Worship
Message
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Transcript
I’d like you to open your Bibles along with me to Leviticus chapter 26. And I do have a few announcements I want to make right off though. And there is a sign up sheet out in the foyer actually a couple and one is for the women’s cookie exchange, which is going to be the 19th and Nicki Thomas’s house. And so if you ladies would like to sign up, it’s a great time I understand. And for you guys, this is a great time when the ladies come home because they have cookies that everyone made, it’s just absolutely fantastic. And also, this Monday was the adult dinner night out and it’s going to be at feetoes is the old Rico’s feetoes Rico’s, and it’s on bridge street, and I really encourage you to come. It’s a great time to get to know other people in the church is super time of fellowship, and good Italian food. So anyway, I mean, I encourage you to sign up for that because I have to call in and make reservations. And also next week is our church session. That’s another wonderful time to get to know people in the fellowship. You know, it’s a dish to pass an old fashioned covered this dinner we meet downstairs, it’s awesome.
And also just reminded that will be having a Christmas Eve service at six. It’s an old fashioned one we just, you know, praise God and talk about why he came and sing Christmas him. So we encourage you to come to that as well. And so now, let’s go to the Lord in prayer.
Father, we come before you and Jesus Yu Shu, his name and how thankful we are the through him, and by him and to Him, we are able to sing praises and to receive blessing and to also have assurance of salvation of eternal life. So now, Father, come and Minister your word to each one of us, that it might speak to our heart and soul, that we might be encouraged in all your ways and strengthened in our faith. And Father, I pray that nothing that I share would be of my own words, but would be yours that you give me. Now, Father, come 19 Use me to minister to these your precious people I pray in Jesus name, Amen. And Amen.
You know, it’s amazing to me how lightly many people take the Bible, the Word of God. This is absolutely the most amazing book you’ll ever studied, you’ll ever study. I mean, I went through a number of years of college, studied all kinds of textbooks and courses, nothing equals this. As a matter of fact, if you really want to find truth, you’re going to find it here. And the Scripture tells us if you know the truth, the truth will set you free from what sin and death but not only sin and death in the life to come, but it also sets us free from having to perform like monkeys on a string to this world. We enter this world has very definite ways that it wants us to behave and to do and to not do and, and we’re free in Christ. I mean, all you have to do is just watch the news and you realize the bondage of this world. But in Jesus Christ, we’re free. We have an assurance that is out of this world. It’s absolutely awesome. You know, one of the things I would encourage you to do as well as you study your, you know, scripture on your own as you study the Bible on your own, mark your Bible up. Don’t be afraid to do that. You know, it’s not like, Oh, yeah, I can’t do that. This is a book that has the word of God in it. But the book itself, it’s not holy, but what’s in it, the Word of God is holy and righteous and true, but underlying things and make notes in the side because there’s so many things you can find. When you truly contemplate the Word of God. You know, it’s an it’s a wonderful thing to read the Word of God, but it’s even better when we contemplate it. It’s better when we meditate on his word and really see what he has to say it’s amazing.
For instance, in this portion, God refers to himself in the first person singular pronoun, listen to this. And also, he refers to himself as I mean first person singular pronoun, and it’s always capitalized. No other book has that of its founder, no other because the reason is capitalized, it shows distinction. In other words, it means above or before all. And in these 20 verses we’re going to be looking at God uses this singular personal pronoun have I in me listen to this 31 times. And why would he do that? Because he is Lord. You know, everything else in life is just superfluous. It’s just little things we do, you know, to just kind of get along and to keep going and to keep moving. But he is Lord. He is what life is all about. He’s the reason that we live, for instance, and I love some of these verses. In the Gospel, john chapter one and verse three, if you take notes. That’s another thing you should be doing is taking notes write it right in your Bible. First john, or I’m sorry, the gospel john chapter one, verse three, listen, all things were made through him. And without him, nothing was made that was made. Did you know all things were made through God? Everything.
