Who do you worship

Will You Have a Good Name

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Wisdom’s Instructions to Obtain and Keep a Good Name

Book of Proverbs Chapter 22

We should ask ourselves, how will people perceive us, or how will they remember us after we’re gone?

Do we have a “good name”, a good reputation, a good testimony?

Are we a person of integrity?

Are we friends to the world, or is our name written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life?

If people see us a friend to the world, then we are God’s enemy!

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.

Do we compromise on the Word of God just to remain friends with the world?

Luk 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Are we seen as a child of God?

2Co 8:18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

Act 10:22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.

3Jn 1:12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

We need to understand that a good name, a good reputation, is not the same as being popular.

We can be popular without being a child of God, but with what sort of people!

These are people who are concerned for their own honor and not the honor of God.

This is a people pleaser, and we have far too many of those behind many pulpits today.

One of the first things we need to have a good reputation is the fact that people recognize us as Christians, being like Jesus Christ, and not a hypocrite.

*Pro 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Pro 22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

God will never show partiality to His children!

The Lord Jesus died upon that cross for every single living person from the time of Adam till the end of time.

We may put a high value on earthly things that have no value in Heaven, but to our Heavenly Father, our soul is the most valuable part of being a human.

We should ask ourselves, would we sell our good name for a million dollars?

Would we compromise our character for a million dollars?

We cannot put a price on honor, integrity, and righteousness!

Ecc 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.

Why is our death more important than our birth?

We are born into a life that will not be very lengthy.

At our death, we will have eternal life, either in the torments of Hell or in the glory of Heaven.

We must make this choice while we are alive!

We must understand that we are one of God’s creations and love Him as our Creator, our Maker.

God is unmoved by the possessions we gain while we are living, but He offers the glories and the wealth of Heaven if we turn to Him for our salvation.

God will never discriminate among people because of their wealth, success, gender, race, or social status!

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Why are there so many suicides in America? They are plagued with low self-esteem and see no future for themselves.

They use the wrong things to judge themselves!

They focus on appearance, abilities, or position.
They focus on popularity, wealth, or success.

These things have nothing to do with our real value if we look through the eyes of God.

God cares for us so much that He keeps up with every detail of our lives.
God loves us so much that He will go with us everywhere we go, in good times and bad times.
God has a wonderful plan and purpose for our lives.
God is always thinking about us.
God loves us enough that He sacrificed His Son for us despite our sins and our rebellious nature.

Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Rom 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Almost every religion in the world is looking for some messiah, but my Messiah came and died for me, and He will return to take me home.

We will never be able to fulfill the purpose God has for us if we do not have a good name after our salvation.

We were all dirty, rotten sinners before our salvation.

Act 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

*Pro 22:3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Pro 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.
Pro 22:5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.
Pro 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Pro 22:7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Pro 22:8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.
Pro 22:9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Pro 22:10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
Pro 22:11 He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

As Christians under the leadership of our faith, we understand that there will be a day of wrath from the Almighty Living God, and there is only one way to avoid it.

We know to look to Jesus Christ and hide ourselves in His loving arms.

Jas 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love 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,

Isa_25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

As Christians, we are paying attention to what is going on in this world, and we know the results at the end of the Church Age and the seven years of tribulation.

Mat 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Mat 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Only the Church will be saved from this day of wrath!

Those whom God says are simple-minded reject the truth of God, and they will be punished for it; most of them, if not all, will spend eternity in Hell.

They refuse to recognize the dangers of a sinful lifestyle!

Pro 27:12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

They refuse to recognize the truth of a Righteous God!

We already know the foundation of wisdom is the “Fear of the Lord”.

This fear is not only a reverent fear of the Lord but also includes an actual fear of a God who would rather not show His wrath.

Isa 28:22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.
Isa 28:23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

Only those who have submitted to God before they come to their own death will miss out on this consumption upon the whole earth.

This consumption is the disease of sin that God will eradicate.

We know there are painful hazards as we travel life’s journeys.

That journey is far worse for those who reject the Word of God.

They cannot know the comfort of knowing we do not have to go through these pains alone.

Pro 15:19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.

Those who have received the pleasures of this world become slaves to those things, and God’s people know there is no real pleasure in anything this world has to offer.

We who travelled that sinful life for far too long and have turned to Jesus Christ know that we are to train our children while they are children, so they can avoid most of life’s pitfalls.

The children God has given to us are our responsibility and not the governments to raise and teach.

If there is one thing we have realized in the last several years is that our government has steered our children down the path to the destruction of our entire nation and the way of freedom.

As parents and grandparents, and great-grandparents, we only get the opportunity to guide our children in the right direction.

They will choose a path for themselves sooner than we realize.

We hope that as they get older, they will remember those things in their heart and their minds.

Eph 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Eph 6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

We must understand that there are consequences to borrowing money, and credit cards have destroyed many families.

There is nothing disgraceful about being poor!

The rich have far too much power in dictating the lifestyle of the poor, and certain politicians want to keep the poor from gaining in life by giving incentives to them incentives not to work. All for their vote to keep them poor.

It is ridiculous that people have fallen into this trap and want to remain there.

Those who have caused this problem and keep doing these things will reap what they sow.

God is sending His warnings to these lenders from the Holy Spirit.

As Christians, we are taught to share.

The Holy Spirit says to those who share, they will also reap what they sow.

Pro 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

The Church has become stagnant because the Church has allowed the world into the Church.

God has one answer if you want to stop the arguments in the Church: throw out those who reject the Word of God or those who try to compromise the Word of God with the world’s ways.

Pro 21:24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.

These are the ones causing the contention and strife in the Church, and it can be settled by simply forcing them to leave unless they repent.

Ask them how they get saved to hear their answer.

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.

If we can speak to others with the same grace that our Heavenly Father has shown to us, we will get along, and we cannot move to the left or to the right from the truth of God.

A troublemaker does not have a pure heart; they are troublemakers. This is what they live for.

*Pro 22:12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.
Pro 22:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
Pro 22:14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.
Pro 22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Pro 22:16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

God is so moving and loving for us that He sent His only Son to die in our place just so we could live with Him forever.

God is also holy and righteous and will not put up with foolishness and unrighteousness.

We should ask ourselves, “What is the providence of God”?

The providence of God is the fact that it is God’s wisdom and God’s power that preserves and governs this world for the ends which He purposes to accomplish.

Since God created everything, it should be reasonable to infer that He upholds and governs all things!

All things are known to Him!
All things are possible for Him!

It is our Heavenly Father’s plan for us, and nothing in this world can change God’s plan for us!

As our Creator, He is self-existent, and it is His Will, so all His creations depend on Him!

He only deserves our worship!

He is the great guardian of the truth of this world we live in!

It is a fact that lazy people will come up with all sorts of excuses not to work.

Some things they come up with are laughable.

It is highly unlikely that any Jew was mauled by a lion because they were not found in towns or cities.

It is in our best interest as Christians to be the best workers on the job site.

This is diligent.

It is true to say that those who can work but refuse to do so should not eat.

When they are hungry enough, they will find some work to do to provide that meal.

We have to wonder if Solomon wrote this proverb early in life or later in life because he admits that the seductive words of harlots and adulteresses will entice a man to his own destruction of his body and his soul.

Solomon also wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes, and we can see more profound words by the Holy Spirit.

Ecc 7:26 And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

Foolishness is actually self-will.

Children must be rescued from this and it can be accomplished through discipline.

Foolishness is not a learned behavior it is in that child from birth.

It can be removed while they are still young to keep them from harming themselves or others.

Parents who love their children will correct them!

Pro 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

God says we will reap what we sow.

So those who oppress the poor will themselves suffer similarly by giving their riches to someone who is already rich and does not need it.

Mat 18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
Mat 18:25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
Mat 18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
Mat 18:28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
Mat 18:29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
Mat 18:30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
Mat 18:31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
Mat 18:32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
Mat 18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
Mat 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

We can see where we fail in this life if we reject the wisdom of God.

When we reject the Word of God, we live in open opposition to Him.

True success in life comes through trusting and fearing the Lord.

Who are the foolish, all those who do not want the Lord to be on their side!

The Bible did not come to us by accident!

It is a Holy God who has preserved His Word for us to know and respect.

*Pro 22:17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
Pro 22:18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
Pro 22:19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
Pro 22:20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
Pro 22:21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

Wisdom does not just come upon us. We must ask for wisdom and then study what other wise men have said.

If we understand that the Holy Spirit has directed the thoughts of God to men to write down so they can be understood.

The Word of God is useless if it remains in the Book. These wise words must be read and studied and brought into our hearts and our consciences.

That word hear is the Hebrew word “shama,” which means to hear intelligently and to heed and obey.

We must keep this wisdom in our hearts.

Rom_6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

God wants His word to be active in our lives.

The Bible is the most powerful Book that has ever existed!

It is nourishment for the soul!

It is the seed that brings forth much fruit.

It is the truth that applies to this life we live now.

It is the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, that teaches us to trust Jehovah, Yahweh, Elohim, the Almighty God.

It is our Heavenly Father who is the source of all wisdom, no matter whose lips it comes from.

God wants us to know the truth of this world.

God expects us to know the truth of this world.

God wants us to have confidence in His Word of Truth!

Jehovah can be trusted, the Lord Jesus Christ can be trusted, and the Holy Spirit can be trusted because the Bible is designed and written by the Holy Trinity, so we can know the truth.

God gives us His truth so we can live more successful and meaningful lives.

It is the Word of God that gives us this powerful message we can share with those who do not know Him.

God did not have to tell us anything, and we would have gone through life confused, but He would have still held us accountable for our sin.

Rom_1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

God gave us His Word so that we can have hope that this life we live now is not just meaningless, and there is a better life ahead. That hope is in our Savior, God Himself!

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

*Pro 22:22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:
Pro 22:23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

There are many poor people in this world, many of them have happy lives and know that riches cannot make them happier than they already are.

Some are poor, and they do not like to be reminded of that fact, and we should help them if we are able.

We must understand that God is always on the side of the poor!

The instruction “not to rob the poor” does not speak of robbery because they have nothing worth stealing.

We are not to rob the poor of their dignity.

Many of the poor are taken advantage of because they cannot hire a lawyer.

God is reminding us that He will defend them in the end.

To understand what the Holy Spirit is talking about here, let’s look at the Apostle Paul.

2Co 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
2Co 6:5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

There are probably far more Christian Saints who were poor until they met the Lord Jesus than rich.

Just as it is today, many of the poor are wrongly afflicted by unjust judges and society.

Cruel and greedy people choose the poor as their targets because they are unable to defend themselves.

Praise the Lord, we have an advocate in Heaven.

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

Psa 35:10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

When the Lord says He will spoil the souls of those who oppress the poor, He is saying He will take away their lives.

*Pro 22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Pro 22:25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

There are a lot of bad examples in our world, and we must not spend time around them.

Yes, we are to witness if we get the opportunity and flee as soon as we can.

Those who are short-tempered can influence us in a bad way.

All of us are prone to losing our temper from time to time, but this angry man from the Scripture is full of anger at all times, and the wise do not need to be around them.

Wise people understand the power of influence and avoid such people.

Bad behavior can rub off on people and infect others.

Uncontrolled anger is a trap that is easy to get caught in and hard to escape.

Scripture never tells us to associate with the ungodly for the purpose of trying to change their behavior.

In fact, Scripture tells us to be an example to them of the wisdom to avoid anger as best we can.

1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

*Pro 22:26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.
Pro 22:27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

In the old days, all it took was a handshake to seal a deal.

We all want to help our children and maybe close friends, but God says do not secure debts for them.

I do not know how many of us have been burned by our own children, but it happens.

If that debtor is not creditworthy, then why should we be taken advantage of?

We end up taking up a debt that we are not prepared for, and we could lose our own possessions and our own creditworthiness be ruined.

Our testimony can also be affected if we are known to be someone who does not pay our debts.

We must not make foolish deals. Nothing is untouchable if you put yourself up for someone else’s debts.

*Pro 22:28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

The ownership of property is important in today’s world, but it was extremely important in ancient Israel.

Most land is worth far more than its monetary value.

It was Jehovah who gave Abraham and the descendants of Sarah the land that belonged to Israel.

Deu 19:14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

Gen_17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

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:

God had forbidden the children of Israel to sell their land He had given to them.

Moving a boundary stone was an act of theft and a violation of the eighth commandment.

Deu 19:14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

Deu 27:17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.

*Pro 22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

It is a rare occasion for a diligent worker to be fired, even in today’s world.

To have a good work ethic is to be obedient to our Heavenly Father.

Christians should be the best workers on any job site.

As believers, we are called to set the example of being diligent workers.

We are never to be seen as being lazy.

We do not labor only for our employers; we labor also for our Lord!

Ecc 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

And the words that every Saint of God hopes to receive.

Mat 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Amen

The Challenge to the People of God

/ Bobby Mayfield / 1 Comment

Joshua’s Challenge to Israel

Book of Joshua Chapter 24

Last week we saw that Israel finally had rest from war.

Not all of Canaan Land was conquered, because many in Israel got lazy and forgot what God had promised them.

This is something we must never do; we must never forget the promises God has made to us.

We must never forget what the Lord Jesus Christ has promised to us!

We must never forget that the Lord Jesus Christ died to fulfill the promises He had made to His own Father.

One of the reasons we were created in the image of God, is so that we are free to choose our own destiny.

All the days of Jesus upon this earth He had the ability to choose, and He always chose righteousness!

Why do we suffer so much in this world? It is mainly because of the choices we make in this life.

God gave us the inerrant Word of God so we would know the truth!

This world we live in gives us nothing but lies.

God equips us so we can make the right choices!

Most of our problems come because of the choices Adam and Eve made in the Garden of Eden.

We saw what God did because of those bad choices and we brag all the time about our God does not ever change.

We need to remember how God dealt with disobedience because He certainly does not change.

What did the Lord Jesus teach us?

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.

Jesus also said no one can serve two masters. We can have only one Master!

God knows how much we love Him “by our obedience to His Word”!

He is the same today as He was back then!

Like Caleb, Joshua had fully followed the Lord.

Joshua had in his possession the five Books of Moses at this time and his last will for the children of Israel was for them to keep the Word of God in their heart and be obedient to it.

Jos 23:6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
Jos 23:7 That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
Jos 23:8 But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.

Joshua knew then, what we know today. It would take a lot of courage to take a stand upon the Word of God!

Joshua had reached the end of his life and he knew it, but he had a special message for the children of Israel.

Jos 23:14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.
Jos 23:15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

We have a great Pastor here at Gethsemane and when we remember, we know that He spends a lot of time teaching us this same message that Joshua had taught to Israel.

Israel means the people of God.

The Church is made up of the people of God!

How did Joshua go about his final message to Israel?

*Jos 24:1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

We had better get it in our heads, that when we come into the House of God, we are presenting ourselves before God and we have come to worship Him.

God had an important message for the children of Israel, and He has an important message for us every time we gather together.

Every person who was in a leadership position in any of the tribes of Israel were especially called to this message and it was important as all the Word of God is important.

Shechem itself was a prominent place to gather because it was the place where God had made certain promises to Abraham and these that gathered to Joshua were a fulfillment of some of those promises.

Joshua was totally convinced that God had done exactly as He said He would, and these that gathered with him should also be convinced of the same.

From the beginning of Israel’s history, it had been Jehovah who had directed their path and it was their own choices that had caused them to stumble along that pathway and it is the same for us today.

When God presents choices to us, He is requesting for us to decide!

These children of Israel were eyewitnesses to the evil wickedness and immorality that was the land of Canaan.

These children of Israel were eyewitnesses to the idolatry of the many false gods in the land of Canaan.

These children of Israel were also eyewitnesses to the power of God, because in almost every battle they were outnumbered and were not equipped as well as their enemies.

They had Jehovah.

The Chaldean worshipped their false gods.
The Egyptians worshipped their false gods.
The Amorites worshipped their false gods.

They had seen that Jehovah was the most powerful God, but also the most loving and gracious God. Those false gods had no power at all.

It would seem that the choice of who to serve would be an easy one and it is, when we take the time to study the Word of God and hear the truth of His Word!

For Joshua, his mind was made up.

For Joshua, his way was clear.

*Jos 24:11 And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.
Jos 24:12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.

We should understand that it is the Lord who is speaking here by the Holy Spirit.

Since God had called Abraham out of what is now called Iraq, He had His hands upon this family that had grown into this nation of Israel.

Israel means the people of God.

It was the Jehovah of the Old Testament the same person as the Lord Jesus Christ of the New Testament who had done all these things.

It is only Jehovah who can save and deliver His people.

It is Jehovah who is the Redeemer!

The History of Israel is the story of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ is that “Promised Seed” told to Abraham.

Israel did not win one battle, because the Lord fought all their battles, and the Lord cannot be defeated!

The crossing of the River Jordan is the symbol of “New Life”!

The New Life of each one that accepts the truth of the Living God!

What had God told Abraham?

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.

The world had better realize that these words are still in effect for Israel today!

Curse them if you dare, but doing so will bring to you the wrath of God just as He says!

That Promised Seed is also then the Messiah!

Act 3:25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Act 3:26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

That Promised Seed is also to all the descendants of “Faith”, that “faith” in the truth of God!

Rom 4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
Rom 4:12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
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.

The Promised Land then refers to the home of these descendants of faith!

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

The Bible is not so hard to understand when we understand the reality of the truth of God!

*Jos 24:13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

It might be a stretch, but the Holy Spirit just described part Heaven in this verse.

Heaven is the Land that the Lord has built.
The New Jerusalem is a city that the Lord has built.
We will dwell in this place that God has built for us and there will be no sin.

The Promised Land was the great hope of most of these whose parents and some of their elders who were once slaves.

The Promised Land of Heaven is the great hope of all those who were once slaves to this Satan controlled world of sin, but now have their names written down in Heaven’s Book of Life.

The Israelite were pilgrims and sojourners until they inherited the promised land.

Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

The Christians are pilgrims and sojourners in this sin filled world until the Lord returns to take us home and He will return.

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.
1Pe 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

We must understand the inheritance of the Promised Land is conditional just as it was to these Israelites.

They could not receive the Promised Land unless they believed in Jehovah and obeyed His commands.

This thing has not changed for the Christian!

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.

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.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Joh_14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Joh_15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

How are we to respond to the truth of God?

*Jos 24:14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

While we have the breath of life in our lungs, we must make a choice!

This is the same message Joshua gave to Israel.

The Israelites back then and the Israelite of today still have this same message.

The lost sinner and the Christian have this same choice to make!

The greatest of all choices we can make in this life, “is to choose the Lord Jesus Christ”.

This is not prophecy; this is just the truth!

To fear the Lord is to honor and respect His truth.

This a reverent fear of the Lord but we had better keep in mind that it was the Lord who is also our Creator and the Giver and the Taker of life!

We need to be “in awe” of the truth of our God Jehovah!

When we present the “Gospel”, the “Good News” to those who do not believe, we are trying to explain to them the importance of making the right choice.

We need good leaders like Joshua to give them the same message!

We do not know what tomorrow will bring, so today is always the best day to give yourself to the Lord!

When we choose to serve the Lord, it must come with sincerity!

*Jos 24:16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
Jos 24:17 For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:
Jos 24:18 And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God

God does forbid that we forsake Him. If we forsake the Lord our God, then we are serving Satan.

Mat_6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

What is the greatest problem in our world today? People have chosen to forsake God and to serve the Devil!

These foolish people who keep shoving evolution down our throats just because they hate God, will soon reap the rewards of their lies unless they repent and change their wicked ways.

Man-made climate change is a joke! We are just in the last days, and this is just another sign of that truth.

Joshua gave the truth to these Israelites in just a few words.

These people had witnessed the power of God.

These people had witnessed the great signs of our Creator.

These people were eyewitnesses to the fact that God Himself will fight for His people and His enemies are powerless to defend against Him.

These people were also witnesses to the fact that we will reap what we sow!

Joshua had already made his choice and he had made this choice as a young man and had not forsaken the Lord.

Knowing the truth, these Israelites came to the right conclusion.

It was the Lord who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt.

It was the Lord who had shown them such great signs.

It was the Lord who had preserved them in the wilderness.

It was the Lord who had removed the Amorites.

These children of Israel were just along for the ride to see if they could learn of their Savior.

They recommitted themselves to the Lord.

As Christians, being like the Lord Jesus Christ, we must be committed to serve the Lord.

It is a lifetime commitment and there is no retirement, but the benefits are Heavenly.

1Ki 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

When we answer the Lord and have made our choice, we must be clear on what that means.

*Jos 24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
Jos 24:20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

We must be sincere in our confession of faith!

There is no room for being in the middle. One foot in the Church and the other foot in the world!

A decision must be made! If we do not decide, then we have chosen death by default.

Deu_30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

There is no allowance for putting this decision off.

When you face the Lord in judgment, you cannot tell the Lord you were about to make the right decision just before your death.

The commandments of the Lord will prolong our days because we will be living right.

God has established the laws of life and a person who is obedient to the Lord will feel far less guilt, far less pressure, far less tension and far less stress.

It is these things that are the greatest enemy of a happy life!

1Ki 3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

The results of disobedience are terrible!

If we just look at our world today, we can see the ravages of sin all around us.

You take abortion, Aids, Monkey Pox, STDs, the Queer lifestyle, and put them in one category and it is all the same sin, fornication with fleshly lusts.

None of these things are mentioned when they are teaching sex education to our children.

Now they teach our children that you cannot know now if you are a boy or a girl until you get older.

We should trash the whole education system and start over or instruct our kids at home.

How can we justify paying teachers to corrupt our children!

The truth is, God blesses those who are obedient to Him!

God is a jealous God because God is Holy!

God will not overlook sin!
God will not forgive rebellion if those who are His turn to false gods.
God is unapproachable to all those who carry the weight of sin, and they will be destroyed unless they repent!

Once we have prayed the sinner’s prayer and the Holy Spirit moves in, we are witnesses to ourselves of the truth of God!

Psa 99:9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy.

Every true Christian understands that there is coming a day of final judgment when this world will end, and every human being will stand before God to be judged.

Every person who has turned away from the Living God, who engages in idolatry and false worship, will be condemned to eternal separation from God.

Joh 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
Joh 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
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.
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

We can miss this judgment only if we give ourselves to the Lord while we are yet living!

Rom_8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

This is that choice that we must make while we are living.

This is the choice that Joshua was giving to Israel and comes by faith to both peoples, the Israelites, and the Gentiles.

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Rom 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Rom 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Our jealous and holy God never changes!

And the answer from the people was:

*Jos 24:21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.
Jos 24:22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
Jos 24:23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.

We must all realize that the Lord will hold us accountable for the decisions we make.

The Bible is our Book of Truth, and we have no excuse for not being obedient to God.

There is no darkness in God and once the Light of Jesus Christ have blessed us, we should not be in darkness but in the Light of Christ.

These things begin with repentance:

We must put away the strange gods of this world!

Anything we put in the place of the Lord Jesus Christ has then become a strange god!

If we worship anything but the Lord Jesus Christ, we are worshipping a fable!

They could not hide these things from Joshua, how could they expect to hide these things from Jehovah?

If we have a Bible in our possession, then we know what Joshua is talking about here.

If these things are commanded in the Old Testament by the Divine Word of God, why would we ever think it would be different in today’s world where there so many more distractions that Satan has caused to happen.

Anything that can take our heart away from serving the Lord is idolatry and false worship and punishable by death, the death that is a eternal separation from our Holy God!

We all have things to put away that we use to deny our love for God!

We cannot serve the Lord if we have embraced sin in any way!

The modern Church has aloud to much filth of sin into the doors of the Church taking away the holiness of the Church.

Do not get me wrong, we are to embrace all who enter the doors of the Church, but repentance is still the key to salvation.

Those who are truly saved will then repent of their old lifestyle and be Born Again into the family of God.

This will not happen overnight!

The modern Church has forgotten these words of Jesus Christ.

Joh_3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

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

We cannot ignore the Word of God!

We must incline our heart unto the Lord our God!

Why do most people reject Christianity? Because they would have to give up their sin and they are too fond of their sin to give it up.

*Jos 24:24 And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
Jos 24:25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

Many today reject the fact that praying the sinner’s prayer is making a covenant with God, but it is!

Joshua wrote these things down and put them in the Word of God so these Israelites could not go back on their word by saying they did not understand.

Joshua then made a physical memorial so when these people who made this covenant with the Lord passed by it would bring them back to remember this day.

Today the Holy Spirit moves in when we pray the sinners pray.

He does not move into our souls just because we said a few words.

The Holy Spirit moves in when He knows these words came from a pure heart and He then becomes our memorial to the truth of God.

Our body is not yet saved so we will battle the truth of God and the falseness of the world all our remaining days.

The Holy Spirit will use His own power if we begin to stray.

If you can sin and do not have this conflict within you, then you do not have the Holy Spirit within you and you are not saved.

In other words you cannot continue in sin without feeling the admonishment of the Holy Spirit!

This is not a battle of your good side and your bad side.

This is a battle of righteousness!

Joshua loved this people, but Joshua was old and tired, and he wanted to spend his last days with his family serving the Lord.

Now Israel will begin the period called Judges.

Amen

How Is Your Relationship With Jesus

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

A Better Relationship

Book of Hebrews Chapter 3

A relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest relationship we can have!

A good relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ means you have a better relationship with God!

As human beings we have the tendency worship the things of this world.

It seems we are always seeking something to worship and not God.

To worship is to reverence something or someone that is most important to you!

We also have the tendency to recognize some humans far too much, and in fact it could be said that some humans worship other humans.

We are wrong to even consider such a thing!

In some churches, it seems the Pastor is worshipped more than the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a terrible sin!

In some denominations the church leader is allowed to carry the same weight as the Word of God such as the Pope, but there are others and God wrote down the things, we need to know is this life.

This is a terrible sin!

To the Jews, Moses and Abraham are worshipped as much as God is worshipped, and even some of the Old Testament prophets ranked higher than the Lord Jesus Christ.

We had better understand that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who brings to us the message of God for salvation!

We had better understand that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who did the work that was necessary for our salvation.

We had better understand that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Author of our Salvation.

We had also better understand it is the Lord Jesus Christ who pleads our case to God.

He does all these things and more, because He is the One and only Mediator between God and man!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is God!

*Heb 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

“Wherefore”, all the things that that we learned in Chapter 1 and then Chapter 2 have brought us to the truth of Chapter 3.

**The Lord Jesus Christ is the true Messenger of God!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Supreme Apostle of God according to this writer and according to all the Bible.

An Apostle takes care of the business of God.

Our Heavenly Father is in “the sinner saving business”!

Under the Old Covenant of the law, Moses held the office of an apostle, as God’s ambassador to the Jewish people and those strangers that joined with them.

It was Aaron that held the office of High Priest as man’s representative before God.

Under the “Covenant of Grace” the Lord Jesus Christ holds both offices!

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Apostle, the Messenger of God, and the Ambassador of God, while being our High Priest.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who possesses all the authority and power of God’s Kingdom, and He represents God’s Kingdom perfectly because He is Perfect!

We should understand that God’s Kingdom is not of this earth.

The Lord Jesus is speaking to us of a much better place

As God’s High Priest, the Lord Jesus is greater than any high priest that has gone before Him!

**He is the Highest of High Priest to all believers.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who bears the name of God before all mankind!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who knows mankind and knows God!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is able to represent God before man and man before God and He is the only One who can do this!

This Book we call the Bible, the Word of God, leaves us with no doubt that both these things are true.

Heb 5:10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchizedec.

Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God “for us”:

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who builds a bridge between God and man!

It is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ that built a new bridge for us to get to Heaven, but it is a narrow path.

What is the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

It is that man can know God and can come to be face to face with God!

Remember the Lord Jesus is building us a mansion “in His Father’s House”!

It is the work of Lord Jesus Christ that has caused all these things to be true!

These things are true because the Lord Jesus is also the Supreme High Priest!

Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God,” who also maketh intercession for us”.

It is just a matter of time, and Our Lord Jesus will also hold the office of King of kings and Lord of lords.

What proof do we have?

First Our true Prophet

Deu 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

This was Moses speaking the truth to the children of Israel

Next Our High Priest:

1Sa 2:35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.

And next our King:

2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

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

We must know the complete truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must fix our eyes upon Jesus.
We must fix our thoughts upon Jesus.
We must fix our minds upon Jesus.
We must fix our attention upon Jesus.
We must grasp the Lord Jesus Christ and attach to Him and never let go!

We must pursue a perfect relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ till the day He comes to take us to the home that He has prepared for us.

As believers, these things must have real meaning because we must be sanctified, set apart for our God!

We must confess that it is the Lord Jesus Christ whom God sent to save us and because He is the Perfect High Priest, He is able to do so!

He has shown us what God is like.
He has told us the truth of God, of ourselves, and of this world.
He has all the power of God, and it is Our Savior who is in absolute control of this world.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is faithful to fulfill the things of God for us!

*Heb 3:2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

What was the house of Moses? We could say it was the Church of Israel that gathered in the Tabernacle and later the Temple.

Moses was as faithful as any human could be to God.

We also know that we need the faith of Abraham to get to Heaven!

Gal_3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Gal_3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Yes, Moses was faithful, but we need the faith of Abraham to obtain righteousness

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.

Gal_3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Abraham believed God so it is in our best interest to believe all the Word of God, not just Moses and the laws called the Law of Moses.

The Lord Jesus Christ is even more faithful because He has perfect faithfulness!

Moses was faithful to his calling.
Moses was a great freedom leader.
Moses was the great Lawgiver.
Moses was a great nation builder.
Moses was a great friend of God in the eyes of the Jews.

The Jews thought that Moses was the only man who had met with God face to face, but with “Grace” we will all come face to face with our Redeemer.

Moses had been appointed by God to do some great things and He was faithful to do them.

Num 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
Num 12:7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
Num 12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

To the Hebrew speaking Jews there was no one as great as Moses.

You see here is the trap that many Church members find themselves in today.

They put some man on a pedestal making them equal with God.

Maybe Moses was superior to all men in his day.

Even God bragged upon Moses.

The Lord Jesus Christ is also called of God and called to do greater things than Moses.

The Lord Jesus has shown us by example exactly what God is like and how we can become acceptable to Him.

No doubt that Moses was a faithful man, but he was just a man and not the Godman, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, “to make reconciliation for the sins of the people”.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who was faithful to proclaim God’s salvation plan!

And it is only the Lord Jesus Christ who can make reconciliation for us to God the Father!

*Heb 3:3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

Moses caused the Tabernacle in the wilderness to be built, but he had the plans from God to guide Him.

Today every Christian is a house of God!

Also, a design of God, but the work is done by the Lord Jesus Christ!

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.

What is the human? Our bodies are a finely tuned built machine.

We are resourceful.
We can adapt for many uses.
We have a mind of surprising capacities.
We have perception and can reason.
We have memory and a conscience.
We can have hope and we can trust.
We can know love.
We can reverence.

There is no inventor that has ever been able to surpass God’s creation of the human being!

There is no builder who can build as does the Lord Jesus Christ!

Above all, we all have a spirit that links us to God and we are able to be created anew in Jesus Christ.

Joh_3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

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

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?

Jesus Christ is the builder of my house, and He can build your house to!

We must understand that He (the Lord Jesus Christ) has equipped us and established us for His purpose.

If we reject the purpose that the Lord has given to us, we become useless, and the Lord will destroy our house!

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.

It is easy to see that He who has built our house is far greater than the house as magnificent as it is!

*Heb 3:4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

Who is our Creator? Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

It is this Son of God who is our God!

Heb 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

The Son of God is the Lord Jesus Christ!

1Jn_5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

We cannot miss these things if we study the Word of God!

The Lord Jesus has built the house of this entire Universe and He has built my house which is now His house!

The Lord Jesus is the Son of God, who is God, and He is as much God as our Heavenly Father and God the Holy Spirit!

He possesses the very nature of God because He is God!

Christ Jesus made the house. He laid the foundations of our Universe, and He is the House of all God’s people.

You know the Lord has to live within me, before I can live within Him!

Moses may have been the greatest man who ever lived to the Jews, but the message of the Book of Hebrews is that the Lord Jesus Christ is far greater than Moses!

In fact, this is the message of all the Word of God!

In fact, no matter what person is alive today, or from the past, or may be in our future, they will never surpass the Lord Jesus Christ in greatness!

We can only be residents of this universe, but the Lord Jesus is God the builder of our universe!

Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Moses nor any other human being can possibly reach the greatness of the Lord Jesus Christ!

*Heb 3:5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

To speak of Moses to the Jews is difficult and delicate thing to do.

It is hard for the Gentiles to understand just how much the Jews regard Moses.

They see Moses as a man who dedicated his entire life to the obedience of the God of his father’s Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (who would be Israel).

All God’s dealings with Israel were transacted through Moses until he died.

To the Jews, Moses was the Mediator of the Covenant with God.

He brought Israel out of Egypt.
He led them through the Red Sea.
He gave then the Moral Law the Ten Commandments and in fact gave them 613 laws.

It was by Moses that the national life of Israel was organized!

Moses could not go into the Promised Land because Moses was not a perfect man!

Moses was much inferior to Christ Jesus as Moses was just a “servant” to God.
Moses was much inferior to Christ Jesus in respect to his work, as Moses prophesied of a greater revelation to come, which was the Messiah.
Moses was servant to the house of God.

*Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

The Lord Jesus Christ is servant of His own House, the House of God, the Church.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the also the Apostle and High Priest of our profession and who has now been seen to be much greater than Moses.

Christianity is the completed “House of God” on earth over which Christ Jesus reigns as the Son of God!

To be called to Christ is a much higher calling than to have been called to Moses.

Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is Son over God’s House and Moses was only a servant to God’s House!

Moses was called to be a servant to proclaim these things to come sometime in the future as many they now have come.

Moses was to predict and show by example, in symbols and typology, what the Savior of the world would be like and what He was to do when He came into the world.

When God gave Moses messages to deliver, Moses struggled for He did not always understand that message nor those symbols, and God did not explain these things to Moses for it was not yet time.

Remember verse one and two in Chapter 1.

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Moses may have been the greatest servant of God to have ever lived, but he was only a servant!

Moses was a created man, working in a created world, and the Lord Jesus Christ is our Maker and the Creator of all things. Again Chapter 1 Verse 2.

The Lord Jesus Christ is building God’s House with “believers”.

Believers are not those with only head knowledge!

Believers are those who believe everything the Bible says about the Son of God who is the Lord Jesus Christ.

You cannot pick and choose what you will believe about the Lord Jesus.

The entire Bible centers on the prophecy and the fulfillment of that prophecy of all things about the Lord Jesus Christ!

How do we become believers? “If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm in Jesus Christ until the end which means the day the Lord Jesus returns to take us home”.

Our confidence comes by our hope in the salvation given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ!

We must believe the promises of God!

We should walk in the glory of the Lord, no matter our circumstances!

We must stay focused upon the Lord Jesus Christ!

When we attend the House of God to worship, then we need to worship, nothing else in the House of God has this importance.

We are going to the House of God to hear the message God has for us on that particular day, we need to pay attention.

When we do not go, we miss that message and the importance of it!

Jesus Christ is far greater than Moses and Moses truly was one of the greatest men who ever lived in our world!

If we cannot cling to the hope in the salvation provided by the Lord, we cannot be saved, and we will never enter into the House of God in Heaven, the house that Jesus has prepared for us!

2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

What should we rejoice the most about in this world?

Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

We should rejoice that our names are known in Heaven.

God knows us my name!

Make sure He knows your name and writes your name down in the Lamb’s Book of Life!

We must travel the narrow path of Jesus and not the path of Moses!

Mat 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

We can have a better relationship with our God only because we have a relationship with His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Amen