Heb 12:1,2
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Run with patience.
A lot of times when we run it's with anything but patience. In races- unless they are long distance marathons and sometimes even then- there is little patience. The need to get to where you're running, to get to the destination in a race is paramount, and race by it's very nature means competing against others racing. In competitions there is a desire to win, to beat others, to IMPATIENTLY rush to get to that end goal.
Run with patience.
What is the race that is set before us?
The Eternal Life Race.
The most important race we'll all ever take part in.
We have to run this race with patience. The race for eternal life IS a competition though and we can't forget it. We aren't competing against each other we are competing against ourselves and our carnal nature. We are racing for our lives, for our eternal lives and there are those who do not want to see us win this race. We can't let ourselves forget that there are many obstacles thrown onto the path of our race and the enemy that doesn't want us to win this race will stop at nothing to get us to drop out, to falter, to fail, to throw in the towel and just stop racing. We are all born into the race but how you run that race is up to you. You can choose to run it in ways that will never get you to the finish line. Not all will have eternal life it's plain and simple, not all will make it to the end to get the prize. Can you imagine being in a race and having someone constantly trying to get you to give up? They try blatantly, they try subtly, they never give up trying to get you to give up, never. Their sole goal in life is to stop you from winning the prize of eternal life. Is it any wonder we HAVE to run this race with patience? How easy it would be to give up quickly if you had no patience.
Webster--
Patience
PATIENCE, n. pa'shens. [L. patientia, from patior, to suffer.]
1. The suffering of afflictions, pain, toil, calamity, provocation or other evil, with a calm, unruffled temper; endurance without murmuring or fretfulness. Patience may spring from constitutional fortitude, from a kind of heroic pride, or from christian submission to the divine will.
2. A calm temper which bears evils without murmuring or discontent.
3. The act or quality of waiting long for justice or expected good without discontent.
4. Perseverance; constancy in labor or exertion.
5. The quality of bearing offenses and injuries without anger or revenge.
*******
Dictionary.com--
–noun
1. the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.
2. an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay: to have patience with a slow learner.
3. quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence: to work with patience.
*******
Those definitions of patience say it all.
Patience-
Suffering of --
Pain
Toil
Calamity
Provocation
Evil
Suffering it all calmly with an unruffled temper.
Enduring without murmuring or fretfulness.
Calm temper.
Bearing evil without discontent.
Waiting long without discontent.
Persevering.
Bearing offenses and injuries without anger or revenge.
Being patient.
Bearing annoyance, misfortune WITHOUT complaint!
Being confronted with delay and not being annoyed!
What is one of the problems of mankind you hear about a lot today? Stress. Stress is being annoyed at all of the above. Stress is all about NOT having patience.
The Bible tells us to run with patience. Basically God is telling us we need to live patiently as we seek eternal life in Jesus Christ our Savior.
We will endure much as we seek eternal life and through it all we have to have patience. Where are we to get this patience that seems almost impossible to have?
' 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.'
Jesus. He is the author and the finisher of our faith.
Like Him, for the joy set before us we have to endure our race and all the horrible things that we will face.
Jesus faced DEATH without any fight!
I have a whole new respect for the saying- led like a lamb to the slaughter. Last night I was watching an old Survivor tv show this one was from South Africa and on the show the contestants were very hungry- they had fruit and fish, but they wanted more. Two of the contestants were walking along the beach and there was a TAME pelican. They walked up to the tame pelican and the man knelt down and put his hand on the pelican's head and pushed it gently to the ground and raised his machete. That POOR tame pelican didn't struggle at all, that tame pelican didn't understand it was about to die, that poor pelican lay there and died. My heart broke for the innocent, unsuspecting, tame, friendly pelican and I cried and cried and still now it breaks my heart as I remember the way it died. Jesus knowingly laid down his life. Jesus KNEW what was coming. Unlike a lamb, unlike that pelican whose trusting nature let them die without any struggle, Jesus knew and fully comprehended that he was going to suffer and he was innocent, undeserving of every bit of that pain. He chose to suffer for us with that full awareness. He laid down His life for us, He didn't struggle as they nailed Him to the cross. They didn't have to force Him to lay down and hold Him there as He fought to be freed. Trusting in God that ALL things would work out for good, He allowed Himself to suffer.
Jesus- truly is the AUTHOR of our faith.
Jesus- truly is the FINISHER of our faith.
We have to live patiently, with faith in our Savior. Jesus spent three years- His ministry- trying to teach us this, trying to teach us patience, faith. Think about it, read about it, there is no mistaking it really. Is there any wonder we are to run the race for eternal life with patience? Jesus is our example, Jesus was very, very patient.
By His grace we will learn to run the race with patience.
As we live, day by day immersed in this spiritual warfare we call life, may we always keep our eye on the prize set before us- eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
In His love.
Amen.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Sin Weight
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Heb 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Are you compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses?
We just read a lot about the faith of the elders- are we witnesses to what they endured? Not first hand witnesses but we through faith believed their testimony, we believe the history of them. Do you believe there are unseen witnesses around us? Spiritual witnesses? Not everyone has family they live with, not every one has friends they associate with. We are living in a world of technology that enables people to live very solitary lives and yet have a social life through the internet. Are people witnessing us through the internet? We aren't sure who is at the other end of an email, or an instant message. We like to think we are sure but all too often people find out everything they thought about someone they call a friend online is all fake. We are witness to their deception though, aren't we? When we find out people we don't physically see are not who they pretend to be, we are witness to the real person's deception and that is still a witness.
Do you think it's true our every action has a witness?
What good does it do to put on a public face only to take it off in private and become something horrible? Without witnesses we are left to be our true selves and yet the question is… do you think it's true our every action has a witness?
Our every action does have a witness. You might not have a cloud of physical witnesses about you, but you are compassed about with a cloud of spiritual witnesses- both evil and good.
Mat 10:26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
Mar 4:22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
Luk 8:17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
Luk 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
Luk 12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
Psa 90:8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Jer 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Mat 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
2Ki 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
2Ki 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
2Ki 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Satan himself knows us. Evil spirits know us. People find it easy to imagine that God knows us, that He knows everything but turn it around and try to get them to understand that Satan and his evil spirits see us just as God's angels can see us, that our lives, our secret actions are NOT hidden from Satan- it's a whole new ballgame.
We have witnesses whether we like it or not. We have physical witnesses and spiritual witnesses. You could hole yourself up in a cave for fifty years alone and still have witnesses. We can't ever believe we are not being witnessed by someone.
We have to live our lives in Christ always, not only when we are about other people.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We have to lay aside every weight.
What sort of weight? Anything that would hold us back and keep us from moving forward, ever forward in Christ. Things weigh us down all the time and I'm not talking physical clothing, or heavy shoes. We could streamline our bodies with the latest in professional swimwear, or bicycle wear, runner's wear and still we could be weighed down heavily by so much in life.
How much weight are we to lay aside? EVERY weight. Do you think we hold on to some of our spiritual weight because we just don't know how to live without it in our lives? Some weight or as people call it- baggage we carry around with us is like a friend to us. We're familiar with it, we just don't know what life would be like without that baggage, it often grows up with us from childhood. We hold on to a lot of unnecessary weight that would keep us down, that would keep us from running our fastest. Every day we wake up with weight on us and unfortunately we often add more weight rather than set it aside. Satan wants us HEAVY, he wants us spiritually weighed down as heavy as he can possibly make us. He will make opportunity after opportunity to increase the weight upon us laying burden after burden upon us as he tries to convince us there is NO way to get rid of the burdens. It works right into Satan's plan to make us feel hopelessly heavy so that we don't even want to run any race, in fact we don't want to walk, and he loves it when we barely want to move in Christ's direction.
Laying aside every weight, that can be a lot of weight and it's something we have to lay aside EVERY day, and as often throughout the day as we can when we realize we're putting on weight rather than keeping it off. There are no spiritually anorexic people, we are to have how much spiritual weight upon us? NONE. We are to lay it ALL aside, every last bit of weight. The spiritual forces we are to have with us are light and how heavy is light? No, I’m not talking lamps or flashlights but the light they produce. How heavy is the light they produce? It's not, light has no weight. Our spiritual armor isn't heavy, it isn't weighty, we aren't encumbered by it because it's all light! Jesus is the light of the world! Jesus sets us free!
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Free in Christ, free from the weight of sin.
Heb 2:14 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;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
ALL their lifetime subject to bondage. If you're being bound you aren't free. If you're being bound you are not weightless. Bonds can be very, very heavy.
We are to set aside the weight that would hold us down. We are to dump all spiritual baggage and run free in Christ!
Salvation!
Righteousness!
Truth!
Gospel of Peace!
Faith!
Spirit of the word of God!
How much does all that weigh? Absolutely nothing!
Sin is heavy, sin is a spiritual weight. Death is heavy, the heaviest of all. Salvation is life, freedom from eternal death.
Take a few moments to think about the things that weigh you down spiritually, things that keep you from running spiritually unencumbered. What things threaten to hide the light of Christ from your life?
Every day we will face these things, threatening things. Satan is every ready with his bags of spiritual weight to toss upon us and keep us down. We need to recognize the spiritual weight and pray for freedom from that weighty spiritual tie of bondage. We know when we over eat we gain weight. We also know that when we choose to eat up spiritual problems that we should be giving to God in prayer, we'll gain spiritual sin weight- because it truly is a sin to trust in ourselves more than trusting in God.
We are warned….
Luk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
CARES OF THIS LIFE- they can weigh us down and keep us from Christ.
It all has to do with faith in GOD's righteousness, faith in God and NOT in ourselves.
By faith!!!
By faith we will run the race, by faith we can and will set aside every weight!
In fact, only through faith is it possible to set aside EVERY weight.
May God help us to lay aside the weight that is upon us, the sin that so easily besets us through faith in Him.
By the grace of our loving Savior, in His mercy, in His righteousness forever and ever!
Amen.
Heb 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Are you compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses?
We just read a lot about the faith of the elders- are we witnesses to what they endured? Not first hand witnesses but we through faith believed their testimony, we believe the history of them. Do you believe there are unseen witnesses around us? Spiritual witnesses? Not everyone has family they live with, not every one has friends they associate with. We are living in a world of technology that enables people to live very solitary lives and yet have a social life through the internet. Are people witnessing us through the internet? We aren't sure who is at the other end of an email, or an instant message. We like to think we are sure but all too often people find out everything they thought about someone they call a friend online is all fake. We are witness to their deception though, aren't we? When we find out people we don't physically see are not who they pretend to be, we are witness to the real person's deception and that is still a witness.
Do you think it's true our every action has a witness?
What good does it do to put on a public face only to take it off in private and become something horrible? Without witnesses we are left to be our true selves and yet the question is… do you think it's true our every action has a witness?
Our every action does have a witness. You might not have a cloud of physical witnesses about you, but you are compassed about with a cloud of spiritual witnesses- both evil and good.
Mat 10:26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
Mar 4:22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
Luk 8:17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
Luk 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
Luk 12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
Psa 90:8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Jer 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Mat 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
2Ki 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
2Ki 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
2Ki 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Job 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Satan himself knows us. Evil spirits know us. People find it easy to imagine that God knows us, that He knows everything but turn it around and try to get them to understand that Satan and his evil spirits see us just as God's angels can see us, that our lives, our secret actions are NOT hidden from Satan- it's a whole new ballgame.
We have witnesses whether we like it or not. We have physical witnesses and spiritual witnesses. You could hole yourself up in a cave for fifty years alone and still have witnesses. We can't ever believe we are not being witnessed by someone.
We have to live our lives in Christ always, not only when we are about other people.
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
We have to lay aside every weight.
What sort of weight? Anything that would hold us back and keep us from moving forward, ever forward in Christ. Things weigh us down all the time and I'm not talking physical clothing, or heavy shoes. We could streamline our bodies with the latest in professional swimwear, or bicycle wear, runner's wear and still we could be weighed down heavily by so much in life.
How much weight are we to lay aside? EVERY weight. Do you think we hold on to some of our spiritual weight because we just don't know how to live without it in our lives? Some weight or as people call it- baggage we carry around with us is like a friend to us. We're familiar with it, we just don't know what life would be like without that baggage, it often grows up with us from childhood. We hold on to a lot of unnecessary weight that would keep us down, that would keep us from running our fastest. Every day we wake up with weight on us and unfortunately we often add more weight rather than set it aside. Satan wants us HEAVY, he wants us spiritually weighed down as heavy as he can possibly make us. He will make opportunity after opportunity to increase the weight upon us laying burden after burden upon us as he tries to convince us there is NO way to get rid of the burdens. It works right into Satan's plan to make us feel hopelessly heavy so that we don't even want to run any race, in fact we don't want to walk, and he loves it when we barely want to move in Christ's direction.
Laying aside every weight, that can be a lot of weight and it's something we have to lay aside EVERY day, and as often throughout the day as we can when we realize we're putting on weight rather than keeping it off. There are no spiritually anorexic people, we are to have how much spiritual weight upon us? NONE. We are to lay it ALL aside, every last bit of weight. The spiritual forces we are to have with us are light and how heavy is light? No, I’m not talking lamps or flashlights but the light they produce. How heavy is the light they produce? It's not, light has no weight. Our spiritual armor isn't heavy, it isn't weighty, we aren't encumbered by it because it's all light! Jesus is the light of the world! Jesus sets us free!
Joh 8:34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Free in Christ, free from the weight of sin.
Heb 2:14 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;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
ALL their lifetime subject to bondage. If you're being bound you aren't free. If you're being bound you are not weightless. Bonds can be very, very heavy.
We are to set aside the weight that would hold us down. We are to dump all spiritual baggage and run free in Christ!
Salvation!
Righteousness!
Truth!
Gospel of Peace!
Faith!
Spirit of the word of God!
How much does all that weigh? Absolutely nothing!
Sin is heavy, sin is a spiritual weight. Death is heavy, the heaviest of all. Salvation is life, freedom from eternal death.
Take a few moments to think about the things that weigh you down spiritually, things that keep you from running spiritually unencumbered. What things threaten to hide the light of Christ from your life?
Every day we will face these things, threatening things. Satan is every ready with his bags of spiritual weight to toss upon us and keep us down. We need to recognize the spiritual weight and pray for freedom from that weighty spiritual tie of bondage. We know when we over eat we gain weight. We also know that when we choose to eat up spiritual problems that we should be giving to God in prayer, we'll gain spiritual sin weight- because it truly is a sin to trust in ourselves more than trusting in God.
We are warned….
Luk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
CARES OF THIS LIFE- they can weigh us down and keep us from Christ.
It all has to do with faith in GOD's righteousness, faith in God and NOT in ourselves.
By faith!!!
By faith we will run the race, by faith we can and will set aside every weight!
In fact, only through faith is it possible to set aside EVERY weight.
May God help us to lay aside the weight that is upon us, the sin that so easily besets us through faith in Him.
By the grace of our loving Savior, in His mercy, in His righteousness forever and ever!
Amen.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Not perfect without us
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Obtained a good report through faith.
Good report...
G3140
martureō
mar-too-reh'-o
From G3144; to be a witness, that is, testify (literally or figuratively): - charge, give [evidence], bear record, have (obtain, of) good (honest) report, be well reported of, testify, give (have) testimony, (be, bear, give, obtain) witness.
Act 10:22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
Fearing God.
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
True, honest, just, pure, lovely - things of good report, virtuous, praiseworthy things- THINK on these things.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
FAITH.
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Receiving not the promise, yet believing the promise,
They without US should not be made perfect.
They- the elders. Who were the elders? Who were those spoken about, who without US should not be made perfect?
Able, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarha, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gedeon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel, the prophets, the apostles, the martyrs.
They are not perfect without us. Amazing! How is it possible? Enoch was translated to heaven, Moses was taken up to heaven after death, the apostles walked, talked- lived with the Son of God and they are NOT perfect without us.
Heaven is would not be complete without all those who love God. The new world must have ALL those who love God and not leave a single person who loves God out. Only when ALL those who will love God are claimed as His by faith will there be a completeness- a whole, complete body, a perfect bride, a perfect people.
It's not easy to imagine the likes of myself making up the perfection found in Christ, receiving the promise. That's a good thing though, really it is, because I can't believe in myself, I must believe in Christ. Christ is the perfection, Christ is the righteousness and I must believe this- that is faith. Not believing in ME, but believing in the Son of God, my Savior. All those before me who believed, all those before me who have placed their faith in God and all those with me now who have faith and all those after me who have faith will make up the perfection of those brought to life everlasting, taking on perfect immortality.
There will be a perfect day.
Pro 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
The promise will be received!
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
When we are all perfected by Christ that will be perfected, then the promise will be received.
Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Make no mistake- there will be the unjust and the just, the filthy and the clean, the unrighteous and the righteous, the unholy and the holy.
People don't want to believe it. They want that Santa Clause God we've talked about before, one that will give good things to the naughty and the nice. Exactly what are parents thinking when they say that Santa doesn't give good gifts to naughty children? The children that are old enough know that they aren't being good and yet they know that regardless of that there will be gifts from Santa, that Santa will ignore their badness, that Santa doesn't ask for anything more than their trying to be good. People want God to be like Santa Clause. They say Santa automatically forgives the badness, and yet the Bible teaches us that we need to ASK for forgiveness, that Christ died to give us unworthy ones forgiveness we can never get on our own. Teaching our children that there is a Santa Clause God who will give us gifts, in fact the greatest gift of all (eternal life) no matter what, as long as we are good or try to be good is a huge mistake. Our goodness will NOT get us the gift of eternal life. And our un-forgiven badness will not be forgiven because we falsely believe Santa Clause God is a big ol' softy. We have an exacting God and the only way to please Him is through His Son. Our having faith in Christ's righteousness, our recognizing our sinfulness, our striving to have quality faith, real faith, our clinging to Christ, our living for Christ- this is what our God desires. God doesn't want a bunch of people that think He's a jolly fellow. God doesn't need people to approve of HIM, to think He's just and good. God IS just and good whether we approve or not. We cannot bend God to our concept of Santa Claus goodness. How disappointed many will be when they wake up too late to realize there is NO Santa Clause god. That the REAL, One and Only True God knows there will be the just and unjust, the good and bad, the holy and unholy, the righteous and unrighteous. That magically all the unjust, the unholy, the unrighteous, and the filthy will NOT be transformed. Read this again….
Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
HE THAT IS … see that?! HE THAT IS….IS….IS!!!!!! What does that word 'IS' mean? It's the state of a person at that moment, right? He that IS unjust will what? REMAIN unjust. He that IS filthy will remain what? FILTHY! He that is righteous will what? REMAIN righteous! He that is holy will what? REMAIN holy. There is NO he that is unjust will become just, he that is filthy will be come clean, he that is unholy will become holy, he that is unrighteous will be righteous- it doesn't EXIST! There will be NO gift of eternal life given to the unjust, the filthy, the unholy, the unrighteous! Make no mistake that day is FAST approaching when those words will be spoken. That perfect day is coming when all that will be perfect in God, perfect in our Savior will be perfect at long last, a perfection only made so for all those from Able to the last human saved by grace. We can be among those made perfect in Christ. We can be among those who obtain a good report THROUGH FAITH! We can be among those who receive the better thing in Him- by His mercy, His grace, His love, His righteousness, His holiness!
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Amen!
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Obtained a good report through faith.
Good report...
G3140
martureō
mar-too-reh'-o
From G3144; to be a witness, that is, testify (literally or figuratively): - charge, give [evidence], bear record, have (obtain, of) good (honest) report, be well reported of, testify, give (have) testimony, (be, bear, give, obtain) witness.
Act 10:22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
Fearing God.
Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
True, honest, just, pure, lovely - things of good report, virtuous, praiseworthy things- THINK on these things.
Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
FAITH.
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Receiving not the promise, yet believing the promise,
They without US should not be made perfect.
They- the elders. Who were the elders? Who were those spoken about, who without US should not be made perfect?
Able, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarha, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gedeon, Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel, the prophets, the apostles, the martyrs.
They are not perfect without us. Amazing! How is it possible? Enoch was translated to heaven, Moses was taken up to heaven after death, the apostles walked, talked- lived with the Son of God and they are NOT perfect without us.
Heaven is would not be complete without all those who love God. The new world must have ALL those who love God and not leave a single person who loves God out. Only when ALL those who will love God are claimed as His by faith will there be a completeness- a whole, complete body, a perfect bride, a perfect people.
It's not easy to imagine the likes of myself making up the perfection found in Christ, receiving the promise. That's a good thing though, really it is, because I can't believe in myself, I must believe in Christ. Christ is the perfection, Christ is the righteousness and I must believe this- that is faith. Not believing in ME, but believing in the Son of God, my Savior. All those before me who believed, all those before me who have placed their faith in God and all those with me now who have faith and all those after me who have faith will make up the perfection of those brought to life everlasting, taking on perfect immortality.
There will be a perfect day.
Pro 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
The promise will be received!
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
When we are all perfected by Christ that will be perfected, then the promise will be received.
Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Make no mistake- there will be the unjust and the just, the filthy and the clean, the unrighteous and the righteous, the unholy and the holy.
People don't want to believe it. They want that Santa Clause God we've talked about before, one that will give good things to the naughty and the nice. Exactly what are parents thinking when they say that Santa doesn't give good gifts to naughty children? The children that are old enough know that they aren't being good and yet they know that regardless of that there will be gifts from Santa, that Santa will ignore their badness, that Santa doesn't ask for anything more than their trying to be good. People want God to be like Santa Clause. They say Santa automatically forgives the badness, and yet the Bible teaches us that we need to ASK for forgiveness, that Christ died to give us unworthy ones forgiveness we can never get on our own. Teaching our children that there is a Santa Clause God who will give us gifts, in fact the greatest gift of all (eternal life) no matter what, as long as we are good or try to be good is a huge mistake. Our goodness will NOT get us the gift of eternal life. And our un-forgiven badness will not be forgiven because we falsely believe Santa Clause God is a big ol' softy. We have an exacting God and the only way to please Him is through His Son. Our having faith in Christ's righteousness, our recognizing our sinfulness, our striving to have quality faith, real faith, our clinging to Christ, our living for Christ- this is what our God desires. God doesn't want a bunch of people that think He's a jolly fellow. God doesn't need people to approve of HIM, to think He's just and good. God IS just and good whether we approve or not. We cannot bend God to our concept of Santa Claus goodness. How disappointed many will be when they wake up too late to realize there is NO Santa Clause god. That the REAL, One and Only True God knows there will be the just and unjust, the good and bad, the holy and unholy, the righteous and unrighteous. That magically all the unjust, the unholy, the unrighteous, and the filthy will NOT be transformed. Read this again….
Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
HE THAT IS … see that?! HE THAT IS….IS….IS!!!!!! What does that word 'IS' mean? It's the state of a person at that moment, right? He that IS unjust will what? REMAIN unjust. He that IS filthy will remain what? FILTHY! He that is righteous will what? REMAIN righteous! He that is holy will what? REMAIN holy. There is NO he that is unjust will become just, he that is filthy will be come clean, he that is unholy will become holy, he that is unrighteous will be righteous- it doesn't EXIST! There will be NO gift of eternal life given to the unjust, the filthy, the unholy, the unrighteous! Make no mistake that day is FAST approaching when those words will be spoken. That perfect day is coming when all that will be perfect in God, perfect in our Savior will be perfect at long last, a perfection only made so for all those from Able to the last human saved by grace. We can be among those made perfect in Christ. We can be among those who obtain a good report THROUGH FAITH! We can be among those who receive the better thing in Him- by His mercy, His grace, His love, His righteousness, His holiness!
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Amen!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
A good report through faith
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Abraham believed that God would keep His promise that through Isaac he would become the father of a nations.
Gen 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Gen 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
Abraham believed God, Abraham had faith in God to do as He said He'd do.
Gen 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
Abraham believed that Isaac would be the one with whom the covenant would be established. Even when called to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead if necessary to keep that promise. Faith.
Heb 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Heb 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
Heb 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
Heb 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Heb 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Heb 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
We have to truly believe that the pleasure of sin are only for a season and choose to endure affliction rather than enjoy sin. This world and it's pleasures are only temporary. We have to make this REAL to ourselves. We have to live with eternity a reality, not just a fable, not just a chance happening, but reality. Eternity, whether or not we inherit it, is real. To those who have a living faith in God that eternity is real, in fact more real than this temporary life because so many have suffered so much to inherit eternity rather than living for now.
Heb 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Heb 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Heb 11:29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
Heb 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 11:34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Heb 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
Heb 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
If you've got the time, reread that entire section.
By faith- fire was quenched.
By faith- escaping the sword was possible.
By faith - the weak were made strong.
By faith- some were tortured rather than forsaking their faith.
By faith- some were mocked cruelly.
By faith- some were scourged- whipped.
By faith- some were imprisoned.
By faith- some were stoned.
By faith- some were torn in two.
By faith- some were destitute, afflicted, tormented.
By faith- some were homeless.
By faith
By faith…
By faith…… So when people believe and suffer is it any surprise? When we believe that our God is a Santa Clause who ends up ignoring all the naughtiness and hands out presents anyway, we aren't believing in God at all. We are told we will SUFFER! Yet when we suffer we are quick to blame God rather than draw closer to Him. We have to believe what God's word tells us- all of the word, not just pick out the pleasant bits and ignore the rest- that is NOT faith.
Having faith when there is NO REASON at all to have faith- is faith.
We don't have to understand, we do have to have faith without understanding why some are called to suffer and others aren't. You might not be called to suffer physically but emotionally, mentally you may be tortured and still you must have faith.
We need to read of the faithful that have lived before us because this can give us hope. Just because our lives are filled with seemingly bad luck and disappointment, it doesn't mean we aren't God's. We can be God's through faith no matter our situation. It's not a testament to our faith to not suffer. God is NOT necessarily smiling down on us because we have happy, happy lives. What happens to faith when it is only strong as things seem to be going great, when God seems to be answering prayers the way we want Him too? Faith that is only strong in good weather so to speak isn't faith at all. Faith needs to be strong during good and bad weather.
Faith in God.
Faith in God's promises.
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead
Strong in faith!
Not written for his sake alone….but for us also.
These things are written for us, we need to study them, to learn them, to believe them.
By the grace and mercy of God we will have faith as strong as Abraham's faith, faith as strong as all those who have ever had faith from the beginning of the world.
In the righteousness of our Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Abraham believed that God would keep His promise that through Isaac he would become the father of a nations.
Gen 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Gen 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
Abraham believed God, Abraham had faith in God to do as He said He'd do.
Gen 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
Abraham believed that Isaac would be the one with whom the covenant would be established. Even when called to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead if necessary to keep that promise. Faith.
Heb 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Heb 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
Heb 11:22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.
Heb 11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
Heb 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Heb 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
We have to truly believe that the pleasure of sin are only for a season and choose to endure affliction rather than enjoy sin. This world and it's pleasures are only temporary. We have to make this REAL to ourselves. We have to live with eternity a reality, not just a fable, not just a chance happening, but reality. Eternity, whether or not we inherit it, is real. To those who have a living faith in God that eternity is real, in fact more real than this temporary life because so many have suffered so much to inherit eternity rather than living for now.
Heb 11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
Heb 11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
Heb 11:29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
Heb 11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.
Heb 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
Heb 11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 11:34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
Heb 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Heb 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
Heb 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
If you've got the time, reread that entire section.
By faith- fire was quenched.
By faith- escaping the sword was possible.
By faith - the weak were made strong.
By faith- some were tortured rather than forsaking their faith.
By faith- some were mocked cruelly.
By faith- some were scourged- whipped.
By faith- some were imprisoned.
By faith- some were stoned.
By faith- some were torn in two.
By faith- some were destitute, afflicted, tormented.
By faith- some were homeless.
By faith
By faith…
By faith…… So when people believe and suffer is it any surprise? When we believe that our God is a Santa Clause who ends up ignoring all the naughtiness and hands out presents anyway, we aren't believing in God at all. We are told we will SUFFER! Yet when we suffer we are quick to blame God rather than draw closer to Him. We have to believe what God's word tells us- all of the word, not just pick out the pleasant bits and ignore the rest- that is NOT faith.
Having faith when there is NO REASON at all to have faith- is faith.
We don't have to understand, we do have to have faith without understanding why some are called to suffer and others aren't. You might not be called to suffer physically but emotionally, mentally you may be tortured and still you must have faith.
We need to read of the faithful that have lived before us because this can give us hope. Just because our lives are filled with seemingly bad luck and disappointment, it doesn't mean we aren't God's. We can be God's through faith no matter our situation. It's not a testament to our faith to not suffer. God is NOT necessarily smiling down on us because we have happy, happy lives. What happens to faith when it is only strong as things seem to be going great, when God seems to be answering prayers the way we want Him too? Faith that is only strong in good weather so to speak isn't faith at all. Faith needs to be strong during good and bad weather.
Faith in God.
Faith in God's promises.
Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead
Strong in faith!
Not written for his sake alone….but for us also.
These things are written for us, we need to study them, to learn them, to believe them.
By the grace and mercy of God we will have faith as strong as Abraham's faith, faith as strong as all those who have ever had faith from the beginning of the world.
In the righteousness of our Savior now and forever!
Amen.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
When we are tried
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son
Yesterday we touched on the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON aspect of this verse but I don't want to leave the rest untouched.
By faith Abraham WHEN he was TRIED.
Some people have this illusion that when God chooses someone to be His that He puts a hedge about them and lets them live in peace and happiness with untold riches. It's not true. I'm not saying everyone that is chosen by God lives in poverty and pain, but there is NO set formula with God's chosen. Yes, some became kings and were rich, others became kings and were poor, some chosen remained God's, others turned their back on God. Once chosen by God does not mean always chosen. Let's liken God's chosen to a marriage between a woman and man for a short analogy- the bride (God's chosen) and the groom (God). If the chosen bride commits adultery that doesn't make them any less chosen that first time, but it does make them worthy of divorce, right? Obviously the chosen is no longer chosen to be God's.
Yes, God has chosen people throughout history- we can read it in God's word. We can learn all about how the various chosen acted and lived out their lives- with God, turning their backs on God, sinning, being forgiven.
The chosen are also tested and tried, sometimes very severely, sometimes throughout their lives. Here in this verse in Hebrews we are told that Abraham was tried and when he was tried he used FAITH to endure his trial.
Lets imagine Abraham's trial for a moment.
For many, many, many years you are promised a son from your beloved wife. Years come and go, your youth comes and goes, you are old in age and past child producing then by the miracle of God and God alone you are able to produce that longed for promised child. You love this child of promise as much if not more than any human has ever loved a child before. You nurture this child because this is the promised child who will go on to make you a father of nations, this heir will produce an heir and so on until the world is filled with your descendents innumerable. Abraham has been promised this son and the future with this son. When we have children we do so with an uncertain promise. We have no clue how long our children will live or if they'll be able to reproduce, we hope, but we don't know. Abraham had it from God that he would receive a promised child and father a nation of heirs. Now having finally received the promised child and watching this child grow, filled with all the hope that at last God's word has come to pass, Abraham is at rest. Right? Think about the relief he must have been experiencing since the birth of Isaac. Finally he could relax knowing that as God promised it was coming to pass. Then… out of the blue, without any warning, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only promised son, Isaac.
Sacrifice HIM! Just imagine it… imagine Abraham's internal emotional turmoil and yet… by FAITH
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son
He offered up Isaac. By faith he did as God asked of him. He was being TRIED. God's chosen was TRIED. We can't believe that we are to go through life trial-less when we choose God. We can't base our relationship with God on the trials we are called to endure or…unfortunately fail at. We can't be called to endure something on the same level of emotional pain as Abraham had to endure, and believe that God has abandoned us. GOD DOESN'T abandon us! WE abandon God. We lose our FAITH. We let our human, carnal minds jump in and reason that God is hateful to put us through trials so severe. We put God on our level as being sinfully cruel. We don't let ourselves understand that God tries us for OUR good. Our faith is tried, and as our faith is tried it is purified and made stronger- just as gold tried in fire. Gold is tried in fire to purify and strengthen it.
Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich…
Gold tried in fire.
Our faith is tried.
If Abraham's faith was tried are we to believe that we won't have our faith tried? We won't know what form our trial or trials will take, they could be horrific. They could mean actually losing a beloved child in an accident, through illness. We just don't know what we are going to be called to endure in this life. We know that horrific things happen all the time and for every victim of horror there is a family having to endure the pain of what their loved one is or has endured. Sometimes watching is more painful to us than anything, wishing we could be the ones undertaking the pain rather than our loved one.
No matter what we are called to endure, no matter the trials that come and there could be more than one, there could be daily trials, hourly trials, minutely trials, no matter what we need to have FAITH that beyond all the trials large and small, numerous and sparse, we have a God that has promised to us eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!
There is eternal life beyond the pain of living, we have to believe in our God who is faithful.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Reading about this particular trial of Abraham's faith, we have to understand that none of us are called to endure less, and we may be called to endure more. We will have our trials we can expect no less.
By God help us, may our faith be sure, may we have the faith of Abraham to endure and believe in God, that God is faithful no matter what we face.
By His grace, by His mercy now and forever!
In His love!
Amen.
Yesterday we touched on the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON aspect of this verse but I don't want to leave the rest untouched.
By faith Abraham WHEN he was TRIED.
Some people have this illusion that when God chooses someone to be His that He puts a hedge about them and lets them live in peace and happiness with untold riches. It's not true. I'm not saying everyone that is chosen by God lives in poverty and pain, but there is NO set formula with God's chosen. Yes, some became kings and were rich, others became kings and were poor, some chosen remained God's, others turned their back on God. Once chosen by God does not mean always chosen. Let's liken God's chosen to a marriage between a woman and man for a short analogy- the bride (God's chosen) and the groom (God). If the chosen bride commits adultery that doesn't make them any less chosen that first time, but it does make them worthy of divorce, right? Obviously the chosen is no longer chosen to be God's.
Yes, God has chosen people throughout history- we can read it in God's word. We can learn all about how the various chosen acted and lived out their lives- with God, turning their backs on God, sinning, being forgiven.
The chosen are also tested and tried, sometimes very severely, sometimes throughout their lives. Here in this verse in Hebrews we are told that Abraham was tried and when he was tried he used FAITH to endure his trial.
Lets imagine Abraham's trial for a moment.
For many, many, many years you are promised a son from your beloved wife. Years come and go, your youth comes and goes, you are old in age and past child producing then by the miracle of God and God alone you are able to produce that longed for promised child. You love this child of promise as much if not more than any human has ever loved a child before. You nurture this child because this is the promised child who will go on to make you a father of nations, this heir will produce an heir and so on until the world is filled with your descendents innumerable. Abraham has been promised this son and the future with this son. When we have children we do so with an uncertain promise. We have no clue how long our children will live or if they'll be able to reproduce, we hope, but we don't know. Abraham had it from God that he would receive a promised child and father a nation of heirs. Now having finally received the promised child and watching this child grow, filled with all the hope that at last God's word has come to pass, Abraham is at rest. Right? Think about the relief he must have been experiencing since the birth of Isaac. Finally he could relax knowing that as God promised it was coming to pass. Then… out of the blue, without any warning, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only promised son, Isaac.
Sacrifice HIM! Just imagine it… imagine Abraham's internal emotional turmoil and yet… by FAITH
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son
He offered up Isaac. By faith he did as God asked of him. He was being TRIED. God's chosen was TRIED. We can't believe that we are to go through life trial-less when we choose God. We can't base our relationship with God on the trials we are called to endure or…unfortunately fail at. We can't be called to endure something on the same level of emotional pain as Abraham had to endure, and believe that God has abandoned us. GOD DOESN'T abandon us! WE abandon God. We lose our FAITH. We let our human, carnal minds jump in and reason that God is hateful to put us through trials so severe. We put God on our level as being sinfully cruel. We don't let ourselves understand that God tries us for OUR good. Our faith is tried, and as our faith is tried it is purified and made stronger- just as gold tried in fire. Gold is tried in fire to purify and strengthen it.
Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Zec 13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich…
Gold tried in fire.
Our faith is tried.
If Abraham's faith was tried are we to believe that we won't have our faith tried? We won't know what form our trial or trials will take, they could be horrific. They could mean actually losing a beloved child in an accident, through illness. We just don't know what we are going to be called to endure in this life. We know that horrific things happen all the time and for every victim of horror there is a family having to endure the pain of what their loved one is or has endured. Sometimes watching is more painful to us than anything, wishing we could be the ones undertaking the pain rather than our loved one.
No matter what we are called to endure, no matter the trials that come and there could be more than one, there could be daily trials, hourly trials, minutely trials, no matter what we need to have FAITH that beyond all the trials large and small, numerous and sparse, we have a God that has promised to us eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever!
There is eternal life beyond the pain of living, we have to believe in our God who is faithful.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Reading about this particular trial of Abraham's faith, we have to understand that none of us are called to endure less, and we may be called to endure more. We will have our trials we can expect no less.
By God help us, may our faith be sure, may we have the faith of Abraham to endure and believe in God, that God is faithful no matter what we face.
By His grace, by His mercy now and forever!
In His love!
Amen.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Isaac- only begotten son
Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son
Only begotten.
Now we know that Isaac wasn't the 'ONLY' begotten by Abraham- right? Remember this--
Gen 16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
And this--
Gen 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
So Abraham had another son, not just one son, not an only begotten and yet… Isaac was an only begotten in this most important way.
Gen 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Gen 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
MY COVENANT IS WITH THEE
I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THEE AND THY SEED AFTER THEE IN THEIR GENERATIONS FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT
Isaac was the ONLY begotten of the covenant, of the promise, Isaac was the promised one, Ishmael was not of the promise.
This says so much to us doesn't it? God makes promises, God is faithful, we however sometime try to subvert those promises. We try to figure out what God wants and in our impatience we tend to try and put substitutes in place of what God really wants. Yes, we are only human and Abraham in his human-ness tried to figure out how God was going to give him the promised heir. Sarah too was only human and she too was trying to figure it all out and in doing so they came up with their own solution- not God's solution. Was their solution acceptable? No. It wasn't a substitute, it wasn't a solution. God had to bring Abraham and Sarah both to a place where it was completely impossible in a human manner to have a child. Abraham was dead that way- remember this--
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb.
His own body now dead- he couldn't perform in a reproductive manner any longer. People sometimes mistakenly believe men can go forever, until the day they die and that's not to say some don't, but it's safe to say a lot do not due to one thing or another - old age and stamina alone. We are told that Abraham's was 'dead' that way, and Sarah's womb was dead as well. It's easier to know when a woman's body is past child bearing of course and hers was long past child bearing age. God wanted them to both be beyond human ability to bear children and when that was established He supernaturally stepped in and made them both fruitful again. What was dead was brought to life, what was impossible was made possible. Abraham in fact went on after Sarah died to father more children. God stepped in. By faith and FAITH alone did Sarah conceive, did Abraham father Isaac.
So saying that Isaac was the ONLY begotten of Abraham, he was the only begotten by the power of God and God alone. He was the ONLY begotten of the covenant promised to Abraham. He was the ONLY begotten of the promised seed that would go on to father the line of God's chosen right up to Jesus.
Mat 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Mat 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
Mat 1:3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
Mat 1:4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
Mat 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
Mat 1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
Mat 1:7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
Mat 1:8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
Mat 1:9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
Mat 1:10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
Mat 1:11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
Mat 1:12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
Mat 1:13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
Mat 1:14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
Mat 1:15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
Mat 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
And in Luke….
Luk 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
Luk 3:24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,
Luk 3:25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,
Luk 3:26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,
Luk 3:27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,
Luk 3:28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,
Luk 3:29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,
Luk 3:30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,
Luk 3:31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,
Luk 3:32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
Luk 3:33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,
Luk 3:34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,
Luk 3:35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,
Luk 3:36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,
Luk 3:37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,
Luk 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
Both Mary and Joseph could show their lineage leading back to David and David back to Abraham.
God's promises are sure and through faith we inherit those promises.
Another ONLY begotten was Jesus--
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior promised of God may we inherit God's promises. By His will, His love now and forever and ever!
Amen.
Only begotten.
Now we know that Isaac wasn't the 'ONLY' begotten by Abraham- right? Remember this--
Gen 16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
And this--
Gen 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
So Abraham had another son, not just one son, not an only begotten and yet… Isaac was an only begotten in this most important way.
Gen 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Gen 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
MY COVENANT IS WITH THEE
I WILL ESTABLISH MY COVENANT BETWEEN ME AND THEE AND THY SEED AFTER THEE IN THEIR GENERATIONS FOR AN EVERLASTING COVENANT
Isaac was the ONLY begotten of the covenant, of the promise, Isaac was the promised one, Ishmael was not of the promise.
This says so much to us doesn't it? God makes promises, God is faithful, we however sometime try to subvert those promises. We try to figure out what God wants and in our impatience we tend to try and put substitutes in place of what God really wants. Yes, we are only human and Abraham in his human-ness tried to figure out how God was going to give him the promised heir. Sarah too was only human and she too was trying to figure it all out and in doing so they came up with their own solution- not God's solution. Was their solution acceptable? No. It wasn't a substitute, it wasn't a solution. God had to bring Abraham and Sarah both to a place where it was completely impossible in a human manner to have a child. Abraham was dead that way- remember this--
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb.
His own body now dead- he couldn't perform in a reproductive manner any longer. People sometimes mistakenly believe men can go forever, until the day they die and that's not to say some don't, but it's safe to say a lot do not due to one thing or another - old age and stamina alone. We are told that Abraham's was 'dead' that way, and Sarah's womb was dead as well. It's easier to know when a woman's body is past child bearing of course and hers was long past child bearing age. God wanted them to both be beyond human ability to bear children and when that was established He supernaturally stepped in and made them both fruitful again. What was dead was brought to life, what was impossible was made possible. Abraham in fact went on after Sarah died to father more children. God stepped in. By faith and FAITH alone did Sarah conceive, did Abraham father Isaac.
So saying that Isaac was the ONLY begotten of Abraham, he was the only begotten by the power of God and God alone. He was the ONLY begotten of the covenant promised to Abraham. He was the ONLY begotten of the promised seed that would go on to father the line of God's chosen right up to Jesus.
Mat 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Mat 1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
Mat 1:3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
Mat 1:4 And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
Mat 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
Mat 1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
Mat 1:7 And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
Mat 1:8 And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
Mat 1:9 And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
Mat 1:10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
Mat 1:11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
Mat 1:12 And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
Mat 1:13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
Mat 1:14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
Mat 1:15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;
Mat 1:16 And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
And in Luke….
Luk 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
Luk 3:24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,
Luk 3:25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,
Luk 3:26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,
Luk 3:27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,
Luk 3:28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,
Luk 3:29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,
Luk 3:30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,
Luk 3:31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,
Luk 3:32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
Luk 3:33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,
Luk 3:34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,
Luk 3:35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,
Luk 3:36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,
Luk 3:37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,
Luk 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
Both Mary and Joseph could show their lineage leading back to David and David back to Abraham.
God's promises are sure and through faith we inherit those promises.
Another ONLY begotten was Jesus--
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Joh 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God
1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior promised of God may we inherit God's promises. By His will, His love now and forever and ever!
Amen.
Monday, November 1, 2010
A Better Country
Heb 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
We read this verse and I don't know about you, but my mind went to this verse-
Gen 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Gen 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Gen 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Gen 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Gen 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
So we have one verse saying this-- Through FAITH Sara received strength to conceive- she judged him faithful who had promised. And then we have another verse saying this-- Sarah laughed. And Sarah questioned God saying-- After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my lord being old also? Sarah also denied saying she laughed- but in truth it does say she laughed WITHIN herself, so she might not have laughed out loud but God know what's inside and He heard the inside laughter of Sarah- He knew she was AMUSED by the idea that being so old and no longer able to physically conceive- that Abraham too was too old for that- read this…
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb.
Abraham's body was now dead. So neither Abraham nor Sarah were physically able to perform this feat of either making or conceiving a child.
Then we have Sarah denying she laughed because she was scared. It's true that she may have silently laughed and God heard but God did NOT count it against her. She was still said to have had FAITH that God was able to perform that which she said.
Just realizing God knew her heart, that God knew that she had laughed inside herself, in her mind, in her private thoughts could have instilled the faith she had, could have made that faith that much stronger. If God could hear her thoughts, surely God could perform anything He said He could do. Sarah believed. The necessary faith, the necessary belief in God was there. Without that faith, Sarah wouldn't have conceived.
*
Heb 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Through faith in God there was a lineage of people born from Abraham and Sarah so numerous they are innumerable.
*
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Able
Enoch
Noah
Abraham
Sarah
These ALL died in faith. They didn't receive the promises. Yes, Abraham and Sarah received the promise of a son, but they didn't see the innumerable descendents from that child.
These ALL died in faith without receiving the promise. They believed in God, they knew they could trust in God to keep his promise. They were PERSUADED of the promises, they EMBRACED the promises and they CONFESSED that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They desire a BETTER country- a HEAVENLY country, a city prepared for them by GOD.
The Heavenly City- the New Jerusalem in Heaven that we talked about yesterday- whose builder and maker is God. This is the city that we all look forward to!
Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
WHEN the Son of man shall come in his glory… then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father- INHERIT the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
The promise will be realized by all the faithful when Jesus comes again and sin is done away with. There are many faithful asleep in Christ waiting to be called to eternal wakefulness, many, many, many that believed, many that had faith and kept that faith throughout their entire lives right into death's sleep.
Remember this verse--
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first
The dead in Christ shall rise first.
The faithful dead will rise!
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
The faithful will rise INCORRUPTIBLE! CHANGED! IMMORTAL! All to inherit the city of God in heaven! All of us bound for the NEW COUNTRY, a BETTER COUNTRY!
ANYONE who believes they will have a wonderful life here on this earth as it is right now filled with sin, anyone who believes this life, this corrupt world that isn't even Jesus' but ruled by Satan, anyone who believes this is the better country doesn't believe in God's word. Seeking to make the best of this world is fine, but believing this world is what God has promised to his faithful as their inheritance would be a big mistake. The patriarchs of the Bible didn't receive the promised new world they died in faith knowing they would one day receive that promise.
We too must have a living faith that will endure until our end or the end of this world at Christ's coming.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior we will have that faith through the love of our LORD!
By grace and mercy through faith we will see that better country!
Amen!
We read this verse and I don't know about you, but my mind went to this verse-
Gen 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Gen 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Gen 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Gen 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Gen 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
So we have one verse saying this-- Through FAITH Sara received strength to conceive- she judged him faithful who had promised. And then we have another verse saying this-- Sarah laughed. And Sarah questioned God saying-- After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure my lord being old also? Sarah also denied saying she laughed- but in truth it does say she laughed WITHIN herself, so she might not have laughed out loud but God know what's inside and He heard the inside laughter of Sarah- He knew she was AMUSED by the idea that being so old and no longer able to physically conceive- that Abraham too was too old for that- read this…
Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb.
Abraham's body was now dead. So neither Abraham nor Sarah were physically able to perform this feat of either making or conceiving a child.
Then we have Sarah denying she laughed because she was scared. It's true that she may have silently laughed and God heard but God did NOT count it against her. She was still said to have had FAITH that God was able to perform that which she said.
Just realizing God knew her heart, that God knew that she had laughed inside herself, in her mind, in her private thoughts could have instilled the faith she had, could have made that faith that much stronger. If God could hear her thoughts, surely God could perform anything He said He could do. Sarah believed. The necessary faith, the necessary belief in God was there. Without that faith, Sarah wouldn't have conceived.
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Heb 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Through faith in God there was a lineage of people born from Abraham and Sarah so numerous they are innumerable.
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Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Able
Enoch
Noah
Abraham
Sarah
These ALL died in faith. They didn't receive the promises. Yes, Abraham and Sarah received the promise of a son, but they didn't see the innumerable descendents from that child.
These ALL died in faith without receiving the promise. They believed in God, they knew they could trust in God to keep his promise. They were PERSUADED of the promises, they EMBRACED the promises and they CONFESSED that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They desire a BETTER country- a HEAVENLY country, a city prepared for them by GOD.
The Heavenly City- the New Jerusalem in Heaven that we talked about yesterday- whose builder and maker is God. This is the city that we all look forward to!
Mat 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
WHEN the Son of man shall come in his glory… then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my Father- INHERIT the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
The promise will be realized by all the faithful when Jesus comes again and sin is done away with. There are many faithful asleep in Christ waiting to be called to eternal wakefulness, many, many, many that believed, many that had faith and kept that faith throughout their entire lives right into death's sleep.
Remember this verse--
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first
The dead in Christ shall rise first.
The faithful dead will rise!
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
The faithful will rise INCORRUPTIBLE! CHANGED! IMMORTAL! All to inherit the city of God in heaven! All of us bound for the NEW COUNTRY, a BETTER COUNTRY!
ANYONE who believes they will have a wonderful life here on this earth as it is right now filled with sin, anyone who believes this life, this corrupt world that isn't even Jesus' but ruled by Satan, anyone who believes this is the better country doesn't believe in God's word. Seeking to make the best of this world is fine, but believing this world is what God has promised to his faithful as their inheritance would be a big mistake. The patriarchs of the Bible didn't receive the promised new world they died in faith knowing they would one day receive that promise.
We too must have a living faith that will endure until our end or the end of this world at Christ's coming.
By the grace and mercy of our Savior we will have that faith through the love of our LORD!
By grace and mercy through faith we will see that better country!
Amen!
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