You know, I was a science major. And probably one of the most ridiculous theories, theories that I ever studied was the theory of evolution. Well, there is nothing, you know, and all of a sudden, something started. Well, you know, it just doesn’t make any sense. I mean, from good to you, by the way the zoo was written by kiss, you want to read that he was one of the scientists in the Apollo 13 mission. And he refuted the theory of evolution in a very beautiful way. It’s called from guru to you, by way to the way of the zoo. And so the thing that we just came is some kind of whatever out of the water and the ball into who we are, number one, where did the water come from? And you understand how absolutely amazing The human body is. I remember way back my undergraduate days when I took anatomy and physiology and you see the wonder of the body, how in the world anyone can think this just just happened. It didn’t. And so that’s why it’s so important for us to realize that all things were made through him. And without him, nothing was made that was made. But you know what that tells you, you’re special. All things were made through him, you, you as an individual, and you are made for his good pleasure. to him. It’s an amazing promise. And then in in Romans chapter 11, and verse 36, it says, For of him, and through him, and to him are all things and how many is included in all, all things? The hope the glory forever, amen. by the way that’s taken from the Hebrew I mean, and it means and let it be or so be it. So in God says, amen. That’s it. It is. There’s no question about it at all. And then in First Timothy chapter one, verse 17, now to the king eternal, I love it, King eternal, are all things. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. I’m sorry. Now to the king eternal, immortal, invisible to God who alone is wise, be honoring glory forever and ever. Amen. And Amen. He deserves all honor and glory, all of it belongs to him.
Now, consider the name of Jesus itself. Now we use this very end but cognized name Jesus, actually, Joshua, and if you really taking it back to the Hebrew is Yeshua. And in the Hebrew when they refer to the Messiah is Yeshua HaMashiach. And understand Yeshua, what it actually means is one who delivers your saves. And from a shift means the not just a the anointed one. And we also know from Scripture, in fact, it tells us in the Gospel of Matthew, but we also know from Scripture, that to fulfill prophecy prophecy, he would also be called Emmanuelle, which means we just saying it, God with us. So, when you think of his actual name, Yeshua HaMashiach, Emmanuel, what it literally means if you’re translating, it means the Anointed One, the deliver would come from God. And he did.
Jesus Christ came from God to this world for no other reason. than love. And love is a wonderful word. But it’s so much more relevant when it’s personal. So when we say he came to this world because of love, it was his love for you, personally, individually. Scripture says he knows you by name. He knows every hair in your head. And for me dimensions, so he’s, yes be doing a lot of math. But anyway, you understand the point that I’m making. And also, there are five times in this portion. That’s why it’s good to underline in this portion, if it’s us, indicating there’s a choice on our part, along with his consequences, there are five times this portion if is used, and if always indicates there’s a choice. In other words, if you this is going to be the consequence of it. And one of the times if is us, is for a promise from God very positive promise from God. But that Promise is all inclusive and includes everything. But then there are four times if is used in these 20 verses that is talking about the consequences, disobedience. And we’re going to find that even the consequence of disobedience is God’s will. I’m going to find that out as we continue. So, if you want to open your Bible with me in Leviticus 26, starting with first one, you shall not make and notice as I’m going through this, the number of times did he uses capital I, or capital me? You know the first person personal pronoun, notice how many times he uses it in these 20 verses, and also the five times f has mentioned. You should not make guidance for yourself neither a carve damage nor sacred pillar, shall you rear up for yourselves, nor show you set up an engraved stone in your land, to bow down to it. For I am the Lord your God. You should usually Keep my Sabbath and reverence my sanctuary, I am the Lord. Now listen, if you walk in my statutes and keep my commandments and perform them, then I will give you rain in season. And the land showed you his produce and trees of the fields showed yields the fruit, their fruit. Your thrashings shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage alas to the time of sowing. And you shall eat your bread bread to the fool and dwell in your land safely. I will give you peace in the land, and you shall lie down and none shall make you afraid. I will read the land of evil beast and the sword will not go through the land through your land. You will chase your enemies and they shall fall by the sword before you five of you showcase 100 and hundred of you show put 10,000 to fly Your enemy shall fall by the sword before you for I will look on you favorably and make you faithful, multiply you and confirm my covenant with you. You shall eat the old harvest and clear out the old because of the new, I will set my tabernacle among you and my soul shall not have for you. I will walk among you and be your God and you shall be my people. I am the Lord your God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. I have broken the bands of the yoke of your yoke and made you walk upright. But listen to this, but if you do not obey me, and do not observe all these commandments, and if you despise my statutes, or if you should pour my judgments, so that you do not perform all my commandments and break my cup Then I also will do this to you, I will even appoint care over you wasting disease and fever, which will consume the eyes and cost sorrow of heart and you show so your seed in vain, and your enemies shall eat it. I will set my face against you. You shall be defeated by your enemies, those who hate you shall reign over you and you shall flee when no one pursues you. And, and after all this, if you do not obey me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will break the pride of your power. I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze What that means is the earth is going to produce nothing in your prayers going up to heaven will produce nothing and your strength shall be spent in vain.
