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Exposition: Joshua 24

Exposition: Joshua 24

1And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

Joshua gathered all the people of the Lord together so that they could present themselves to the Lord and he could speak to them, so that everyone could hear first-hand what he had to tell them. What he was going to say would be extremely important for their survival and he did not want it misunderstood. We all know how things can get misinterpreted through the grape vine.

2And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods. 3And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. 4And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

At the time that God called Abraham, the whole world was in apostasy from God. This is after God broke the language of the people and scattered them all about the face of the earth. But there was one man who the Lord heard. Abraham wanted to know the one true God, to God searched his heart and found him to be genuine. He called Abraham out of a land of idolatry to be separated unto Himself, so He could teach Abraham and eventually call a nation out of him that the messiah would come through. Much like when we are saved the Lord calls us out of the bondage of sin and to be sanctified to Him, so that we may learn of His grace and mercy.

5I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. 6And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. 7And when they cried unto the Lord, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.

Joshua reminds the Israelis how God has always cared for them, even when they were in Egypt and how he used the bondage to make them grow strong and then delivered them in due time. Even when Israel disobeyed God, he did not abandon them, He instead provided their daily needs, reassured them, and guided them back to a place where they were willing to hear Him again, and obey. They learned from their mistakes through Gods loving kindness and chastisement.

8And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. 9Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: 10But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.

God reminds the children of Israel that he continued to care for them and delivered them from all of their enemies, and out of every circumstance.

11And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. 12And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. 13And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and olive yards which ye planted not do ye eat. 14Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

Of major importance is that now that they occupied then land, they did not rid the land of all of its previous occupants as the Lord had demanded. This meant that they were surrounded and even had in their midst people who followed false gods. Joshua instructed them that they needed to settle in their hearts to serve only the One True God of their ancestors, who had delivered them through all the events that he previously mentioned. They were not to forget what God had done for them, and neither should we. We cannot forget what Jesus has done for us, the bondages of sin and addictions that He delivered us from.

15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Joshua again let them know, that they were free to choose whether they were going to continue to serve the Lord God, or if they wanted they could choose to serve another god. God is not going to force Himself on us, we all have a choice. Joshua does show the importance of making a choice and staying with it. He leads by example and declares that He and his family will serve the Lord. We as parents and community leaders and employers and peers to others should lead by example. Showing boldly that we choose to serve the Lord, not out of fear, but out of remembrance of what He has done for us.

16And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;

The people following Joshua’s example choose wisely to serve the One True God.

17For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: 18And the Lord drove out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God.

The children of Israel gave God recognition for the wondrous things He had done for them, how He had always had his hand in their lives. Many times we do not give God the recognition of the praise for what He has done for us. Giving praise and recognition to God not only honors God, but it strengthens our faith, it reassures us of His presence in our lives, it reminds us that He is in charge and that He is not slacking of His promises to us.

19And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the Lord: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. 20If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

We often forget that God is not only a God of love and mercy, but that He is a just God and a God of judgment.

21And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord. 22And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the Lord, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. 23Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel. 24And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. 25So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 26And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord.

These events and the choices of the people of Israel were recorded as a reminder and a testimony against them and to all the other nations

27And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. 28So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance. 29And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old. 30And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath–serah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. 31And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel.

This shows the importance of the godly influence Joshua’s leadership had on the nation. Strong godly leadership is a blessing to a nation. We as Christians should be involved in our local, state, and federal governments at all levels. Separation of church and state is not a biblical principle. The governments of man are constructed by the will of God and are meant as a means to help us in our daily lives to have the freedom to serve God as God sees fit.

32And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.

This serves as a reminder of Josephs faith in God, and that he understood that God would continue to have His hand on his descendants and that God would honor His covenant.

33And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

Come and Hear

Psalm 66:16-17

Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue. (ESV)

The psalmist said we should share, with the saints, all that the Lord has done for our soul, and how He has answered our heartfelt prayers. We should share what God has done in our hearts, in our way of life, in how we see life, and how we live life. He is not talking about our material possessions. We cannot take material things with us into the next world. No, he means what has God done for you inside? Not as a measure of godliness on our own part, but rather to show the faithfulness of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” Sharing what the Lord has done for us has great positive reinforcements in our spiritual walk. Sharing what the Lord has done, brings remembrance of what we have been through. We have been delivered from death, and bondage. Do you remember what life was like before you came to life in Jesus? Do you remember the uncertainty in life? Were you inhibited by fear, depression, or feelings of quilt and fear? What sins beset you? How were you tied up with the superficial? How selfish were you?

Now the security of the sure foundation in Jesus Christ brings peace and joy that no matter what happens in life, God (Jesus) is in control. Knowing that the Lord chose from the foundation of the world to provide a way for you to be with Him. Knowing that you don’t need to be good enough to earn you way to please Him. Your salvation was bought by the blood of the Lamb of God. These are the things we should share. No one really cares if you got a new car. No what did God really DO for you? How did Jesus change YOUR life?

The changes brought in our life encourages fellow believers. Looking at the changes God has made in my life are important to me keeping my motivation to take up my cross. You know sometimes it feels like I haven’t made progress. Sometimes I feel defeated when I see others who don’t believe in Christ doing so well. However, listening to others who have already been where I am, or have been, and seeing where God has blessed them for being faithful and serving Him in their daily life and I receive encouragement. Hearing where they once were and now seeing their spiritual maturity in the Lord reinforces my desire to seek the Lord daily. Hearing how God has been faithful to another believer, reminds me that He is still in charge of my life also.

I have been through periods of rejection, and humiliation because I stood up for Jesus. I have been abandoned by friends, I have been rejected by loved ones. During those times, the Lord sent me another saint, someone who had been through the feelings of isolation. They encouraged me and lifted me in prayer. They gave me living examples of the Lords provisions I their life. Why do you think that Paul says we are not to forsake the gathering of one another?

To extol is to praise something or someone very much. Another way to understand this is to say that He (God) was greatly praised by me. Allot of times when someone gives a good reference to someone about someone who helped them they say, “I just couldn’t say enough good things about him.” This is the same meaning. As sharing the great things the Lord has done for us, we should vividly express our gratitude. Genuine heartfelt gratitude is hard to hide. The simple honesty in a gracious awareness of the sacrifice and love that God has shown towards your is what God wants from you. He wants you to love and appreciate Him, as He loves and appreciates you.

Expressing that to someone else, another believer, should be as easy as bragging about your mom or your dad. I remember when I was in grade school all the kids would boast about how their dads could beat up all the other dads. Boy we were proud of our dads. They made us feel secure. We know nothing could hurt us along as dad was nearby. Well now you have a Father that can literally move mountains, part the seas, command the stars, and appoint kings over nations! Amen! Get out there and tell somebody what God has done for YOU!

Exposition: Joshua 1:1-9 The First Step

Exposition: Joshua 1:1-9 The First Step

Moses is dead- then what? Was God’s plan ruined?

No man is indispensable. God’s work does not go unfinished just because there is a change in servants. The same as the carpenter who changes tools while building a house. First he uses a shovel, then a ruler, then a saw, and then a hammer. The tribes were not lost with the death of Moses. Instead the change in leaders rang in a new phase of God’s plan. “Therefore arise and go over this Jordan.” Is what God commanded.

Now this does not mean that Moses was forgotten or that he was not honored and missed. The scripture refers to Moses as “the servant of the Lord”; clearly this is an honored title. Let’s take a second to look at this man’s life. He was at one time an oppressor of his own people, then a murderer. By his own admission he was not a cleaver or charismatic speaker. Yet the Lord used him, because he was obedient. Now in his death he is remembered by the scriptures as the Lord’s Servant.

His life was redeemed by the Lord. Moses heard the voice of God and was obedient, and the Lord changed his life. I look back on things I have done and wonder how God could ever love me, but in this simple scripture I gain hope. Because I hold faith in Jesus, he had redeemed me from my previous life. Because Jesus died and shed His blood for an atonement for my rebellious and self-serving immoral life, I have been made a new creature in Christ. I can think of no greater honor then to be found, by God, to be faithful. To be referred to as the Servant of the Lord, is something I don’t deserve, but bless God He enables me to be. – Amen!

Joshua had some big shoes to fill. I certainly don’t envy him on this. He received the same great promise the Lord gave to Moses, he had to obey the same Law the Lord gave to Moses, he was assured of the same presence from God that Moses had. There was a change in leaders, but nothing else changed in the circumstances. God was still God and God was still in charge.

In verse 2 Joshua receives his first test. “Go over this Jordan”. This seems like a simple charge. However; this was an immediate test of Joshua’s faith in God. God had already found out that Joshua was a good servant to Moses. In verse one it says “the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister”. Joshua has served Moses faithfully for over 40 years. He was a great soldier, and dedicated to the Law of Moses. But sometimes when there is a change in management, subordinates do not react well.

Sometimes when a subordinate is promoted, they lose perspective, and their egos inflate beyond what is helpful. So the Lord had to check Joshua to see if he would remain a good servant. So he gave him a small test. In addition this tests his leadership skills. Some soldiers, even officers are great at taking orders, but do not know how to actually lead. Leadership is a skill that is developed over time.

In the corporate world, business owners and CEOs give tests to new managers in order to develop their skills and confidence. Successful accomplishment of smaller tasks leads to an increase in responsibilities and instills faithfulness and confidence. The process of being lead through difficult tasks and challenging circumstances builds a unique bond between mentor and student.

In Joshua 3.15 we read that the Jordan was overflowing its banks. The Lord didn’t tell Joshua, “build an ark”, like He did Noah. The Lord didn’t tell Joshua to “stretch forth his staff over the waters” like he did to Moses. No the Lord at first didn’t give Joshua any indications on how this feat should be approached. Let us consider also the enemy situation. This situation was not like when God parted the Red Sea for Moses so that the tribes could get away from Pharaoh’s army. They weren’t escaping an enemy. The tribes were crossing over into enemy territory, probably being observed doing so. Later we can read that the crossing was in broad daylight. This was not some secret thing that God was doing.

When I was in the Army, we did not cross a river in daylight if it could be helped. We would wait until nightfall and cross under the cover of darkness. In addition, we would send scouts to ensure that the enemy was not able to observe us crossing. We called these linear danger areas, and many lives could be lost if the enemy attacked you while crossing a linear danger area, especially one that took as much time to cross as a flowing river. This was an extremely dangerous and time consuming maneuver to undertake.

So maybe now you can understand what a test of faith this was. Joshua was to cross the entire nation over the river Jordan, and had not received any indication of how this was possible. Joshua had seen what God had done for Moses. Joshua had been trained by Moses to trust in the Lord. Joshua had seen with his own eyes the penalty of unbelief in God. Joshua know the penalty for murmuring against God, and how much it displeased God. Joshua did not display any of these things. In turn Joshua commanded the people. He did not question God.

What Joshua had was a command and a promise from God. We also have some tasks that God has commanded us to do. We sometimes cannot see how God would expect us to complete. We cannot see how to carry through, but if we do, it we obey, it we take that first step in faith, God responds to our faith. God is faithful and we begin to see a path through the waters. We find a trail in the wilderness, a step up the mountain. It might be narrow, and dangerous, but it is enough to let you through – Amen! That’s what God means when He says, “My grace is sufficient.”

The Lord told Joshua in verse 3, “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.” The lord has given us the victory. His word is a lamp unto our feet. We are to have our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Jesus said in Matthew 28 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Joshua 1:5 says, “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee, I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee:” Does this sound familiar?

This is the same command and promise we have today. “Go” and “I am with thee” are what Jesus reaffirms to us who believe. The promise in verse four is almost verbatim of the promise given to Moses in Deuteronomy 2.24. Now these boundaries as outlined in the text were not actually achieved until late in history, but they were achieved. Does this mean that God failed Joshua? No, the promises were conditional. In verses, 6-9 the Lord laid out the conditions to Joshua. The Lord told him to be strong and of good courage, and also to not let the Law depart from out of his mouth, but to meditate on them daily. The Israeli’s failure to keep the directives of God had a direct consequence on their receiving the promises of God.

God always has more good in store for us than we can ever realize. The problem is that we turn away from God. Following the Law does not give us salvation. Faith in the atonement provided through the blood of Jesus does. However, adherence to the principles of the Law will have positive effects on our lives. For instance if you commit adultery you stand to lose out on a lifelong relationship with a spouse that would have otherwise been committed to you the rest of your life. Someone who would have enriched your life and grew with you daily in love and given you peace in your heart and mind. In addition, adultery opens you and your spouse up to sexually transmitted diseases, and health related issues. In addition, even if you don’t lose your spouse, you lose the sacred bond of trust with your spouse, friends and family members.

Your testimony becomes worthless, and you become useless to God for your intended purposes. The spiritual ramifications to everyone involved are immeasurable. Unbelief and sin turn a great evangelical Christian into an eyesore and a point of shame. That is why God gave Joshua encouragement. That is why God gives us encouragement. That is why Paul tells us over and over in his epistles to encourage one another.

Jesus told his disciples while they were in a boat, in a storm in the middle of the night, “It is I, be not afraid”. He told Joshua, “be strong and of good courage.” So we know that Jesus said, “I am with you always.” We know that God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. God’s nature does not change. Knowing this we know that Jesus is with us, we too can be strong and of good courage. We are not in the storm, in the middle of the darkness, all alone. When the waters of stress and fear are rising up and trying to choke the light out of us, He says, “be not afraid.” – Amen.

Be strong! Be courageous! Our strength is the fruit of our faith. That is why Ephesians 6.10 says “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Christ has given us Himself and thus supplied everything we need. His Word will prove to be definitive, and practical enough if we honestly try to apply it to our lives. – Amen

What Are We Here For?

I walk around and I see allot of empty churches. I see Christians afraid to speak up in their community, and being passive to the point that we have let our freedom to worship the one true God be taken away. I think this might be because Christians don’t have an understanding of who they are.

Question: Why didn’t God take us to heaven the moment we were saved? Wouldn’t it have just been easier, to just take you, as soon as you confessed Jesus as Savior? As soon as you said, “Oh God! Have mercy on a poor sinner like me!” Then ZAP! You’re in the presence of God. All this pain, suffering, the sacrifices, and the struggling would all be over. Surely, God must want us with Him. What purpose could we serve by staying in this dying, forsaken world?

I believe the answer is right here in this text.

Luke 2: 41-49

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

But they , supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me>? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? You see Jesus stayed behind, because he wasn’t finished with what He had to do for His Father. He still had things He had to do to get prepared for His mission, for His new life that He would be starting, very soon. He was investigating, learning, and testing His knowledge.

Jesus said, “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.” John 5: 36

Jesus also said, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” John 4:34

We are also called to complete the work of Him who sent us. We are chosen to be singled out, to be different, to share the greater witness.

1 Peter 2:9

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priest hood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should she forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”

So why were we not taken to heaven right away? We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people that show forth His marvelous light! We bear witness of the light! We are not done with our Father’s business.

Chosen Generation

God has chosen us – “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Deuteronomy 6:5

“And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.” Deuteronomy 30:6

“At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21-21

We are chosen by God and called to love Him with all that we have. With our very being. He chose us above all creation, and before the foundations of the world. The scripture says that “before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee” Jeremiah 1:5

Royal Priesthood

The function of priests is to serve God and men. Repeatedly in the 28th chapter of Exodus, the garments which are made for Aaron and for his sons are those which enable them to minister to God. So that we frequently find the expression, or one that is similar, “… that he (or they) may minister as priests to Me” (cf. Exod. 28:1, 3, 4, 41; also 29:44). The emphasis here is on serving God, more than on serving men, though I believe both elements are present.

