Trust

Do You Really Trust the Lord Jesus

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

A Better Service

Book of Hebrews Chapter 13

We must understand that we were made to worship our Creator!

We must recognize the Higher Authority of our Creator and reverence Him!

He is the Highest of the high!

We live in a world today that rejects authority and everyone wants to do as they please without being held accountable.

Because of sin we had to be “Born Again” again so we could worship God and we have to know the truth of God to understand these things!

We should be able to see from all the previous chapters in this Book of Hebrews that the Lord Jesus Christ did not do away with the Law but He in fact fulfilled the Law.

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

The Bible would be useless to us if the Lord Jesus had not come to fulfill all the Law and all the prophets!

We need the entire Word of God to understand the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of our Creator!

Unlike most preachers and most men of God today, the Lord Jesus did not shy away from giving us the truth.

It is a fact, that the Lord Jesus Christ would not be allowed to preach in most Churches today because, His message was blunt and to the truth of God.

The first twelve chapters of the Book of Hebrews have described to us the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember the writer was writing to early Hebrew Christians as opposed to the Greek Christians.

The call of the Book of Hebrews is a call to action!

What is wrong with the Church today? It has become lazy and liberal!

The modern church has gotten so bad, it is rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ who is the foundation of the Church!

God the Holy Spirit has been precise in teaching us that it is the Lord Jesus Christ we are to listen to and not the foolish men of this world, even if those men are so-called men of God .

Since it is “by faith” that we can have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, then we must put action to this relationship we have with Him!

We can describe this “action” as “trust”!

Our lives must reflect the reality of our relationship with our Savior, and we do this when we “trust” what He says and be obedient to His Word!

We are to worship in Spirit and Truth, and it seems we have forgotten these things!

Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

See what the Lord Jesus is saying?

If you are saved, then you have the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) living within you and it should be noticeable in our worship of Him.

Those who do not have the Holy Spirit living in them, cannot know how to worship God!

It is a shame that those who are lost, worship sin better than most Christians worship our Savior!

They put more effort into sin than they do eternal life, and it is not supposed to be that way!

What is on the inside of our hearts will come to the outside in our lifestyle starting with the words we speak!

Luk 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

It is this Chapter 13 that teaches us how to deal with some of these things.

*Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.

In this chapter we will deal with serving the Lord.

A good meaning of servitude can be taken from the Book of Romans:

Rom 1:9 For God is my witness, “whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son”, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Before we can be of service to the Lord, we must have a realistic view of the world:

Mat 7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

We are all sinners so how can we even think we could judge others? There is only one Judge, and He is the Lord and he will judge us by His Word

What are some of the places where the Lord has chosen for us to serve?

Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Rom 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

If the Lord has something specific for you, He will send it to you by the Holy Spirit.

The one ingredient that will keep us all honest is “Brotherly Love”!

How do we describe “Brotherly Love”?

Brotherly love is that feeling of mutual regard among all the members of our faith.

Brotherly love is a little bit different from the way we love our families.

It is brother like love, it is brother love, the love we must have for our brothers and sisters in Christ. The love of the brethren.

1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

Our brethren are all those who try to keep all the Word of God as best they can and are in one accord with us.

1Pe 3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:
1Pe 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

We are all one family because we all have the same Father! God the Father. We also have the same Savior our High Priest the Lord Jesus Christ!

Our soon coming King.

Mat 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
Mat 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

We do these things because we are all filled with the same Spirit, the Holy Spirit!

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

As we can see “Brotherly Love” is important to the Church, the brethren of the Lord Jesus Christ who are doing the “will” of our Heavenly Father!

Mat 12:50 For whosoever “shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven”, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

If we are obedient servants to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are in the family of God!

We can tell our brothers and sisters by the manner in which they have conversations with us and with others.

*Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

How can we be content as Christians?

1) Living our life without covetousness. Not loving money and our possessions more that the Church!
2) Being satisfied with what the Lord has provided.
3) Having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and knowing He will never forsake us.

When we are focused on our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, none of these other things will seem important!

Even our thoughts should be focused upon the Lord “for what He has done for us and how best we can serve Him”.

Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Now being content does not mean that we cannot spend some time to improve our situation.

As believers we are to work and labor more diligently than those who do not know the Lord and doing this will sometimes bring rewards here upon this earth.

We have the Lord to provide that additional strength we need to succeed, because the results are in the hands of the Lord.

If we fail for some reason, we can know that a failure is only temporary.

God always works things out for our good!

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

*Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

As Christians this world and the things of this world can never satisfy us, nor were they intended to satisfy us.

We are not to be a part of this world!

What we are looking for lies in Heaven with the Lord and those who have gone on before us!

The things of this world can only look good, taste good, and feel good, but this is all they can do!

Material things cannot satisfy the soul, remember the Holy Spirit that lives within us knows all about Heaven and He will yearn for His own return to the glory world and pass this yearning on to us as our work upon this earth nears completion.

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.

We can enjoy the necessities of this life, but only after we have first sought the Kingdom of Heaven!

Mat_6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

We should be mindful of the leaders of the Church!

*Heb 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

The Church leaders we are to be mindful of, are only those who proclaim the “Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ” and “all the Word of God”.

If they cannot or do not proclaim the entire Word of God as the truth then, we need to ignore them and find a place where “all” the Word of God is proclaimed as the truth.

If their conviction is that God exist and is the Creator and Ruler of all things.
If their conviction that God is the Provider and the Bestower of eternal salvation.
If they lean on the character of God as written in the Word of God.
If their absolute “trust” and “confidence” is in God’s power, God’s wisdom, and God’s goodness, then they can be remembered as leaders of the Church.

These are living leaders and dead leaders that are to be remembered.

A dead leader would have had the same message as the modern Church leader’s message and should not have changed from those who have gone on to be with the Lord.

1Th 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
1Th 5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

Why is this true? Because God does not ever change His character!

*Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Why can we trust the Word of God? Because God will never change His character!
How can we trust that our salvation is real? Because the Lord Jesus will never change His character.

No matter how much this world changes this change will never affect the truth of God!

National leaders come and go, but the Sovereign Master of Life is permanent, and none can change this fact!

The Lord Jesus Christ is forever!

The Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed everything for us!

The Lord Jesus Christ took upon Himself all the sin of this world, even the sin that is happening today and bore the guilt of that sin and the judgment of that sin for us.

It is by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ that we can become acceptable to God and there is no other way to do this!

No matter how terrible our sin, during the Church Age we will see nothing but “Mercy” from our Lord Jesus!

During this time of the Church Age we will see the “Grace” of God and not the “wrath” of God!

During this time of “Grace” the Lord Jesus will run to us to meet our needs.

Remember the parable of the “Prodigal Son”.

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We can depend on the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ lives to provide all our needs!

*Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

If you are Christian and know that the Lord Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever, then you will not pay any attention to strange doctrines and false teachings!

There are many false doctrines that have filtered through the Church since its beginning!

Many of these are the reason behind the many denominations.

These things have carried so many away from the “Grace” of God and led them to a works doctrine, where it is said your good must outweigh your bad.

There is also the doctrine of moderation which does not exist in reality, there is no such law as moderation.

You cannot sin in moderation when the Lord says to do our absolute best to not sin at all!

Rituals cannot replace the Grace of God!
Ceremonies cannot replace the Grace of God!
Trying to abide by those old laws concerning foods cannot replace the Grace of God!

Our foods are bought with money and money cannot replace the “Grace” of God but is for certain the root of all evil!

God will not transform anyone by some physical or material thing!

Baptism cannot save us!
Church membership cannot save us!
Just because the parents were saved does not make the children saved!

The only thing that can make us “pure” in the eyes of God is a personal relationship with His Son the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must get hold of the fact that the Bible is the full and final authority of this world!

We can only be sanctified by accepting the work that the Lord Jesus has completed for our salvation!

*Heb 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

We get the doctrines of God only from the Word of God!

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

2Ti 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
2Ti 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
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.

What is true doctrine? The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ in payment for our sin.

Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

The Doctrine of Substitution is mentioned here.

Only the Lord Jesus could be our substitute!

He was Born of a Virgin.
He lived a sinless and perfect life.
He secured a perfect righteousness.
He became the Perfect and Ideal man.
He became the perfect sacrifice for our sin!

There is no other sacrifice that could be made for our sin, beside the Lord Jesus Christ!

*Heb 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

It is our duty as Christians to guard against strange teachings.

Our best protection is to read and study the Bible for ourselves, and through the preaching and teaching of those who depend upon the Word of God for the truth, because it is the truth if it a translation of the “Received Text”!

We live in a world that is getting further and further from the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is a world of difference between the Gospel of Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and being slaves to sin.

It is a fact that you cannot truly call Christ your Lord unless you have the Holy Spirit abiding within you.

Rom_8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

We must continue to be witnesses for the Lord, even if it causes heart aches to those who reject Him.

We must continue to witness in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, even if it offends some people including our own families!

We must go forth bearing the reproach of our Savior!

We must remember it is our own sin that caused the Lord to have to die for us!
We do not have it in our power to make a sacrifice big enough or worthy enough for God to accept!
We can never be good enough to be accepted of the Lord!
We must know that it is only by the blood of Jesus that can make us acceptable to God!

The greatest problem of most humans “is to confess that what we do is wrong”, in the eyes of God!

The world just does not acknowledge the sin mess that causes all the problems in this world.

If we cannot deny ourselves and take up the cross of Jesus, we cannot say we are the children of God!

Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Luk 9:25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

There is no place upon this earth that we can call our home, we are citizens of the New Heaven!

It amazes me that a large group of our population are trying to reach the moon and even Mars and leave this earth when it is sin that is destroying this earth and they will take sin with them no matter where they go.

No one can run away from the truth of God!

There is another group who think they can save this earth, but they cannot.

There is a place called Heaven and it does not take magic to get there and it is true that it is an eternal place.

It takes a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ!

We cannot approach God except by the Lord Jesus Christ!

What sacrifices please God?

1) We must confess His name.
2) We must live a Holy Life in the name of Jesus Christ.
3) We must give to those who are in need.

It is the hypocrite who praises God with his or her lips, but does not live a Holy Life!

We must never forget that God looks into the heart, and He knows what we are.

God cannot be fooled!

1Pe 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Amen

The Principle of Faith

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

A Better Principle

Book of Hebrews Chapter 11

What does the word “principle” mean?

According to the Websters dictionary the word “principle” means: In a general sense, the cause, source, or origin of any thing; that from which a thing proceeds; as the principle of motion; the principles of action.

We should be able to understand the “principle of faith”!

Let us talk about “the principle of faith”.

It is the “principle of faith” that is the foundation of the Church.

1Co_3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Our salvation can come only by “the principle of faith” in the Lord Jesus Christ and the work He has done for our redemption!

Act 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

The “principle of faith” is the same for all people!

Act 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faith is the only way we can approach God!

When we are in conversation with God, we must have faith and we must show God our “faith”!

Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

It is because of the principle of faith” that we can be forgiven of our sins!

It is true that our only responsibility in our salvation is believing the “Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ” but we need to believe all the Word of God!

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

Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

We must understand that the many different translations of the Scriptures can contain errors, but the “Received Text” has no errors at all, and we need a translation that comes from the “Received Text”.

“Saving Faith” involves three things:

1) Knowledge:

There are certain basic truths that must be believed!

We must believe the things that Jesus claimed to be!

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Unless we believe these things, we will die in our sin!

Joh 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: “for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins”.

The Apostle John wrote these things by the Holy Spirit.

Joh 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Joh 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

2) Conviction:

There must be an inner conviction that the things that Jesus has said are the complete truth!

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;
Joh 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Joh 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

3) Trust:

As a result of our knowledge of the Lord Jesus, and Holy Ghost conviction that these things are true, then we must place our “trust” in the truth of God, and these things will be settled in our heart.

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, “and shalt believe in thine heart” that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

It is our own responsibility to take our knowledge of the Lord Jesus and our inner conviction and then trust in the Word of God!

God will not do this for us!

We must get up close and personal with the Lord!

It all begins with “faith”!

So, how can we describe faith? The Bible has one definition.

*Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

In this Chapter there are men and women who believed what God has said and the Holy Spirit gave us some of their names.

Without a doubt the key to God having good memories of us depends upon our “faith” in Him!

Here in this chapter of the Book of Hebrews is the only place where the Holy Spirit gives us a definition of “faith”.

In the rest of the Word of God, we get to see examples of those who had great “faith” and those who had little or no “faith”.

“Faith” is the single most important thing we need in our relationship with God!

We will see that without “faith” we cannot please God, and if God is not pleased with us, He will have no part in our lives!

Along with “faith” we must have “hope”!

Our “hope” lies in the promises of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Our “faith” must be in that “hope” and this “faith” must lead to our “faithfulness” to the Lord our Savior.

“Faith” is our act of believing in the truth of the Word of God!

We have “historical faith” in the fact the character of God does not ever change!

What He has done in the past He will do a similar work in the future according to what He has said.

James says:

Jas_2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Jas_2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas_2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

This is not works as in working for salvation!

This is the work of faith being Christian in our thoughts, our ways, and our actions.

Our “faith” is meaningless if we are not growing to be more like Jesus Christ and is therefore dead.

We must understand that with our heart we believe unto righteousness.

We must put action to our “faith”!

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Now our heart does not have to see, yet our “faith” knows these things are true as having seen this truth in the actions of those who have done these things.

We cannot be justified without our work of faith!

Rom 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Rom 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

A work of “faith” is not like obeying some old law!

Rom 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
Rom 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

This is the “faith” that must continue to grow with us, as we grow as Christians, so it is our faith that leads to our growth in sanctification.

Sanctification is the act of being made holy in the eyes of God!

As we grow in Christ, then we need to add to our faith daily, again because our faith lies in the unseen promises of God as if we can see our redemption, which we can!

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.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The elders of our faith in time past understood these things.

The elders of our faith also knew of our Creator and our Savior being the same person!

*Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
Heb 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

We know our Lord and Savior is so powerful that He just speaks, and things happen!

We know that our Lord is so powerful that He created all we see and things that we cannot see, out of nothingness.

The very reason there are no creators today, is the fact they cannot create without using something that God has already created.

God is a God of order, and we can only look into the night-time sky and see order in our universe.

We do not see chaos as would have been the case of some Big Bang Theory!

We have a Universe, or some say Cosmos, because “God said” for these things to take place and they took place.

You see, we do not need “a hope so faith” which is in reality meaningless, we need “a know so faith” in order to please our Creator.

Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Notice it was “faith” that Abel offered, meaning much more than the sacrifice that He offered to God.

This has been the same since the beginning of the human race!

Any sacrifice to the Lord is meaningless unless it is accompanied with believing “faith”.

Our “faith” is our sacrifice that has meaning to our Savior!

The reward of “faith” is God’s approval of the things we do according to the Word of God!

When God approves us, then God accepts us!

God will never approve us when we go against the Word of God, because this immediately shows our lack of “faith”.

It seems our politicians do not understand this.

You cannot claim Christ Jesus and go against the Word of God! This is sin that is condemned!

I was not here when God created our world, but I know in my heart that He is my Creator and today I know even more, because I know He is my Savior!

You see, it was not the sacrifice of Abel that God remembers, God remembers His “faith”.

God cannot remember anything of Cain because Cain had no faith!

He will hear those dreaded words:

Mat_7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

It is with “faith” that we can see the power of “righteousness”!

The power of faith is what is written in the “Gospel of Jesus Christ”!

Righteousness is the approaching of God, “exactly as He says to approach Him”.

It cannot be done in any other way or fashion!

It cannot be done without the shedding of “Blood” as proven by Abel!

Heb_9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

It is by the shedding of blood by the Lord Jesus Christ that we can obtain righteousness!

This was true in the time of Adam and Eve, and it was just as true when the Lord Jesus shed His blood on Mount Calvary, just so we can be saved, but it is our “faith” that makes this true.

I was not there to see what the Lord has done for me, but by “faith” I know He did this for me:

1Pe 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Cain may have been religious, but His religion could not save Him!

Most religion is about religion, form, and ceremony and none of these things can make you righteous because they lack “faith”!

They are just mindless rituals!

It is “faith” that gives us the power to have our own daily walk with God and it is faith that will deliver us from the death of the curse because of Adam’s disobedience.

Enoch just believed God, everything God said was ok with Enoch, because He believed every Word God said, and this is exactly what God demands of us all today!

Any disagreement with the Word of God is sin!

Just what does it take to please God? It takes “faith” that the Word of God is true!

It takes “faith” enough to believe that God is exactly who He says He is!

*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 will never be able to please God if we cannot believe every Word that He has given to us!

God exist just as He says.

God has done everything that has been written of Him!

We must believe we have a Creator!

We will never be acceptable to God if we cannot believe Him!

It is time for those so-called Christians on the border line of faith to understand this!

The Bible is specific!

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.

This is not so hard to understand!

Many people do not understand the word “condemned”

Oh, they love this verse close to it where it says, “for God so loved the world”.

We cannot pick and choose what we believe in the Word of God!

It is an all or nothing Book!

We cannot grow in our “faith” if we have none to begin with!

We must practice that hope mentioned in 11:1.

This is hoping for the things God has promised and them making a personal claim to those things just because God promised them!

We must diligently seek God!

To be diligent is to be seek God until you have found Him, and He is not hard to find for those who believe Him!

Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

We must hunger and thirst after righteousness:

Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

We must ask, we must seek, we must knock:

Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Mat 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

We must seek the Kingdom of Heaven because it does exist.

Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

We must pray and fast, we must persevere in our prayer life!

Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Mat 17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Many people pray and pray and pray, never finding the answer to their request, when they do not even have enough “faith” that God can do as He says.

They will never get a prayer answered!

We should understand the greater our need, the greater the time we must spend with our Creator, asking God, conversing with God, listening to God, sharing God, believing God and most important, living for God!

There is always an answer to those who seek God in true “faith”!

The more we stay in touch with God the more our “faith” will grow.

It should be truly clear, God will never reward sinful, carnal trust, nor will He ever reward doubtful trust!

If God did ever answer a prayer for those who doubt Him, then that person would think they could live their lives as they wish, and God will never so this.

God will certainly answer the prayers of the righteous with a believing heart.

Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

God will never answer any prayer that goes against His Word, nor should we expect Him to!

No one can read the Scriptures with attention, without feeling the intensity of God to produce confidence in His “Mercy” and His “Grace”!

To be a Christian, is to show the character of God to the world.

The world should be able to see our “faith” and our “faith” will set us apart from the world we live in!

We must put action to our “faith”!

When we doubt God’s goodness, then we are biting the hand that feeds us!

The work of God is our victory in the Lord Jesus Christ. When we reject this victory, we remain cursed, because we have no “faith” in the truth of God.

We can honestly say that there is really not much faith in this world and in fact when we see all those so-called Churches allowing the immoralities of the world inside the Church, we can truthfully say that there is not much “faith” left in the Church.

Wake Up Church, God’s Word does not ever change!

Now God gives us some examples of “faith”.

*Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

We should pay close attention to the things addressed by Noah.

There was a time in the history of this world when this earth had become so wicked that it was filled with corruption and violence.

Humanity had reached such a sinful level that God simply would not tolerate it and God was left with no choice, but to destroy this wickedness.

There was only one man, on earth who was a godly man, and his name was Noah.

God will never destroy the godly with the wicked, so God warned Noah about the coming “judgment” to this world.

Though many doubt the story of the world-wide flood, it is still the complete truth because God said it was and there is much proof of it today.

There is no place upon this earth that you cannot see signs of this worldwide flood!

This is a place where our faith is so important!

We already know that God had made a promise to His Son Jesus before Jesus created this world.

2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 world-wide flood happened just as God has said and the evidence proves it!

This is important today because God has said it will happen again.

Not with a world-wide flood, though there certainly be flooding, but this time “with” fire for the exact same reasons and we can see that without a doubt our world is returning to days that were the same in the days of Noah!

Mat_24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Luk_17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

All those with “faith” are expecting this to happen and to happen right after the “Rapture of the Church”

Just as Noah received a warning, the Lord Jesus Christ has warned His Church, but He has also warned this world.

Those without “faith” have been made aware of these things for centuries!

If you do not believe in the world-wide flood, then you are calling the Lord Jesus Christ a liar, and you need the Lord Jesus to be saved.

You are calling the Word of God all lies and you cannot please God so, to those who read this it will be your warning.

After the “Rapture of the Church” you will see a world with all evil, wicked, and immoral people even worse than the days of Noah!

A world that is trying to live by science and corrupt governments, and focused upon pleasure and riches, cannot please God!

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

Abraham also had a faith that is not even understood today!

Abraham was born Abram in what would now be modern day Iraq and Abram was not a Jew and no Jewish nation even existed in all his days.

God made Himself known to Abram and told Abram to leave his homeland and all his kinfolk and go to a land that Abram was not familiar with.

God made some sincere promises to Abram and today we are still seeing the fulfillment of some of those promises.

What did Abram have that few others had in his day.

Abram had the ability to see God as our Creator and Abram believed all the Word of God given to him.

It never appeared that Abram was a poor man, but only later does it say that because of God’s blessing he would be considered to be a rich man in his day.

Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
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.

It may not be spoken of Abraham, but Abraham took his beliefs and shared them with his family and all those with him, and it appears that most all of them believed also.

Abraham might not have known that his wife Sarah would go childless when he married her, but God was well aware, and we see the desire of Abraham to have a child.

Abraham learned a valuable lesson from God, and it was when God makes a promise all we need do is believe it and not doubt what God says and also that God will do what He says and He does not need our help, He just wants us to have faith in His truths.

God told Abraham he would be the father of many nations and Abraham did not yet have a child and he was ninety years old.

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.
Gen 17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
Gen 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Gen 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

1) God would cause a people to be born of the seed of Abraham.
2) God would bless all nations through this seed born of Abraham.
3) God would give Abraham a promised land which in fact was the land of Canaan.

What did God ask of Abraham?

He asks Abraham just to have faith in what was told to him.

Abraham had a decisive, obedient faith.

He obeyed God and did as God ask him to do.

What did Abraham not do?
He did not hesitate.
He did not argue.
He did not question.
He did not waver back and forth.

Note: Abraham did not know where he was going, and this was not important to Abraham.

Abraham did not know where following God would lead him.

Abraham just believed the promises of God, and this is all God asks of us today and God has given to us much more information than what Abraham had.

We should clearly understand, we cannot say we believe God and then live our lives in disobedience!

To be true, no person can know where his faith may lead him, but we must not fear following God!

How did the Lord Jesus Christ put it?

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.

You see Abraham was not looking for the things of this earth!

*Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Abraham lived in a tent and a tent does not require a foundation.

Abraham had seen the things that were built in his day and none of them were great masterpieces of construction because man had built them.

Abraham understood much more than we give him credit for!

Abraham could live his life without the things of this world that hold us in peril most all our days.

You see obedience is in our hands and providence is God’s business!

As far as being a witness, we take God’s seed and scatter it where the Holy Spirit is working and God Himself is in charge of all results.

Our job then is simply to obey!

Obedient “faith” is the only way to eternal life and good preachers cannot even preach this message today without making their congregation mad at them so, many do not preach salvation at all.

Obedient “faith” creates a life which many will want to copy. This is why the Lord ask us to live by faith.

This is why the Lord will give more “Grace” to those have “obedient faith”!

By “faith” Abraham gave up the known world and rested on the promises of God!

Abraham was not called because he was any better than others.

Abraham answered the call of God simply because God called him.

1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Abraham believed God and God accounted it righteousness for Abraham.

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

It is the wicked and evil riches of this world that has caused so many to end up in Hell, and Abraham knew if you could see it here, then it would not be in the City of God.

Why was the promise to Abraham so important to us today?

Because the promise God made to Abraham was the promise God made to us all through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

I am not looking forward to seeing Jerusalem here on earth though it would be great to visit the land where Jesus walked.

I am looking forward to seeing the New Jerusalem that is in the City of God!

The same city Abraham was looking for!

*Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

There are great rewards that come by “faith” in the promises of God!

We can be encouraged when we read about these Old Testament saints of God.

We know that God was encouraged because He has written these things down for us.

Their faith was an encouragement to the early Church.

Their faith pointed others to God and still does today.

Their faith was their greatest testimony!

These things are the greatest testimony we can leave behind once we have left this world and joined the Lord in Heaven.

What was this great faith based upon? The future promises of God.

We must get it through our thick skulls that the God’s promises are in the future!

No doubt a Christian life does have its many rewards, but it is our future life where we will reap those greatest rewards.

So, with “faith”, its best blessings are in the future.

Just as with the Old Testament saints the object of our faith is still in our future.

The faith of the Old Testament saints looked forward to the promise of salvation.

The Church looks back to the work that the Lord Jesus has done for our salvation.

We should remember when the Old Testament saints died, they entered into a place called Abraham’s Bosom having to wait for the fulfillment of the Messiah.

Abraham’s Bosom

Before the finished work of the cross, everyone who died and believed in the Messiah went to a separate place in hell known as “Abraham’s bosom”.

This was also referred to as “paradise” in another scripture.

It was separated from Hell by a fixed gulf that could not be crossed by either side!

Just before the Lord Jesus died on the cross with the two thieves, He promised one of them he would meet him in Abrahams Bosom the very same day.

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. Luke 23:43 KJV

The bible tells us Jesus descended to the lower depths before He walked with the rest of the saints in town for 40 days.

This means Jesus went into Hell but into Abraham’s Bosom, to free those who believed in him and took them out before he ascended to heaven along with those more than five hundred saints that came out of those graves.

The saint of God that dies today goes directly to be with the Lord having being made perfect at death.

Our death now turns to eternal life in the glory world!

Amen

Trust In The Lord

/ Bobby Mayfield / 2 Comments

Trust In The Lord

Psalms 11:1-7

Today we will begin a 6 month study in the Book of Psalms.

Psalms are “praise hymns”.

In fact the Psalms were lyrical songs that were to be sung to a musical instruments.

The Book of Psalms serves as the songbook to Israel in their worship of God.

The Psalms are God’s Inspired Hymnbook!

In these “Inspired Songs” we will find the works of God.

We will find the wisdom of God along with the thoughts of God.

We will find the prophecies of God along with the prophecies of the Son of God, as a babe and of His return.

We will read the personal thoughts and the confessions of many of the writers such as King David.

We will even read where many requested to see God’s wrath upon His enemies and our enemies.

We have in the Book of the Psalms, songs from Moses and from many other writers such as David, Haggai, Ezra, Zechariah and there were others.

The Bible is a collection of many books written by 40 different writers across at least 3 continents over a period of more that 4000 years.

The one Book of Psalms is a collection of Spiritual Songs that span more than 1000 years.

All the books of the Bible have one thing in common, they will all lead you to Jesus Christ but also of importance they are all in harmony from the beginning of Genesis to the last written Word of God, in the Book of Revelation.

It is believed that it was Ezra who gathered all these songs into one book, which we call the Book of Psalms.

King David is known as the sweet psalmist of Israel because he wrote at least 73 of the Psalms in this book and by some estimates, many of the others.

The Book of Psalms is the largest book in the Bible and contains 2453 verses.

Psalms 119 is the longest book of the Bible with 176 verses.

Psalms 117 is the shortest book of the Bible with only 2 verses but is not short in importance:

Psa 117:1 O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.
Psa 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.

Psalms 118:8 is the middle chapter in the Bible and the very middle of the Bible verse 8 clearly states the central them of the entire Bible.

Psa 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

It is far better to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ than to place your confidence in anything in this world!

There is no greater truth in the Bible than these words!

There is no created being that is greater than our self-existing Lord.

The New Testament is full of quotes from the Old Testament with 283 direct quotes but 116 of those quotes are from the Book of Psalms.

Jesus said we could not know everything about Him unless we included a study of the Book of Psalms.

Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, “and in the psalms, concerning me”.

This Book of Psalms has been a great comfort to God’s people and this great book of the Bible still brings great comfort to those who read it today.

To many people this is their most favorite book of the Bible.

Even after we have spent 2 lesson quarters in the Psalms we will still have only touched parts of this book so we need to learn that word so often seen which is the word “Selah” which is seen 71 times in the Book of Psalms and means “stop and think on that”.

As we study the Psalms, “we need to stop and think on them and their message”!

We should also make note that the Psalms were sung accompanied by musical instruments.

1Ch 13:8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

Musical instruments and singing have been a big part in the worship of the Lord for several thousand years. Worship is not to be dull and boring but full of spirit and praise, for we serve a Mighty God.

The style of music may vary from church to church but all music within the church should be to praise the Lord, touch the hearts of the believer, and uplift the worship service!

Gospel music by it’s title means to proclaim the “Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ”!

The church is never to be a place of entertainment, but only a place to worship God but still according to the scriptures.

Church music and church songs must be scriptural!

Our first lesson is titled “Trust In The Lord”.

What do we mean by the word “trust”? It can mean confidence. It can mean to care. It can mean to believe. It can mean depend on or to rely on.

The Bible teaches us to place our trust in the Lord because we simply cannot trust ourselves nor any other human being in our walk with the Lord Jesus.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

There are only two ways to go through this life.

1) We go through life with God believing on things we cannot see.

2) Or, we go through life without God believing on the things of this world.

Most of those in this world will fail because they cannot see past the end of their own life span!

So lets begin:

*****Psa 11:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

Throughout the Bible we are told that the chapters and verses were separated by ancient Bible scholars but that is not the case of the Psalms.

The verses themselves maybe have been labeled but the chapters are basically the individual songs of those that wrote them.

That phrase “to the chief musician” refers to the choir director or the music conductor.

We see that this was a Psalm of David and David wrote more than half of the Psalms, therefore we get this scripture.

2Sa 23:1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and “the sweet psalmist of Israel”, said,
2Sa 23:2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

David was remembered for many things but God made sure for us to know that this mighty man of war who had shed much blood was also the “sweet psalmist of Israel”.

We next see the title LORD in all capitol letters.

There should be no doubt in our minds that it is the Lord who is our refuge at all times but especially in times of trouble!

When we see the title LORD in all capitol letters, the Bible is speaking of Jehovah, the Almighty God.

The Jews would write this title as YHWH or JHVH or with vowels added Yah-weh or Jehovah.

When we see the title Lord with just the first letter capitalized in the Bible it usually refers to Adonai or the Supreme Master.

When we this title written lord with all small letters it means someone with absolute control or a ruler over others such as slaves.

The Bible records that the Philistines had five such lordships.

The Palestinians along with many others still allow men to be lords over them in our day.

But many of the Jews even in our day hold the name Jehovah in such high regard they will not pronounce it aloud for fear of using God’s name in vain.

And just to throw this in, Allah is not Jehovah.

Allah is the god of the Muslim.

“Allah” comes from the Arabic word “elah”, which is any god or some thing that is worshiped.

This word (elah) can be made plural (gods), as in “aleha” and it can be male or female just as the word “god” in English can be “goddess.”

“Allah” comes from “elaha” but it needs more clarification and understanding.

Allah = Has no gender (not male and not female”He” is used only out of respect and dignity – not for gender)

**********(Jehovah is always male in gender, It is Our Father who is in Heaven)

Allah = Is always singular – Never plural *”We” is used only as the “Royal WE” just as in English for royalty.

*********(Jehovah is always plural and consist of Our Father who is God, The Holy Spirit who is God, The Son, The Lord Jesus Christ who is God, The Tri-Une God not three Gods but One God in three persons, Elohim)

Allah = Means “The Only One to be Worshipped”

*****(Jehovah is the True God who only deserves our worship)

There is a move by so called religious groups to convince the world that The Muslim, The Jew, And Christianity all worship the same God.

This is a lie of Satan.

There are many who will try to convince you that Allah and Jehovah are the same but that cannot be true because to the Christian, Jesus the Christ is LORD and the Living God.

The Muslim do not accept that there is a Son of God and they refuse the Godship of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus Christ is not Allah and Allah is not Jesus Christ!

The Jews are still blind(according to the Bible) to the fact of The Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

All others including the Muslim are blinded by Satan.

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 Bible is very specific on this issue!

1Jn 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, “and with his Son Jesus Christ”.

1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but “he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ”? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1Jn 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, “the same hath not the Father”: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

The Jew are still looking for the Messiah to come.

The Muslim are still looking for some messiah to come.

The Christian know the truth that the Messiah has come and He was Jesus the Christ!

We simply should not be deceived as there are many today trying to link Christianity, Jewish, and Muslim under one and the same God and this is simply a lie just as the Apostle John says it is.

We either trust all the Word of God or we trust none of it!

It is in the Lord Jesus Christ we must place our trust!

And it is this the only Lord who can and who will be with us in all our troubles just as He promises us!

Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

And just as a fugitive runs for the hills, or a soldier seeks safety from the enemy, every child of God should seek the Lord as the place for protection!

The Lord is our only refuge!

When we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior there is no need to flee like a bird to some mountain to hide, we must flee to the LORD.

Psa 91:9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
Psa 91:10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

But evil will always be the enemy of God’s people.

*****Psa 11:2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

The wicked of this world are always ready for action against the Children of God!

If you haven’t figured it out already, the world looks upon a righteous man or woman as someone to take advantage of!

They slander them with their bows in their hand.

Bows were a weapon of war in the time of David but this bow is referring to deceptive and destructive words.

Psa 57:4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, “whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword”.

That word “for” means because we trust in the Lord and not in the ways of evil men.

That word “privily” means “in darkness”. Our enemies will be treacherous in all their actions but they always try to hide behind the ways of the world.

That word “shoot” means they have no fear of God and are morally wrong. They are wicked to the core and they know what they are doing, they just refuse to see the truth of God.

The blindness of all those who remain lost will end in their own destruction.

Pro 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

*****Psa 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

There are four obvious foundations that every human being can build onto which will guarantee the best possible life we can have.

1) There is the foundation of “faith”.

“Trust” in the Old Testament relates to “Faith” in the New Testament.

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

When we allow the foundation of “faith” to be destroyed, those that do right will loose hope.

We cannot please God without faith.

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

2) There is the foundation of “honesty”.

Honesty is conforming to justice. Remember the just shall live by “faith”.

Honesty is fairness, in all transactions, upright in all decisions and conforms to justice.

Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

3) There is the foundation of “Moral Integrity”.

It is the laws of God that must be the basis for our morals.

We simply cannot allow the world to dictate the morals for society!

Integrity is wholeness!

Integrity is pureness!

Integrity is genuine!

Integrity is a sound mind, moral soundness, and incorruptible by God’s standards!

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

4) There is the foundation of “truth”.

Truth is conforming to the facts.

Truth is conforming to reality.

Truth is in accordance with that which is, that which has been, and that which shall be!

Jesus said:

Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Jesus also said:

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

And Jesus said all these things are of God:

Joh 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

If your life is not what you want it to be, then you have weak foundations.

All four of the foundations we have discussed are things that each of us can do!

In fact these are things that we must do!

We can build a strong working faith in God by examining the evidence for His existence.

This wicked world continues to attack these foundations with worldly wisdom that is not from God.

The evidence of God begins with His Creation and God created all things by Jesus Christ!

Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

We already know that without “faith” we cannot please God.

The truth of Creation is recorded for us in the Book of Genesis. This is the foundation for the rest of the Word of God, and the faith and the practices of each Christian.

While the world keeps up the attack on God’s people, the ungodly world is trying to systematically destroy the truth of Creation by the “Design Of God”.

Evolution has dug it’s way deep into society and even as this false theory is defeated over and over again with the truth, the Evolutionists have gotten control of the education systems of this world and are teaching a false science that goes against the Word of God.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

If we allow these foundations to be destroyed within ourselves then it is certain there will be no place for the righteous!

But it is the Lord who sits on the throne in Heaven and will not allow this to happen.

*****Psa 11:4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

Unless you are having that rare perfect day in your life, all you see around you are problems.

I don’t know if at any other time in history that the world seemed to have as many problems as we see today.

The one thing we cannot see in our world is the answer to these problems.

So where do we look? We Look Up!

When we have trusted the Lord, the place to look for answers is up because Our Lord sits in His Holy Temple.

The Bible teaches us with these words.

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.

From His position in Heaven, Our Mediator can see everything!

And this holy temple is the same place where the Lord went to prepare us a place.

Jesus said:

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.
This holy temple is none other than the Father’s House!

It is in the Father’s house where we find the throne of God.

Psa 103:19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

**It is Jehovah God who is the final authority of our world!

It is the Lord who is able to control all the events that are happening on this world!

When things happen on this world it is because the Lord has allowed them to happen.

The Lord Jesus is “omnipotent”! God is all powerful and can do anything that is consistent with His own nature. God will never go against His Own Word, but His Word will be fulfilled just as He states it!

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

**It is Jehovah God who has all knowledge. Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven in His glorified body so it is His eyes that can behold all things.

The Lord Jesus is “omnipresent”! God is everywhere present in All Power, in His totality at all times.

In His humanity Jesus is localized in Heaven but in His deity Jesus is present everywhere.

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

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:

**It is Jehovah God who can feel the things that we feel. It is His eyelids that try the children of men.

The Lord Jesus is “omniscient”! God knows all things that can happen and all things that will happen, past, present, or future.

Jesus knows whats in the heart of every man and the Lord will test each man’s faith.

*****Psa 11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

Why would the Lord put trials on the ones He has saved?

The Lord tries each of us so He may do us good in the latter end.

God provides opportunities for us to show our faith!

Deu 8:16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, “to do thee good at thy latter end”;

1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

God goes beyond to furnish us with everything we need to survive this cruel world and along the way He will send some trouble so we can be fine tuned for the tasks that lie before us.

God never wants us to fail and we cannot fail in His eyes, we can only fail ourselves in our own eyes!

The trials of our faith are only temporary and even the worst of them will only last a short period of time.

But this is not so for the wicked!

This not so for those that love violence!

The wicked are all those that are morally wrong.

Those that love violence are all those that love to be cruel. These are all those that would be bullies!

The world is more full of bullies who would have things their way, than it is full of racist.

Our government is more full of bullies than it is racist!

As the Holy Ghost led David to write these things we get to see how God will deal with the wicked and violent people who reject the Word of God and have made themselves gods.

*****Psa 11:6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

1) God will rain down fire and brimstone upon them.

Where do we find some examples?

Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

Isa 30:33 For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.

Rev 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

2) There will be a terrible storm upon them.

Where do we find examples?

Psa 18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

What is a Simoom?

This is a very hot, dry, suffocating and dust-laden wind that blasts across the African deserts, notably in Arabia, Syria, and neighboring countries generated by the extreme heat of the parched deserts or sandy plains. It can form into whirlwinds. It is one of the briefest winds and lasts only 20 minutes but can carry mounds of dust and sand that it has scooped from the desert floor. This is one of the winds that reshapes the desert and the sand dunes.

3) They will drink of the cup of God’s wrath.

Where do we find examples?

Psa 75:8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.

Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

If we could a picture all these things happening at the same time we should know that the “day of the Lord” will not be a good day for all those that have rejected the Word of God.

But God has better plans for those who love Him.

*****Psa 11:7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

C. H. Spurgeon wrote “Upon the roses of grace grow the thorns of justice”

Justice is God’s plum line!

If you walk on the wrong side of God’s plum line you will see judgment.

If you walk on the right side of God’s plum line you will have justice.

Isa 28:17 “Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet”: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.

Our righteous Lord could not be righteous in “Justice” if He were not also righteous in “Judgment”!

The plum line that God uses is His Written Word He has given to us!

What does God have planned for those who choose the right side?

The righteous shall see the face of God!

For God to turn His face away is to reject us but to look upon us with delight is to receive His blessings!

Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Because Our Lord Jesus is also the Creator it is only He that has the absolute right to decide “Justice”.

Pro 29:26 Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.
Pro 29:27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

Jesus said we will all suffer persecution at some level.

Jesus said the world we live in will only grow worse not better.

We must see these threats for what they are and the only place to flee is the mountain of comfort which is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ must be our foundation in this life!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!