For your land shall not yield as produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield its fruit. Wow, pretty amazing portion of Scripture and so much is in there. In verses one through two it actually sums up the 10 commandments. That’s absolutely sums all from up and those concerning those directed by God, to God and also to our fellow man. You see the 10 commandments are broken down into two groups. I don’t know if you knew this. The first four are commands towards God’s things that were to do to worship and to praise and serve Him. And the next six are commandments towards our fellow man. And if you want to take notes you can write down Exodus chapter 20, verses three through 18. Nice. commandment number one, you shall have no other gods. commandment number two, you shall not make idols. commandment number number three, you should not misuse the name of the Lord your God. commandment number four, Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. These are the four commandments that God has given us that were to apply towards him and worshiping Him. Now, these are the commandments towards our fellow man. And, number five, the fifth commandment, Honor your father and your mother’s sixth commandment, you shall not murder so in the commandment, commandment You shall not commit adultery, a commandment shall not steal, ninth commandment You shall not lie 10th commandment, you shall not covet. So, God is calling us to obedience, and we have to understand that obedience isn’t a negative thing. It’s a very positive thing. If you’re obedient to the Lord, the blessings you receive are far beyond anything that is Colonel and and visible. That is a blessing that is in here. You know, we think of other believers all over the world, and how they suffer for the Lord. But did you ever think of the faith that God must have given them the faith they have? I mean, you have in Islamic countries where Christians are getting down in their knees In lower in their head, they have their head lopped off. You have Christians in China and other parts of the world like that that are thrown in prison and even put to death for their faith. That Have you ever thought of this safety must have? Faith, they must have to kneel down and just be praising God. Because how easy would it be to say I recant? No, I don’t believe that anymore. But they had faith.
Have you ever wondered what you would do in that situation? Would they do it? And it’s not because of their own power is because of the faith and the power that they have from an inner God. That’s the promise. Now, in Matthew 22, I’d like you to turn to it. Matthew 22 and go to verse 34. Matthew 22, go to verse 34. Okay, Matthew 22:34. Now you can tell I was a teacher I say this all time, but when when I was taking educational classes 10 years ago know, maybe 50. Some years ago, when I was taking educational classes, one of the things they always told us when you stand up in front of a classroom, and you’re giving directions to the students, you have to give directions three times, because the first time you give a direction the students are saying, huh, and the second time they’re said, okay, and they’re getting their books out, and the third time they get it. So that’s why I always say three times, just so you know. Okay, Matthew 22, starting with verse 34. But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the sad disease. Now, it’s interesting in case you didn’t know the Pharisees were very religious. They were the ones who tried to keep every bit of the law where the Sagittarius were more esoteric. in their face, and they just kind of believe it was just a general idea and belief. The Pharisees believed in heaven. The Sagittarius didn’t believe there is a heaven, but they were both considered equal religious groups in Israel. In fact, this hand hatred was made up of Pharisees and Sagittarius. So when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the sad disease, they gather together then one of them a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him talking to Jesus and saying, teacher, which used to great notice that singular, he’s not asking him about both parts of the tank, man, only one. And he says, What is the great commandment in the law? And Jesus said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with August. So with all your mind, and this is the first and the great commandment. So he’s answering those questions concerning man’s relationship to God, but listen to what Jesus goes on to say and the second didn’t ask about this part. And the second is like it are just as important. You shall love your neighbor as yourself on these two commandments, hence all the law and the prophets. See they only wanted to look at at the commandments towards God was all about their show how they worship God and their phylacteries, and their robes and their prayer shawls and all this kind of stuff, oh, look at how we worship God. But they didn’t have any concerns to their fellow man. And so that’s why Jesus turned around and said that the second is like it. And he’s talking about the fact that we’re supposed to have a love for others, love your neighbor as yourself, and needs to hinge on the line of profits. I love in Ecclesiastes, these. Remember Solomon at the end of his life, and he’s just going through his life and he’s remembering all that he has had and accomplish. And he’s going it’s all in vain. It’s all in vain. It doesn’t mean anything. But then This is his conclusion. in Ecclesiastes, he’s 12, verse 13, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. This is the conclusion of the whole matter, fear God and keep His commandments, plural, all 10 of the commandments, for this is man’s all.
So here you have the richest man that ever lived. He had, you know, all kinds of wives and concubines he had combined over 1000 you know, women, and he had all the riches in the world. He was the wealthiest man in the world. God had given him superior wisdom, the people came from all over, including including the Queen of Sheba, we read about to hear his wisdom and all marble and his wisdom. He had all of this earthly treasure. And at the end of his life, he’s saying, you know what, the only thing that matters is the fact that we are to fear God and keep his country Man has for this is man’s all. Wow. And an education for us. All this stuff means nothing compared to fearing God and obeying His commandments. Now the Lord made it clear that obedience was essential for them to prosper. We just read it. Right? You have the one yes. And it’s talking about obedience and all these wonderful things God would do, which was most of the portion that I just covered. But then there are four is if you don’t obey, but we have to understand that God was revealing that to the fact that man needs to be obedient to Him.
Now, it’s interesting that the first command the Lord gave in the 10 commands to the people was this. And he says, to make no idols before me to make no idols, Now, it’s interesting, the Hebrew word for idle here this out. And what it literally means is nothing. Hello means nothing. That’s the Hebrew word for idle, it means nothing or worthless. In other words, what God is saying is these idols that you might make are nothing. They’re worthless, they’re meaningless. And that’s what the Lord was saying. Now, it’s interesting, in fact, to turn to Mark chapter 10. See, the point is only one thing matters. all this other stuff, they’re just idols is nothing. Only one thing matters, and that’s our relationship with the Lord. So Mark chapter 10, and go to verse 17. This is one of the most intriguing portions of Scripture, and it’s also one of the status to me as I read it. Matthew 10 starting with verse 17. Now, as he was going out onto the road, that’s Jesus walking, one came running, knelt before him and asked him, good teacher, what shall I do that I may, that I may inherit eternal life? So Jesus said to him, Why do you call me good? No one is good, but one that is God. In other words, Jesus is saying, you have to understand your confession that I’m God is right. I am God in the flesh, Emmanuel, God with us. First 19 you know the commandments, do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother. And he answered and he said to him, teacher, all these I have kept from my youth, then Jesus looking at him Interesting, loved him. He loved him, he loved his effort. He loved him and said to him, listen to this, one thing you lack. Go your way. Sell whatever you have, and give to the poor. And you will have treasures in heaven and come take up. He doesn’t say take up here. He says, take up the cross, he was inviting this young man to be one of his disciples and take up the cross and follow me that he was sad, the young man at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Wow. Here’s this young man who’s putting forth all the visible, you know, tangible efforts of being a good Christian. And here’s Jesus. Here’s God with us. the very reason that he supposedly worships and serves God God is saying to him, I love you. You’re awesome. You’ve done all these things. But there’s one thing you lack. There’s an idol in your life. You’ve broken the first commandment, which is Noah fine. Everything else you’ve said, unless you change. He says, go sell everything you have. Give it to the poor, and come follow me. You see, this young man had an idol in his life. It was his possessions, his possessions. And that’s a question we need to ask ourselves, what is there that we have that we put before God? You know, the thing that all of us needs to need to understand is the fact that anything can become an idol in our life. Anything that really has has comes before God. You know, it could be your recreation could be so It could even be your work. But anything that you’re putting before God can become an idol in your life. Now, I’m not saying that you can’t enjoy these things. He’s given us how many things for a good pleasure. It’s given us all things for a good pleasure. You can enjoy your recreation, you can enjoy your sports, you can enjoy doing your work. It’s a wonderful thing. When you have a job you love. I’m one of those blessed people. I love my job. But understand, Jesus has to come first. Even as a pastor, it’s sometimes I can get myself so wrapped up in my work. And in my study, that I don’t have time for Jesus. I can put hours of work in and preparing a message. But how much time do I put in being with the Lord personally myself, studying his word and prayer and being in fellowship with him? You know, God’s always there. He’s always there. We have a old him that we sing about that God’s always there. And yet we’re so busy. And so many times when when we finally do cry out to God, so helping Jesus, and there’s nothing wrong with that he will because he always hears, and he always lives to make intercession for us. But the reality is, we need to have some time alone with God. Not just church, not just when when we’re in a Bible study, or not just when we’re doing our prayers with our spouse or our family at night, but we need to just have time with God to just meditate on his word, to consider all that he has done for each one of us. Do you understand that you’re saved as a believer?
Remember, Yeshua, saved, delivered? You know you’re saved from sin and death. How many of you deserve to go to help every one of you I’m not going to wait for an answer. I didn’t want anyone to live. Every one of us deserves to go to hell, every one of us why Scripture says so how many have sinned for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But there’s a free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. What a wonderful thing it is to know that every sin I’ve committed, and here’s the thing, you have the Apostle Paul, and he wrote one third of the New Testament, his conversion was glorious. His work was unbelievable. And yet he considered himself to chief of sinners. And that wasn’t just some false pride that he was throwing out there. He really considered himself the chief of sinners. But I think I run a close second. And therefore, it’s God’s grace and mercy. That brings salvation to me and to everyone who calls upon his name. Because if you don’t have Jesus Guys, because if you don’t have Jesus, you don’t have anything. You don’t have anything. It’s only in Jesus that you have eternal life. It’s amazing promise that God has given us now.
His his promises are so awesome if we simply obey. for Israel, the land was the primary evidence of the blessing that God had given them. But for you and I, it’s the fruit of the Holy Spirit, in Galatians, 522 through 26, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control, against such there is no law. And those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with his passions and desires. If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. That’s our position. mean just the joy of the Holy Spirit. I mean, if you haven’t had a time You’re just sitting down in your living room or wherever you’re comfortable spaces and you’re just sitting in your chair and you just kind of go because you just feel so good, not because of anything you’ve had, not because of anything that’s going on around you, because you belong to Jesus, and you just feel so good. I’m his no matter what, no matter what else is going on around me. Now, the promises of his blessings that we just read about were victory over their enemies. Well, we have enemies, life and life situations, our own emotions aren’t a enemies, anger, aggression, you know, feeling sorry for ourselves and all kinds of things that we deal with. But we have to understand that the issues of life have pale in comparison to the promises of God. And we fight our enemies not the way the world fights its enemies, but we fight in the spirit and Ephesians chapter six verses 12 through 18, if you take note, for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this age against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places, therefore, and whenever you see therefore it’s going to tell you what’s Why is therefore, therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand the evil day you notice it says the whole armor and not just part of it. And having done all to stand, stand if you’ve done everything you can to stand stand, stand firm, then do it. Having good at your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one, and he has a lot of darts he’s going to throw at you and take the helmet of salvation. The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, you need to know the word, praying, always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, being watchful to this hand, with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. We need to be praying for each other brothers and sisters. Now, God set promises that they were to walk by, if they loved him if they obey Him. And God also promised if he recalls, we read this portion that he would walk among them. Did you know God has given that us that promised that he would walk among us, he walks among us now by His Spirit. We since we know his spirits here right now, he walks among us by His Spirit, but one day, he will literally be with us in Revelation, chapter 21. Now you’ve had the tribulation period, you had the whole millennial kingdom. You had Satan period being released for a short time, and he’s taking He’s destroyed and he’s thrown into the lake of fire, and then just creation of a new heaven and new earth. And here’s what we read in Revelation 21, verses three and four. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them, they will be his people and God himself will be with him and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. I can’t wait for that. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order things have passed away. That’s the promise we have brothers and sisters. That’s a real promise. That’s not just some, you know, fairy tale.
One day God is going to create a whole new heaven and earth and we who belong to him are going to dwell with him literally dwell with him, and no more tears, no more sorrow. You think of all the pain and discouragement that we’ve had in life, all the tears were shed over loss and heartache, no more. It’s just going to be pure joy at that time, being in his presence for all eternity. Now, the Lord promises as we mentioned, great blessing for obedience. But he also promised strong discipline, or punishment for discipline, disobedience. And understand this, that even God’s strong discipline is because He loves us for no other reason is because He loves us. You know? Just like with our own children, when we’re correcting them, it’s kind of light at first. Don’t do that. They’re really I you really shouldn’t be doing it. If you do that again. Okay. Yeah.
So, that’s how God is with us. He starts off by saying you shouldn’t be doing it. And brothers and sisters destorm we should say, Okay. Because just like with our own children, because God disciplines those that he loves, right? Just like with our own children, if we continue to disobey and continue to turn our back on what God’s will is for our life and his calling and what he purposes for us to do, his discipline in his hand is going to become stronger and stronger. In fact, you want to write down Hebrews chapter 12, verses five through six, it talks about we’re children of God, and the very reason he disciplines us is because of love. And it goes on in that portion, and it tells us discipline never feels good at the moment. Isn’t that true? I mean, when I was a kid, and probably my parents would be charged with child abuse and social services would take us away if it was if it was today. But anyway, my mother was the disciplinary and Our family, Can you believe that? And she, most of you don’t remember that back in the old days, women always wore a prince. They always wear aprons. They had house dresses and aprons and those tie strings It was around here. My mother had a razor strap. You want to raise your strap is most of you don’t even know you poking on a hook. You take your straight razor. You go to a barber sometimes they still haven’t had that razor strap there. And I’ll tell you why. You talk about wider being fast, man. I mean, she was like and but why is my mother discipline me? She loves me. And she really did love me. I mean, I can think of times when I was sick and in be at home and she’d sit and play games with me and cards with me. She loved me. But why does she discipline me so that I wouldn’t be a jerk? I mean, partly work but the point I’m trying to get at decision is always out of love. Because you want the person to do what’s right that you love. And parents, those of you who who have young children, discipline should never be in anger. If you’re angry, don’t discipline, start time. Go before the Lord if you need to. You always discipline in love, wanting to correct a child to do what’s right in First Corinthians five, five, and also in First Timothy 1:10 1:20. I’m going to read these these are basically the last verses I’m going to read. They seem very unusual and harsh. But just notice why the Lord did it. In First Corinthians chapter five, verse five, and it says, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved. On the day of the Lord. Wow.
And then in First Timothy 120 among them are homogeneous, and Alexander,whom I have handed over to Satan, to be taught not to blaspheme. So in other words,God was saying, Hey, you guys are going to have the ultimate of discipline right now. But the reason I’m allowing this is so that you’ll see who I am, so that you’ll understand I’m the only one who can give you salvation and peace. Because notice what he says that their that their nature may be destroyed, but their soul is saved. And so we have to realize, that’s how God works. I mean, he desires for us to learn when he goes, don’t do that. He doesn’t want us to get to the place where he has to give the ultimate of discipline.
I remember, remember years ago, and before I was even in the ministry so long time ago, and I was part of what was called the gold key ministry. And the gold key ministry was a Christian ministry that would go into prisons, and do Bible studies, one on one with inmates. And I was part of the golden key ministries, Elmira Correctional Facility, which was a maximum security prison. And this one young man that I was assigned to do a Bible study with, was a young guy who, who killed someone with his bare hands, beat him to death. And doing this Bible study with him, and he really was responding to it. And he told me, he said, I know now that I’ve committed my life to Christ, what I’ve done wrong, but I deserve to be here for what I did. In other words, he hasn’t stood the consequences of his sin. This show was saved. Just there’s someone being thrown into the dungeon, but their souls saved. What’s the most important thing?
So God’s love is so gracious towards us that even if he has to perform this kind of harsh discipline on us, it’s because He loves us. You know, how many times have you heard of people that their bodies are racked with disease or whatever it might be? And it’s through that they come to know the Lord. Some of you might know who Johnny Erickson Tada is, and if you want to read a good book is called Johnny is the name of it Joe and I, and we just haven’t library and fact pastor Frank Jr. When he was little, he was in love with Johnny. But uh, she was a young woman. She was 16 or 17. I can’t remember what age she was a an Olympian. She was going to be in the Olympics, equestrian riding horses. She was just unbelievable athlete and Her parents had a cottage in the Chesapeake Bay, and they had a little dock out there. And she went out in the dock and Dove off of it and hit her head. And she was paralyzed from the shoulders down for the rest of her life. And it was through that if you read the book, you find out when she was in the hospital, and just the horrible things they have to go through when they have that kind of disability, when she was in the hospital, how this other young woman that was in there, you know, going through the therapy as well led her to the Lord and she got saved. But anyway, years later, she was in a restaurant someplace. And she was talking to a young Marine who just came home from Vietnam, and had a hook on his hand because he had his hand blown off over there. And the the show she’s witnessing to the marine and the Marines and look what happened to me, how could God do this and that and this thing, and it goes, we’ll get you here you’re sitting in a wheelchair and tell me about God and she said to him, Rather be sitting in this wheelchair knowing God and to be on both feet and not knowing him. Would you rather be in a wheelchair knowing God or in both feet, not knowing him. He always wants to bless our lives with good things. But he cannot bless disobedience. Not talking about works, not talking about doing things just for people to see or to show god how good you are. I’m talking about simply obeying His words is simply loving him. It’s our choice. And to me the choice is so simple.
Well, you know, I cannot know God and try to make the best of this life, which, at best is probably going to be you know, maybe 80 years or something like that and then dying go to hell for I can commit my life to Jesus Christ and be born again. And no matter what age I die, I’m going to be with him in heaven, to be absent from the bodies and be present with the Lord. And I’m going to stand before him. And he’s going to say, well done good and faithful servant, enter into your masters rest. Wow.
What a promise we have. Do you understand that as a believer, you will never lose for a nanosecond. Not even for a nanosecond conscious awareness of who you are in Christ. You’re dead, your eyes open in glory. There’s never even a not even a nanosecond, where there’s what’s going on an instant. So as believers, we don’t have to fear death. Where Oh, death is your victory, where death is your staying. the sting of death is thin the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God through Christ. Jesus who gives us the victory? Wow.
That isn’t my promise. It’s the promise God has given to anyone who calls upon his name. Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. And brothers and sisters, before I close, let me ask you this.
If Have you committed your life to Jesus Christ?
If you haven’t committed your life to Jesus Christ, today’s a day of your salvation. It’s not hard. You don’t have to come forward, kneel down or laying the platform or anything like that. You can just stay right where you are. And all you have to do is say, God, forgive me a sinner. I commit my life to Jesus.
That’s it.
And a miracle takes place where your soul has been redeemed and you’re going to heaven. And those of you that are saved already, but you realize that Man, some things need to change. Today’s day. It’s not magic. You know, you don’t have to go through any kind of a particular program. All you have to do is say, Jesus, I’m sorry. I confess, I have been so laksa days ago, in my relationship with you. I’ve been so careless in times of intimacy that I should be having with you. Forgive me, Lord, and bring me into your full rest. And he will. You know why? Because God is love. That’s his very nature of God as unconditional love. God is love. And he loves you. He loves each one of you personally, and individually, and he wants to give you Every good gift from heaven.
Father, thank you so much for your word, because your Word is true. And I pray Father, that the things that we have studied this morning, the encouragement that we find in your word would truly transformed into our lives, that we would be your witnesses everywhere that we go, that we would take time to be with you to be alone with you, and to worship you and to praise you and to study your word to us, Lord. And I thank you, Father, for the presence of your Holy Spirit this morning for each one who’s here. And I pray that you would bless them with every good blessing from above. And I pray and ask this in Christ Jesus Holy Name, and all of God’s people said, Amen and so be it. Amen.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai