Jesus Our All

 

Intro: Jesus in Revelation 2:4 told the church of Ephesus that they had left their first love. Jesus is to be our first love, and we are to never forget Savior and Lord. He is our bridegroom and we are His bride. He has done so much for us, so we must give Him His rightful place in our lives and stand strong for Him in this dark and sinful world.

I. Christ's words are most sweet to us. [Luke 4:22: Psalm 19:10] More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Psalm 119:103 (NKJV) How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Christ' words are Sweeter than honey; which is the sweetest food we know of. The honeycomb is that which is sweeter than the rest. Words are a principal part of Christ's beauty, and the main means of our comfort, security, joy and salvation. Our comfort and joy completely depend upon his sweet and excellent words, his holy teaching and gracious promises contained in the gospel. Luke 4:22 (NKJV) So all bore witness to Him and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. To appreciate the sweetness of His words you have to feed upon Jesus' words by reading and meditating on it daily. His word tells us in Jude 1:24 (NKJV) Jesus is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. That is most sweet to our souls.

II. Christ is altogether lovely. There is no part of him which is not all together lovely and beautiful. Now the important question is this: Is He altogether lovely to you? Are you able to speak of Him with the enthusiasm the bride had for her bridegroom? We must know Christ intimately if we are to witness of Him. When one comes to Christ it is not a business transaction, it's a forever commitment. He is wonderful, and I don't think we praise Him, glorify Him, lift Him up, worship Him, and honor Him with thanksgiving enough. He is altogether lovely any way that you look at Him.

III. Christ is my beloved. Can you say He is beloved to you? Is He is the One whom you love the most? Is He is the One dearest to your heart. Do you desire none but him. Is He is the focal point of your interest; is your faith completely in him, and do you love him because He first loved you and gave Himself for you. Do you love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength which is the first and greatest commandment?

IV. Christ is my friend: Christ is lovely as our personal friend. We can talk to Him at all times. He discloses the secrets of His heart to us. John 15:15 (NKJV)  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. He paid our sin debt for us by his suffering in our place on the cross, and by shedding His precious blood to purchase us as His own. He has entered into heaven in our name, where He is our advocate before the Father. He is abundant in His mercy and grace, and gives us help and relief in times of need. We can share all our secret things needs with Him, knowing that He will help us. He gives us good and wholesome counsel by His word. He shows us the right path to follow to avoid the pitfalls of life.
He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother; He loves at all times; is constant and faithful, and always to be trusted in; He is a rich, powerful, everlasting, unchangeable friend.

Invitation: Christ is seeking those that have not experienced His love in the forgiveness of their sins. If you have never experienced Christ's love for you, confess your sins to Him, right where you are. Ask Him to forgive you and save you from hell and give you a home in Heaven. He will not turn you away and you will begin to experience His great love for you!

THE PRVILEGE OF PRAYER

 

INTRO: God has not saved us and left us here on earth to get by the best we can. Our Father God has made us many promises in His word that we have the right and the privilege to ask for and receive from Him. If we are living in a right relationship with God, our potential in prayer is unlimited. God stands ever ready to help us as we ask Him to. Prayer is the strength of the church. We must be persistent in it!

I. God says we have an open door to heaven. THE Invitation to pray is found in Luke 11:9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. God has extended a special privilege to us His children! Open door policy! 24-7! THE PROMISE - Luke 11:10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. When we ask, we receive; when we seek, we find; when we knock, the door is opened unto us. The verbs ask, seek, and knock are all continuous action. We are to keep on asking and seeking and knocking, ever beseeching God to hear us. Jesus drove the point home: perseverance and endurance receives what it asks. The believer shall get what he asks if he...will not leave the throne of God- will not go away - will not let God alone. Don’t give up!

II.  God says when we speak according to the Word and will of God, heaven responds. Mark 11:23–24 (NKJV) ²³For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. ²⁴Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Our faith must be totally in God, nothing else. Mark 11:22 (NKJV) So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. WE must pray with our eyes on God and not the difficulty. When we pray to our Father in faith, heaven responds. WOW! What a promise and privilege. Notice the importance of what we say as we pray and after we pray! Mark 11: 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. These verses do not give a person authority to pray for miraculous powers for their own convenience or acclaim. Every act of faith must rest on the promise of God. If we know that it is God’s will to remove a certain difficulty, then we can pray with utter confidence that it will be done. In fact, we can pray with confidence on any subject as long as we are confident it is according to God’s will as revealed in the Bible or by the inner witness of the Spirit. When we are really living in touch with the Lord and praying in the Spirit, we can have the assurance of answered prayer before the answer actually comes.

III. If we ask what God has promised, in Jesus name, He will do it. To ask in Jesus name is to ask according to His will. Find it in His holy word and claim it. The reason He will do it. John 14:13 And whatever you ask in My name, [ in my will] that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

IV. When we pray according to God’s will we have confidence that He hears us and that we have what we have prayed for. 1 John 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. There are many things that we know to be in accordance with his will, if we read His word and if they are sought in a proper manner. Our part is to know God’s will. All that God has promised we are justified in expecting; and what he has promised, we should pray for believing that we receive. Prayer is the language of the children of God. He who is begotten of God speaks this language. What a privilege and what promises God has given us through prayer. May we make the most of it!

INVITATION: If you have never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins, then you need to pray that prayer right now. It is God’s will that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of Him. [2 Tim. 2:4] Confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save you. Invite Him into your life and then be baptized as a piblic testimony to your faith in Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. This will be the greatest prayer that you could ever pray.

The Greatest Christmas Gift

 

Intro: December 25th we will celebrate Christmas. This is one of the most important holidays for mankind with Easter being the other important holiday. Christmas is a time of giving and rejoicing in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I. God was the first to give. John 3:16 (NKJV) 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. Mankind was eternally lost without God’s gift, in sin and error wasting away with no hope until Jesus appeared and the soul felt its worth. Luke tells us in; Luke 2:11 (NKJV) For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ts worth. No greater gift has ever been given to mankind than the one given on the first Holy night when God gave us His only begotten Son that through Him we might be forgiven of sin and have eternal life.

II. Jesus gave the ultimate gift of His life on the cross for us. Isaiah 53:5 He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. He suffered these things for our sins, not His own, because He had no sin. Our Lord Jesus suffered all five kinds of wounds known to medical science for us: contusions—blows by a rod; lacerations—scourging; penetrating wounds—crown of thorns; perforating wounds—nails; puncture wounds, spear. He paid the price required by the Father, that we might be healed. What a precious gift Jesus gave to mankind!

III. God has given us the gift of His Spirit. When Jesus ascended, God sent the Spirit. We were baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. The Father has given the guarantee of eternal life by His Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Spirit has given us the gift of His power to live righteously and be witnesses for Jesus Christ. We received that power the moment we were born again. Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Our part is to surrender to the Spirit's power in our lives.

IV. We can give Jesus a gift. The greatest gift we can give to Jesus Christ in return for all He has done for us is helping to spread His message of salvation to the world. No greater gift can be given than that of Christ and His salvation to lost souls. Jesus said in (Matt. 10:8b) Freely you have received, freely give. When we give Christ to a lost and dying world it is truly the gift that keeps on giving throughout eternity. Our lives should be a continual testimony of Jesus Christ!

Jesus said “He came to seek and save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Invitation: Have you been the recipient of the greatest gift God has ever given to mankind, which is salvation through Jesus Christ. If not, now is the time according to God’s word. Simply confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save you for the kingdom of God. Invite Jesus to take charge of your life till He calls you home. And be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! It will be your greatest Christmas yet!

True Worship

 

Scripture Text

Text Psalm 95:6-7

Intro: The ‘Dictionary of Bible Themes” states that worship is mentioned hundreds of times in the bible. Scripture stresses the importance of regular corporate worship, while at the same time recognizing that believers may worship God spontaneously. When was the last time you truly worshiped God?

I. What is “True Worship”? [v:6] Psalms 95:6 (NKJV) Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. Worship means to show reverence and adoration for a deity. True worship is bowing down and kneeling in surrender to the Lord our Maker. [v:6 above] Worship in the truest sense takes place only when our full attention is on God, on His beauty, His glory, magnificence, and majesty, His power, splendor, love and compassion. It’s not in doing religious things but being in complete awe of God and all He is!        If we are honest this doesn’t happen very often. Even in church or in times of quiet devotion, we get distracted and fail to see God as He truly is. It’s easy to be distracted! We must “cast down arguments [about God] and every high thing [rebellious thoughts] that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NKJV)   When your mind wants to wander bring it back into the obedience of Christ.

II. Things That Prompt Worship. Psalms 95:3-5 (NKJV)
³ For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods.
⁴ In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also.
⁵ The sea is His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry land. True worship recognizes that God is the Lord. He is the sovereign, supreme, all-powerful over-all so-called gods (idols). God made everything and holds in place the universe.     True worship recognizes that God made us. [v:7] Psalms 95:7 (NKJV) For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice: Psalms 139:13-18 (NLT) ¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. ¹⁵ You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. ¹⁶ You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. ¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! ¹⁸ I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! We are not here by accident. We are here by God’s perfect design and He has a plan for each of our lives. When we  worship God we draw close to Him and we find His direction for our lives. He restores our soul and fills us with His Holy Spirit power. Then He leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name sake. [Ps. 23:3] True worship recognizes God has made us a part of His forever family. [v:7] We are part of His flock which means We are under His care. God constantly watches over us. Psalms 139:7 (NLT) I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! God also provides for our every need. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. [Ps. 23:1] True worship recognizes that we can never be separated from God and His love. Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV) 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.

Conclusion: We must learn to shut out the distractions that keep us from truly worshiping God. We must turn our mind and heart to Him every day, praising Him for who He is, what He has done for us, what He is doing and what He has already prepared for our future. We must not to forget to thank Him for His everlasting, faithful love for us in Christ Jesus.

Invitation: You cannot worship God until you have a personal relationship with Him. If you do not have a personal relationship with God, it comes by confessing your sins to Jesus Christ and asking Him to forgive you and save you from Hell. Then invite Jesus into your life to take charge of you and your daily affairs. Then be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then you can begin to truly worship God and receive His blessings for the rest of your life here on earth and then forever throughout eternity.

True Joy

 

Intro: Are you missing the joy in your life because you are only focusing on being happy? The next time someone asks, “Are you happy?” you should tell them, “Sometimes I’m happy, sometimes I’m sad, but I’m always joyful in the Lord.”

I. You may ask “what do I have to be joyful about?” First & foremost, we have joy in the fact God loves us so much He paid the price for our sin with the life of His Son Jesus Christ & through Him we have eternal life. We also find joy by being with one another at church. Being together, even in our homes. We can do things like tell stories, share memories, talk about our family, God & many other things.

II. The Bible has many things to say about godly joy. Psalm 5:11 (NKJV) ¹¹  But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.

In John 15:11 we read were Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

III. Even when we are put through hard times, we still have joy with the Lord. The apostle Paul probably went through more hardships than anyone in the Bible except for Jesus. But he had joy. Joy that could not be taken away. Many of the Books he wrote were written in prison. Paul was locked up when he wrote Philippians. He was imprisoned but Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Here he is in prison telling us to rejoice. If Paul can find reason to rejoice in times like this, we can do the same. Godly joy cannot be taken away from us! Life has times of hardship & sorrow, but through anything we can rejoice & be joyful in our Lord!

Invitation: The only way to have true joy is if you know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. You must confess your sins to Him and ask Him to forgive you. If you are sincere, He won't turn you away! Then you will know true joy!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, fill each one reading this with Your joy. Fill them with Your Spirit and hold them close to You. Give them the strength, comfort and encouragement they need for each day. Let them experience Your love in a special way. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen!

Fellowship With God

 

1 John 1:3–4 (NKJV) That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

Intro: Did you know God created you for close fellowship with Him? More than anything else that's what God wants from you and I. He wants to be in intimate fellowship and communion with us. Fellowship - means a friendly relationship; companionship: sharing of interest, feelings. The Father invites us to spend some time Him and enjoy the results.

I. Fellowship with God allows Him to more fully reveal Himself to you. Psalm 119:125 I am Your servant; Give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies. You and I don't know all God wants us to know about Him. The more a servant knows about his master, the more useful and effective he can be. So we need understanding to know the mind of God as it is revealed in His word. If you want to know more about someone you have to spend time with them. You have to talk to them, share your feelings and then listen to what they have to say. There has to be a sharing of mutual interest and feelings. When you spend time with God in bible reading, meditation, and prayer, he will reveal more of His interest and feelings to you. We need to seek more of God's wisdom, knowledge, and understanding thru reading scripture, meditation and prayer.

II. Fellowship with God helps keep your focus on Him. Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus, our example, perfectly finished his race so Christians should keep their eyes focused on him and His word, looking away from other options or distractions. It is upon him that our faith depends from start to finish. In this world in which we live, its easy to lose our focus of God and go astray. Fellow-shipping with God keeps us looking to Jesus and longing to be with Him more and more because He loves and cares for us so and He knows the path of life that is best for us and our families.

III. Fellowship with God helps you overcome sin. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. When you spend time fellow-shipping with God it leads you to recognize, confess and forsake your sin. Sin in your life blocks the sharing of interests and feelings with God. It robs you of the blessings that God intends for you to have. If we are truly committed to changing and we really want to overcome sin, God through His Spirit will spark the right thoughts in our mind if we ask Him to do so. God wants to help us overcome sin, and fellowship with Him helps prepare our mind to respond the way He would have us to.

IV. Fellowship with God brings His power into your life. Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. When you fellowship with God, it means you will have more of His Holy Spirit power working in your life so you will be able to live as God would have you to live. Spending time in fellowship with God and His word allows His Spirit power to work in your life and do exceedingly, abundantly above all you can possibly ask or think.                                                                                                                                        V. Fellowship with God brings joy to your soul. Nehemiah 8:10 Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! There is nothing in this world that will bring you lasting satisfaction and joy of spirit and soul like God. God gives us joy because He is joyful. He is the source of joy, just as He is the source of love, truth, mercy, and grace. Joy is both a description of God and a description of what He gives. Joy means delight and pleasure. As you fellowship with God, it will bring delight and pleasure to your soul. Most people have the wrong view of God. Rejoicing in God as prescribed in his word, and serving him with cheerfulness and thankfulness, will give you and I strength of mind and body which we all greatly need, to perform the duties God requires of us, and to endure and oppose all the cunning and malicious schemes of Satan against you and I.

VI. Fellowship with God helps you hear Him better. Jeremiah 33:3] 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.' There are a lot of things you and I don't know. When we spend time in fellowship with God, communicating with Him in prayer, we are better able to hear His voice and understand what He has for us. God has great and mighty things for you and I but we must spend time praying, seeking His face and listening for His voice in our mind & spirit.

Conclusion: Spending time with God in intimate fellowship, sharing interests and feelings has great rewards. You and I would be wise to heed these words of advice. If we do, our lives will change for the better and it will benefit everyone around us.

Invitation: You can't fellowship with God if you don't have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. You must confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and save you from hell. Invite Him to come into your life to take charge of you. Then spend time in fellowship with God by listening and sharing your interest and feelings with Him.

THE THRONE OF GOD

 

Scripture Text

Psalm 93

 

INTRO; We see, hear and experience many things in this life that are not right. Every day some evil and wrong is before our eyes. We don’t understand how a people can drift so far from the truth of God’s word and way. Question is, how are we to live in this world with all that is going on around us on a daily basis? We can't live relying on anything in this world, but there is one thing for sure that we can rely on, and that is our God reigns from His throne on high. Let’s look at the world from a viewpoint of God’s throne instead of man.

 I. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY. Psalm 93:1 (NKJV)
¹  The LORD reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The LORD is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. We can take comfort in the truth that Jehovah has supreme overall and reigns gloriously from His throne in Heaven. His royal power and authority prevail everywhere over all His creation. There is no earthly or heavenly power greater than God. He clothes Himself with Majesty- [Glory, honor, beauty, splendor, excellence in form and appearance]. He is Very grand, dignified, and exalted above all others. None like Him. He girds Himself with strength just like putting on a belt. His unlimited power can resist any attack, and by that power He can act upon and change things. God has a plan for this world, and He will carry it out, we can be sure of that. He made the world and holds it in place. Jeremiah 10: 12 He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom, And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion. All things are created by Him, for Him and are under His authority.

II. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD’S STABILITY. Psalm 93:2 (NKJV) Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. Nothing down here is ever stable, it's constantly changing, but God's throne is unchanging, firm in the heavens. His throne has no beginning or end. Established from everlasting past to everlasting future. All false gods are man made. All other thrones have a beginning and an end. His throne has always been and will always be. There can never be a period in which he shall cease to exist as God.

III. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD’S STRENGTH. Psalm 93:3-5 (NKJV)
³  The floods have lifted up, O LORD, The floods have lifted up their voice; The floods lift up their waves. ⁴  The LORD on high is mightier Than the noise of many waters, Than the mighty waves of the sea. ⁵  Your testimonies are very sure; Holiness adorns Your house, O LORD, forever. Floods represent the enemies of God's kingdom. People, terrors and uproars rise against Jehovah. There are those who want to do away with God and His Son Jesus. People have always resisted God and His way from the beginning of time. God's word declares that His enemies will rise up against Him, His Son, His people and His throne. War in Israel! His enemies don’t want God reigning over them. Still goes on today! Psalms 2:2-3 ² The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, ³ "Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us." The Lord is amused and angered at those who rise up against Him. Psalms 2:4-5 ⁴ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. ⁵ Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: distress means great pain, anxiety, or sorrow; acute physical and mental suffering. Since Jehovah reigns triumphantly, Jesus will eventually rule over all the kings and people's of the earth because God has decreed it. Psalms 2:6 -9 ⁶ "Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion." ⁷ "I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ⁸ Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. ⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.' " God the Father has given all dominion over the earth to Jesus. No one can change that! God’s unlimited authority and irresistible power is a comfort to all His people. God rules over Satan and all is evil angels. He limits Satan’s power and influence. We can be assured of that fact from the book of Job, chapter 1:12. One day God will cast Satan into the lake of fire to be tormented forever. Revelation 20:10 (NKJV) The devil, who deceived the people, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. No one can change that established truth! The bible says the devil and his angels tremble knowing their final destination.

IV. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD’S WORD. Psalm 93:5 (NKJV) Your testimonies are very sure; Holiness adorns Your house, O LORD, forever. God's throne is established in truth and holiness. The word from God’s throne is very sure because His promises stand true forever. Jesus said in John 17:17 Your word is truth. Psalms 119:89-91 ⁸⁹ Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. ⁹⁰ Your faithfulness endures to all generations; You established the earth, and it abides. ⁹¹ They continue this day according to Your ordinances, For all are Your servants. God tells us how things will end in the book of REVELATION. In view of all these facts, we don't have to worry or rely on things of this world God has it all under His control. Because of this God is deserving of our deep respect, awe, reverence and adoration. Holiness adorns Your house, O Lord forever. God's holiness and divine nature adds beauty, splendor and distinction to our worship. Holiness is the quality that sets the Lord apart from all others.

Conclusion: No one can thwart the purpose of God. He is the Lord God, who reigns and is clothed with majesty. This psalm has praised God's unchanging nature and power, the evidence that He is alive and active, unlike pagan gods. Since He has supreme authority, Colossians 3:1-2, We are seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ²  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. The things above are revealed in God's word. With God in control from His throne we have nothing to worry about and much to be thankful for. God will work out His plan not only for this world, but for your life and mine as we trust in Him, and we can count on that.

INVITATION: God's word says that if you don’t know His Son, you cannot make it to heaven, but instead you are condemned and headed to a place called hell. God has given His Son Jesus Christ to save you from your sins. If you haven't been saved and you would like to be, confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive your sins against God. Invite Jesus into your life to take charge of you. Then you will not be condemned by God and He will allow you into heaven when this life is over. Be baptized to show you are sincere about your faith in Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord.

 

Satan's Tactics

Intro: Just because you are a Christian, doesn't mean that the devil will leave you alone. We who are Christians must fight him everyday. He can't take our souls if we are saved, but he can keep us from living the abundant life Jesus died to give us, and he can keep us from the blessings of God. If you listen to him he will make life miserable for you.

I. First Tactic of the Devil. Genesis 2:15-17 (NKJV)15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. ¹⁶  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." Genesis 3:1-5 (NKJV)¹  Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" ²  And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; ³  but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' " ⁴  Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. ⁵  For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." The devil Cast's doubt on God's word. Did God really say? In these verses the devil's favorite tactic is to question what God said and cast doubts in Eve's mind. Then he out right contradicted the truth of God with a lie. He convinced Eve God was hiding something from her that would be good and exciting for her and make her wise.

A. The Devil's Doubt Will Encourage You to Disobey God's Word. Genesis 3:6-7 (NKJV) ⁶  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. Eve made a choice to listen to Satan instead of God. We all have a choice to make when it comes to God's word. We either totally believe God no matter what the situation looks like or we can listen to the devil and lose the fellowship and blessings that God has for us. Disobedience has consequences.

B. The Result of Disobedience. Disobedience causes spiritual and physical death. Adam and Eve's choice to disobey God resulted in a threefold death 1. It brought about spiritual death; at that instant they were dead in trespasses and sins according to Ephesians 2:1. 2. It brought about physical death of the body, which right then begin to age, decay, and deteriorate. 3. It brought death to their relationship with God. Their sin had separated them from God. Genesis 3:8 (NKJV)And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. They tried to excuse their disobedience by covering themselves with leaves. But their sin caused them to be afraid of God and so they hid from Him. They didn't walk with God anymore. They were banned from the garden. Genesis 3:24 (NKJV) So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life. People today are still trying to excuse their sin and hide from God and are under God's condemnation according to John 3:18 (NKJV) He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

II. Second Tactic of the Devil. Matthew 4:1-11 (NLT) ¹  Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. ²  For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. ³  During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” ⁴  But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ⁵  Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, ⁶  and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” ⁷  Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’” ⁸  Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him the kingdoms of the world and all their glory. ⁹  “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.” ¹⁰  “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.’” ¹¹  Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus. The devil will try to undermine what God has said about you. Jesus had just been baptized by John in the Jordan river. As Jesus came up out of the water God said “Matthew 3:17 "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Then the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. The devil tried to undermine the identity God had just given Him. The devil said twice “If You are the Son of God.” When the devil couldn't undermine what God had said about Jesus, the devil tried to get Jesus to avoid the cross and worship him to gain authority over all the kingdoms of the world. But Jesus did not let Satan undermine His identity or get Him to avoid going to the cross. He clung to the word of God and that is what we must do to be victorious in this battle against Satan. God's word confirms we are His children if we believe in Christ as our Savior. 1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. The devil will also try to discredit God's word to us. Did God really mean that? That sounds to easy. He will cast doubts on your salvation. Are you truly saved? After what you have done can Jesus really forgive you for that? He will tell you that you can get away with sin, no one will ever know. If God loves you why is this happening? Satan doesn't want you and I to know that we have power over him. But Jesus tells us Christians we have authority over all the enemy? Luke 10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. The devil will laugh at your situation and discredit what God has said. That's when we should be like Jesus and cling firmly to what God has said in His word. God's word is true! Faith in God's word will help us overcome the devil's temptations. The devil will always try to undermine what God has said about us and what He has blessed us with. God says We have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV) ³  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. We have been blessed with everything we need for this life and the life to come. [Eph. 2:6] says we have been raised up together with Christ and seated with Him in the heavenly realm. In God's eyes it is already done. Satan will try to convince you that you are hopelessly earth bound. But God counts the Christian as having already died to sin and has been raised with Christ and seated with Him in the heavenly realm. The believer physically lives on earth, but spiritually he has already been placed "in the heaven realm together with Christ."

Conclusion: All God's word to us will be brought to pass. In the intensity of the battle, never let go of what God has said about us and promised us. Every day We should resist the devils attempts to discredit God's word and not let him get a foothold in our lives. God's word assures us in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Romans 8:37

Invitation: Has there been a time in your life when you stopped and confessed your sins to Jesus and asked Him to forgive you for those sins and save your soul from hell? If not you really need to do it now before it's eternally too late! Please for your sake do it now!

Look to and Trust in God

 

Scripture Text

Proverbs 3:5-10

Intro: Solomon instructs us that to have favor and success with God and Man we need to look to and trust in God and His word.  Just as people in haste can reach out to the wrong set of answers looking for their needs to be met, we too, can hastily reach out to answers which are insufficient and outside of God's best for our lives.

1. When You Face Life's Challenges Trust in God. Proverbs 3:5 (NKJV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart And lean not on your own understanding; Heart in Hebrew refers more often to one's intellect (understanding, discernment, and will.) To trust in the Lord wholeheartedly means one should not (lean) or rely on his own understanding. Human insights are never enough. God sees things from His perspective and His ways are not our ways. Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV) ⁸  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. ⁹  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. He is always trustworthy. All the wisdom a person may acquire here on earth can never replace the need for full trust in God's superior ways.

  2.When You Reach for Life's Answers Look to God. Proverbs 3: 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. There are many places a person can turn for life's answers but the place that never fails is God and His wisdom. In (all) your ways, recognize the existence of God, truth of God, and the facts of God. A person who puts His trust in the Lord and His wisdom and has an intimate knowledge and recognition of God in all his ways, finds that God directs or makes his paths straight. This means more than guidance; it means God removes the hindrances and sin, making a smooth path or way of life, bringing one to the correct answer or goal. Direct your paths means God will assist and bless all your endeavors and keep you from the paths of sin and destruction.
 
3. When You Look for Wisdom Turn to God. Proverbs 3:7 (NKJV) Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. People who acquire God's wisdom need to remember that they did not become wise by themselves; wisdom comes from God. A heart awareness of and proper response to God keeps us from evil. The fear of the Lord occurs 11 times in Proverbs. Fearing the Lord, Solomon wrote, is the beginning of knowledge. "Beginning" in the Hebrew means "the start." Fear as used here refers to a deep respect, reverence, and awe for God. It is used to describe the attitude of a person who recognizes God’s power, majesty, and holiness. The “fear of the Lord” is also associated with His wisdom and knowledge. One cannot gain knowledge of spiritual things if he begins at the wrong point, refusing to fear the Lord. To recognize God's character and respond by revering, trusting, worshiping, obeying, and serving Him help prevent the evil of pride and sin.

4. God's wisdom brings healing. Proverbs 3:8 (NKJV) It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones. Seeking and following God's wisdom instead of your own will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. As a result of fearing God and turning from evil, you will have health and vigor. Health in one's bones, mentioned several times in Proverbs suggests that spiritual and physical health are related.

5. Life's Priorities Start with God. Proverbs 3:9-10 (NKJV) ⁹  Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; ¹⁰  So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. In Israel, honoring the Lord with their wealth and the first fruits of all one's crops was a way of expressing gratitude to Him for His provisions. They gave a tithe of all they earned and all their crops. It was a way of acknowledging, honoring and thanking God for His help. In return, God then promised to fill the barns (with grain) and the vats... with new wine. ("Freshly squeezed grape juice"). Honoring God first results in gain and brings prosperity, spiritual and material. (Matt. 6:33) Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these shall be added to you.

Conclusion: We should prioritize God in our lives and be sure that our ways belong to God and His wisdom if we want to be successful in this life.

Invitation: God's wisdom says that to enter His kingdom you admit you are a sinner and confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you. Then invite Him into your life to save you from hell and guide you with His wisdom. Be baptized as a public testimony to your faith in Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord.