America Judgment or Salvation

WORD OF GOD

Intro: God’s word is the primary means by which He is present and working in the world. We can not see God with our physical eyes, but He acts in this world by means of His word. He becomes personally known to us through His word. His word is powerfully creative. He spoke everything into existence and sustains it by His word.

I. God's word and its purposes are irresistible. [Isaiah 55:10-11] ¹⁰ "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, ¹¹ So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. The meaning of these verses is plain. The hearts of people by nature are what the earth would be without the rains of heaven—barren and sterile. But God says that his truth shall certainly accomplish an effect similar to that produced by descending showers. The rain never descends in vain. It makes the earth fertile, beautiful, and lovely and causes it to produce. So it is with his truth in the moral world. The comparison of truth with descending rain or dews is exceedingly beautiful. Deuteronomy 32:1-3 (NKJV) ¹  "Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. ²  Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass. ³  For I proclaim the name of the LORD: Ascribe greatness to our God. The appeal to the heavens and the earth meant that the word of God has significance for the entire created order. Anyone who follows the teaching of God's word becomes fruitful and prosperous in the way rain and dew refresh the new grass and tender plants. The scriptures are a proclamation of the name of the Lord, it is a description of His character and works. Anyone who gives serious consideration to the character and work of God, and puts their trust in Him, can expect to enjoy a blessed and abundant life.

II. God’s word is totally dependable. [Isaiah 40:8] The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

God's word represents His everlasting commitment. In contrast to the grass and flowers, God's Word never fails but it endures forever. This fact greatly comforts and encourages those who read God's words and live accordingly. We can not depend on the words of others but we can put full trust and confidence in the word of God.
When heard and responded to, God's word meets deep needs in the human heart and provides joy, satisfaction, and confident direction that can be achieved in no other manner. Luke 4:4 Jesus answered the devil saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' " Just as our bodies can not live without bread, neither can our soul live and prosper without God's word.

III. God's word is powerful. Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The word powerful translated means energy. It means to say that God’s word has God’s power and energy behind it. Because it is God’s word, it can not be defeated in its purpose. The Bible has all the essentials of the life and power of God to do his work! Not only that, its penetrating power is greater than any double-edged sword and reaches the innermost being of a person so that it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. It is able to discriminate between what is spiritual in man and what is merely “soulish” or natural (it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit), and does so even when these inner elements are interwoven as closely as joints and marrow. The inner life of a Christian is often a strange mixture of motivations, both genuinely spiritual and completely human. It takes a supernaturally discerning agent such as the Word of God to sort these out and to expose what is of the flesh.

Invitation: God's word says you must be born again! If you have not been born again now is the perfect time right where you are. Just confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you. Then invite Him into your life to take charge of you. Then go to a church that preaches the true gospel and be baptized to show that you are sincere.

A Touch of Faith

Mark 5:25-34

The bible says in Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:1 (NewCenturyVersion) Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it.

1.  By faith we activate the presence of God. Mark 5:25-26 (NKJV) Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.

The woman had been hemorrhaging for twelve years; it was uncontrollable. No one could touch her or anything she had touched. This particular woman had tried all she knew. She had seen "many physicians" and "spent all that she had," and yet she "grew worse." She was to be totally cut off from society and religious worship. Her last resort was to turn to Jesus! Even though she couldn’t go to God’s house, by her faith she activated the very presence of God in her life and situation. We are going to activate God's presence for these prayer request!

2.  By faith we activate the power of God.

Mark 5:27 (NKJV) When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.

There is the shy, embarrassed, unworthy attitude. Note the woman made her way through the crowd and came up behind Jesus. She wanted to touch Jesus without being seen or noticed because she was embarrassed and felt unworthy. Her hemorrhaging was a personal, intimate matter for her, something she did not want to be known and discussed. She was considered unclean; therefore, she felt unworthy to approach Jesus but she had an expectant, believing attitude. The poor woman believed what "she had heard of Jesus." (V:27) She believed the gospel that Jesus loved and cared and would make her whole.

Mark 5:28 (NKJV) For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."

She believed in her mind, in her heart, in her soul, with her whole being. She cast off all doubts!

She believed two things: the gospel (what she had heard about Jesus) and the power of Jesus to make her whole. By her faith she activated the power of God in her life. We all must use our faith to activate God's power to answer each prayer request that was on the cross. When she activated Jesus' power in her life the answer came. Mark 5:29 (NKJV) Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.

1.  She touched Jesus by her faith. [v:30]

Mark 5:30 (NKJV) And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"

There was no way Jesus could have felt the touch to His robe. He was being pressed and thronged by the crowd, yet when she stepped up behind Him and touched His robe, He knew. How?

a. Her faith touched Him. It is faith that touches Jesus. Faith will never go unnoticed nor be ignored by Jesus.

3.  BY faith we activate the purposes of God.

a. Others must know of God's power. Mark 5:33 (NKJV) But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.

Jesus had made the way easy for her. He had allowed her to be healed without embarrassment, but it was not enough to believe in secret. The secret disciple had to be brought to the point of confessing her faith so that everyone could know God’s purpose for mankind. God's purpose is to bring glory to Himself and His love, care for His people. When a person or a group of people place their faith in Jesus and His power, it touches Jesus, and Jesus infuses His power and life) into that situation. Thus the purpose of God was activated by this woman who was an outcast by society.

Others must know God’s purpose for mankind is what life and salvation are all about: the infusion of His power, and abundant life and healing into the spirit, soul, and body of man.

c.  Mark 5:34 (NKJV) And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."

 Conclusion: She was given comfort, joyfulness, courage, confidence, and boldness in her faith and healing.

She was assured that she was whole permanently. Her deliverance would last.

 She became a daughter of God. She was given physical healing, soul salvation and peace with God.

Invitation: We all need something from God! It’s crisis time for your faith. (Hebrews 11:6)
Do you have faith in what the word of God says about Jesus and His omnipotent power? Will you be the one to touch Jesus by faith and activate His presence, power, and purpose in your life or someone else's life?

You can activate the power of God in your life, in your situation right now, whatever you may be facing.

If you need salvation from the penalty of your sins, confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and invite Him into your heart to take charge of your life. It will be the greatest day of your life.

WORD OF GOD

Intro: God’s word is the primary means by which He is present and working in the world. We can not see God with our physical eyes, but He acts in this world by means of His word. He becomes personally known to us through His word. His word is powerfully creative. He spoke everything into existence and sustains it by His word.

I. God's word and its purposes are irresistible. [Isaiah 55:10-11] ¹⁰ "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, ¹¹ So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. The meaning of these verses is plain. The hearts of people by nature are what the earth would be without the rains of heaven—barren and sterile. But God says that his truth shall certainly accomplish an effect similar to that produced by descending showers. The rain never descends in vain. It makes the earth fertile, beautiful, and lovely and causes it to produce. So it is with his truth in the moral world. The comparison of truth with descending rain or dews is exceedingly beautiful. Deuteronomy 32:1-3 (NKJV) ¹  "Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. ²  Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass. ³  For I proclaim the name of the LORD: Ascribe greatness to our God.

The appeal to the heavens and the earth meant that the word of God has significance for the entire created order. Anyone who follows the teaching of God's word becomes fruitful and prosperous in the way rain and dew refresh the new grass and tender plants. The scriptures are a proclamation of the name of the Lord, it is a description of His character and works. Anyone who gives serious consideration to the character and work of God, and puts their trust in Him, can expect to enjoy a blessed and abundant life.

II. God’s word is totally dependable. [Isaiah 40:8] The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

God's word represents His everlasting commitment. In contrast to the grass and flowers, God's Word never fails but it endures forever. This fact greatly comforts and encourages those who read God's words and live accordingly. We can not depend on the words of others but we can put full trust and confidence in the word of God.
When heard and responded to, God's word meets deep needs in the human heart and provides joy, satisfaction, and confident direction that can be achieved in no other manner. Luke 4:4 Jesus answered the devil saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' " Just as our bodies can not live without bread, neither can our soul live and prosper without God's word.

III. God's word is powerful. Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV) For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The word powerful translated means energy. It means to say that God’s word has God’s power and energy behind it. Because it is God’s word, it can not be defeated in its purpose. The Bible has all the essentials of the life and power of God to do his work! Not only that, its penetrating power is greater than any double-edged sword and reaches the innermost being of a person so that it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. It is able to discriminate between what is spiritual in man and what is merely “soulish” or natural (it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit), and does so even when these inner elements are interwoven as closely as joints and marrow. The inner life of a Christian is often a strange mixture of motivations, both genuinely spiritual and completely human. It takes a supernaturally discerning agent such as the Word of God to sort these out and to expose what is of the flesh.

Conclusion: We can never hope to be successful in this life apart from God's word. Our spiritual life would starve and die thereby bringing only defeat and misery. Jesus said a Christian does not live by bread alone but by every word of God. [Luke 4:4]

Invitation: God's word says a man must be born again to see the kingdom of God. Have you been born again? You can be born again by confessing your sins to Jesus and asking Him to forgive you. If you have not done this, now is the perfect time!