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Immanuel! 12.18.11

by • on 11:47 AM • in Christmas Messages, Doctrinal Teachings

 

Matthew 1

 

 

Matthew 1:1 (NASB)

1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

It was very common in Ancient biographies that they would typically begin by rehearsing the noble lineage of their subject”   – B. B. C.

A. And this is what Matthew is doing here

1. He is showing the ROYAL LINEAGE of Jesus Christ

“Jesus” (v.1)

“Joshua” or ‘YESHUA’ – HEBREW for “Jesus”

“Jesus” is the GREEK name for “Joshua”

“Jesus” / “Joshua”; means -  “the Lord is salvation.”

“Messiah” (v.1)

“Messiah” – HEBREW for “CHRIST”

“Christ is GREEK for “Messiah”

“MESSIAH” or “CHRIST”, means – “anointed one”

In GREEK:

“Jesus Christ” means – “The Lord is salvation; Anointed One”

In HEBREW:

“YESHUA the MESSIAH” means – “The Lord is salvation, Anointed One”

 

“Son of David” (v. 1)

Was a highly popular messianic title of the times. In fact when a person would call Jesus Christ the “Son of David”, what they were really doing was declaring their faith.

“I believe that thou art the ‘Christ’ the “Messiah” the “Son of the Living God”

B. We see an example of this in –

 

Matthew 9:27-29 (NASB)

27 …two blind men followed [Jesus] Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said* to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said* to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.”

C. By calling Jesus, “The Son of David”

1. They were PROFESSING their FAITH in Him as the MESSIAH

D. In vv. 2-16

1. Matthew then traces out the genealogy of Jesus Christ through Joseph

a. Joseph was Jesus’ legal (though not natural) father

E. This genealogy that Matthew lists –

1. Establishes Christ’s RIGHT TO THE THRONE of David

F. By TRACING His linage, in VERSE 17 we see that -

 

Matthew 1:17 (NASB)

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

G. So from ABRAHAM to CHRIST

1. There were 42 GENERATIONS

2. OR — 3 SETS of 14

H. Then we come to the THRUST of OUR TEXT this morning – v. 18 –

 

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

 A. Jesus Christ was SUPERNATURALLY CONCEIVED by the Holy Spirit

The birth of Jesus Christ was the result of the ONLY SUPERNATURAL CONCEPTION to ever take place

 

Bible Background Commentary:

“Ancient biographers sometimes praised the miraculous births of their subjects (especially prominent in the Old Testament), but there are no close parallels to the virgin birth. Greeks told stories of gods (small g) impregnating women, but the text indicates that Mary’s conception was not sexual; nor does the Old Testament (or Jewish tradition) ascribe sexual characteristics to God. Many miraculous birth stories in the ancient world (including Jewish accounts) are heavily embroidered with mythical imagery (e.g., babies filling houses with light), in contrast with the straight forward narrative style of this passage.”

 

‘Betrothal’ (V. 18)

“This was a legally binding agreement, and was normally accompanied by the grooms’ payment of at least part of the bride price. Betrothal, which commonly lasted a year, meant that the bride and the groom were officially pledged to each other but hand not yet consummated the marriage. Advances toward anyone else during the betrothal period, were thus regarded as adulterous

 

Deuteronomy 22:23-24

“If there is a girl who is a virgin engaged to a man, and another man finds her in the city and lies with her, 24 then you shall bring them both out to the gate of that city and you shall stone them to death; the girl, because she did not cry out in the city, and the man, because he has violated his neighbor’s wife. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.

B. So for a man to lie with a BETROTHED woman, it was considered adultery

1. And they were BOTH TO BE STONED

 

“In ancient Israel, betrothal was considered a binding promise prior to the consummation of marriage. Though betrothed couples were not granted the rights of marriage, they were considered as good as married. The breakdown of a betrothal was thus viewed with the greatest seriousness.”     - Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words

C. Betrothal is a beautiful picture of the BELIEVER’S MARRIAGE to God:

 

The marriage between God and Israel is the Old Covenant parallel and developed in the New Covenant through the powerful metaphor of Christ and His bride, the church.

 

D. As the CHURCH, we are BETROTHED to CHRIST;

1. Though our WEDDING FEAST is coming, it’s as good as being MARRIED right now!

 

BETROTHAL AGREEMENT

Two witnesses, mutual consent (normally) and the groom’s declaration were necessary to establish Jewish betrothals. In Roman Betrothals, consent alone sufficed.

 

ENGAGEMENT RINGS

Although (engagement) rings were used in the Roman world, it is not clear [historically] whether Palestinian Jews used them in this early period.

 

Mary’s Age

Mary would have probably been between the ages of 12 and 14 (16 at the oldest), Joseph perhaps between 18-20; and their parents would have mostly likely arranged their marriage, with Mary and Joseph’s consent.

E. So Mary was BETROTHED to JOSEPH

1. Under the LAW, considered ‘AS GOOD AS MARRIED’

2. Yet without having CONSUMMATED their marriage

F. And it was DURING THIS TIME of MARY’S BETROTHAL that-

“She was FOUND to be with Child – BY THE HOLY SPIRIT”

 

G. Luke describes how this took place in his Gospel (turn w/ me)

 

Luke 1:26-38

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.

30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. 36 “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 “For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the bond slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

H. In V. 35, Luke, as a PHYSICIAN uses this phrase to describe the CONCEPTION:

1. He says: “The Holy Spirit Will Come Upon You”

 

“The Incarnation was accomplished by this creative act of the Holy Spirit in the body of Mary. The Virgin Birth was a special miracle performed by the 3rd Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, whereby the 2nd Person of the Trinity, the eternal Son of God, took to Himself a genuine, though sinless, human nature and was born as a man, with surrendering any aspect of His Deity!”       -The Ryrie Study Bible

 

GOD the FATHER, through GOD the HOLY SPIRIT; conceived GOD THE SON!!!!

The reason that Christ was BORN with a SINLESS NATURE; is because the SEED came from God who is SINLESS.

The reason we are BORN with a SINFUL NATURE is because we were BORN from the SEED of our FATHER- and the SIN NATURE is PASSED DOWN through the SEED of the FATHER.

I. JESUS CHRIST was FULLY GOD and FULLY MAN!

1. He was NOT PARTIAL MAN and PARTIAL GOD

2. Or a Man who was elevated to become God

J. When JESUS CHRIST was BORN;

1. He was BORN FULLY GOD & FULLY MAN!!!

a. The INCARNATION of God

 

“God HIMSELF! Manifest in the flesh!”

 

K. Wouldn’t you have LOVED to have gone up to Him in that STABLE?!!!!

1. I would KISSED and KISSED and KISSED all over His sweet little HEAD/NECK!!

2. I’d have never PUT HIM DOWN!

L. Concerning the BIRTH of JESUS CHRIST;

1. Paul wrote:

 

Philippians 2:5-11 (NASB)

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

JESUS CHRIST WAS / IS / ALWAYS WILL BE——-GOD!!!

 

John 1:1-2

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.

 

Christ is GOD; and HE has ALWAYS EXISTED -

 

John 1:14

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

N. In order for the WORD TO BECOME FLESH;

1. The WORD had to EXIST BEFORE IT BECAME FLESH

O. The WORD ETERNALLY EXISTED;

1. Then at a set time to a SET COUPLE (Mary & Joseph)

2. JESUS CHRIST became FLESH

P. So Mary was Betrothed to Joseph—-

 

18 …And before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit….19 And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.

A. Notice here that Joseph is called her ‘HUSBAND’!

1. Although they were not married yet…

2. The year of engagement / betrothal was so SACRED, that

 

“They were by custom considered as if married”

 

Consequently, Joseph’s only recourse seemed to be to:

 

‘Send Her Away’

“Meaning to give her a bill of divorce, a certificate saying, in effect, “This woman in not my wife; I am not her husband”

 

20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus [Yeshua], for [because] He will save His people from their sins.”

“JESUS” / “YESHUA” = ‘ADONAI SAVES’!

A. The ENTIRE PURPOSE for JESUS CHRIST to come to this earth is this verse:

 

“Jesus is salvation, for He will save His people from their sins!”

 

Romans 10:12-13

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;

13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

ANYBODY and EVERYBODY who CALLS upon the NAME of the LORD…SHALL BE SAVED!

 

God did not give any stipulations regarding sin. No matter how TERRIBLE a man’s sin might be, if he will TURN to JESUS CHRIST; REPENT OF HIS SIN and BELIEVE…Jesus Christ WILL SAVE HIM out of his sin!

 

22 Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the [ADONAI] Lord through the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin [Mary was a virgin, never had physical relations with a man] shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”

 

‘Immanuel’ in Hebrew is spelled:

‘IMMANU – EL’

IMMANU – means ‘WITH US’

‘EL’ means ‘GOD’

In the Greek Majority text, it is actually:  ‘WITH US-GOD’

But for clarity we say ‘GOD WITH US’

This comes out of the O.T. prophecy of ISAIAH –

 

Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

 

‘EL’ – God Himself will come to this EARTH and be born of a VIRGIN and DWELL AMONG US!!!

The PROMISE of God was ALWAYS that HE WOULD PROVIDE HIMSELF for our SINS

God didn’t send a SUBORDINATE or an ANGEL to come to PAY for our SINS – HE, HIMSELF CAME, because ONLY HE could REDEEM US!!!

You look at every SATANIC CULT from MORMONISM to J.W.’s and the ALL DENY the DEITY of JESUS CHRIST—

 

John 8:23-24

And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.  “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

Believe that JESUS CHRIST is WHO? -

IMMANUEL – GOD HIMSELF, dwell among us!!!

 

24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

A. So Joseph proved himself to be a godly man

1. He acted like the O.T. men & women who

2. Obeyed the call of God

3. Even when it went against all human common sense

B. Sometimes what GOD CALLS us to DO;

1. DOESN’T make any sense

2. But it DOES require an ACT of FAITH

 

‘Marriage consisted of covenant (at the betrothal; the marital contract also involved a monetary transaction between families), a ceremony and consummation, which ratified the marriage, normally on the first night of the seven-day wedding.’ – IVP Background

 

C. Joseph here officially marries Mary [Miryam]

1. But he ABSTAINS from consummating the marriage –

a. Until after Jesus is born!

D. What a godly man Joseph was!

1. He took Mary to be his WIFE

2. But he exercised self-control until after the birth of JESUS!

CONCLUSION:

1. And so the LIFE OF CHRIST began

2. There in that LOWLY STABLE in BETHLEHEM

3. Out of sight, out of mind to most the World

4. The quietness of that night

a. The cattle chewing their cuds

b. The sheep resting

‘SILENT NIGHT, oh HOLY NIGHT!’

5. And YESHUA MESSIAH, GOD HIMSELF came for one reason

(v. 21) “To save His people from their sin”

6. My question to is:

a. Are you ONE OF HIS PEOPLE?

b. Have you had your SINS CLEANSED YET?

7. If you were to die tonight, do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re saved?

a. That’s the MOST IMPORTANT question you will ever answer

“JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON”

And ———“It is the SEASON FOR SALVATION”

“Behold today, is the day of salvation!”

8. Prayer -

 

 

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Motivations For Personal Holiness

by • on 6:25 PM • in 1 Peter

 

1 Peter 1:17-21

 

 

Illustration:

Jake, a Game Warden, was always amazed that Sam, a fisherman, showed up at the end of the day with a couple or three stringers full of fish. This happened even when all the other fishermen came back with only two or three fish. Now this particular lake was loaded with fish, but they seemed to elude the average fisherman, so there was no limit on number, only on size. And all of Sam’s fish were big enough to bring home.

The curiosity of the game warden finally got the best of him. So on one occasion he said to Sam, “I’d like to know your secret.” Sam, a man of not too many words, said, “Show up tomorrow morning.”

The next morning, long before dawn, the game warden was there. Sam showed up and met him, stared the motor, and 30 or 40 minutes later they were out in some secluded part of the lake. It was important to Sam that no one else be around. When they stopped the motor, everything was as still as it could be. Jake decided to sit back, fold his arms, and watch Sam do his thing. Same reached down in his tackle box, pulled out a slender stick of dynamite, lit it, and tossed it into the air. When it hit the level of the lake, there was an enormous explosion. In a matter of seconds, fish of all sizes began to float up to the top of the lake. Without a word, Sam just began to row his way over and with his net pick up the largest fish and string them.

Jake screamed. “Wait! You break every rule in the book. I’m gonna throw the book at you. You’ll be paying fines. I’m gonna stick you in jail!”

About that time Sam reached in his box and pulled out another stick of dynamite. He lit it and tossed it in Jake’s lap and said,

“Are you gonna sit there watchin’ all day or are you gonna fish?!”

 

1. HA-HA!!!  — motivations!

 

2. We all have things that motivate us to do what we do

a. We have bills, so we are motivated to get up and go to work

b. We want good health;

i. So we take care of our bodies, exercise, vitamins, eat right

c. We want to be respected

i. So we certain careers, attend certain colleges

ii. Try to live according to certain standards

 

Even my sermon this morning: I have a MOTIVATION: It is to motivate each of you to walk in PERSONAL HOLINESS.

 

“For everything we do, there is a motivation driving us”

 

*When we’re standing in line at Wal-Mart this Christmas season…

WHAT is going to motivate us from LOOKING at stuff we shouldn’t SEE?

*When we’re at home alone, or in the OFFICE on the INTERNET;

What is going to MOTIVATE us to PERSONAL HOLINESS?

4. We live in a very sinful world

a. And it is getting more and more difficult to live a HOLY life

 

5. We KNOW that we should live HOLY lives;

a. But WHAT MOTIVATES us?

6. I pray that by the time we are done this morning;

1. That God will have given you —

6 PRACTICAL  MOTIVATIONS for PERSONAL HOLINESS:

I. I Want God to Hear My Prayers

1 Peter 1:17-21
(And) If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

A. The only way that we can have an EFFECTIVE, POWERFUL prayer life is when;

1. We are LIVING in HOLINESS

B. In Psalm 66:18, the Bible says

If I regard wickedness (sin) in my heart, The Lord will not hear (our PRAYERS);

When we are standing there, sitting there, laying there and we are being tempted to sin; we need to ask ourselves if we want to hinder our prayer life?

Is this sin so gratifying that I’m willing to break my fellowship with God and hinder my PRAYER LIFE?

C. The Bible says, if we allow sin in our lives, it will ruin our prayer life

1. Nobody can have an effective prayer life w/o HOLINESS

 

“YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY”

 

D. If Holiness was not a necessary part of our relationship with God;

1. Then CHRIST would have NEVER NEEDED to DIE for our SINS

II. God is Going to Judge Our Works

 

17b the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work,

 

The judgment that Peter is talking about, is the judgment of a believer’s works. This judgment has nothing go do with salvation, except that salvation ought to produce good works.                      – Warren Wiersbe

 

When we trusted Christ, God forgave our sins and declared us righteous in His Son. Our sins have already been judged on the cross of Calvary, and therefore they cannot be held against us.

The judgment that Peter is talking about here is what is called the ‘JUDGMENT SEAT of CHRIST’, where each one of us will give an account of our works, and each one of us will receive the appropriate reward.

This is what we could consider as a ‘Family Judgment’, the Father dealing with His beloved children.

There are TWO Greek words which mean

“To put to the test”

1) One meaning: “To put to the test in order to discover what evil or good there may be in a person”

2) The other, “To put to the test in order to sanction or approve the good one finds in that person”

That is the definition for the Judgment Seat of Christ

III. The Fear of the Lord

 

17c conduct yourselves in fear (NASB)

A. In light of this ‘impartial judgment of God’

1. We are exhorted to ‘conduct this passing life in fear’

‘Fear’ = “This fear is self-distrust; it is tenderness of conscience; it is vigilance against temptation; it is the fear which inspiration opposes to high-mindedness in the admonition, ‘Be not high-minded but fear.’

To ‘LIVE IN FEAR’ is — ‘taking heed lest we fall’

 

It’s really guarding ourselves from places of temptation; and fleeing all evil.

 

“It is a constant apprehension of the deceitfulness of the heart, and of the constant apprehension of the deceitfulness of the heart, and of the insidiousness and power of inward corruption. It is the caution and circumspection which timidly shrinks from whatever would offend and dishonor God and the Saviour.”                                  –Wuest Word Studies

 

The 4th Motivation for personal holiness is that

 

IV. We are Sojourners (KJV)

 

17d during the time of your stay on earth;

‘Sojourner’ is from a word meaning literally “to have a home alongside of,” and refers to a person living in a foreign land alongside of people who are not of his kind.

A. Here it refers to children of God living far from their heavenly home;

  • In a foreign territory
    • On a planet that has a Usurper – SATAN, as a reigning Monarch
      • The people of which are his subjects

B. As Born Again Christians;

1. We must always live with the constant awareness that –

a. We are being WATCHED by the UNSAVED

C. And that it is our responsibility to be a true testimony to God

1. By the kind of lives we live

 

D. This WORLD isn’t our HOME;

1. And so we SHOULDN’T be living like the RESIDENTS of this world

We are to be living like SOJOURNERS – PASSING THROUGH; knowing that our Heavenly Father who judges impartially, will one day soon be judging each of our lives.

So we are to LIVE IN FEAR of FALLING INTO SIN, with the present conscious awareness that ‘WE’RE NOT HOME YET’!!!!

Can the world look at us and CLEARLY SEE a DIFFERENCE in how we live? Or are there areas of our lives that could give the Residents of this world reason to stumble?

18 knowing that (for you know) you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

 

* The 5th MOTIVATION for HOLY LIVING is because:

 

 

V. We’ve Been Ransomed!

 

A. The word ‘REDEEM’ goes back to the institution of slavery in ancient Rome

 

 

B. Every 1st Century church would have had 3 kinds of members:

  • Slaves
    • Freemen               (never been a slave)
      • Freedmen    (A person who formerly had been a slave but was now redeemed)

C. People became slaves in various ways:

  • Through WAR
    • Bankruptcy
      • Sell by themselves
        • Sale by Parents or by birth

“Slaves normally could look forward to FREEDOM after a certain period of service, and often after the payment of a price.”   -Expositors Bible Commentary

 

E. Some of the ways a SLAVE could by his freedom was:

  • By earning extra money in his spare time
  • Or, by doing more than his owner required
  • Often, the debt could be paid by someone else

“By the payment of his debt, a slave could be set free from his bondage or servitude.”

F. Jesus said in –Mark 10:45
“…the Son of Man… [came] …to serve, and to give His life a ransom for [in the place of] many.”

***Notice here also in V. 18, this word ‘FUTILE’ or ‘EMPTY’

“The redemption of Christians is from the [futile] ‘empty’ lifestyle of their ancestors. This implies a pagan lifestyle rather than a Jewish one because the NT stresses the emptiness of paganism.”  IVP Background Commentary

G. The ‘Traditions’ and ‘Freedoms’ passed down from our PAGAN ancestors, is

1. WORTHLESS

2. Peter says — EMPTY—

“The LIFE that JESUS CHRIST has REDEEMED US OUT OF, has NOTHING to offer us!!!!”

People who are ‘stuck’ in the world, think that we Christians are so in BONDAGE over all the things we can’t do in Christ; when in reality, what they call ‘FREEDOM’ is really WORTHLESS BONDAGE!!!!

 

(EMPTY/FUTILE/DOG VOMIT—passed down from pagan ancestors!!!)

H. The OLD LIFE had NOTHING to offer us but the BONDAGE of SLAVERY;

1. And it COST GOD His ONLY BEGOTTEN SON His life to REDEEM US!!!

That’s why Peter said back in 1 Peter 1:12…

 “Things into which angels long to look!”

They cannot grasp the tender mercies of the LORD GOD to RANSOM us from DEATH!

What a GREAT PRICE…therefore we must fearfully and DILIGENTLY guard our lives from WORLDLINESS!

Mark 8:36-37

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

37 “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD IS WORTHLESS/FUTILE/ EMPTY

This EMPTY old World has NOTHING on KNOWING JESUS CHRIST!!!!

I. The word for ‘SILVER’ and ‘GOLD’ here actually refers to:

1. LITTLE SILVER and LITTLE GOLD

GOD PAID THE GREATEST PRICE FOR OUR REDEMPTION- HE GAVE HIMSELF!!!

SIDE NOTE:

Can you see why it’s so sinful for us to speak against another BELIEVER?

#1. (NOT ONLY) Have we been CREATED in the IMAGE of GOD

#2. (BUT) Christ has paid this HUGE RANSOM for ALL His elect!

a. Who are we to speak against those for WHOM CHRIST DIED?!!

We are to live our lives as SOJOURNERS so that we do not STUMBLE the RESIDENTS of this world; and we are NOT to JUDGE one another – having been RANSOMED by God’s great love!!!

J. So #5, our 5th MOTIVATION for PERSONAL HOLINESS is why???

(V.) BECAUSE WE’VE BEEN RANSOMED!!!!

And Peter says: do NOT GIVE UP your FREEDOM for the MOMENTARY thrill of SIN!!!!

 

*We know that we are maturing spiritually when we no longer ask ourselves:

 “Can I do this and get away with it”

….but rather begin to ask ourselves:

“Will this compromise MY FREEDOM in anyway, for which Christ paid so great a debt?!”

*Our 6th and final MOTIVATION for PERSONAL HOLINESS is because:

VI. Holiness Is Proof of My Faith!


20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you  21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

A. Don’t sell yourself short!

1. Don’t LOWER YOUR STANDARDS to fit in with the WORLD

2. Or to MAKE others feel ‘COMFORTABLE’

3. We DON’T FIT IN HERE AND WE NEVER WILL

4. It’s NOT our JOB to make the WORLD COMFORTABLE in its SIN

B. When it came to living like the WORLD; my mom used to tell us kids –

1. DON’T DO THAT!

2. You’re TOO GOOD FOR THAT!!!

C. When it comes to the TEMPTATION of GIVING up our PERSONAL HOLINESS:

 

“Don’t do that! You’re too good for that! Don’t throw pearls before swine!!!”

D. Before the FOUNDATIONS of this world were CREATED;

1. JESUS CHRIST existed and –

 

“In the councils of the triune God, the Lord Jesus was the Lamb marked out for sacrifice.”

- Wuest Word Studies

 

E. In other words,

“God HAD ALREADY PLANNED to send JESUS CHRIST to this earth to become our SAVIOUR, even BEFORE the FOUNDATIONS of this world were CREATED!!!”

Salvation was NOT an AFTER THOUGHT when Adam and Eve Sinned in the Garden of Eden; God had already made the PROVISIONS for our REDEMPTION!!!

 

 

CONCLUSION:

1. God loved you, even from before the foundations of the world

2. He knew you from even before you were conceived in your mother’s womb

a. And He LOVES YOU!!!

3. I think the greatest MOTIVATION for PERSONAL HOLINESS is found in one word:

LOVE

 John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

4. He LOVES YOU

a. He’s REDEEMED YOU

b. He’s NOT ANGRY with you when you FAIL

c. And He’s ALWAYS there for you!!!

5. Your SALVATION is SECURE;

a. Your ETERNAL INHERITANCE is secure

b. Your VERY LIFE is SECURE

Because of SUCH LOVE— I long for PERSONAL HOLINESS

The more we STUDY and UNDERSTAND the NATURE of our GOD;

…The MORE that we will DESIRE to BE LIKE HIM!!!

6. May we daily grow in our personal holiness

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“By The Skin of My Teeth” Job 18-19 (part 2)

by • on 11:00 PM • in Job Study

Introduction

After Bildad finishes describing the terrors of death, job decides to describe the trials of life-his life. Job is going to show his friends that he does not have to die to experience terrors because his life has been full of them already. So he unfolds his concept of the trials of his life.

The Miseries of Life (Job 19:1-4)

In verses 2-4, Job fires back at Bildad. Job describes his treatment in the use of four words: “tormented,” “broken,” “reproached,” and “wronged.” His friends made him feel worthless and helpless in the face of his suffering. He says that even if he had erred, it was none of their business. This was something he would work out with God, and he did not need their help; they should all leave him alone.

In verses 5-12, Bildad gave Job four pictures of death. So Job counters with seven illustrations of the trials of his life. What Job faced was far worse than Bildad’s metaphors, because Job was experiencing death while he still lived.

1. A Desperate Animal (Job 19:5-6)

In Verse 6, Job tells his friends to “Know then that God has wronged me, and has surrounded me with His net.” Job feels like he has been caught in God’s trap. He has not been running away from God, and does not have any idea why God would catch him in His net; but that is what he feels is happening.

2. A Defenseless Criminal (Job 19:7)

Then he says in verse 7, “If I cry out concerning wrong, I am hot heard. If I cry aloud, there is not justice.” Job feels wronged by God because there are no charges against him and there is no justice given to him. He can’t’ even defend himself. And on top of that, no one else is standing up to defend him either. He feels like he just doesn’t have any hope.

3. A Detained Traveler (Job 19:8)

Speaking of God in verse 8, Job says, “He has fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass; and He has set darkness in my paths.” Job could not see what was ahead because God had walled him in and darkness had been sent to devour him.

 

4. A Dethroned King (Job 19:9)

He follows up in verse 9, saying, “He has stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.” Before Job’s trials had begun, he had been one of the most important men in the East. Now he has been disgraced and dethroned. He has gone from the highest position to the lowest place. He is experiencing total humiliation.

5. A Damaged Structure (Job 19:10a)

Verse 10a reads, “He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone.” Everything about Job had once been strong. He had a strong family, a strong standing in the community, a strong financial position, and a strong faith. But now everything that was strong has been broken down into weakness. Like a broken building, Job felt ruined.

6. A Dislodged Tree (Job 19:10b)

In verse 10b, Job says, “My hope He has uprooted like a tree.” Job’s hope is like a tree with no root system. The storms and trials of his life have uprooted the tree and there is nothing to hold it together.

7. A Defeated City (Job 19:11-12)

Once again, Job expresses the feeling that God has decided to be his enemy. Like an army encamped against him, he feels surrounded by enemies. Job cannot understand why God has sent so much suffering into his life.

Bildad tried to scare Job with morbid and frightening images, but Job proved here that nothing was more dark and forbidding than the reality of his own life.

Pictures of Job’s Family and Friends (Job 19:13-22)

Job’s experience has taken its toll on him personally. We see in verses 13-14 the impact his suffering has had on his family: “He has removed my brothers far from me, and my acquaintances are completely estranged from me. My relatives have failed, and my close friends have forgotten me.”

Just look at the powerfully lonely works in verses 13-22: “estranged,” “failed,” “forgotten,” “stranger,” “alien,” “offensive,” “repulsive,” “despise,” “abhor,” “persecute.” These are the words that Job uses to describe how he feels.

And notice the order of things and how his emotions are generated. Job feels estranged first from his brothers, then from his acquaintances, his relative, his close friends, his servants, his maidservants, his wife, his children, all young children, and all those whom he loves. This is truly one of the loneliest passages in the Bible.

It seems that just about everybody has come to the same conclusion as Job’s three friends: that Job is suffering because of his own sin-that Job is just getting what he deserves. We all know that it is difficult to be around people who are suffering, and so the excuse of Job’s culpability made life easier for everyone around him.

After showing Bildad all of these pictures of his life, Job makes one final plea for mercy. He says in verse 21, “Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me!” It is truly sad to see Job’s friends unmoved by his cries for sympathy and love.

Before we move on to the last section of this chapter, we need to take a look at an expression that is as old as Job and yet a part of our everyday language today: “I have escaped by the skin of my teeth” (Job 19:20).

Nobody seems to know for sure what Job meant by this statement. Some have said it meant that he was so far gone that all he had left was his gums. Others say he meant that if there was skin on his teeth, that is how close he was to death. Or that his body was so emaciated that all he had left was skin on his teeth.

However you want to explain this expression, it meant that Job was at the very end of a desperate condition. He is about as low as you can get.

Pictures of Job’s Faith (Job 19:23-29)

In the midst of such terrible suffering, Job offers up truly stunning words (Job 19:23-27). Looking back at it today, Job’s speech seems strange. He longed for his words to be etched into granite so that people throughout time could read them and his thoughts would not be forgotten. I am sure he could not have dreamed that his words would not only survive him, but actually live from that moment to this very day and beyond.

Job endured immeasurable pain and suffering. So how unexpected-in the midst of Job’s soliloquy on his trials-is this great affirmation. For what Job is talking about in this passage is the Resurrection. He believes that he will see his Redeemer!

Author Ray Stedman has put this moment and this passage in great perspective:

“This is one of the most triumphant statements of faith in all the Scriptures. It

may well be the earliest intimation of the resurrection to be found in the Word

of God. Gradually, out of the anguish and despair of this man’s heart, a

realization has dawned: God is working out a great and mighty purpose in

human history. A day will come when God Himself-a God whom Job has

consistently viewed as the epitome of majesty and power-shall become visibly

present before humanity. He shall appear on the earth and vindicate all that

He does.”

 

So in this statement, Job looks ahead by faith to the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. But when Job uttered those famous words, he was not just seeing ahead to the first Easter morning; he was seeing his own personal Easter. He was participating by faith in the resurrected glory of his Redeemer. Notice how emphatically he uses personal pronouns. Job says, “that in my flesh, I shall see God” (verse 26).

What an incredible passage of Scripture rising up out of the dust and ashes of a broken man! It reminds us all that no matter how thing might be in our life, we have a hope that transcends all difficulty. Our hope is in the risen Lord who will one day return to this earth.

Job speaks to us of God’s plan for us. He speaks to us of this great moment in the future when Almighty God will finally and forever put death away in exchange for everlasting life. For many people Easter is a holiday. But it becomes a holy day for those who have put their trust in the risen Redeemer.

 

Questions

 

1. When Job calls his servant, what happens? (verse 16) What is Job forced to do?

 

 

2. What offends Job’s wife? (verse 17) What offends his children?

 

 

3. How do you think this made Job feel? How would you feel in such a position? What would

you do?

 

 

4. How do young children feel about Job? (Verse 18) What do they do to him?

 

 

5. Write a paraphrase of the sad reality described in verse 19.

 

 

6. Based on verse 20, write a description of what you think Job looked like during this time.

 

 

 

Did You Know?

The most famous piece from Handel’s magnificent oratorio Messiah is undoubtedly the “Hallelujah” chorus. But in developing the arch of this work that proclaims and celebrates the life of Christ, Handel took texts from varied books of the Bible-from Isaiah to Revelation. He even included passages from the oft-forgotten Old Testament books Haggai and Malachi. But another very well-known work from Handel’s Messiah found its inspiration in Job 19. “I know That My Redeemer Liveth” is one of the most often sung and beloved soprano arias in all of classical literature, and its text is lifted straight from the pages of Job.

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Calvary Connection 5.8.11

by • on 1:54 PM • in Bulletin

Welcome to Calvary Chapel Buffalo!!

Pastor Peter Friese

May 8, 2011

9:00 a.m. Morning Prayer

9:30 a.m. Coffee is on in the kitchenette-fellowship time!

10:00 a.m. Worship Service

10:00 a.m. Children’s Worship in the basement of main bldg, large Youth room, except for the 1st Sunday of the month when they will join the adults in the Sanctuary for Worship & Communion

“Living Like Jesus!”

James 1:1-3

For a copy of today’s study, please leave your name at the sound-table and the number of copies you need and it will be ready for you next Sunday! Copies $2.00 each

Listen Live 24/7! KSLW 99.5 FM streaming at

www.preachthewordradio.com

Thank you for being on time/lessens distraction during announcements

Please keep children away from the stage, instruments & sound table

Please turn off cell phones or set on vibrate

Please, NO FOOD OR DRINKS other than water in the sanctuary

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY/THIS WEEK AT CCB:

No WOW meeting today

No prayer/life group tonight at Friese’s home

Tuesday- 9:30 a.m.CCB hosting QPR training (suicide prevention) in our Fellowship Hall – youth workers invited

Wednesday 6:30 Job study church sanctuary

Thursday 6:30 a.m. Men’s Life group at McDonald’s

Thursday 6:30 p.m. Elders & Deacons meeting in the church sanctuary

NURSERY & CHILDREN’S INFORMATION:

Nursery Workers today:  Laci, Stephen and Bethany

DROP OFF children ages 0-3 before announcements. Please provide necessary info to our workers for your children’s needs. Our workers will notify you if your child needs you! Parents are encouraged to use the cry room if you would like to console your child during the service to minimize distractions & the service being broadcast on KSLW in the sanctuary.

PICK UP-Please wait outside the nursery for your child & his /her belongings.

3 year olds now stay downstairs in the nursery for the entire service

Children ages 4-10 can be dropped off in the basement of the main bldg in the large youth room before announcements. They will then dismiss to their SS classes. Teachers will bring them back over to the sanctuary after they are dismissed

 

Weekly Prayer Focus: Pastor Alan Schaberg

New Life Assembly

LOOKING AHEAD

May 15 Prayer / life group resumes next Sunday 6:00 p.m.at Friese’s

May 19 – 7:00 p.m.Thursday Newsboys in Concert Casper Events Center, Casper, Wy.

Spring Baptismal Service/possible church picnic – To Be Announced

June 4- Spring-cleaning the church from 9:00 a.m. to noon, BBQ to follow.

June 5-Dr. Kindell, Creation Scientist returning to speak at CCB !

June 12-next WOW meeting

June 13th – 17th Community VBS at Clear Creek Elementary School

October-Men’s retreat with MT Calvary Chapels, @ Clyde Hurst Ranch near Bozeman MT.

More details to come

Please note: No family camp this summer, and no church on the mtn. this summer!!

HELPERS NEEDED to fill in for Reggie as she will be unable to help out for a bit while she recovers from broken bones. See Pastor Pete

ATTENTION YOUTH!! Just a reminder-if you have not already fulfilled your hours for your “slave rental”, your hours need to be completed by May 31st unless prior arrangements are made. Brian and Keri will be checking!!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. If you can help in any capacity, please sign up on back table. If you would like to be the CCB representative for VBS this year, please see Pastor Pete.

SPRING BAPTISMAL SERVICE- Our Lord’s 1st instruction to us once we receive Him to be our Lord & Savior is to be publicly baptized. Water baptism does not save us, but rather is a public demonstration of an inward change. Baptism is also our 1st step of obedience as a disciple of Jesus Christ. If you would like to be baptized, or have any questions, regarding baptism, pls see Pastor Pete.

SPRING CLEANING @ CCB- June 4 Clean up/work day 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. with BBQ to follow for those involved in cleanup.  We will work on projects inside, including organizing the fellowship hall, kitchen and storage areas, & we will plant flowers outside. Do you need help with your spring projects/fixing up around your house?  Please contact Derek Andrews.

NEW!!! PREACH THE WORD WEBSITE / BLOG SITE Listen to past studies, link to the radio station to listen live, download study notes, join discussions and receive e-mail updates from Pastor Pete’s blog at preachthewordradio.com. You are welcome to add your journaling entries on Pastor Pete’s site and share what God gave you!

SISTERS TEACHING SISTERS if you have a skill or something you would like to teach other sisters, contact Kasandra at 217-2403 for date and time

JOURNALS AND DIVINE MENTOR BOOKS still available. See Janie or Sue

STIR UP THE GIFTS! – Would you consider helping with these ministries?

Radio – Sound – Children – Nursery – Office – Cleaning – Computers – Grounds keeping – Greeting

FELLOWSHIP HALL Someone or a couple needed to help organize monthly potlucks. We could also use someone to keep a calendar and help with periodic rentals of the Fellowship Hall. If you are gifted in this area or would like more information, please see Pastor Pete.

****NURSERY WORKERS NEEDED- We need a few volunteers to step up and help, even if they can only help for a few months or on rare occasions for the upcoming summer months. Please see the Tetens

****SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS NEEDED– If you would like to join our team of SS teachers or can fill in for a teacher once in awhile, please see Celeste. If you love the Lord and love children you will be a great asset to our children’s ministry!

****GREETERS NEEDED Would you like to pass our bulletins on Sundays? See the Longs

****KSLW Due to the summer months coming and people’s schedules changing we need people to help with the live broadcast on Sundays, see Keri or Pastor Pete.

CCB PRAYER/ECHAIN– Please send your prayer requests to Leah Hull who will be handling the email prayer chain. Use the ccbprayer@yahoo.com address and remember to reserve it for just prayer requests, church announcements and praises. Please do not send forwards, solicitation or prayer requests that contain too much personal info. Thanks!

“Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested.”                                                                 ~Oswald Chambers

PRAISES:

Salvation for 3 of the youth that went to ATF!!

Decisions and commitments made by the youth that went to ATF!!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Reggie Kottke, quick recovery and healing from broken bones!!

Those who have lost loved ones/homes/communities from the devastating tornadoes

Remember to pray for KSLW, and our sister stations KLWD AND KWCF

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem – “I will bless those that bless thee”

Worldwide unrest, especially in the Middle East

Please keep Pastor Pete, Celeste, Bethany lifted up in prayer

Church finances – for God to provide for our needs in this rough economic time

Those who need a good job – favor at this time in a tough economy

Salvation to come for unsaved loved ones

Spiritual Warfare in our church, our families our homes

Single parents / Singles – God’s provision, guidance and encouragement

Parents – wisdom in raising their children to honor the Lord in this season

Our fragile nation – risk of our religious freedoms at stake, economy

Our Military spread thin throughout the world

Military – Ben Johnson, Adam Fink, Bridger Vaselin, Isaiah Adams, Nick Williams;

Kirk Simeral and their units deployed throughout the world

REMEMBER TO PRAY FOR THOSE THAT WE SUPPORT

Siloam Ministries – Al Schubert

Vision Beyond Borders - Pat Kline

Gospel for Asia – Mark Devandrappe

Gospel Recordings – Surrendra Shrethra

Compassion Intl Children – Asiimlie, Jordan & Kaline & families

KSLW, KLWD & KWCF radio

Communion – 1st Sunday of the month

Ladies Brunch – 4th Saturday 9 am

Workers on the Wall 2nd Sunday

Baby Dedication – 3rd Sunday

Elders/Deacons Meeting - 2nd Thursdays 6:30 p.m.

Potlucks 1st Sunday– noon

Sunday Night Prayer time at Frieses home 425 S Cummings 6:00 pm

Church Address: 40 N Desmet Phones 307-684-8725

Church Website and downloadable church calendar: www.calvarychapelbuffalo.com

Pastor Pete’s Radio teaching web site: www.preachthewordradio.com

Church Hours: Sun-Thurs 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

NEW! KSLW Office Hours Tuesday & Wednesday 10-3; Sundays 9:30

Pastor’s days off/ family day is Friday & Saturday

If Pastor Pete is unavailable please contact one of the elders/ deacons

BULLETIN ANNOUNCEMENTS – Please email your bulletin announcements to: jane_long50@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

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“Obedience!” 1 Samuel 15:17-19

by • on 10:58 PM • in Exhortation, Life Journal

 

 

Scripture

1 Samuel 15:17-19 (NASB)
17 Samuel said, “Is it not true, though you were little in your own eyes, you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you king over Israel,
18 and the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are exterminated.’
19 “Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord, but rushed upon the spoil and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord?”

 

Observation

God had chosen Saul to be the first king of Israel becasue Israel no longer desried to be ruled by God through a prophet. So God gave them Saul. God’s first commandment to Saul was to utterly destroy every man, woman, child and beast of the nation of the Amalekites. Saul was not a man who feared God, but rather he was a man who feared those whom he led and the end result led him to disobey God’s commandment. What Saul did could not be reconciled. He could not undo his disobedience and he was forced to suffer the horrific consequences of his disobedience. The Amalekites were a wicked people who flanked the nation of Israel as they traveled through the wilderness on thier way to the Promised Land. The Amalekites attacked Israel from the rear, destroying the elderly, women and children and now this was God’s time to repay King Agag and his followers, but Saul failed. He became ‘big in his own eyes’; Saul began to ‘believe his own press’, and as a result he didn’t fear the Lord and ended up disobeying God’s commandment to him. When a man begins to listen to the praises of men, pride sets in which the Bible tells us leads to destruction which is what we see in the life of Saul.

 

Application

I am a nobody, chosen by God merely by His grace to accomplish a specific plan. I am a nobody and I will always be a nobody and I’m totally ok with that! In fact I love it! It removes all pressure from my life to have to try to live to impress anyone. I can’t imprress anyone and I must only live in the fear of the Lord, obeying the call of God upon my life. When I don’t fear man, I can and do freely preach the Word of God and let the ‘chips fall where they may’. Many people don’t like me, and many more will come down the pike, but praise God, I don’t care! The fear of the Lord sets my heart free from the fear of what man thinks of me! Praise God what joy He gives me as I live humbly in obedience to all He calls me to do. When and if my Lord ever accomplishes anything ‘great’ through my life, I’m still just a nobody, saved by grace, in love with Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior! What a God! What a King! What a Savior! God jealously desries my fellowship, love and obedience – not to make me a slave, but to daily teach me how to live in total victory!!! ‘When a nobody becomes a somebody in their own mind, he or she then begins to walk on a path that leads to uselessness in the hands of The One True Living God!

 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I pray that You would guard my heart today! I embrace being a nobody so that You might be everythhing. Keep my eyes off myself today. Keep my eyes of seeking the attention of others and living in fear of what man may think. Cause me today to live in the fear of the Lord, which will produce a life of love and obedience to You! Thank You for forgiving me and saving me from the debt of all my sin. Thank You for the call of God upon my life. May I today live in total obedience as a demonstration of my love for You! As You said Lord, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” I love You Lord, and today I seek to keep Your commandments as a result of having experienced Your amazing grace upon my life! I love You and delight in surrendering my will to You today! In Jesus Holy name I pray, Amen!

 

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“Keep On Keep’n On!” 3 John

by • on 9:03 PM • in Uncategorized

Intro:

A. John is now writing this the last of his 3rd Epistles

            1. Not only is this the lasts of his Epistles, this is the last letter he ever wrote

B. 3 John was written sometime after he wrote the book of Revelation

            1. While he was on the Isle of Patmos

C. John begins this 3rd and final Epistle, speaking of himself as -

1 The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:

A. John now in his later nineties, nearing the end of his life

            1. As an ELDER within the church

            2. Writing to his beloved Gaius

B. There are a couple of other men in the bible by the name of ‘GAIUS’

            1. But mostly likely, this man is not one of those mentioned

            2. Most likely this man is another man by that same name

            3. And the ONLY THING we know about him, is what John writes about him here

C. John’s blessing is that Gaius is continuing in the truth;

            1. As we talked about last week,

            2. The GREATEST element in the CHRISTIAN life is the CONTINUED WALK

            3. That PASSION for CHRIST and the DESIRE to CONTINUE to live by FAITH

D. As we EVALUATE all the important ELEMENTS in the CHRISTIAN LIFE

            1. Everything from SOUL –WINNING to PREACHING the GOSPEL

            2. The GREATEST element of the Christian life is –

a. The DESIRE TO CONTINUE w/ the Lord!

E. One of the GREATEST CHALLENGES in the church today is ABILITY to:

            1. PASS on the WORK of the LORD into the LIVES of SUBSEQUENT generations

F. Even today we can look around and see so many MAIN-LINE DENOMINATIONS, that

            1. At ONE TIME were PREACHING the GOSPEL message of JESUS CHRIST

G. But as the YEARS PASS;

            1. So many denominations have fallen by the way-side and become so LIBERAL

H. Even prestigious universities such as HARVARD and YALE;

1. If you were to read their CHARTER BOOKS;

2. You’d find that they had founded upon FUNDAMENTAL Christian DOCTRINES

            3. But yet today, as the generations have passed, they have become so LIBERAL

Revelation 3:14-20
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’–and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked– 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

I. There is a point of commitment that many people feel;

            1. Yet their LIVES really don’t match their SPEECH

J. And here John is REJOICING over his FRIEND Gaius

            1. Who not only ‘TALKS the TALK’ he ‘WALKS the WALK’

K. And so JOHN SAYS:

            1. “The beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth…”

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

A. Now this is NOT a PROMISE for the FAITH HEALERS

            1. This is a SALUTATION from JOHN to GAIUS

B. This is not a BIBLE PROMISE

            1. It’s a GREETING from ONE FRIEND to ANOTHER

C. John is saying:

            1. “I pray that this letter finds you in good health”

D. Now I believe in the POWER OF GOD to HEAL anyone of ANYTHING He chooses;

            1. Yet we can’t take a SALUTATION and TREAT it as a BIBLICAL doctrine

E. A good RULE OF THUMB for determining biblical teaching is:

            1. Do we see it in the LIFE OF CHRIST in the GOSPELS?

            2. Was it PRACTICED in the book of ACTS?

            3. And is it TAUGHT on in the EPISTLES?

F. If we see it w/in these 3 areas, we can be pretty confident that it is a BIBLICAL DOCTRINE

            1. And something that we can TRUST in TODAY

G. Not everything RECORDED in the bible has been recorded as an evidence of support

            1. In other words, the Bible records many activities and events that took place;

            2. But it may not necessarily be in support of those events

H. In order to INTREPRET SCRIPTURE CORRECTLY;

            1. We MUST compare SCRIPTURE with scripture

I. If we take scripture OUT OF CONTEXT of make a DOCTRINE out of a recorded FACT;

            1. We are opening ourselves up to GREAT DANGER

J. That is one of the issues that John is even addressing in his letters;

            1. BEWARE of FALSE TEACHERS

            2. Beware of people who TAKE SCRIPTURE out of CONTEXT

K. SATAN is a MASTER at MIS-QUOTING scripture and LEADING people ASTRAY

            1. We have to be BEREAN’S when it comes to our DOCTRINE

L. Now having said all that;

            1. I do believe that God is able to HEAL or SAVE to the UTTERMOST

            2. I believe that God has the power to RAISE the DEAD if He so chooses

M. The ELEMENT that we must never lose sight of is: ‘THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD’

            1. “Is this God’s will; is God willing to do this?”

Luke 5:12-13    And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him.

James 5:14      Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

N. I believe in the SOVEREIGN POWER of the LORD

            1. And that He is ABLE to DO anything He desires

            2. there is NOTHING OUTSIDE His control

O. It’s OUR PART to ASK and to TRUST

            1. And it’s HIS PART to ANSWER ACCORDING to His SOVEREIGN WILL

P. Notice also here that John is praying that his PHYSICAL life would match his SPIRITUAL life

            1. “I pray that you would be a PHYSICALLY blessed as you are SPIRITUALLY blessed”

Q. For a lot of people today, you’d HATE TO PRAY that because they’d end

            1. Very PHYSICALLY SICK

R. So John says

1. “I pray that your PHYSICAL health would match your SPIRITUAL health”
3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

A. John is saying, “Gaius, I’ve heard a great report concerning you!”

            1. “I rejoiced at hearing others share with me about the truth that is in you!”

B. It’s one thing for us to send our RESUME on ahead of ourselves;

            1. But it’s an entirely different matter to have OTHERS TESTIFY of our faithfulness

C. John is stating that he is FILLED WITH JOY, hearing of GAIUS’ life!

            1. “He’s a MAN OF GOD”

            2. “He’s GENEROUS!”

            3. “He’s FAITHFUL!”

            4. “He’s HONORABLE!”

            5. “He’s HOSPITABLE!”

            6. “He KEEPS HIS WORD!”

D. John says, “Gaius, YOU BLESS ME!!!”

            1. You NOT ONLY ‘talk the talk’

            2. You ‘WALK the WALK’ and people see it!

E. It’s interesting to me to consider how much our lives are really being observed by others!

            1. Have you ever stopped to consider how much you are being watched?

Matthew 5:13-16   

 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Proverbs 27:2

Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.

F. We can all talk about how GREAT WE ARE, and about –

            1. HOW MUCH we LOVE the LORD;

            2. But when OTHER CHRISTIANS look at our lives, I wonder what they see?

G. So John now REJOICING GREATLY at the REPORT of GAIUS’ testimony;

            1. NOT ONLY did Gaius testify of the TRUTH

            2. The TRUTH testified of GAIUS

5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers,

A. Isn’t that an INCREDIBLE declaration?!

            1. That ‘WHAT YOU DO…you DO IT FAITHFULLY!’

            2. Both for the BRETHREN and for STRANGERS

Colossians 3:12-17
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

B. Gaius and others in the church had the GIFT of HOSPITALITY

            1. And JOHN is commending him for his FAITHFUL SERVICE

C. It’s the SERVANT’S HEART that God RECOGNIZES

            1. It’s the ONE who desires to be LORD OVER ALL

            2. But it the SERVANT’S HEART that God recognizes as GREAT!

Mark 10:42-45
…Jesus called them (His disciples) to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. 44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

D. The GREATEST CHRISTIANS are those who are the GREATEST SERVANTS

            1. Want to see who’s GREAT, look at those who FAITHFULLY SERVE

E. In this lifetime being a SERVANT is to OTHERS is LOOKED DOWN UPON;

            1. Yet in the KINGDOM of God;

                        a. It’s going to be the SERVANTS of this lifetimes

                        b. Who will be FIRST in the ETERNAL KINGDOM of GOD

F. There are many people today in the church who are VYING for positions of PROMINENCE;

            1. Yet God says that those WHO ARE TRULY to be RECOGNIZED are –

                        a. Those who FAITHFULLY SERVE their BRETHREN & STRANGERS

G. So Gaius and those in the church were demonstrating FAITHFUL SERVICE -

6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles.

A. And so there were these Itinerate Preachers, these traveling Evangelists and Apostles

            1. And Gaius and those in the church supported them by –

            2. Opening their HOMES to them and exercising the GIFT of HOSPITALITY

B. During these days, they didn’t have the NICE HOTELS/MOTELS that we have today;

            1. They were known for being very DIRTY, very IMMORAL places

            2. And often the INN keepers would MISTREAT and OVERCHARGE the guests

C. And so JOHN is recognizing the IMPORTANCE of their HOSPITALITY

            1. Not everyone could be a preacher

            2. But they could share in their work through their gift of hospitality

Matthew 10:40-42   “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

D. One day at the BEMA SEAT JUDGMENT;

            1. If you want to receive a Pastor / Preachers reward;

            2. Support them, stand with them, pray for them

E. Jesus says that he who gives a cup of cold water in His name;

            1. Will one day be rewarded

F. And JOHN is RECOGNIZING that this is EXACTLY what Gaius & others were doing
8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

A. In supporting those who PREACH THE GOSPEL; (financially; physically; prayer)

            1. We become FELLOW WORKERS for the TRUTH

B. Last week in 2 John 1:10 & 11

            1. John said concerning those who are NOT FELLOW WORKERS in the TRUTH

2 John 1:10-11       If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

C. So don’t even bid ‘GOD’S SPEED’ to those who preach another gospel;

            1. And now in 3 John 8, John says:
“WE OUGHT TO RECEIVE THOSE WHO PREACH THE TRUTH”

D. And the purpose for this is so:

            1. “That we may become fellow workers FOR the TRUTH”

            2. As we SUPPORT those who PREACH and STAND on truth, we promote TRUTH

E. Now in V. 9, we come to the 2nd of 3 men mentioned here in 3 JOHN;

            1. This fellow is QUITE DIFFERENT from GAIUS

F. Gaius was a HUMBLE SERVANT;

            1. Who WELCOMED and OPENED his home to those who PREACHED the TRUTH

G. Now we have another man by the name of DIOTREPHES;

            1. Who apparently was one of the LEADERS in the CHURCH Gaius attended

                        a. So John writes –

9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

A. In other words, this Diotrephes is so self-centered and so afraid that –

1. JOHN might become MORE POPULAR than he was…

2. Diotrephes REFUSED to READ John’s LETTER to the CHURCH

B. John wrote a letter addressed to the church;

            1. But DIOTREPHES refused to read it because HE WANTED THE LIME LIGHT

            2. He sought to be PREEMINENT within this local fellowship

C. Talk about being INSECURE and the WRONG VIEW of MINISTRY!

            1. This man apparently LORDED OVER this congregation

“I don’t want anybody to be more important than I am. I don’t want anybody to be more liked than I am.”

D. So he refused to read John’s letter

            1. And he also refused to allow John to come and stay with them, or speak at this church

Proverbs 16:18       Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

E. So this Diotrephes was trying to shut John down,

            1. So John responds in Verse 10 -

10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.

A. “I’m going to expose this guy when I get there”

            1. “I’m going to bring to light all this guys evil deeds and his MALICIOUS WORDS”

B. It’s FEARFUL to REALIZE that

1. When a person SPEAKS an EVIL/MALICIOUS word –

2. Against those who PREACH GOD’S WORD

            3. That they are actually STANDING up AGAINST the LORD & HIS TRUTH

Psalms 105:15      “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”

C. Those who TAKE A STAND against those who PREACH THE WORD;

            1. Are actually taking a STAND AGAINST TRUTH!

            2. And will ONE DAY be brought before GOD and given an ACCOUNT

D. John wasn’t looking to TRY to DEFEND his own NAME;

            1. He was looking to SHUT THIS DIOTREPHES UP!

E. It’s bad enough to SLANDER / GOSSIP about an UNBELIEVER;

            1. But when you SLANDER or GOSSIP about another FOLLOWER of CHRIST;

            2. You are ACTUALLY taking a STAND against CHRIST & His TRUTH

F. So John says,

            1. “When I get there, I’m going to EXPOSE THIS GUY and bring to light his slander”

Matthew 12:33-37   “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (want to know what’s in a person’s heart? Listen to what they talk about) 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. (those who slander/gossip – reveal their true heart)36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

G. Words don’t seem like much, but God records them all

1. They say that the words we speak never really end

H. When I make a statement, my voice resonates sound waves

1. And as those sound waves move past your ear drums, you hear WORDS/ SOUNDS

I. But as those sound waves move past your ears, they don’t really stop

1. They just keep going

J. Scientist say that the sound waves of WORDS go on into eternity

1. So I got to thinking about that, and I thought:

K. “I wonder, if one day before the BEAMA SEAT, how God will bring WORDS to account?”

1. Since the SOUND WAVES of words never really end;

2. Maybe it’ll be just like Jesus just reaching over and turning on a special radio

a. That picks up all those sound waves that have resonated into eternity?

1 Corinthians 11:31      For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.

L. Words DO MATTER

1. And here John says, “When I get there, I’m going to bring to light…

2. All those WORDS that Diotrephes’ spoke against me

11a Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.

A. “Beloved, DON’T BE LIKE DIOTREPHES”

            1. The guy’s a BAD EXAMPLE

            2. Don’t FOLLOW him, don’t be LIKE him!

B. His testimony is terrible

            1. That’s NOT GODLY

            2. That’ NOT CHRIST LIKE

            3. DON’T be like him

C. DON’T imitate EVIL

            1. IMITATE that which is GOOD

D. How do we know WHO is GOOD and who are EVIL?

            1. “Out of the abundance of the HEART, the mouth SPEAKS”

E. Listen to what people are talking about

            1. Is their mouth FILLED WITH PRAISE and BLESSING;

F. OR – is their mouth filled with GOSSIP and SLANDER?

            1. DON’T imitate those who do evil

            2. But rather IMITATE that which is GOOD!

ILLUSTRATION:

1. I don’t know why it is, but for some reason, and I think it’s human nature;

            a. But there is a desire by many to follow after people who are CRITICAL

2. There is just sort of a NATURAL propensity to PUT UP with people who SLANDER others

            a. Maybe because we fear being the NEXT HEAD on the chopping block?

            b. “I’d better not say anything, or I’ll be next on their HIT LIST”

3. But JOHN SAYS:

            a. DON’T BE LIKE them!

            b. If we’re not to support those who preach a false gospel

            c. Then I think it stands to reason, that we shouldn’t support those who slander Believers

G. Now NOTE what John says here in the LAST PART of v. 11 -

11b He who does good is of God, but he who does (exists in) evil has not seen God.

A. “By their fruit you will know them”

            1. GOOD people speak GOOD WORDS— EVIL people speak WICKED WORDS

B. John says “Diotrephes might TALK ABOUT GOD…”

1. But he sure DOESN’T KNOW HIM”

C. So here this dude was CLAWING & SCRAPING to get to the TOP of the “Recognition pile”

            1. Think, that somehow when he stood before God, he’d be greatly rewarded;

            2. But John says –

                        a. “He who DOES EVIL DOESN’T EVEN KNOW GOD”

D. Maybe that’s a good indication for all who GOSSIP and SLANDER?

            1. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks

E. Now the 3RD and final man John speaks about -
12 Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.

A. Another precious brother in the Lord

            1. The truth bears witness of his witness

B. His life was not the SCORE KEY for TRUTH;

            1. But as you examined TRUTH, TRUTH bore witness that Demetrius lived TRUTH

C. What a GREAT STATEMENT!

            1. When someone reads the Word of God, it causes them to think of your example!
13 I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.

A. WONDERFUL how JOHN ends his 5th and FINAL BOOK

            1. “Greet the FRIENDS by name!”

B. No doubt now he is recalling what Jesus said in -

John 15:12-17
12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

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“Fences”

by • on 4:34 PM • in 320, Life Journal

Scripture

“…and the border ended at the sea…”  Joshua 15:4b

Observation

The blessings of God for the nation of Israel, resided within the boundaries that He has established for them. As God allotted the land of Canaan to each tribe of the nation of Israel, God specified every exacting border. For each tribe, God had predetermined where in the land and how much of the land each tribe would receive. Every tribe received exactly the portion of land that God had allotted for them. No more, no less and nowhere else. God hand-picked these ‘fences’ around their lives. If they wanted to be blessed, they must abide inside those boundaries. Nobody could force them to live outside those boundaries, but if they were not alert, the enemy could draw them out. God had established boundaries around His people for their good, and as long as they stayed within those boundaries, God blessed them. God gave them much more land than they ever did come to possess. One of the tribes complained that their portion was too small, yet God said, “No it isn’t, just clear the land and you’ll have plenty of room.” The question was not – ‘was God’s blessing big enough’, but rather ‘would they take possession of all that God had given them’? The nation of Israel never did take possession of all that God had given them.

Application

God has established the boundaries of my life, and He has established them for my good. Boundaries are like fences, and fences serve a two-fold purpose – they keep the good in, and the evil out. Many people are under the misunderstanding that true freedom comes from living without any boundaries. Yet here we learn that God establishes boundaries around the lives of those He loves. The boundaries are for the good of those God loves. The Lord loves me so much that He has set boundaries around my life. He has established ‘fence lines’ around my life and in order for me to remain blessed, I must live within His prescribed guidelines. Even children desire boundaries within their lives. It proves that their parents love them enough to restrict them. Often people think that they will be too restricted by boundaries within their lives, but just tell that to the people of Mississippi when the Levy broke and let the sea in. The purpose of the Levy was to keep the water out and the homes dry. Without a Levy there would be chaos. I am reminded of what King David said in Psalms 139:5-6 “You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.” God has hedged me in. His hedge holds in the blessings, and keeps the sin out. So often Satan wants me to think that the hedges represent boundaries that God uses to keep me from all the pleasures of life. But in reality, the hedges are really God’s way of protecting me & keeping me from harm and the consequences of sin. When I see the ‘hedges’ around my life, I need to praise God for loving me enough that He would want to protect me. I must resist the temptation to ‘jump the fence’ and cross the boundaries that God has set up for me. I must guard my mind to not allow the enemy to tempt to think that somehow the ‘real blessings’ are on the other side of the fence. God has more blessings for me within my prescribed boundaries than  I will ever be able to experience in my lifetime, so why listen to the enemy and keep my mind fixed on those things God has forbidden? If I want to be truly blessed, I must look for the blessings of God within my boundaries. Satan cannot rob me of the blessings of God upon my life so long as I abide in God’s boundaries, but he will try to deceive me to crossing over my boundaries into unknown land. It’s there that I will be removed from blessing and the true fellowship with God. As I read in my devotions today,Paul said in 1 Cor. 8, that I must never use my liberties to cross over boundaries that could stumble another believer who is young in their faith. God has blessed me with boundaries and I must live within them if I want to continually enjoy fellowship with my Lord. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. I don’t want to be a believer who merely knows what to do, I want to be a believer who knows what to do and does it. I desire to live within my boundaries so that I never use my liberties to stumble others. I need to learn to keep my eyes on ‘my own property’! If a man spends his days always longing for what he doesn’t have, he will never enjoy the things he does have. If I am always looking to expand my boundaries (liberties), then I am really failing to see all the blessings God has for me as I abide in Christ. Today I choose to embrace the hedges that God has placed around my life, realizing that my true blessings take place only as I abide within. I must seek and maintain the boundaries of: time, thought and deeds. Today I choose not to see how close to the ‘fence’ that I can live and still be in fellowship, rather I choose to live in the middle of the pasture that God has created, just for me!

Prayer

Father today I thank You for my boundaries, as I realize that You have placed boundaries around my life because You love me, not to keep me from ‘enjoying a good time’. Thank You for the hedge that you have placed about my life, it reveals Your awesome love for me. Thank You Lord that You chasten me when I cross those lines because You do not want me to be like this world. Help me to remember today that I belong to You, and as I drive down the roads and see those fence lines, may those fences be a constant reminder of Your love to me! Amen.

 

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“Black & White” 1 John 3

by • on 11:20 PM • in Sermon Notes

 

John now begins 1 John 3 saying:

1a Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

A. What an awesome privilege that God has given to each of us as believers –

            1. That we should be called the ‘children of God!’

B. I don’t think that anyone of us can fully appreciate how blessed that we are in this sense

            1. The alternative is to be called the children of the devil

C. That is in fact what Christ said to the Pharisees in –

John 8:30-44
30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him. 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. 37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” 39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father–God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

D. What a great privilege to know JESUS CHRIST as Personal Lord and Savior

            1. This is the message of the Gospel!

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

E. Jesus Christ is God’s ONLY BEGOTTEN SON;

            1. But as God’s ADOPTED CHILDREN-

                        a. We are called the children of God!

1b Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

A. Not everyone is a child of God

            1. Sometimes I hear people say that “We’re all the children of God” – but that’s not true

B. Only those who have repented of their sins and put their faith in Jesus Christ have become

            1. “The CHILDREN of God”

C. The world can’t identify with us

            1. They don’t know us, or understand us

            2. They CAN’T because they DON’T KNOW GOD

D. The world can’t understand how you and I can get up on a perfectly good Sunday morning

            1. And GO TO CHURCH!

            2. To the world, they can’t identify with that

E. “The sun is out, the day is beautiful, why waste it in church around other people?”

            1. John says the WORLD DOES NOT KNOW US…because they don’t know God

            2. They don’t have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ

F. Many people have an INTELLECTUAL RELATIONSHIP with the Lord;

            1. They know OF HIM, but they are not IN HIM

G. And only those of us who have been given this privilege of being called the children of God

            1. Can identify with one another
2 Beloved, now we are children of God;

A. I love how TENDER  John is!

            1. His maturity in the Lord over all the years of walking with Christ have matured him

            2. He loves those whom he is writing & he is writing those whom he loves

                        a. There is no struggle in John’s heart to IDENTIFY himself w/ the family of God

                        b. In fact he sort of DELIGHTS in it!

B. “Beloved of God”

            1. NOW — we are the children of God

C. We don’t have to wait until the end to find out how the story ends;

            1. NOW – TODAY we know HOW the story ENDS because

2. WE ARE the children of God!

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

D. For all of us who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ;

            1. We already KNOW the END of the story

            2. We can SLEEP TIGHT and not let the BED BUGS BITE

                        a. Because no matter what happens…

                                    i. We ARE NOW called the CHILDREN OF GOD!

2b and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

A. As CHILDREN OF GOD…

            1. We are all WORKS of PROGRESS

            2. NONE of us are COMPLETE

            3. None of us are at the point where God is finished with us

                        a. If we were, God would take us home

B. But because God’s not done with us, we are all WORKS IN PROGRESS

            1. And God has commanded us to be PATIENT with one another

            2. We can’t hurry that process in OUR OWN LIVES

            3. And neither can we hurry that process in the LIVES of another FAMILY MEMBER

                        a. And I’m ok with that!

C. I think that one of our greatest struggles as Christians, is to get in a HURRY to MATURE

            1. Or to think that we can HURRY the PROCESS of God’s timing in others

D. Maybe it’s even for the PROCESS of SALVATION

            1. “I’m anxious to see my husband or wife or children come to know the Lord”

            2. But John says here that we can’t hurry that process

E. God is working on each of us individually- in HIS TIME, according to HIS PLANS

            1. We have not yet experience FULL MATURITY…

            2. But we know that when Christ appears, we will be LIKE HIM

                        a. We will each be completed at that moment & receive our glorified bodies

F. A lot of people are confused over 1 Cor 13:9-13, let’s look at that passage:

1 Corinthians 13:9-13
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

G. Many people doctrinally believe that verse 10 has already been fulfilled in the coming of Christ

            1. Yet as Paul states here, it hasn’t been fulfilled yet

H. Right now, you and I see in a mirror dimly, but at the BEMA SEAT we shall then see the Lord

            1. FACE TO FACE

I. We only know IN PART TODAY;

            1. We don’t have a full understanding

            2. We are not yet fully mature in Christ

            3. As God’s children, we are all WORKS IN PROGRESS

J. And one of God’s great promises to each of His children is found in –

Philippians 1:6    being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

K. God began it and He will complete it, and ONE DAY in the FUTURE;

            1. When CHRIST IS REVEALED

            2. We shall be LIKE HIM

            3. For we shall SEE HIM as He is!!!
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

A. Isn’t that wonderful that God has given us the incredible PRIVILEGE of BEING PURE?!

            1. We no longer need to be CONTROLLED by the PASSIONS of our FLESH

            2. God has BROKEN THAT BONDAGE that our flesh had over us

B. As children of the world, we were DOMINATED and MASTERED by our FLESH;

            1. But as CHILDREN of God, we have been SET FREE

John 8:36       If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

C. We’ve been set free and given the privilege of DAILY CHOOSING to live

1. A SANCTIFIED life in Christ

D. All of God’s true children have this hope of one day seeing Him FACE TO FACE

            1. And it is through this FUTURE HOPE that we LIVE a PURIFIED LIFE

E. I’m going to DAILY SEEK to cleanse my life from everything that does not glorify God

            1. “Lord what else in my life should not be a part of my life?”

            2. “Is there anything in my life that needs to go?”

F. So all who ‘have this hope’, PURIFIES HIMSELF, even AS CHRIST IS PURE
4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

A. Paul says in –

Romans 6:1-7
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

B. God has freed us from sin, and as children of God

1. We can no longer allow sin to master us

C. We may and WILL WRESTLE with sin,

            1. But as God’s children, we can no longer allow it to ABIDE IN US

            2. When we sin, we are CONVICTED and REPENT and RESTORED

            3. We may FALL, but we get back up and seek restoration in CHRIST
5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

A. Jesus Christ was and is SINLESS and He came for ONE PURPOSE

            1. To TAKE AWAY our SINS

            2. He didn’t die for HIS OWN SINS but for the sins of the world

                        a. So John says –

6a Whoever abides in Him does not sin.

A. The ONLY WAY to REMAIN FREE from the bondage of SIN is to ABIDE in Christ

            1. Because Christ is SINLESS…

            2. As we ABIDE IN HIM… we will live sinless lives

B. When a person falls in sin, it may not necessarily be because a person isn’t saved;

            1. But rather, as a CHILD OF GOD,

            2. SIN will overtake us when we FAIL to ABIDE in CHRIST

                        a. He is PURE and we too are MADE PURE as we ABIDE in Him!

6b Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

A. The word ‘sins’ here is PRESENT TENSE – LIFE STYLE

1. Those who live in sin are not really saved

B. The true child of God, cannot abide in a sinful life

            1. A TRUE CHRISTIAN may be a PRODIGAL SON for a SEASON;

            2. But eventually, he/she will come back to their senses and RETURN to the Lord
7a Little children, let no one deceive you.

A. Many false gospels going out today declaring that you can live in sin and still be a Christian

            1. But John is saying ‘don’t let anyone deceive you’

7b He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

A. The evidence of salvation is a righteous lifestyle

            1. If I say that I am a CHRISTIAN – CHRIST-LIKE,

            2. Then I will PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS

B. Again if God is PURE and I am IN GOD;

            1. Then I WILL BE PURE

C. “Don’t let anyone deceive you into thinking that –

1. You can claim to be IN GOD if you are IN SIN
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

A. Everyone who LIVES/ABIDES in sin is demonstrating WHO CHILD they really are

            1. He who LIVES IN SIN belongs to their father the DEVIL

B. Everyone who is IN CHRIST has been given the POWER OVER SIN

            1. Christ has DESTROYED the power of SATAN over the CHILDREN OF GOD

9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

A. If I go out and plant a pumpkin seed this spring,

            1. That pumpkin seed doesn’t have to TRY to GROW INTO A PUMPKIN

            2. Neither does it NEED TO FEAR becoming a WATERMELON, squash or a bean

B. When you plant a PUMPKIN SEED, it will NATURALLY BECOME WHAT IT IS

            1. Whoever has been truly BORN AGAIN, will grow in CHRISTLIKENESS
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.

A. The difference between the children of God and the devil are seen in two specific areas:

            1. Righteousness & Love

B. Those who live RIGHTEOUS and LOVE his BROTHER is of God

            1. Those who LIVE IN SIN & are BOUND BY HATRED

a. Belong to their father the devil

C. “Let know one deceive you”

            1. Not even your own mind

            2. These are the measurements of TRUE SALVATION

“In this we know that we are the children of God, in that we love one another”
13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.

A. They hate each other, why shouldn’t they hate you too?!

            1. Hate is just a natural emotion from the unbeliever

B. Jesus said “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”

            1. A person doesn’t hate you because you are such a TERRIBLE PERSON

C. Rather the world hates you because they are FULL OF HATE, like their father the devil

            1. And out of the abundance of their hearts, their mouths speak

D. Out of the abundance of LOVE the CHILDREN of God speak;

            1. As out of the abundance of the heart of HATE, the children of God speak

E. The true evidence of salvation is demonstrated in RIGHTEOUSNESS & LOVE;

            1. Or LACK thereof
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

A. Satan so oftentimes will beat us up trying to convience us of our lack of salvation;

            1. But here Jesus says, you can be assured that you are saved in your love for the breather

B. If you DON’T LOVE your brethren;

            1. Then you really don’t have ANY ASSURANCE of being God’s child

C. Is God love? YES!!!

            1. Then if we ABIDE IN CHRIST, we will be ABIDING IN LOVE!

D. How do we know that we are IN CHRIST?

            1. “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, that you LOVE one another!”

E. HATRED for another Christian, a desire for their HARM or DESTRUCTION is satanic

            1. And those who have such feeling ABIDES IN DEATH
17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

A. The Apostle James puts it this way –

James 2:14-17  What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

B. True salvation is not only meted out in RIGHTEOUSNESS and LOVE, but ACTION

            1. TRUE LOVE ALWAYS produces WORKS

“My deeds don’t save me, they simply reveal my salvation.”

C. This too is what John is saying

            1. “Don’t just say you LOVE SOMEONE, SHOW THEM!”

D. If your brother whom you say you love has a need, and you have the MEANS;

            1. Then don’t just talk about LOVING HIM;

            2. SERVE HIM

            3. Give to Him from that which God has given you

E. Does it mean more to have someone tell you that they love you, or to have them show it?

            1. Like the greeting card once a year….

                        a. “Well I rarely tell you how much I love you, but you know I do…”

                        b. Yeah, WHATEVER!

F. If you REALLY LOVE ME, then SHOW ME!!!

            1. Don’t just have someone write it out in a card once a year & think that’s good enough

            2. “Ok, now I can justify my DEAD EMOTIONS for another 12 months, got the card!”

G. John says “if you see your brother in need, and you shut up your heart towards him…”

            1. Then how does the love of God abide in him?

            2. The truth is, it doesn’t

            3. God’s love REALLY DOESN’T ABIDE in that person’s heart

H. If you see your WIFE EMOTIONALLY DISTRAUGHT –

1. And you shut up your heart towards her,

2. How can you say ‘the love of God abides in you’ – it really doesn’t!

18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

A. Also in, 1 John 4:18, John says:

1 John 4:18    There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

B. As we abide in Christ, in His RIGHTEOUSNESS, LOVE and DEEDS

            1. PERFECT LOVE casts out all fear

            2. How often our hearts condemn us, only to find that we’re not abiding as we should be

21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

A. Abiding in Christ produces total assurance or confidence in our walk with Christ

            1. My EMOTIONS may run ALL OVER THE MAP

            2. But as I abide in Christ, my CONFIDENCE is established!

22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

A. How do we abide in Christ?

            1. Simply by keeping His commandments

B. We are SAVED BY GRACE through FAITH;

            1. But we ABIDE in Christ by keeping His commandments

C. As we keep His commandments, we abide in Him, and He in us

Conclusion:

 

John 15:1-8
1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

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“The Gospel According to Job” Job 8-9

by • on 11:07 PM • in Job Commentary Notes, Job Study

Purpose

In this lesson we witness Job’s awe and reverence for God-and the need for Jesus as a mediator between man and God.

When times are tough we often lean on our friends for support, love and understanding. Job was not so fortunate in this matter because his group of friends ended up criticizing and condemning him in lieu of encouragement. But instead of offering a defense to his friends, Job offered up his defense to God. In turn, he revealed what a majestic, holy, and all-powerful God that he served then-and that we still serve today.

Overview

We have already met Eliphaz, the oldest and most sophisticated of Job’s friends. Now we will meet Bildad the Shuhite, who is generally considered the most hurtful and least comforting of Job’s friends.

Bildad is a cold intellectual thinker and a hard-nosed debater. He sees all issues in black and white and prides himself on his straightforward, no-nonsense approach to life. He is the kind of person whose mind is already made up-not only on every important issue, but on many unimportant ones as well. Bildad has listened to Eliphaz’s words and to Job’s response, and he can’t wait to weigh in with his no-nonsense advice.

Job 8 – Bildad’s Investigation of Job

As chapter 8 begins, we see Bildad the Shuhite relating his biased opinion on Job’s current situation. (Read Job 8 )

Job 9 – Job’s Response to Bildad’s Attack

In Job 9, Job is going to respond-but in an interesting way. He doesn’t so much respond to Bildad as he does to God. Job feels like his only hope is to somehow appeal his situation before the court of heaven and prove his innocence before the Almighty.

In order to understand this chapter, we need to see the motivation behind Job’s question. If you carefully read this entire chapter, you will find many legal words and terms like “dispute,” “argue,” “judge,” “innocent,” “summoned,” “hearing,” “justice,” “guilty,” “blameless,” and “arbitrate.”

When Job inquires about righteousness, he is not talking about salvation; he is talking about vindication. He wants to know how he can be declared innocent, and he uses legal terminology to express this desire. If a man tried to take God to court, he would not be able to answer God’s questions because God is so awesome that no one could contend with Him. In his statements here, Job displays his incredible respect for his Maker.

But we know what Job doesn’t know-that God has already weighed in on it. God already knows what is going on; He just hasn’t seen fit to tell Job about it. Remember that Job is experiencing all of this without the knowledge of God’s conversation with Satan. So he has come to the conclusion that his only hope is to get an audience with God. (Read Job 9 )

Questions

 

1. Why does Job feel it is becoming pointless to complain to God? (9:14-20)

2. What specific benefits would Job gain if God were human after all? (9:32)

3. In what ways has Jesus Christ made Job’s deepest dream a reality?

4. When tragedy strikes, what difference does it make to know that God has come in the flesh?

Prayer

Ask God to make a home in you (John 14:33) so that through all of life’s joys and sorrows, you will know that God is with you, and for you, and in you.

Now or Later

Study the relationship of anger and faith. Later in the story, the young man Elihu will be angry with Job, because he justifies himself, and angry with Job’s friends because they justified God by accusing Job (32:2-3). People like Eliphaz think that if they get angry at God, God, in turn, will get angry at them (15:12-13).

In contrast biblical saints like Ezekiel (Ez. 3:14), the psalmist (Ps. 74:1-11) and Peter (Acts 10:14) “poured out their hearts” to God, the very thing Scripture invites us to do (Ps. 62:8).

Sometimes anger can mean we are outgrowing a concept of God that is no longer adequate. That was surely the case with John who was angry that God did not live up to John’s expectations as a just judge of the Ninevites (Jonah 4:1,4, 9).

Mike Mason says, “The difference between believers and unbelievers is that while the former argue on speaking terms with the Lord, the latter do so by turning their backs and giving Him the silent treatment…Anger may be used by God to break up a spirit of complacency…Our anger functions to move us closer to God as He really is. Religious phonies will go to almost any length to hide the fact that their relationship with God is not real or satisfying. But people who truly love the Lord have a consuming hunger for reality.

Did You Know?

In Job 9:9, Job mentions “the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south.” Pleiades is a group of seven stars that is part of the constellation Taurus-and is always mentioned in connection with Orion. The Bear is also called the Big Dipper, with which we are familiar. What then are the chambers of the south? Quite simply, these are constellations that are only seen in the southern hemisphere. Since the constellations specifically named in this verse are those only seen in the northern hemisphere, this is a reminder that God is the God of every star and constellation in the universe-whether or not we are able to see them at all!

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“What We Can Learn From Job’s Response to His God” – Job 7

by • on 8:00 PM • in Job Commentary Notes, Job Study

Purpose

 To explore the meaning of the Incarnation-that God should become a human being.

Group Discussion

 When have you felt angry with God? Did you tell Him so or keep it to yourself thought)? Explain.

Personal Reflection

 When the bottom falls out of life, we cry: “Where is God when I am hurting? Does He really understand? Can He do anything? Does God dwell in heaven unmoved by cries?”

 Try to remember your first pictures or impressions of God. Was God distant, close, awesomely different, totally unlike anyone human, or very similar to your earthly father or mother? Explain.

Introduction

 Sometimes the Bible presents the most important truths not in a frontal attack or a prophetic pronouncement, but in a pregnant hint. This study is a case in point. It takes us one step closer to the greatest of all discoveries, the gospel itself-that God should become a human being, making Himself totally accessible to His own creature. Job now turns from complaining about his friends to complaining about His God-to God. Read Job 7

Job 7 Commentary

 

 I. Nights are Long and Sleepless (7:1-4)

 In verse 3, Job says that “Wearisome nights have been appointed to me.” There is a certain kind of pain and suffering that is so severe it disrupts all manner of normal sleep. You can literally lay awake all night and feel the presence and the pressure of each minute going by. This is where Job is at, and it is a condition that is shared by almost everyone at one time or another in their lives.

II. Life feels Short and Hopeless (7:5-11)

 Job continues in verse 7: “Oh, remember that my life is a breath! My eye will never again see good.” Not only can he not sleep, but he also sees his life ebbing away with no purpose to its conclusion.

III. Dreams Are Frightening and Threatening (7:12-16)

 Thirdly, Job tells God in verse 14 that, “You scare me with dreams and terrify me with visions.” Job’s suffering is intense. Most nights he cannot sleep. And when he is able to fall asleep, he is greeted with nightmares that only intensify his suffering. In fact, he says he would rather be dead than in his body when he suffers such horrific dreams (verse 15).

IV. God Seems Cruel and Uncaring (7:17-21)

 In verses 19-20, Job concludes by saying, “How long? Will You not look away from me, and let me alone till I swallow my saliva? Have I sinned? What have I done to You, O watcher of men?”

Job just wishes God would just leave him be and not antagonize him. To Job, God doesn’t even seem uncaring-He seems cruel. And of course, Eliphaz was no help to Job either.

Is Job better off at the end of chapter 7 than he was at the beginning of chapter 4? No, he is worse! His despair has deepened. His hopelessness has grown. He has received no help.

In his attempt to help Job, Eliphaz made two huge mistakes that are often made today by God’s people when they are trying to help the hurting. These two mistakes are devastating errors because they both are based on truth. But when the truth is out of context, it becomes error.

Mistake number one: Eliphaz made all suffering the result of sin. It is true that suffering is the result of sin if you go all the way back to the Garden of Eden. There would be no suffering today had Adam and Eve not sinned. So suffering is the result of sin. That is where Eliphaz was wrong. Job’s suffering was not because of some particular sin he had committed.

Mistake number two: Eliphaz said that all righteousness is rewarded and all sin is judged. Once again, this is truth conveyed out of context. It is true that someday God will balance the scales, and that all righteousness will be rewarded and all sin will be judged. But the problem with Eliphaz’s presentation was that his timing was way off. He gave the impression that all rewards and judgments are immediate, and they are not.

When we make these two mistakes, we don’t help the hurting-we increase their pain and suffering! But Proverbs 18:24 tells us that “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” And it is good to know that there is a Friend who will never fail us, leave us, or forsake us (Deut. 31:6).

Jesus came not to make us worse, but to always make us better He gives us hope in our hopelessness, help in our helplessness, and joy when we feel despair. When we go through tough times, the Lord is always there for us; and we can lift our hearts up to Him. And He will hear us.

Questions

 1. In a few words summarize the matters Job raises before God

Which complaint can you personally identify with?

2. Job is concerned that God will eventually discover that Job cannot be found if God keeps up the pressure. What does this tell us about Job’s view of God?

3. Psychologists sometimes affirm that letting deep feelings spill out is emotionally healthy. Is it spiritually healthy? Explain why or why not.

Do you think God gets angry when we speak to Him so negatively? Explain.

4. Job believes in God, but he cannot believe God is for him. What would Job’s suffering be like without a belief in God?

Did You Know?

 Job 7:14-15 details the terrible nightmares that Job had to endure on the few nights when he was able to sleep at all. But Job is not the only person in the Bible who suffered such things in the night. In Genesis 15:12 we read that “when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.” And an especially amazing verse is found in Matthew 27:19 regarding Pontius Pilate’s wife. In reference to Jesus, she tells her husband, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

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