"Relaxing in the Word"
"Relaxing in the Word"
Welcome to Relaxing in the Word, a segment of time set aside to relax, meditate and soak in God's Word.
In the study of God's Word, we will come to know Jesus more and more as the scriptures reveals Him. As you read the scriptures, please note the (enclosed parenthesis). This tells us the subject or name to whom the scripture(s) is revealing to us. As you study and meditate on the Word, please listen with soothing music. May God come sit in the midst and ablaze our hearts with His Word. Relax and be blessed in the Word.
Jesus was in the Beginning!
"In the Beginning"
John 1:1-14
"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. The same (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him (Jesus) and without Him (Jesus) was not any thing made that was made. In Him (Jesus) was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light (Jesus) shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (the Light of Jesus)." - John 1:1-5
(The Word means "logos" or "expression". God's Word was His expression of Himself to the world.)
"There was a man sent from God (Jesus) whose name was John. The same (as the other disciples/prophets) came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light (Jesus) that all men through Him (Jesus) might believe. He (John) was not that Light (Jesus), but was sent to bear witness of that Light (Jesus). That was the True Light (Jesus), which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." - John 1:6-8
(The scriptures tells us there were witnesses that bore witness of Jesus.)
"That was the True Light (Jesus), which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He (Jesus) was in the world, and the world was made by Him (Jesus) and the world knew Him (Jesus) not. He (Jesus) came unto His (Jesus) own, and His (Jesus) own received Him (Jesus) not." - John 1:9-11.
(The scriptures tells us that Jesus is the True Light that lighteth the world. He is Creator of the world and all things were made by Him. The world did not know that Jesus was God revealed. Jesus very own people did not understand He was the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Jesus was the God concealed in the Old Testament and revealed in the New Testament.)
"But as many as received Him (Jesus) to them He (Jesus) gave power to become the sons of God (Jesus), even to them that believes on His (Jesus) name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God (Jesus)." - John 1:12-13
(The scriptures tells us that through Jesus alone, do we have the power to become His sons and daughters, through the belief of His name of who He is. We are His sons and daughters when we are born again from that of a physical birth to now a spiritual birth.)
And the Word (Jesus) was made flesh (human), and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory (Jesus), the glory as of the only begotten (a one-of-a-kind birth) of the Father (Jesus in Deity), full of grace and mercy." - John 1:14
(The scriptures tells us that Jesus is Deity of the Heavenly Father. He became human and walked among us. His birth was Heavenly Divine, a one-of-a-kind birth. Jesus is full of Grace and Mercy.)
SUMMARY OF THE SCRIPTURES: JESUS ISTHE ANSWER!
(I do not have copyright to this music.)
WHY CREATION?
WHY CREATION?
Genesis 1:1-31; Genesis 2:1-3
Genesis means "beginning". If we understand how things began, we can understand why things are the way they are.
The Original Creation
1In the beginning God created “to bring or cause something into existence” the heaven and the earth. (God had no beginning; He always was, always is and always shall be. He was Creator of the beginning.)
Chaos
2 And the earth was without form (no structure or foundation), and void (emptiness); and darkness (sin) was upon the face of the deep (the uttermost parts of the earth). And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (the moving of the Holy Spirit signifies the beginning of life).
First Day
3And God said, Let there be light: and there was Light (God is the essence of light). 4And God saw the light, that it was good (pleasing in His sight): and God divided (separated) the light from the darkness. (each separated according to its’ purpose) 5And God called (naming His creation) the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Second Day
6And God said, Let there be a firmament (an expanse between the waters or “atmosphere”) in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters (water in the rain and water on the earth). 7And God made (there is a difference between in "made" and "created"; "made" refers to something already created, but brought back to a useful existence) the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament (oceans, seas, rivers, etc.) from the waters which were above the firmament (water in the clouds, which comes down upon the earth): and it was so. 8And God called the firmament Heaven (water in the clouds, which comes comes down upon the earth). And the evening and the morning were the second day.
Third Day
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place (places designed for the waters on the earth, seas, oceans, rivers, etc.), and let the dry land appear (continents being formed): and it was so. 10And God called the dry land Earth (naming His creation); and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good (pleasing in His sight). 11And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass (a carpet), the herb yielding seed (vegetables), and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind , whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Fourth Day
12And the earth brought forth grass (at the Word of God), and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind and God saw that is good (pleasing in His sight). 13)And the evening and the morning were the third day. 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night (sun, moon stars that had already been created in the beginning); and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years (in reference of "time"): 15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so (God spoke it and His Word contained such power that the planetary bodies carried out their prescribed function). 16 And God made two great lights (sun and moon); the greater light to rule the day (sun), and the lesser light to rule the night (moon--the moon has no light within itself; it is a reflection of the sun): he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth (regulated them as light holders, a measurers of time), 18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good (pleasing in His sight). 19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
Fifth Day
20And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind (sea creatures): and God saw that it was good. (pleasing in His sight) 22And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. (reproduction of sea life) 23And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
Sixth Day
24And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind (reproduction of animal life): and it was so. 25And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good (pleasing in His sight).
Sixth Day (continued)
26And God said, Let Us (God the Father, Jesus Christ, His Son, and the Holy Spirit--all of whom is God) make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth (this dominion was given to man by God to rule the earth, and is always subject to God). 27So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them (gender). 28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth (reproduce human life), and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth (mankind was made to rule and bring under control the all inhabitants of the earth.) 29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat (vegetation food for both animals and mankind): and it was so. 31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good (pleasing in His sight). And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Seventh Day
1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made (creation was completed); and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made (It does not mean God was tired, for He never grows weary; it simply means He had finished His work). 3And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made (the Sabbath, or Saturday, the last day of the week, is meant by God to be a type of the Salvation rest which one finds in Christ; this is the reason it was a part of the Ten Commandments).
SUMMARY OF SCRIPTURES
The Bible is the entire story for God's plan for the world. He reveals Himself through the entirety of the scriptures. In the beginning, He was already setting in motion for the future downfall of a corruptive, chaotic, without structure or foundation of a darken world. The Spirit of God moved upon the earth and He saw the ending state of this world, so He created the steps for a more perfect world He has for us:
A GOD OF ORDER: He is not the author of confusion or chaos. In Him is completeness. He needs nothing. There is no division, no conflict, no competition and no need for change within Him. His creation of time is an indication of His orderliness. It is His orderly Hand that holds the world in place. (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:17)
LIGHT SHINE IN THE DARKNESS: Light that would bring mankind out of the darkness of sin unto the forgiveness of sin, the Light of our Salvation, Jesus. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
DWELLING PLACE: He created and separated the heaven and the earth due to the pre-emptive downfall of mankind as the dwelling place in which we would live. (Psalm 33:14)
PROVIDER: He is the Provider of all our needs. As our Father, He takes care of His children. He created us in His own image. He made male and female and blessed us to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. To subdue it and take dominion over it. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
PERFECTION: God is perfection. All that He does is "good and very good". God tells us that we must, therefore, be perfect as He is perfect . We must grow in spiritual perfection by uniting our wills to His Will. (Matthew 5:48)
SABBATH REST: God need no rest, He is Omnipotent, all powerful. He does not grow weary. As He had finished His orderly work of creation, He rested and observed His work. He literally was showing us that our physical bodies, even the animals, would need rest. (Mark 2:27)
Rest from work:
He wants to give us refreshment.
Rest from troubles:
He wants us to enjoy the gift of stillness/trust.
Rest from anxiety:
He wants to bring peace.
Rest from stress:
He wants to take away our burdens.
This is the perfect world God called out of darkness. He want us to rest in Him and in His glorious work. As the full satisfying of a spiritual rest would later come through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today, the Holy Spirit rest in us. This is our Sabbath rest.
THE BEGINNING OF HUMANITY
THE BEGINNING OF HUMANITY
What Happened to God's Creation of Man and Woman?
Learning about our ancestors often helps us understand ourselves. The stories of Adam and Eve in the Garden, followed by the tragic story of their of their two sons Cain and Abel, explain the sin and suffering in our world and help us to live our lives in reliance on God and His promises.
Genesis 3:1-24
1 Now the serpent (Satan—in the guise of the serpent) was more subtle (the act of conveying something in a skillful/clever way verses in a direct manner) than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he (Satan) said unto the woman (Eve), Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (It was not a fable for he already knew what God had said, but he was creating doubt in Eve mind.)
The scripture reveals that the serpent was more wise than the other animals which Satan used as his tool.
2 And the woman (Eve) said unto the serpent (Satan), We (both she and Adam and the created animals) may eat of the fruit of the trees (God created every tree that was pleasing to the sight, and good for food) of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden (the Tree of Knowledge--of good and evil), God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Eve quoted God’s Word exactly).
The scriptures reveal that Eve had a conversation with Satan and spoke exactly what God had said.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Satan is beginning to cause doubt in Eve’s mind of what God had said.) He added one word "not").
The scriptures reveal that the serpent (Satan) was used to bring about corruption with sowing seeds of doubt in the mind of God's goodness. It wasn't wrong to want to be like God, but Satan misled her to defile God and more less to become her own god.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food (lust of the eyes), and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes (lust of the flesh), and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise (the pride of life), she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. (by being convinced or persuaded by Eve; however, both disobeyed God’s word—constitute the Fall).
The scripture reveals that through the conversation of the serpent, Satan made Eve forget all that God had given her and, instead, focus on what God had forbidden. He wanted her to think that it is good, pleasant and desirable to eat; so she looked, she took, she ate and she gave. It reveals that Adam was with her, so both got what they wanted: an intimate knowledge of both good and evil, but they got it by disobeying God.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened (conscious of their sinful guilt), and they knew that they [were] naked (sinful); and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons (to cover the exposure of their sins). 8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day (the voice of God was the same voice that was in the beginning of creation. It was a welcomed sound at first, but now it was a dreaded sound because of their sin.): and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden (fearful/ashamed/guilty conscience for their disobedience).
The scriptures reveal that because of their disobedience/sin; they felt embarrassed, ashamed and they tried to cover themselves and hide from all seeing, all knowing God.
9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [art] thou? (God foreknew of their sin—He was calling out the sin or the sinner). 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid (fear is the first reaction to sin guilt), because I [was] naked; and I hid myself (to think that God would not see his sin).
The scripture reveals that God wanted to be with His creation and to fellowship with them, but their sin kept them from coming into His Presence.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou [wast] naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? (God was taking Adam back as to when he learned of his nakedness and what caused it.)
12 And the man said, “The woman whom thou gavest [to be] with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” (Adam blamed God and then Eve.)
13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What [is] this [that] thou hast done? (God allows Eve to explain her actions as to what Adam described). And the woman said, “The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” (Eve blames the serpent (Satan).
The scriptures reveal that when God asked Adam about his sin, he blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent - instead of both repenting for their disobedience/sin. God knows the truth and He holds each of us responsible for what we do.)
THE ADAMIC COVENANT AND CURSES
14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou [art] cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: (God places judgement/curse on the serpent (Satan). He refers this animal is now placed from the highest position to the lowest position.)
15 And I will put enmity (animosity) between thee and the woman (the Lord is pronouncing judgement upon Satan who used the serpent to deceive Eve), and between thy seed (mankind which follows Satan) and her Seed (the Lord Jesus Christ); it (Jesus Christ) shall bruise thy head (the victory of Jesus Christ on the Cross), and thou shalt bruise his heel (the suffering of the Cross).
This scriptures reveal that God was revealing His plan to defeat Satan and offer salvation to the world through His Son, Jesus Christ.
16 Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception (the original Plan of God would be that man and woman bring sons and daughters of God in the world, but due to the fall, they can only bring them in the likeness of Adam—sinful nature); in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children (children would be born in sorrow; i.e. Cain and Abel); and thy desire [shall be] to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee (her wanting shall now be to her husband and he shall rule over her).
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife (obeyed her voice instead of God’s voice), and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it (disobeyed His voice): cursed [is] the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life; (termination of life—death due to the fall, all as a result of “spiritual death”—separation from God).
18 Thorns (denoting sin, sorrow and hardships) also and thistles (overcoming adversity and difficult situation) shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field (not growing freely, but with great care and great labor);
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread (obtained by hard labor), till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return (the Power of God alone could keep the dust alive; that being gone, to dust man returns).
The scriptures reveal that Adam and Eve learned by painful experience that because God is Holy and hates sin, He must punish sinful acts.
PARADISE LOST: GOD'S JUDGEMENT
20 And Adam (God named Adam—means “red earth”) called his wife's name Eve (Adam named Eve—means “life") called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (God made them coats of skin because the fig leaves shown together by Adam and Eve were insufficient to cover their sin. It is only through the shedding of blood would sin be covered. This will be the foreshadow of the blood shed by Jesus Christ as the only forgiveness of sin—the only acceptable forgiveness.)
22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of Us (the Godhead), to know good and evil (the Lord knew evil, not by personal experience, but rather by His Omniscience being. Man now knows evil by becoming evil.): and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: (God is just and righteous and as He had to punish Adam and Eve. The Tree of Life represents Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sin that would bring mankind back into the presence of God and give the gift of eternal life.)
23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the Garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. (Man is now separated from the presence of God to labor for his needs.)
24 So he drove out the man (force and displeasure); and He placed at the east of the Garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the Tree of Life (the “flaming sword” represents a supernatural fire in a constant state of shifting—upside down, inside out and back and forth.)
The scriptures reveal that Adam and Eve's disobedience and fall from God's gracious presence would totally change their lives and all of creation. If they had only known that God's way was better. Life in the Garden of Eden was perfect, and if they had obeyed God, they could had lived there forever.
Summary of Scriptures:
Summary of Scriptures:
The summary of the scriptures of Genesis 3 reveals that we must trust and obey God. Do not listen to Satan's temptations or his convincing lies. He has in the beginning, and is today, trying to tempt and lure everyone away from God. Temptation is Satan's invitation to give in to his kind of life (a life that leads to sin/destruction) and give up on the kind of life God has for us (a good life that will be forever with Him).
God wants to give us an inheritance of all He has in store. He wants to love, protect and show His heart's desire for us. He is rich in abundance and freely want to give.
God know our downfalls and we cannot hide from Him. Acknowledge all to Him and He will forgive and direct our paths. Sin separates us from God and He will punish sin. We have not sinned until we give in to its' temptation. To resist sin, we must obey God, we must pray for strength to resist it, run from it and say no when confronted with what we know is wrong. God wants us to know that he/she that hides themselves from Him is never hidden from Him, and he/she who runs away from Him can never escape Him.
Satan's desire is to corrupt all he can while he can. If we want to be free from sin, true freedom comes from obedience to God. Through Adam's disobedience, mankind sinned; but through the obedience of Jesus Christ, mankind is forgiven. Stay in fellowship with God, love, obey and follow Him. He is preparing a new earth as an eternal paradise for His people as it's original intent in the beginning.
Jesus bridged the gap between man and God!
God's Saving Grace 1
A New World, A New Humanity
A New World, A New Humanity
The Flood
The Flood
The flood was God's judgement of the world's pervasive sin, cleansing His creation and creating a new beginning with Noah and his family.
"And the World Repented Not"
"And the World Repented Not"
A World Gone Wrong, Destroyed
(Genesis 6:1-8)
1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. (refers to the descendants of Seth who intermarried with Cain’s evil descendants. This would weaken the good influence of the faithful and increased the moral depravity in the world, resulting in an explosion of evil.)
3 And the LORD said, My Spirit (Holy Spirit) shall not always strive (continue to wait patiently) with man, for that he also is flesh (sinful): yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years (sin reduced the life span of humankind. The oldest of human life was Methuselah who died at the age of 969 years old. He was the son of Enoch, the father of Lamech and the grandfather of Noah.)
4 There were giants (9 or 10 feet tall) in the earth in those days (before the flood); and also after that (after the flood), when the sons of God (righteous) came in unto the daughters of men (evil), and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth (the mighty men/the giants were developing more and more ways of wickedness), and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. (God was sorrowful and it grieved Him that the people chose sin and death instead of a relationship with Him.)
7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air (the animal kingdom was made for man, and if man were to be destroyed, the is no need for the animals.); for it repenteth Me that I have made them (sin grieves God).
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. (Grace refers to the goodness of God extended to the undeserving man.)
A New World of Righteousness, Noah
(Genesis 6:9-13)
9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations (Noah was blameless among the evil generations of his time. He and his family were perfect in their lineage—they wholeheartedly loved and obeyed God.), and Noah walked with God (the only man on the face of the earth to follow Him).
10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth (these sons were not born to Noah until he was about 500 years old.) 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. (God observed the downfall of man in its’ continuous sin. Satan's idea for mankind.)
13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me (seen thoroughly through His eyes); for the earth is filled with violence through them (they knew they were sinning); and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. (God had no choice, but to destroy evil, but He saved a remnant...the righteous-ness of one man, Noah.)
Take Heed
God wants His creation to repent today as in the days of Noah and the flood. As He waited patiently before the flood, He is showing His great patience towards us today. He is giving us time to quit living our sinful life and begin living His way-the way He shows us in His Word.
Our sins break God's heart as much as sin did in Noah's day. He knows we are not perfect, but He loves us and wants us to love Him wholeheartedly and obey Him. It is reassuring to know that God's covenant is established with us. He is still our salvation that shelters and carries us as like the ark.
Each day the world is warned of God's inevitable judgment; however, we still do not heed to His warnings of the coming judgment. If God promised to keep Noah safe, this should inspire us to trust Him for the judgment that is sure to come...because of sin continuously.
We should concentrate on what God has given us to do and leave the rest to Him, even when people do not or choose not to understand. Noah waited patiently on God's timing to step out of the ark. We must trust God to give us patience to wait in difficult times..
God has promised never again to destroy everything on earth until the judgment day when Christ returns to destroy evil forever. God will require each person to account for his or her actions. A penalty must be paid. Justice will be served.
God's Saving Grace, the Ark
(Genesis 6: 14-22)
14Make thee an ark (this would be a foreshadow of the Cross of Jesus Christ) of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.15And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits (450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high).
16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die (with the exception of the fish of the sea).
18But with thee will I establish My covenant (this pertains to the covenant of the Promise Seed—Gen. 3:15); and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. (Noah’s entire family was saved.)
19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
"But with thee will I establish My covenant..."
20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive (the Spirit of the Lord caused these animals to come—pairs of every animal joined Noah in the ark; seven pairs were taken of those animals and were used for sacrifice. An estimated of almost 45,000 animals could have fit into the ark.)
21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. (God had Noah to store enough food in abundance for the time/rest on the ark.)
22) Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. (Noah did all God had commanded him to do. It took Noah 120 years to build the ark. In these years, God waited patiently for the people to repent, but they did not. Noah's obedience saved him and his household.)
And the Lord said unto Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation." Genesis 7:1
God Remembers...It's Time to Get Our House in Order.
God Remembers...It's Time to Get Our House in Order.
God's Saving Grace 2
the CALL, the CRY, the DELIVERANCE
the CALL, the CRY, the DELIVERANCE
God's perfect creation had been marred by sin. Even with a new beginning after the flood, humanity continued to rebel against God. God wanted to have a family/people to love, obey, trust and worship Him; but the people continued to be rebellious, sinful and worship other gods.
God saw their sinful acts, but He also heard their cry of 430 years of oppression. God intervened to save and deliver His people from their bondage. He began with the call of righteous vessels to accomplish His mission. As a result, all would see His mighty power and wonderous works for the love of His people.
the CALL
God was looking again for a righteous vessel, so He broke into His creation once again and spoke to one man, and called Abram (Abraham) asking him to leave the things that the world was offering him behind and go to a new place in complete reliance on Him.
Genesis 12:1-4
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country (separate--this records the first step towards faith), and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house (separate), unto a land that I will shew thee: 2) And I will make of thee a great nation (the nation which God made Abraham has changed the world. This nation "Israel" still has a great part to play, which will take place in the coming Age), and I will bless thee, and make thy name great (according to scripture, "to bless" means to "increase". God took Abraham, who forsook all, and "made his name great"); and thou shalt be a blessing. (the greatest blessing of all. God would give Abraham the meaning of Salvation, which is "Justification" by Faith", which would come about through the Lord Jesus Christ, and what Christ would do at the cross):
3) And I will bless them that bless thee (to bless Israel, or any believer, for that matter, guarantees the blessings of God), and curse him that curseth thee (to curse Israel, or any believer, for that matter, guarantees that one will be cursed by God) and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed (speaking of Israel, which sprang from the loins of Abraham and Sarah). 4) So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 5) And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came (Abraham had 318 trained men with him, trained to fight as soldiers. There may have been as many as a thousand people in this entourage).
Abram obeyed God and he took his wife Sarai (Sarah) and his nephew Lot and sojourned to the new land of promise. Abram traveled from UR of Chaldees, to 700 miles to the borders of present-day Iraq, another 700 miles into Syria, another 800 down to Egypt by the inland road, and then back into Canaan - what is now Israel.
And it came to pass that God did tempt Abraham and He said, Abraham: and he said, "Here I am". God instructed him to take his son, Issac, who he loved into the land of Mt. Moriah (where the Temple Mount is located today) and offer him as a sacrifice. Abraham was obedient for he knew God would provide Himself a lamb as a sacrifice. As Abraham was about to slay his promised son, the Angel of the Lord spoke to him to not lay his hand on the child for now it was known that he feared God, seeing he held not back his one and only son.
After a 40-year journey, the Jewish people arrived in the land of promise (Canaan land) as promised to them by God many centuries earlier. Through Abraham, Issac and Jacob (name later changed to Israel). A nation was born---the 12 tribes of Israel. These were God's chosen people. Now God has extended to His people (physical) and the church (spiritual).
Abraham was faithful and he believed that he could live in a place chosen by God; He believed in God's provision for him in time and eternity; He believed the promise of the son whom God would give him miraculously, and who believed in God's divine power of resurrection.
Our Christian faith today stands upon the same foundation.
the CRY
Exodus 2:24-25
And God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Issac, and with Jacob (God remembered His covenants and Promises to their forefathers). 25) And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them (No more excellence in the children of Israel attracted God's love; it was their misery that drew out His heart to them.)
During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.
And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel--and God knew.
the DELIVERANCE
Exodus 14:1-4
“And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not (Moses was preaching the Word of God), stand still (all attempts at self-help must now end; all activities of the flesh must cease), and see the salvation of the LORD (the Divine working of the Lord; His saving Grace), which he will shew to you to day (if you only believe, victory is yours "today"): for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever (This victory is forever. These Egyptians will be defeated and will be seen no more).
For 430 years of silence, there were no new prophets raised and God revealed nothing new to His people. However, He had seen their affliction; He had heard their cry and He knew that only He could deliver them.
God called Moses to deliverer His people from Egyptian bondage. Moses was 80 years of age when God called him to carry out His mighty works to free His people, the Israelites from their oppression. And God called Moses from the burning bush and said "Moses, Moses" and he said "Here I am."
God then prepared Moses to free His people from slavery and lead them out of Egypt. God sent forth Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. God told Moses to tell Pharaoh, "Let my people go." However, God would hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he could truly see and know that He is the God of Israel.
Moses spoke to Pharaoh of the LORD's command and performed the miracles of God's great power; however, Pharaoh still would not let God's people go. When the last miracle was performed of the death of all the first born male of the Egyptians including all cattle, Pharaoh relented and allowed the Israelites to go. They left free and rich with Egypt's riches.
Exodus 14:15-30
15) And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? (the children of Israel was crying unto the LORD, but not out of faith, but of defeat) speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward (faith is always forward): 16) But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea (this was a provision of Grace, the LORD would perform the greatest miracle yet since creation in delivering His people).
17) And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get Me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen (Men does not have to have the final say, it belongs to God. Proper faith in Him will always vindicate His honor despite the decision of men.) 18) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen (the Egyptians would have learned afterwards the power of the LORD.)
19) And the Angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them (the "Angel of God, is actually a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. He placed Himself between Israel and the enemy); and the pillar of the cloud (the Holy Spirit) went from before their face, and stood behind them. 20) And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them (the Egyptians), but it gave light by night to these (the Israelites): so that the one came not near the other all night. The people saw God's wondrous works and after being freed from oppression, they later began to grumble (complaining and wishing to be back in Egypt). They had no faith and God allowed them to wander in the wilderness for 40 years to get the Egyptian mentality out of them.
As they continue to go forth, they came to an obstacle that seemed impossible--the deep Red Sea. They were caught between the devil and the deep sea, with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide and no apparent way of escape; so they cried out to the LORD.
Pharaoh relented and he sent his army to pursue after them to capture or kill them. When the Israelites saw Pharaoh's army on their trail, they walked hurriedly and was sore afraid.
Moses said unto the people "Fear not, stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord, which He will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom you see today, you will see them again no more forever."
21) And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided (a Divine miracle) 22) And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
Moses, by faith with over 3 million people, crossed the sea. It is believed that the path through the sea was from 10 to 12 miles wide. Its depth was somewhere between 20 and 40 feet.)
23) And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen. 24) And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host (actually mean "threw it into confusion") of the Egyptians, 25) And took off their chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians. (The Egyptians saw that the LORD was not only fighting for the children of Israel, but was, at the same time, fighting against them. They had been led in a trap, caused by their own rebellion against God. So, they had no one but themselves to blame.)
26) And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. (The LORD not only delivered Israel, but, as well, defeated the Egyptians. At Calvary, the LORD not only delivered us, but He also defeated satan (Col. 2:14-15). 27) And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared (at about daybreak); and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
28) And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. (Every Egyptian was totally and completely defeated. Satan, as well, was totally and completely defeated at the Cross.) 29) But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. (It doesn't matter what type of deliverance is needed, God is able.) 30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore.
Faith in Christ and the Cross renders death to the forces of evil.
And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD and spoke saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider has He thrown unto the sea.
PRAISE THE LORD, THY GOD!
SUMMARY
God delivered the Israelites because He saw, He knew and He heard the cry of His people. If God puts you between the devil and the deep sea, it's because He wants to defeat the devil, glorify Himself, and increase your faith. If you cooperate with God whenever He puts you in a hard place, either He will defeat the devil by working some miracle of deliverance on your behalf; or He will glorify Himself in the eyes of others as they observe your faithfulness under pressure; or He will increase your faith as you lean on Him in a time of trial or trouble.
So when you find yourself trapped between the devil and the sea, remember God has put you there on purpose. Do not stand around complaining; instead pray and call out to God and move forward by faith, and you will soon have reason to praise God for His Divine intervention. Stand still and see the Salvation of the LORD; then sing a song unto the LORD for His triumphant victory.
God's Final Saving Grace
Jesus Christ, the Waymaker!
Jesus Christ, the Waymaker!
Jesus Christ is the bridge that brings mankind back to God. This was God's final saving Grace offered to the world for their continuous sin.
God had been the saving Grace for His people throughout creation. He has always wanted to govern His people and deliver them from their bondage. He spoke His messages through living vessels from Noah, Moses and now Jesus. Jesus was born into a world that had changed drastically from the time His people, the Israelites, had returned from exile some five hundred years earlier. Politics, culture, language, and the religious practices in Israel had all undergone great shifts. The time was ripe for God to send His Son into the world to be the Messiah, Savior, and King. He would be the only and final saving Grace rendered by God.
Moses emphasized God's law and justice. God had given Moses the law to give to His people to live by as He had delivered them from Egyptian bondage; however, they kept being rebellious. God knew that He would either destroy them all or present another way to save His people--through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to highlight God's mercy, love, faithfulness and forgiveness; He came to fulfill the law. The nature and will of God were revealed in the law; now the nature and will of God are revealed in Jesus Christ. However, rather than coming through cold stone tablets, God's revelation now comes through a person. In Jesus, God became a man who lived on earth.
The Hidden Mystery of the Godhead (1 Timothy 3:16)
"And without controversary great is the mystery of godliness. God (Jesus) was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory."
Why the Mystery? (Matthew 13:10-11)
"Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you (believers) to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them (unbelievers) it is not given."
How Many Gods are There? (Deuteronomy 6:4)
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD."
- God, the Father (Isaiah 9:6) - For unto us a child (Jesus) is born, unto us a son (Jesus) is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace"
- God, the Son (Matthew 1:21) - "And shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins."
- God, the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18) -"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child (Jesus) of the Holy Ghost."
The Godhead is a mystery by design. There is one and only one God, Jesus is the only wise God.
THE WAR IN HEAVEN
(Revelation 12:7-9)
7) And there was war in heaven (pertains to the "Mystery of God" being finished): Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels (pertains to Satan and all the angels who followed him being cast of of Heaven), 8) And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven (Michael and his angels, by the command of God, cast Satan and his angels into the earth). 9) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world (deception is his greatest weapon; he deceives, and is himself deceived): he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (this pronounces the beginning of the end of Satan and his angels with no place on earth as well).
As Satan and his demon angels were cast out of Heaven, they also will face the final battle on earth in the soon coming war of the Battle of Armageddon. The Battle of Armageddon is the final showdown between good and evil on earth. This war will culminate at the Euphrates River when the forces of evil will rally the nations against God's people, but Jesus prevails. Obadiah 15 (ESV): "For the day is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you: your deeds shall return on your own head."
Jesus will return to earth as a mighty King with the armies of Heaven to destroy all those who have rejected Him as Savior.
WHY DID JESUS COME TO EARTH?
John 18:37-38: 37) Jesus answered, My Kingdom is not of this world: if My Kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my Kingdom not from hence. 38) Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born (addresses the Incarnation, God becoming man), and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice.
To Repair the Damage Done by the First Adam
(1 Cor. 15:45-47)
Adam disobeyed God and brought sin upon mankind.
Jesus obeyed God and became the curse of sin for mankind.
To Seek and Save that Which was Lost (Luke 19:10)
Jesus gave His life to achieve this.
To Destroy the Devil through Death (Hebrews 2:14)
Satan is now defeated for those in Christ.
Jesus took the keys of death and hell.
We are no longer under the law of sin and death.
To Restore Mankind to Sonship (John 3:3-5)
By being born again, we regain the status of sons.
Born of water (repentance/baptism) and of the Spirit
(receiving the Holy Spirit).
To Bring Eternal Life (John 3:14-16)
Jesus purchased eternal life on the cross.
Only through this saving Grace, can you inherit forgiveness
and the gift of eternal life.
Luke 2:46-49
46) And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47) And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48) And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49) And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?
"I Must be about My Father's Business"
The entire Bible is about Jesus Christ. The Old Testament is God (Jesus) concealed (hidden) and the New Testament is God (Jesus) revealed (previously unknown or secret information made known to others). Jesus is God, the Creator; the Sustainer, the Deliverer, the Redeemer and Savior of the world.
Wisdom and understanding: Jesus already had a clear understanding of His mission---to bear witness of the truth. At 12 years of age, He went to the Temple and would sit in the midst of the doctors of the law (Pharisees and Sadducees) to discuss the bible.
The Temple Courts were famous throughout Judea as a place of learning and the greatest rabbis of the land would gather. (Imagine a 12 year-old boy holding serious discussions with the members of Congress). Jesus was eager to listen and ask probing questions. They were astounded not just by His youth, but the depth of His wisdom.
Gift of Knowledge: Jesus demonstrated the gift of Knowledge. He would speak only what He had heard the Father speak to Him.
John 12:49: "For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak."
Stature and Favor: From His youth and adulthood, Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. He grew as a human physically, intellectually and spiritually through the working of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus was able to fully experience what we go through and is able to empathize with us doing our trials and temptations.
God Prepared the Way: God sent John, the Baptist, a forerunner of Christ to prepare the way for Jesus. His entire ministry was devoted to preaching repentance. John, the Baptist, was a well known preacher who attracted large crowds; however, he was content for Jesus to take the higher place. This is true humility--the greatness in preaching, teaching or any other work we do for Christ.
Luke 3:3: "And He came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of for the remission of sins."
Luke 3:15-16: "And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; 16) John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."
Note: John's baptism with water symbolized the washing away of sins--followed with repentance and reformation. Jesus' baptism with fire equips one with power to do God's will. The baptism with the Holy Ghost and fire was first at Pentecost (3,000 souls saved with evidence of speaking in tongues). The baptism with fire also symbolizes the work of the Holy Spirit--bringing God's judgement on those who refuses to repent.
Jesus went about showing what the Kingdom of God is liken. He offered it in the Lord's Prayer when He taught us to pray, "Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." God's kingdom is present on earth whenever and wherever God's will is done as it is in Heaven--without resistance. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the multitudes, gave sight to the blind and call forth deliverance.
John 20:31: "We are told that many of the miracles Jesus performed 'are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name."
Seven Signs and Miracles Performed by Jesus (according to the Gospel of John):
T - turning water into wine in Cana
(John 2:1-11)
H - healing an official's son in Capernaum
(John 4:46-54)
E - elevating the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem
(John 5:1-18)
S - supper for feeding 5,000 near the Sea of Galilee
(John 6:5-14)
I - interim on the sea (walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee)
(John 6:16-21)
G - giving sight to the blind man in Jerusalem
(John 9:1-7)
N - notification to dead Lazarus in Bethany to "come forth"
(John 11:1-45)
THE BATTLE AND VICTORY
THE BATTLE AND VICTORY
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
God had made known in the Heavens that He would have a Son that would be second in command of Him. Lucifer (Satan), a once glorious angel, had privy to know some things in Heaven. He heard God's plan and wanted to stop it as he would with Adam and Eve. God knew his prideful heart and his demise, so God set things in motion and the battle began.
Lucifer (Satan) was banished from Heaven with all his followers (angels) to the earth. He had full authority and reign over the earth for 6,000 years causing much heartache, pain, confusion, deception, distress, oppression and continuous sin; but Jesus Christ (God) would show up 2,000 years earlier.
Killing of male child: When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Satan remembered what God had said about a son. So, He put in motion to kill up the male child of two years old and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem; but God knew the plan and made a way of escape.
Temptation: Satan tried to entangle Jesus in the wilderness through temptation. After fasting 40 days and nights, Satan tempted Jesus to disobey God's will/command and to follow him with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
1 John 2:15-16: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world."
Satan was offering to make Jesus the Anti-Christ, the one world dictator, but Jesus knew that He was the real Christ. Satan's aim was to conform Jesus to his will through disobedience and the desire of earthly treasures; but Jesus failed not and quoted every Word of God.
Calvary's Cross: The keys for the payment of sin is death. Jesus had no sin, yet Satan killed Him. When the hour came and Jesus died on the cross, Satan thought it was all over. He thought God's plan was useless and defeated once again. He thought that he still had the victory and power over the earth, but God allowed Jesus' death to take place; so that He could, by His might, raise Jesus from death with all power in Heaven and earth given unto Him.
Romans 5:9: "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him."
After three days and nights in the tomb, Jesus went to the death of hell and robbed Satan of his dominion on earth. He took the keys of death and hell and brought forth freedom and redemption.
Ezekiel 18:4: "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the Father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die."
Romans 8:2: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
Hebrews 2:14-15: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Satan did have the power of death (the soul that sinneth must die) but Jesus came forth with the keys (He who knew no sin, became sin and died in our place; the death penalty was revoked). The contract, the law of sin and death, held for 4,000 years over mankind, it had been paid in full by Jesus Christ.
The Mystery: Satan was surprised to learn that it wasn't Jesus, God's Son who who died on the cross; but it was Almighty God, Himself. He did not understand the mystery of Godliness.
1 Corinthians 2:7-8: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8) Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the LORD of glory.
Satan knew that he had truly lost, because he knew you cannot kill God; the Sovereign, the Holy God. God stripped Satan forever and defeated him at his game.
THE CALLING OF THE CHURCH
THE CALLING OF THE CHURCH
Physical Birth vs. Spiritual Birth
Earthly things vs. Heavenly Things
Being born again is a spiritual re-birth. We should have the sincere desire to serve and worship God. God is looking for true worshipers. A true church that has a burning desire for Him, not lukewarm.
John 4:23: "But the hour is coming and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him."
Jesus called His disciples to come, learn and follow Him. He made them fishermen of souls. Peter confessed with his mouth that Jesus was the Christ. Upon his confession/belief, Jesus gave Peter the keys to the kingdom. Peter remembered the keys (the keys of death and hell).
Matthew 16:19: "And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven."
Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost."
Salvation was authored by Jesus Christ at Calvary:
1 Cor. 15:1-4 1 John 5:8 Acts 2:38
Death Blood = Repentance
Burial Water = Baptism
Resurrection Spirit = Holy Ghost
True Repentance is when we repent, we renounce disobedience to God and make a decision to live in obedience to Him. We totally die to self-will and determine to obey God's will. We also forgive others as we too are forgiven.
Acts 3:19: "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord."
Baptism is the defining issue. Baptism is a marriage ceremony. This is when we become the bride of Jesus; we take the name of the Bridegroom. Baptism in Jesus name puts us in Christ.
Galatians 3:27: For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Holy Ghost is our source of power. It is the spirit that empowers us to do God's will. We cannot overcome the world without the Holy Ghost. The more we are filled with the Holy Ghost, the less problem we will have with sin.
Galatians 5:16: "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."
Note: Satan (darkness) cannot stand the Light (Jesus) nor His name. Demons will tremble at the name of Jesus. As Jesus taught Peter the keys to the Kingdom, Satan heard Peter tell them that you have to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; he realized he was preaching the Good News. He knew that he had another 2,000 years left to try to pervert the people from God's Salvation plan (repentance, baptism in Jesus name, and receiving the Holy Ghost).
Seeking God's Kingdom first gives the condition for God's blessings; His interests are to be first. This is the guarantee of God's promise.
"Wherefore, Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord (the word of God emphatically teaches separation, but not isolation from the world), and touch not the unclean thing (refers to Christians avoiding all unholy contact with a vain and polluted world), and I will receive you (at the same time, means if the person disobeys these words, the Lord will not receive us; the Christian can walk clean in this world only by constant faith in the Cross of Christ, which makes it possible for the Holy Spirit to do His work within our lives).
18) And I will be a Father unto you (only through the provisions given), and you shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty ("Lord Almighty" in the Hebrew is "Jehovah Shaddai." The Hebrew word "Shad" means a woman's breast. The title "Shaddai" suggests that we must never resort to the world, but rather draw all nourishment from the Lord who can provide all things, which the world can never provide.) 2 Corinthians 7-8
Take Heed that No Man Deceive You
We Must Follow Jesus
We must follow Jesus and not the world.
We must love, believe, trust and obey Him--not Satan nor anything contrary to God.
We must confess with our mouth that Jesus is LORD. Our faith must be in Him alone.
We must be the change in the world that would draw people to God.
We must love and forgive others
We must pray.
We must read God's Word (Bible)
We must be thankful for all things.
We must avoid temptation.
We must rely on the Holy Spirit for Wisdom.
SUMMARY:
Jesus is our final Hope. He is our final Saving Grace. He is God manifested in the flesh. He is our Salvation, the only way to be saved and inherit eternal life. Though we may die on this earth, we shall rise again in Him with glorified bodies and not sicken or depraved-; corruptible shall put on incorruptible. When Jesus came to earth, He was already in the heavens in the beginning of creation. God knew He would have to come to earth and prepare the earth for the Kingdom to come.
As Jesus came, He showed us what the Kingdom is liken though His love and forgiveness. He taught us how we should live---loving Him with all our heart and loving others as thyself. He is the Light that was needed in this sinful, corrupt and darken world so much that darkness (evil) could not comprehend Him. He is our Provider, Protection, and Shelter. He is the Manna from Heaven, food in a starving land. He is water in dry places where we will never thirst again. He is the Holy Spirit that leads, guides, teaches, strengthen, protects, empowers and speaks to our Spirit that it will draw us and convict our hearts to stay away from continued sin--the trap of the enemy.
The enemy, Satan, now know the mystery that Jesus is not just the Son of Man (humanity or the Son); but He is Deity (Jehovah God) that walked the earth. He knows that judgement is coming upon him, so he is trying his best to still corrupt God's Salvation's plan. However, Jesus died on the cross and got all the victory in Heaven and in earth. Satan knows that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords; He is Sovereign and He reigns. Satan will continue to battle against Jesus; but he knows the fate of his demise. Jesus holds the victory.
We must make sure we repent of our continued sins. We must follow in Jesus' footsteps and greater things shall we do. Today, if we hear His voice, harden not our heart of hearts, but come to Him. He will change us and will fight for us. Jesus is coming soon to receive His people/His bride/the church to take us to receive our Heavenly reward to them who faithfully serves Him.
SEEK HIM! COME WHILE WE HAVE THE TIME!