world.

The Gospel contains no false theories, no wild imaginations, and no empty speculations!

The “Gospel” is the truth of our Creator and His message of truth for our eternal salvation!

*1Th 2:7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
1Th 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

This word nurse as used here means a nursing mother and not some baby sitter.

Most every mother are like a nurse to their children, especially that new born babe.

Paul said this is the same way he was around those who were at that time babes in Christ.

This is the same way the Lord Jesus is around all His children.

This is the same thought of our Heavenly Father as He looks down upon us from Heaven!

There is no better way to describe the love that the Lord has for us.

The Apostle Paul had a mother-like affection for all those babes in Christ in Thessalonica because this is the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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!

That hen is a fitting example of a nursing mother who will shield her babies from all the evils of this world.

This was the way of Paul and all the Apostles and more important this is the way of our Heavenly Father who sent His Son, the Messiah, Jesus to provide us with Heaven’s Security.

The Apostle Paul sacrificed all his personal goals and any private life to be that “mother hen” to the Churches he planted.

Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

This is the same gentleness and patient endurance that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ!

A good Christian is that person who uses utmost gentleness to have utmost strength in serving in that place where the Lord has placed us.

These are things we must consider if we are going to serve in the will of God for our lives!

This is the love that is the power of the good preacher.

I thank God for the Pastor God has placed in my life who expresses the love of God to all he meets.

*1Th 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

The strong and true pastor preaches and ministers, laboring night and day.

Such was the Apostle Paul!

Paul was the servant of Christ Jesus trying to meet the desperate needs of this world and reach men and woman with the truth of the Gospel.

Paul only slept and rested only as he needed.

What did Paul mean when he said he would not be chargeable to any man?

Paul meant that every true called man of God has the blood of the world upon his hands, and will be held accountable for getting the message of Christ out to them.

That message was that they can be saved from death and receive eternal life.

Eze 33:8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 33:9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

The Gospel is the greatest “Good News” that has even been conceived but the Gospel is also “a warning” to all those who would reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

To the Apostle Paul the work he was doing was a labor of love.

2Th 3:8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
2Th 3:9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

These things took a toll on the Apostle Paul but he never quit on God.

2Co 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Co 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

Paul was a tent maker by trade and this work was most always available.

By supporting himself, Paul was free to direct his own movements and raised himself above evil suspicions.

It was sometimes a telling thing when Paul would raise his hands in worship of the Lord showing the hands of tentmaker blackened from that work.

Act 20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

No one could accuse the Apostle Paul of preaching for money.

It is also true that the preacher must lead an impeccable life.

*1Th 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
1Th 2:11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
1Th 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

Paul lived a holy life before God after his conversion. A life separated from the world and set apart totally to God.
Paul lived a just and righteous life before men. A life that loved and treated men just as God said and just as he wanted to be treated himself.
Paul lived a blameless life before both God and man!

Paul told these Thessalonians that they were his witnesses to these truths.

It was not just Paul but those with Him, which would include Silas and Timothy and we know that Luke traveled with Paul much of the time and there were others.

We should understand that even in the day of Paul the world just did not want to hear the truth.

As Christians it is important that we walk worthy of God and this is a very high standard.

We must walk in harmony with the Word of God.

In today’s world the Word of God has not changed, but those who will walk in harmony with the Word of God are not as many.

It is the same reason; the world just does not want to hear the truth.

They foolishly believe that they have no purpose, but to sin and they reject that there is life after death.

The best witness tool we have as Christians is the lifestyle we live!

The governments of today insists that parents of today do not know how to raise their children.

I submit to you that those governments do not want our children to know the truth and they certainly do not know how to raise our children.

It takes a good father to lead his family and our Heavenly Father gives us the example that we need to follow through His Son and His Word.

The Bible is about the family and it only works when we are in the family of God our Father.

We are invited to enter into God’s Kingdom while we are on this earth and we can participate in its blessing, but we also know that we will one day live in God’s Heavenly World.

The world teaches that society is made by groups when the Lord Jesus teaches that society is made by each loving individual.

As a father who earnestly gives his children the right guidance and the right instructions, this was the way of the Apostle Paul because this is the way of our Heavenly Father.

“Walking” should mean that we are on the path of the Lord and making steady progress in serving the Lord.

What did God tell Abraham?

Gen_17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; “walk before me, and be thou perfect”.

This has never changed and as the children of God our Father we are to follow this same path!

We must continue to press forward in the name of the Lord!

Php_3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We seem to sometimes forget that we already have a place reserved for us in Heaven!

Jesus Christ requires that we live a Christian life.
Jesus Christ requires that we live as He did.
Jesus Christ enables us if we truly follow Him to live.

Without Jesus we cannot live a Christian life!

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

We must understand that the Word of God is the ultimate truth of this world.

*1Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

A strong people will receive the Word of God as the Word of God!

It takes people to proclaim the Word of God.

No one can get the Word of God without someone else having a part in taking that Word of God to them.

This is the function of the Church.
This is the reason for giving away Bibles.
This is the reason for our tract ministry.
This is why we witness!

This Church in Thessalonica believed it.

The Apostle Paul believed it.

Those that traveled with Paul believed it.

I believe it.

Do you believe it?

Most of this world only believe that the Scriptures were all given by some man and they cannot be further from the truth.

Most of this world believe that the Old Testament is nothing but a book of fables, yet they will believe the lies writings such as those of Karl Marx.

Most believe that the New Testament just tells us what the Apostles believed about Jesus, when much of it is written by eyewitnesses to His existence.

The Bible proclaims it is the Word of God.

The fact of the unity of the Scriptures, written by so many different men over such a vast amount of time could not have been completed unless it came from one mind.

These Scriptures have change millions of lives for God.

God can speak only the truth and it is the truth we need, not a pack of lies by our own government and a reckless society.

We must understand that the Supreme Authority for accepting the Word of God is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Joh 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

Jesus Christ was a historical person.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

The Bible is the Word of God!

The Bible is what we are to base our faith upon.

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

It is time we based our life on the truth and not the lies of this world!

Amen

Understanding the Truth of God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Receivers and Responders

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 1

We go from the Books of James written by James the half-brother of the Lord to the writings of the Apostle Paul but Paul assured us that we know that it was the Holy Spirit who directed all the Scriptures.

Every chapter, every verse, every word given to us by the Holy Spirit are to make the Church to be strong.

The world will claim every building with a steeple is a church but we know only those groups of true believers make up the true Church.

The Church is not a building, the Church is all those who are trying to follow in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ and His truths!

The true Church has Preachers and Pastors who are faithful to the true Church by remaining faithful to the truth of the Word of God.

A strong church is a church that has accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, the same Messiah who will return to first take His children home and then deal with this wicked world and complete the promises He has made to Israel.

The true church is founded on the Oneness of God in His three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

There is no true church if that congregation does not accept the trinity of God!

*1Th 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we cannot understand the truth of this scripture then we do not understand the Love of God!

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

All other places that gather together are not part of the true Church unless they accept this truth!

They are only a man-created gathering, no matter what they call themselves!

The Lord was discussing this with His disciples before He was crucified.

Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Now the Church is not built upon Peter but the fact that the Lord Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!

The true Church possesses God gifts of “Grace” and “Peace”.

We know that “Grace” is the sum of all the blessings that God the father bestows on us through Jesus Christ. Grace is God’s love and favor to us who are certainly undeserving of it!

We know that our Lord Jesus by God’s “grace” is the death of His Son for all believers, in fact for all sinners.

We should know that peace is more than the absence of hostility and disorder: it also denotes good health and harmony with nature, and inward wellbeing.
This peace came through the blood of the cross.

Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

The peace comes only by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit gives us these words of truth.

Paul as a Church builder never departed from this truth about our Savior but built upon it, just as we are to do today.

Silas and Timothy were with Paul when the Church at Thessalonica was established and the Holy Spirit always showed that Paul was not alone and that he traveled with others who had the same faith that he had.

Again we will see that prayers are the strength of the Church.

*1Th 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

A strong Church is a praying church!

Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

It is our duty to be thankful for the personal benefits we receive from God but notice it is better to be thankful for the good of others.

Paul knew his own strength came because of all those churches praying for his success.

We need to pray for all the missions of our church because they need those prayers and we will still receive those benefits from God.

Our prayers must be a work of our faith or they are useless!

Remember what we learned from James, “faith without works is a dead faith”.

We show our love to Christ by what we do for Him willingly!

We must take prayer seriously because it is the power behind the true Church!

Our faith in Jesus Christ will stir us up to do a work for God.

The stronger our faith, the more we can accomplish in the name of our Lord Jesus!

We must never get over the fact that we have been saved from a burning Hell!

Just as faith stirs the Church to do a work of God, “love” stirs the Church to labor, or we would say to get busy serving the Lord.

We know this work can be tiring but when we do get to rest, we will rest satisfied that we are working in the name of our Savior.

One day that true rest will come and our labor on this earth will be over.

Our faith works, our love labors, our hope patiently suffers all things!

We should remember our rewards come from the labor we have done in this life.

*1Th 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

What does this election mean?

1) Election means that we as believers are elected and chosen by God to be His beloved people.

God has called each of us out of this world and away from our old life of sin and eternal death.

Being in the will of God means we are now separate and set apart for God’s use!

2) Election means we as Christians are all in the same family because we have the same Father.

We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and we are to hold each believer close to our hearts.

We are family because of our faith.

1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

When we look upon another Christian, we must see them as an object of God’s love!

We are all brethren because we are all the object of God’s “Grace”.

When visitors come into our Church, they should be able to see that our members act like the beloved of God.

They should see clearly that each member treats each other member as the beloved brethren of God.

The “Gospel” is not just a bunch of words written down on paper!

*1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
1Th 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

What is the greatest trait of the Christian? We believe the Word of God and it is this language that we speak. It is the language of Heaven!

The “Gospel” came in power! Not miraculously but persuasively because it came from the heart of God.

The “Gospel” came to us by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth.

When Paul preached, he was not concerned if he were a good preacher or not.

When Paul preached his only concern was sharing the “Gospel” of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only in these terms that the Holy Spirit can do His work of conviction.

God honors His Word and His Word only!

If we do not believe the Word of God is from Heaven, then we cannot stand before any group in the power of God!

Even as teachers we have no power unless the Holy Spirit is with us and He will not be with us if we have no faith in God’s truth!

Those that believe that our creation came in the process of evolution, have no power.
Those that believe that we are not to teach against sin as described in the Bible, have no power.
Those that believe that the Word of God is not the complete truth, have no power.
Those that say the Jesus is not the Messiah who is coming again, have no power.

The truth of God must be taught by example!

Those that are chosen of God are the same ones who have accepted the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The “Gospel” cannot be received without joy!

Our afflictions come by some man, but our joy comes by the Holy Spirit!

The “Gospel” will always bear fruit!

We must all guard our lives to be sure we are following in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ.

*1Th 1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
1Th 1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

How were these Thessalonians examples of the Apostle Paul?

In their faith.
In their hope.
In their brotherly love.
In their good works.

We must not get caught up in what will people think of us!

It is not a terrible thing to be seen as a peculiar people!

The Church at Thessalonica became an example to other believers.

The new established church was so committed to the Lord Jesus Christ that their testimony spread all over Greece and then all over the known world.

This shows us that the Lord will use us if we just given Him control through the Holy Spirit.

This church was not afraid to show their faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We must understand that if we do not have the Spirit of Jesus Christ in us, then we do not belong to Christ!

Rom_8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Having the Spirit of Christ in us will show up in our daily life.

This is one of the greatest testimonies of witnessing in all the Bible.

Our greatest work we can show to those around us is that work for Jesus Christ.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

When we speak with the voice of the Lord, His message will spread everywhere.

Psa 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

When we do not speak with the voice of the Lord then we are not in the will of God!

When our church does not speak with the voice of the Lord, then we need to close the doors of the church and go home because we are not who we say we are!

*1Th 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

The world sees the Bible as just a book of fables as they serve their idols of this world.

The Christian sees the Bible as the revelations of the True and Living God who lives in Heaven.

Jer 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
Jer 10:11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

Exo 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

Once we have accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we have turned from the idols of the world to the True and Living God.

This is the time we begin standing on the truth of the “Gospel”.

We might try to clean our lives up by ourselves but we will find this is impossible. We cannot reform ourselves!

We cannot turn away from idols and seek God.

We must turn to God first and then with God’s help and God’s strength we can repent and turn away from idols.

It is after we accept the truth of the Gospel that we can repent and be baptized.

Idols are dead images of some imaginary beings, but my Savior, My God is alive and will never die!

Conversion means we have turned completely around.

We begin to hate the things we loved and love the things we hated.

Conversion is to turn to God distinctly by an act and deed of our mind and our will because we see the truth of creation.

We begin to see that there is a purpose to our being on this earth.

This lost world will worship anything and those who say this is not true worship themselves and this is the worst of all false worship.

Every person has an opinion of what God is and what God is like and what God allows and what God does not allow.

The lost world will take these ideas and make themselves an imaginary god out of wood, or silver, or gold, or some other object of this world.

Others just have a picture in their minds of what a god should be.

Some have made this planet to be their god.

Others have made the stars or some alien to be their god.

So an idol is any image created in the mind of man other than the God who gave us the Scriptures that reveal the truth.

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Many of those in Greece had heard of the man Jesus and knew the truth of His crucifixion but were acceptable of His resurrection, but when they heard of His return they sought Him out for the truth.

You see, it is God’s Son who is returning to earth, the One who died for us all.

We that know the Lord want to be acceptable to Him and live with Him forever.

This is the reason we are waiting upon the return of Jesus Christ so we can go home and leave this wicked world behind.

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

*1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

How do we know that the Lord Jesus is coming to take us home?

Because God raised Him up from the dead.

By resurrecting Christ Jesus God proved he is the God of all power and not some imaginary God.
God proved He has the power to raise all the dead in Christ.
God proved that He is going to do everything that the Lord Jesus has taught us.

The truth; God will raise some to eternal life but some will be raised to eternal death.

Eternal death is to be separated from the Living God for eternity, which is what they wanted and strived for, but it will be a terrible thing.

By turning to the Living God we will escape the wrath of God that is coming to this world.

Since all the world has now turned against Israel, including my own nation we can see that this day of God’s wrath is very close.

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.

The USA has just come under the curse of God by the works of administration that is in office today.

God will reward those who are in rebellion to His Word with eternal death!

The world is already condemned but all those who turn to God in any nation from idols that are all imaginary can still be saved.

I can assure you that you do not want to see the wrath of an angry God toward those who reject His Son!

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

Amen

Standing On the Promises of God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Servant’s Promise

Book of Mark Chapter 13

What is a promise? We should understand that the Bible itself, is the “word” of promise!

The Bible is a Book of Promises and those promises from our Holy God and His Son!

That word promise includes everything that has respect to the life that is now and the life that is to come.

The Holy Trinity that forms the GODHEAD forms the subject and the substance of this is God’s “promise”.

God the Father is the promise!

Eze_11:20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

2Co_6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

This promise includes the Lord Jesus Christ!

Joh_14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

All the promises of life given by God are in the Lord Jesus Christ!

2Ti 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

2Co 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea.
2Co 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
2Co 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Notice this passage in Second Corinthians list all the Holy Trinity, The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit.

God’s promises are real and most important, God never breaks a promise!

*Mar 13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!

At this time, the Temple in Jerusalem was one of the great Wonders of the World.

We can see that the Temple in Jerusalem was still standing when Mark with the aid of the Holy Spirit wrote the Book of Mark.

The Jewish historian Josephus said that the Temple wanted for nothing that the eye and the mind could admire.

The size of those foundation stones was enormous, some being forty-five feet long with five feet in height and six feet broad, made of white marble, a limestone.

This is the same material which many statues are made of.

Marble can be found in shades of pure white which were used in the construction of the Temple, but can also be in shades of grey, brown, black, and green.

Marble is so hard that it can be polished.

The Temple was certainly a beautiful building according to man’s standards.

We know that God sees things differently than we do!

Man cannot build to the standards of Heaven so, to the Lord Jesus the Temple of Jerusalem was no great marvel at all.

To Jesus, the Temple was to function as God’s house of prayer, but it had been turned into a den of thieves.

Most all the Gospel writers included this quote of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mat_21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Mar_11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Luk_19:46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.

We could say that the Temple in Jerusalem was nothing great in the eyes of the Lord.

What this Temple stood for was of far greater importance than the way it looked to the world!

This Temple was built and dedicated to the worship of Jehovah!

By the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, each individual Christian is now the Temple of God!

Each individual Temple of God is far greater than any building on this earth could ever be!

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

As the Lord Jesus walked with His disciples, He showed His disciples that this great Temple in Jerusalem had little importance to the Church and would soon be destroyed.

The Lord Jesus began to deal with the great prophecies of the end times.

*Mar 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

The return of the Jews to Israel and recognized as a nation again, happened on May 14, 1948, and this return to Israel could be considered a sign of the end times.

Isa_66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

The six-day war in 1967 was also a sign of the end times.

The war that is going on in Israel at this time can also be considered a sign of the end times!

The restoration of Israel to its homeland was also prophesied.

Deu 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
Deu 30:2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
Deu 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.

Isa 43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
Isa 43:6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Isa 43:8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears.

Israel is a nation of the people of God.

God Himself says right now the eyes of the children of Israel are blind to the truth of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

They spiritually blind to the truth of their own God, Jehovah!

The true Christians are also the people of God.

Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.
Eze 34:12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
Eze 34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.

In order for these things to be true, then Jerusalem and much of the nation of Israel would have to be destroyed and that destruction began in 70 A.D. with the destruction Jerusalem and this Temple, referred to as Herod’s Temple.

Many of the Jews had already been scattered throughout the nations by Nebuchadnezzar.

Herod had spent 46 years building this Temple into a showcase in Jerusalem.

How did our Lord Jesus describe this destruction?

Jesus simply said, “see these great buildings there will not be left one stone upon another”.

This Temple had so much gold used in its construction that it was destroyed and burnt by those trying to obtain that gold.

The Lord Jesus was comfortable with speaking of doomed things and what happens to a doomed people!

We should understand today that all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ are doomed people and are condemned to an eternity in the Burning Lake of Fire!

It does not matter what other people say!
It does not matter what religionists say!
It does not matter what philosophers say!
It does not matter what the secular world has to say!

Jesus was not happy talking about these things, it is just the truth!

We cannot sugarcoat the end times, they will be very terrible, beginning with the Tribulation period that will last seven years.

The world as we know it right now, is building up to these days called the end times!

This secular world is a doomed thing!

All the great buildings of this secular world are doomed things.
All social distinctions are doomed things.
All religious systems are doomed things.

We already know that things are already getting worse for the people of God today and this will continue until God removes His Church and the time of doomed things will then begin.

2Ti 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

This Second Temple of the Jews had been in existence for more than five hundred years but its time would soon end.

What had the prophets said?

1Ki 9:6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
1Ki 9:7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:
1Ki 9:8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?

Did God destroy this Second Temple? No, but He did allow it to happen!

These twelve disciples had to be taken aback to hear the Lord Jesus saying such a thing.

The generation that existed in Israel during the days of the Lord Jesus, the true Messiah, and had rejected Him, would see a great destruction and many of them would also die.

Luk 11:49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
Luk 11:50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Luk 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Those that reject the Lord Jesus Christ have no defense from the wrath of God and no way to escape the vengeance of God!

The disciples of the Lord wanted more answers because they now had many more questions.

*Mar 13:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
Mar 13:4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
Mar 13:5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:

It is a fact that God’s concealment of our future is a great blessing!

Those that know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior, should have no concern for an exact date for the return of Jesus Christ.

We must understand that God knows what He is doing and His act of sending the Lord Jesus to die for our sins, show us that He has our best interest in mind!

We must not be led astray by false teachers and we must listen to what the Lord Jesus has to say on this topic!

There is always a danger of being led astray by the sermons we hear!

This is also true of the Bible we use, other books that we read, and others who we may listen to, who seem sincere.

This is why it is so important to go to a Bible believing church with Pastors who preach the truth of the Gospel.

Jesus says to take heed that we are led astray by no man, in doctrine, in morals, in false standards of conduct, or in the false interpretation of God’s Word.

This is exactly what is happening today!

Just so we are clear, there is absolutely no such thing as a Progressive Church nor a Progressive Christian!

Pro_24:21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change:

Mal_3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

We must guard against being deceived!

We can be easily deceived when dealing with end-time prophecies!

We can be easily deceived when facing end-time events!

We can be easily deceived into thinking that certain cataclysmic events are infallible signs that the end is at hand.

We must place all our trust in the true Word of God!

God has no reason to deceive us, because it is His wish that all people be saved!

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

It is just as clear that God will sometimes save many people from catastrophic calamities, and then destroy them because they reject the Lord Jesus.

Jud_1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

Just as we stated the other week, it is not God’s love that should be questioned in these events!

It is God’s holiness that provides the need for all people to be holy.

God’s vengeance will be upon all those who refuse to be holy!

Our example is still the Lord Jesus Christ without whom we will see and feel the wrath of God on unbelievers.

*Mar 13:6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

Jesus said there would not a few but many false Messiahs come and that they would deceive many.

We know that this is true and it was occurring before the time of Christ and has continued after the time of Christ.

Act 5:36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
Act 5:37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

Act 8:9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
Act 8:10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

We know of many more in our own lifetime.

Many claim to be the One who can lead the world to a utopian state, who are all liars!

Rom 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Our president is one amongst many politicians and religionists whose promises point to them, as the personal answer to our hopes, our dreams, and our problems.

They are all liars!

All these have the God syndrome and they are powerless to do the things they say they will do.

They are deceivers.

2Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2Jn 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

They greatest deceiver of all will be the Antichrist!

Mere men have no such power!

Only the true Messiah has this power!

As far as the Church is concerned, we have no reason to listen to any of them, because we already have the promise of the Rapture and we will not be on earth unless we return with Jesus the true Messiah.

The Rapture is the next important thing on God’s timeline along with the beginning of the signs of the end times which are being seen today and for several years.

Israel at war is just another of the sign that the rapture of the Church is very near.

These things are important to the Jews because they will go through the Tribulation period along with our children and family and friends if we have not reached them with the Gospel truth.

The Jews will survive but few if any Gentiles will survive those seven years.

*Mar 13:7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
Mar 13:8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

There should be no doubt that these things are going on today.

War is almost worldwide today and the next world war could begin at any moment now!

We are to expect troublous times!
We are to expect the many disturbances in our own nation, as we see today. Divided more than we have ever been.
We are to expect international disturbances just as we see today in this carnal and immoral world.

We used to be a nation against terrorism but now many in America get on the side of brutal, wicked, and evil terrorism.

Many innocent people get caught up in these things and are harmed or killed.

It is a very rare occasion to see any good news today and even if there were some good news it would still not be good news to the Christian.

News sources print or broadcast lies and even when they know they are wrong, they refuse to correct their statements or broadcasts.

We also know that there are earthquakes in places where they have never occurred before and many of them are really strong and devastating.

We know that many people are suffering from famine and the world sits by without helping because some rich and powerful men say the world has too many people to feed them all, which has never been true.

We know there are people having troubles all over this world and the world does not try to help or does not care to help.

The Lord Jesus says that these are just the beginning of sorrows, things are going to get much worse, but the Lord also says for His children not to worry about these things.

We know that Christian unfaithfulness is growing because many in the Church have abandoned the Word of God and allowed the world to come into the Church and the mighty ship of Zion is sinking in many places.

God says do not let these things trouble us, for there is nothing we can do about them, and all these things are in His hands.

As Christians, we get overly affected by the news of world affairs and turmoil.

Even though it is interesting and captivating, we cannot allow it to dominate our lives.

Most of the news we get is not the whole truth to begin with!

Many have allowed these things to be more important than the Word of God!

The dark side of mankind will always come to the forefront on the world scene!

None of these things mean the end is near according to our Savior!

Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Luk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
Luk 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Natural disasters are going to happen and even as technology has improved there are still far too many places who are not warned before these things take place, where that information is available and far too many perish uncalled for.

Famine is going to become worse as the rich and the brutal horde the commodities and keep them from the poor.

We see people every day leave behind all the things they have collected all their lives and seek to live in a better place because their own governments will not meet their needs and do not care to do so.

They become easy targets for those who will abuse them in many ways!

We now see how the Church has come under attack because the Church that sticks to the never changing Word of God, now becomes the enemy of these governments because we stick to the truth and Jesus says this is also a sign of the end drawing near.

*Mar 13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

Do we want to see a true sign of the end times then it is in these two verses.

This is much more than just persecution!

It was less than fifty days after Christ had returned to Heaven, that the Apostles began to suffer major persecution.

In other words, the government and the religious leaders tried their best to silence the message of the Lord Jesus Christ before it even got off to a good start.

Religion is deadly to the Christian but the Church where the Lord Jesus is the Head cannot be stopped!

We know that James the Apostle was slain with a sword, murdered for preaching Jesus Christ shortly after His death.

We know of the many times they went after Peter and others of the Apostles were sentenced to death in a short amount of time.

The Book of Martyrs can explain these things better then I.

Jesus had explained these things to His Apostles, but what is going on today is what the Lord Jesus was speaking of.

Paul wrote:

2Co 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
2Co 11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
2Co 11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
2Co 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
2Co 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Co 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

Luke wrote that these things that happened to the Apostles would happen before the signs we are to look for today.

Luk 21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
Luk 21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Luk 21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

These things are just examples of what we are seeing today as the world tries to stop the message of the Lord Jesus Christ.

These are the things that will get worse for the Church so, we must not fail the Lord Jesus Christ!

We are very close to the return of our Lord and Savior!

You see since the invention of the computer and Wi-Fi and as some say, “the cloud”, evangelism has just about been published all around this world.

Of course the Gideons have helped, and the many missionaries, and the many churches all those who give their testimonies and the changed lives because of the power of the Gospel.

This is one of the “must” signs and it is very near to completion, if not complete today.

This proves that everyone will get to hear the Gospel message so they cannot stand at the White Throne Judgment and tell the Lord they had never heard of Jesus the Messiah.

Some say this promise was fulfilled in the First Century but I do not think so.

All nations of the world will hear the Gospel Message before the return of Jesus Christ!

*Mar 13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

This is also one of the signs that the return of Christ is near.

Those who are called before the government heads and the religious heads will speak as supernatural witnesses.

Believers will never be left alone during these things!

We will not have to worry about what to say in defense of ourselves or of our testimony!

Mat 10:19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.
Mat 10:20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

If God is your Father, then your Father will speak for Himself!

Luk 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

We may feel incapable of defending ourselves, but our Heavenly Father speaks with the voice of thunder.

We need to trust God here in this passage, for it is also a promise!

Only God will know the hearts of the persecutors so, He alone knows what needs to be said that will touch their hearts and however they react will serve as their own testimony in their time of judgment.

This does not mean we should not be praying and thinking if this happens to us, but we are to be assured that God will do the speaking!

Some of our own family members may also persecute us.

*Mar 13:12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
Mar 13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

We had better understand that these things can happen and it will also be a sign of the return of Jesus Christ.

Remember, Jesus is talking to His disciples and we should know He is speaking to all His disciples because those with Him on this day knew that they would be dead and gone before He returned.

He had not left at this time but the cross was just a few days away.

We must not miss the fact that we need to bear up under these things.

If we have not reached our friends and family with the Gospel by now, we need to ask for help from some of the Church as time certainly grows short.

We have a tough time imagining things getting this bad, but the Lord Jesus would not say these things if they were not important and if they were not true.

We do not have to consider these things as a test from the Lord, but we must still stand firm on the Word of God even if it leads to our death.

We know the day of our death is the first day we go to Heaven for an eternity.

We do not have to fear death anymore!

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

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

2Co_5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2Co_5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Amen

The World Is Afraid of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Servant’s Disciples

Book of Mark Chapter 6

In the time of Jesus upon this earth every teacher had his own company of disciples.

There were two types of disciples who followed the Lord Jesus Christ.

1) A disciple of Jesus Christ would be someone who believed in Him though they remained where Jesus found them, but they confessed their allegiance to Him and testified of His Grace.

2) Then there was the inner circle the Twelve whom the Lord Jesus later called the Apostles.
These were called to forsake their old lives and follow Jesus wherever He went and aided Him in His ministry and they were also trained to carry on His work after He was gone back to Heaven.

The Lord Jesus had been in His ministry for a little more than a year when He again came to Nazareth, His hometown, the place where He had been raised.

The Lord Jesus had not attended any of the Rabbinical schools that were available at that time and the elders of Judaism were astonished at His doctrine, His wisdom, and especially His mighty works, His miracles.

They all knew He was but the son of a Carpenter, and His mother was Mary, whose fidelity was questioned, and that He had four stepbrothers and more than one stepsister all fathered by Joseph.

Joh_8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

Mat 13:55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
Mat 13:56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

They rejected the Lord because He was not from their own inner circle!

The Lord Jesus stated: Mar 6:4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

The Bible says: Joh_1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Not only were the towns people rejecting Him, but His own brothers and sisters were rejecting Him.

His mother knew the truth!

Luk_2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

All the town of Nazareth turned their back on Jesus the Messiah!

We know He soon left never to return again because these things hindered Him from doing any mighty work.

He did lay His hands on a few sick folks and healed them.

The Lord Jesus marveled at their unbelief.

What is the truth? The sinner cannot understand nor endure the saint of God, not then and not now!

It is obvious that there is no room for Jesus in the places where Satan rules!

God’s greatest blessings cannot come without “faith”!

There was in fact no excuse for their lack of faith because many had known Him from a child and that He had been a perfect child.

They should have at least listened to what the Lord Jesus had to say, but they were too caught up in their own sin!

This is the way of the world today.

The world’s people are afraid of the Gospel because they might have to give up their sin!

Those that heard Him teach had heard the truth of the Scriptures and had witnessed His wisdom and His moral authority.

Jesus was right down the line with the Word of God, as we would say.

Because there were some questions in His family, of His origin, and the fact that He had not attended rabbinical schools, they just rejected Him.

Jesus just went to other villages and towns and taught there, anywhere where people would listen.

They could then make their own choices.

It is fatal to reject the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The Lord Jesus had prepared the chosen twelve disciples for their first mission assignment.

The Lord Jesus did not send them out unprepared.

*Mar 6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

These men are those whom the Lord had called to walk and associate with Him, to live with Him, to constantly be in His presence.

This is what Jesus expects of us and all the Church today!

We will one day live in His presence evermore!

By being with Him, they could see how the Lord Himself walked with God!

This is the only way we can be like Him.

We must walk with Him.
We must associate with Him.
We must live with Him, Spiritually.
We must constantly be in His presence by gathering with others who walk with Him.

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

At the first, the Lord Jesus had taught only to the Jew and this is whom the Lord would first send His disciples.

The Lord wanted His disciples to feel comfortable with people of their own nationality, rather than first send them to the Gentiles.

The Lord sent them out two by two so they did not have to travel alone.

This is an idea still used by the Church.

This was not necessarily for their protection for He would protect them.

This again, was to keep them in their comfort zone to travel with someone they knew pretty well.

There was another important reason; “Every word was to be established”!

Mat 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

They also were sent out with a dose of the power of God.

Mat 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

You see, no one can have this power unless given to them by the Lord Jesus Christ!

You cannot go to some school to learn these things!

They were also given the power to preach the Kingdom of God.

They were not to preach any other message!

Luk 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
Luk 9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

Why did Mark not mention these other things?

It seems that Mark is writing to the Gentiles about God’s true Servant to them.

The Gentiles needed to be aware of the unclean spirits that lived amongst them, and their need to be cleansed in the eyes of God.

Thank goodness the Lord included the Gentiles in His ministry.

What is the central purpose of our Lord Jesus Christ?

To conquer our spirit of evil by giving us His Spirit? To destroy the works of the Devil that is within us!

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.

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

Each disciple was to follow the commands of the Lord Jesus Christ, just as we are today!

The Bible is not a book of suggestions, it is a book of commands!

*Mar 6:8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
Mar 6:9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

What Jesus was saying was “just go as you are”.

We are never to try to be something that we are not!

We can see the words, humble and simple, proclaimed in the words of our Lord.

1) They could take their staff, which was a shepherd’s staff which did allow them some protection, but it was also a symbol of a hardworking and simple people.

2) They were to take no scrip “or we would say a wallet”, no bread, and no money to buy bread.
They had to have faith that the Lord would provide these things as needed.

3) They were to wear sandals to protect their feet and provide some comfort. The wearing of those sandals also meant they had not been deprived of the simple things of life. To be barefoot would mean they were in search of gifts to help them.

The Lord says He will provide all our needs. We should never appear that He has not done this!

4) They were not to wear two coats.

The Jews in the days of Christ wore two principle garments. An interior coat, sometimes called a tunic and a more costly exterior coat or a cloak. This cloak was used not only as a jacket or overcoat, but also as a covering to sleep under at night if they had to spend the night outside.

As a rule a Jew had at least two complete suits in his possession that he might be able to change often.

As missionaries for Christ, to have this second suit of clothing could display extravagant and wasteful spending.

The whole idea is that a servant of God is to live a simple and humble life just most as ordinary people live.

Why? We are to be heavenly minded!

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

As the servants of God, our minds should be centered on the “preaching of the Gospel” and telling everyone we see about the love of Christ Jesus.

We must show that we are dependent on the Lord Jesus Christ to provide our needs!

*Mar 6:10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
Mar 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

The disciples were not to show they were desperate. In whatever place that accepted them, they were to remain with that host until it was time to go to some other town.

They were not to seek more comfort or luxury. There are always those of good reputation and those of bad reputations in every place.

A worthy host would have good morals. Living with someone who did not have good morals, would jeopardize the message of the Gospel.

2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
2Pe 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

They were to reach out to these people but not stay with them.

Christians should always be careful in choosing close friends!

A worthy host was a person who had the fear of God!

A worthy host would be hospitable.

1Pe 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.
1Pe 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Simply put, the disciples were not to seek out the wealthy or the leading citizens as host.

They were not to seek out the best accommodation.

The good people in any town are usually known, especially in the time of Christ when most people traveled by foot.

We know the things that happened to Sodom and Gomorrah are true or they would not be mentioned!

This period in the time of Abraham teaches many things that we see today.

People who will use violence to have things their way at the cost of all others are not good people!

We see today, where a small percentage of people try to dictate the rules for all of society.

We see an industry that is filled with this sort of people and they have great influence on a government, who also have low morals and immoral leadership and councilors.

This is the standard of our nation today!

Remember the Bible uses the people of Sodom and Gomorrah was an example of the worst sinners throughout God’s creation.

It all boils down to God creating human beings for higher goals than these sinful things!

The example of the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah is an example of suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Those people are still burning today because the fire of God never goes out!

How can we expect God to be different in His treatment of America or at least in the places where these things are taking place?

Jesus says with authority, that it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for these places doing the same thing today.

All I can say is that we have been warned!

So, these twelve disciples went out and preached repentance, a word that sinners want to ignore and still say they are believers.

*Mar 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
Mar 6:13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

A missionary’s work is to break up the fallow ground so the Gospel Seed can be planted!

What we see is, that no servant of God is to have his own message!

We are all called to repent!

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.

Repentance is necessary for receiving the Holy Spirit!

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.

We have seen many who have prayed the sinner’s prayer, but they never repent of their old lifestyle, which means the Holy Spirit did not move in to them.

The Holy Spirit will not live in such a person who is not sincere. Remember God sees within the heart of all!

This was the Apostle Paul’s message:

Act 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Failure to repent will lead to the “Judgment” of God!

Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Rev 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

We should be ashamed if we cannot change our lifestyle and walk with Jesus Christ!

2Co 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

We must repent to be in the family of God!

The Holy Spirit will help us to repent and be Born Again, but the Holy Spirit will not move in unless God looks into our heart and sees the faith that is required in the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is not complicated!

While preaching this message in those cities, the disciple also ministered to the people and cast out evil spirits.

They ministered to the body and the soul!

They ministered to those who were sick and also to those who were suffering and hurting.

When we see “Oil” in the Bible it is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit has all the power of God and there is no sickness He cannot heal!

The Holy Spirit allows us to concentrate on the truth of the Scriptures.

Those who are hurting and suffering with pain do not have good concentration. The Holy Spirit can solve this problem, but these things are in our hands and it is called “FAITH”!

Oil is also a symbol of God’s care, God’s comfort, and God’s joy, of His “mercy” on us.

Heb_1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

The fame of Jesus began to spread and even some of those in government became afraid.

King Herod was stricken by his own conscience.

How did King Herod see his guiltiness?

1) Herod had a guilty conscience because of an inadequate religion. He did want to hear the preaching of John the Baptist, but he never yielded to his conscience. He had kept John locked up for over a year, without hearing his message of repentance.

2) Herod had a guilty conscience because of his partying and his drunkenness, along with suggestive and passionate dancing.

3) Herod had a guilty conscience because he would seek social approval, above honoring God and respect for the Word of God.
Remember all Jewish Kings had a copy of the Word of God.

4) Herod had a guilty conscience because he was afraid of what people might say.

We can see these same things in Washington D.C. today and in many other governments.

We need the fame of Jesus to spread in our government today!

We need our government to read the Word of God and not just talk about a few passages that they use and do not understand.

It seemed that everyone had an opinion of the Lord Jesus Christ just as they do today, but not many seek the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

John the Baptist was murdered because of a woman’s vengeance!

John the Baptist stood firm on the Word of God and it cost him his life!

It could happen to any of us or all of us today, but we must stand firm on the Word of God no matter the situation we find ourselves in.

If we have work to do God will save us!

If our work is complete, we can go on to Heaven where none of these things can ever happen!

*Mar 6:30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
Mar 6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
Mar 6:32  And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. 

The disciples returned and gathered to the Lord Jesus Christ.

They reported what they had done and what they had taught.

Jesus knew the first thing they needed was rest, but the rest they needed could not happen where they were.

The Lord Jesus took them to a deserted place where they should rest physically.

We know this is true because our own pastor cannot find rest at home with his family and he and his family have to travel to places where he is out of contact range.

Even if some people knew where he was going, they would make sure to be there before he got there and he would then get no rest.

We have to make sure our pastor gets the rest he needs!

There is great danger in not taking time to rest for every one of us!

We may never understand all of God’s creation, but the earth spins upon its axis to bring the stated seasons, but also because it gives us a time to rest.

Our minds need to take time to look away from things we are doing and to things that do not occupy our minds for more than a moment!

It is not the work of God’s servant alone that makes us tired, we must make sure to take time to be alone with God, and sometimes other people will not allow us this time.

We need to have a good reason to disturb the man of God who is busy with the work of the Lord, especially in his times of rest!

We should be able to see how the Lord will care for His children!

We must know that while we try to do the work God has given us to do, we must still take the time to sit down at the feet of Jesus in a quiet place!

A wise man once wrote: “The flame of devotion will not burn very long or very bright, unless you have oil in your vessels with your lamps”.

Without rest, the body slowly dies and we shorten our life spans or we reach a point where we can just no longer go.

God said we are to enjoy our lives and we will not without taking time to rest!

Our journey from Earth to Heaven need not be a dull life, but a life of joy and excitement.

We can also fine refreshment in Bible reading if we stick to it!

True rest does not come if there is no true work!

Overall, we must put God first and overwork takes away from us being able to serve God with all our heart so, it is then sin not to take time to rest so, we can be at our best!

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

Almost Persuaded

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Paul Before Agrippa

Book of Acts Chapter 26

Chapter 26 begins with the Apostle Paul in the hearing room of King Herod’s palace in Caesarea, standing before the Governor Festus, King Agrippa, and his sister Bernice.

We will see that Paul will give a complete description of his calling.

When we repeat the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we are giving to the world the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is what the Lord Jesus asked us all to do.

We cannot be ashamed of the Gospel!

Paul will also give his own testimony and things that concerned his own calling.

Christianity always appears in person.

The Lord Jesus uses human beings as His voice upon this earth and as His legs to take the Gospel to the world.

Christianity must be heard.

Paul gives his own testimony! We cannot give the testimony of someone else.

If we have nothing to say out of our own conscience, then we cannot be a witness for the Lord.

Our salvation may be between us and the Lord, but our experience in the Gospel is to be in full view of others.

Paul said, “I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”

Before Paul was known, he was first called Saul and Saul had been on his way to Damascus to do terrible things just as before we were saved, we were on the wrong road with the wrong purpose in life.

It is the Lord Jesus who brought about a change in Paul, just as He has brought about a change in each and every Christian, no matter where they are located.

Paul said, “I have seen the Light of the Lord Jesus”.

It is the Light of Jesus that allows us to see the filth that was in our lives, and that is in this world.

To be a Christian is to have mental illumination and liberation.

Paul said it was on this day on the road to sin that he met the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Jehovah God.

*Act 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Remember, a Godly vision is much different than a dream. Dreams may seem real sometimes, but in a Godly vision all the characters have names, and the characters are real people, and it is as if you were dropped into the middle of something happening that was real because it is real.

God allowed those in these visions to see a future happening that was real. Dreams are just dreams good or bad and some bad ones are called nightmares.

Paul knew he had a Godly vision when he was on the Damascus Road.

This was Paul’s call into the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul was obedient to God’s call!

The Lord’s call was not up for discussion to Paul, and neither should it be to us.

Paul’s call was from Heaven, and this is the way we should all see it.

That call from Heaven should override any calling we may think we have in this world!

Paul’s vision of the Lord Jesus Christ was so real, that he knew he had seen the Lord Jesus in person just as the other Apostles!

There is no need to seek another’s opinion, when we are called of God, we know and understand it is reality!

All the charges against Paul were unjustified because Paul was obedient to the call of God.

We must never break any law when we are obedient to the Lord!

When we are faithful to the Lord we are on the right path, and we will be doing what the Lord wants us to do!

Our job is to let Christianity speak for itself!

We must allow the Word of God to do its job!

It is the Word of God that has the answers to all our questions and all of life’s questions!

We may think that our Godly experience is something between ourselves and God, but this is not true.

Paul never thought this because our relationship with God is to be shared with others!

Many times our testimony is the beginning of our conversation with those in the world.

If we are ashamed of our conversion, then we are ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those who have met Jesus Christ and have turned away, are running from their call into the ministry!

We cannot eat the Word of God one time, and this be enough.

We must sit down daily at the table of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2Co_4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

When we dine with the Lord, we are refreshed with His never-ending strength!

When Paul was allowed to speak his defense was that the truth of this world is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord is serious when He calls anyone for reasonable service to the Gospel!

*Act 26:21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
Act 26:22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
Act 26:23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

Do you know why the queer movement, the trans crowd, the abortion industry, and many others do not believe they have to change their ways to be saved?

Because they look into the Church, and they see the so-called Christians and they do not see changed lives.

Now it is true that we cannot make everlasting changes to our lives because it is the job of the Holy Spirit who comes to live in us at salvation.

He has regenerative power, but we must be willing!

It is that changed life that shows the power of God!

We cannot neglect proclaiming the works of repentance!

Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
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.

You, without the Lord God of the Bible cannot accomplish anything worth speaking of!

There is no salvation apart from a life of righteousness, that righteousness according to the Word of God!

Religion, ritual, ceremony, church membership, baptism, worship attendance, heritage, good parents, morality, and many other things are meaningless, without a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is faith and repentance that shows our love for Jesus Christ!

Who would want to be in a Church where you do not have to change your wicked ways? Not me!

This is saying that the Word of God has no meaning!

Who wants to go to a Heaven that is just like this world? Not me!

This is saying that Christianity is just like all the false religions of this world.

Why was Paul being persecuted? Because he was obedient to the Lord’s call to preach the truth.

The world does not want to hear the truth!

What was the message of the Apostle Paul?

That men and women, queers, abortionist, drunks, immoral people, transgenders and all the lost should repent, turn to God, and do good works as described in the Word of God.

Paul was the Lord’s witness in teaching these things.

Paul had this same message to the lowest of humans upon this earth and those who sat on thrones!

Paul added that they need look no further than himself to see that God takes care of His children.

God cares for us even when no one upon this earth does!

As true believers, we can always count on our Lord God!

God does sometimes allow trials to come into our lives to make us tougher in facing the reality of this cruel world.

The Lord Jesus Christ also suffered on this earth at the hands of cruel men, as our example of the suffering we may have to go through.

Paul did not select his audience, he witnessed to those who stood in front of him at any given time.

He showed respect to the king for his position, but the message of Jesus Christ did not change because he was a king, or a Caesar, or the title of any ruler, or for any religious man.

No one is exempt from the message of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Gospel.

What was the truth for these Jews?

Paul bore witness to the Scriptures of the Messiah, the same Scriptures that the prophets and Moses used to say the Messiah would come.

1Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

Paul bore witness of the death of our Savior.

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

The death of Jesus Christ was ordained before God created this world!

There was no other way for God to save us, but by His death and He will explain that to us one day soon!

Paul bore witness to the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

Jesus Christ had to be the first one to rise from His death.

He was the first fruit, the first in importance to the truth of God!

He never again had to die because another death would have no meaning!

Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.

Lazarus rose from the dead, but Lazarus had to die again and there were others mentioned in the Bible and all these in this court room knew these things.

King Agrippa had never heard the Word of God preached in this manner and Festus could not accept these truths.

*Act 26:24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Act 26:25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
Act 26:26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

We see that Festus could not accept the truth of the Scriptures. Festus was a Roman and knew truly little of the Hebrew people.

The idea of fulfilled prophecy, the resurrection of the dead, and this crucified Jew, giving light to the Roman world were foolishness to Festus.

Festus had no spiritual discernment because he had no knowledge of the one true God!

The gods of Festus were all statues and imaginary, with no such power as this Christian God.

All the gods of this world’s religions, besides Christianity are all also false gods.

Festus was saying to Paul that old book of writings had no meaning in the Roman dominated world.

The same thing is said today about the Word of God, but the Word of God is alive, and its meaning is truly clear in this world, for we are in the last days and the Word of God will become more meaningful as we get closer to the return of Jesus Christ.

Paul says. No, I am not mad Festus because the truth of God stands clearly opposed to falsehood.

The Word of God is real, the Word of God is fact, spoken in a world where lies dominate our existence, and riches rule our ways.

King Agrippa did have knowledge of the things Paul spoke of and Festus had no knowledge of those things.

None of these things were hidden from the ruler of Israel.

The Scriptures had predicted the coming of the Messiah and at least a few had gotten it right.

The news that what the Lord Jesus Christ had claimed, and His death and His resurrection, had swept through the whole country and Agrippa knew these things.

So Paul gets bolder.

*Act 26:27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
Act 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

There is a Christian song that is titled “Almost Persuaded” and it was written about these words of King Agrippa.

“Almost persuaded” now to believe.
“Almost persuaded” Christ to receive.
Seems now some soul to say,
“Go, Spirit, go Thy way,
Some more convenient day
On Thee I’ll call.”

“Almost persuaded,” come, come today;
“Almost persuaded,” turn not away;
Jesus invites you here,
Angels are ling’ring near,
Prayers rise from hearts so dear;
O wand’rer, come!

“Almost persuaded,” harvest is past!
“Almost persuaded,” doom comes at last!
“Almost” cannot avail;
“Almost” is but to fail!
Sad, sad, that bitter wail—
“Almost,” but lost!

So, what is a Christian or who is a Christian?

To be religious is one thing, but to be a Christian is much much different.

This is where the false Church has its problems.

There are many who belong to the Church, but they are not Christians.

In fact, my opinion or your opinion is irrelevant!

We have to go to the New Testament, the Word of God to get this answer!

A Christian is that person who has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as the basis if his faith and the rule of his life!

The Lord Jesus Christ is our foundation onto which we shall build upon!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Law according to which we think, and we feel.

When we adopt Jesus Christ as the law of our thoughts and our feelings, then we must be Christians.

To be a Christian is to be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ in His ways, not the ways of the world!

The Jews deny that Jesus was the Messiah so, they will always deny Christians are anything of value to God.

To the Jews those who followed Jesus were “the Way”, or “that Way”.

Should we be known as Christians?

When we study the Lord Jesus Christ and all that He is, and all that is said about Him, and His relation to God and to man, and see that these are the traits we need in our own lives, then we will see that we ought to be Christians. To be more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

These are the same things that were ordained by God from the beginning of creation!

When God said, “let us make man”, I believe God meant, “let us make Christians”.

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

The image of God is the image we see in the Lord Jesus Christ!

We are not made to be gods!

We can be made in the image, our character, like our God.

In respect to intelligence.
In respect of His moral nature.
In respect to righteousness.
In respect to true holiness.
In respect to life eternal.

We are to do our absolute best, to be like the Lord Jesus Christ in all His ways!

To King Agrippa, to become a Christian would seem to be a demotion from his current status as king.

This was the most critical moment in Agrippa’s life, and he answered with “almost”, as he was beginning to close his ears to the words of the Apostle Paul.

You see, when we are offered an opportunity to meet the Lord Jesus at Mount Calvary, we will have to make a discission about our destiny.

We cannot say that King Agrippa was almost a Christian because that person does not exist!

We cannot be almost Christians!

We must in every deed become a Christian!

If we believe the Bible is indeed the Word of God, then how can we deny the fact that we need to be like Jesus Christ.

If we reject becoming a Christian, then we are saying the Bible is a book of lies!

How did Paul respond?

*Act 26:29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

An almost Christian, is someone who wavers between Jesus Christ and the world.

Paul said; you have to move from being almost persuaded to altogether persuaded, before you can become a Christian.

There are many false notions of Christianity.

Many believe to be a Christian is having a free ticket to sin and then be forgiven but this is not true.

Rom_6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

God forbids Christians to intentionally sin and then beg for forgiveness!

We live in a pleasure mad society, and it is this pleasure of sinning that the lost refuse to give up, even though God says that pleasure will not last very long.

Yes, to be a Christian there will be suffering in this life!

Heb_11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

To be become a Christian is by “Grace”, a free gift, because it is God’s Will that we all become Christians.

That is being like the Lord Jesus Christ in all our ways!

There is a great danger than some with a vast knowledge of the Scriptures may never seek a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

This sounds like King Agrippa.

If we have been on a long journey and finding that we are near to the end brings great comfort, but to almost be a Christian should bring no comfort at all because, it is still rejection of the truth of God!

We should remember the story of the Ten Virgins.

Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

All ten of these were virgins, but five of them did not the Holy Spirit (oil) living within them which means they had rejected the truth of God and God had never signed their names in His Book of Life so, He did not know them.

We cannot just live a pure life; we must accept the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ to be a child of God!

King Agrippa died and went to Hell, because even knowing the truth of the Scriptures, he could not give up the pleasures of this world even though they can last no more than a lifetime and usually not near that long.

Amen