In Exodus we get a look at what the priesthood’s responsibilities are by looking at what Aaron was to wear. The ephod is to contain two stones on the shoulder pieces (Exod. 28:6-14). On these two stones were engraved the names of the sons of Israel. Aaron was to wear these, “as stones of memorial for the sons of Israel,” to bear “their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for a memorial” (Exod. 28:12). In this manner a priest bears the burdens of those who he represents before God.
We are to bear one another’s burdens.

Aaron also was to wear a “breastpiece of judgment” (vv. 15-30). I am sure most of you have seen this breastplate pictured in artwork or in movies about the Gospels. On this breastpiece four rows of stones were set, with three stones in each row, each signifying one of the tribes of Israel. The purpose of these stones is given in verse 30: “… and Aaron shall carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually” (Exod. 28:30b). We see the intercession that the priest makes on behalf of Israel. So we should pray for one another, and pray for our enemies. We should be in a constant attitude of prayer.

On Aaron’s turban was to be placed a “plate of gold” (Exod. 28:36-39). It was to be engraved with a seal, reading, “Holy to the Lord” (v. 36). This kept the sanctified attitude of the priest. He was to be set apart for the service of the Lord, blameless. We should be humble in our service to man and to God, remembering that we are only here by Grace. God is a just God and if He gave us what we deserved, we would have received the punishment we deserve, instead of the grace that Love provides. We should love one another, at Jesus loved us.

Jesus, our High Priest did away with the Aaronic Priesthood and the law that established it. He made one sacrifice that covered all of the law and transgressions. His priesthood is higher than the priesthood established under the Mosaic Law. I don’t have time in this sermon to cover it in detail, but it is great information, and it can be found in (Hebrews 7). We are established in Jesus Christ in His priesthood.

Turn to and Read Hebrews 10:19-25

“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter in to the holist by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.”

You see as we see the signs, the day approaching of His return, we should work more urgently. We are called to complete His work, and time is winding down.

The Christian Priesthood

Just as the Levitical priests were consecrated to their office by the washing of water, even so, men and women today may enter upon their priestly functions as Christians. This they do by drawing near to God with a true heart, having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and their bodies washed with pure water (Heb. 10:22).

What we miss is that All Christians are priests. We are to come before God with spiritual sacrifices, and offer up service to God through our High Priest, Jesus Christ. The scripture is full of references to the children of God explaining our priesthood.(1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6).

Holy Nation

God has made us holy, separated us out from the world. This is the same thing that God said to the Israelites when he brought them out of Egypt, in Exodus 19:6 “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.” We, Christians are set apart, like Israel. “my holy nation” (goy gadosh in Hebrew) means set apart for a special, sacred purpose. As a holy nation, Israel was not to be like other nations, neither are we. We have been set apart for a special relationship with the Father through Christ. We are God’s representatives here on earth. Our holiness is not just in our being different from our neighbors, but devoted to God’s mission while we are here

Peculiar People

The Greek work is “Segula” meaning special treasure. The ancient kings would select great jewels and place them in a protected room and show them to the world. Their purpose was to show the world how great their kingdom was. It’s like putting your best china in a glass cabinet to show all your guest what fine things your hard work has been able to procure or the linage of your family. Or a trophy case at the school that shows all the state championships your basketball, or football, or baseball team has won over the years. This is a sense of pride in your household, or school, or organization. Some people have what I call an “I love me wall”, where you display all your certifications, or licenses, or degrees.

See we are a spectacle for all creation to observe. We are God’s Facebook wall, or Instagram Page. We are strange to those around us, because we are pilgrims journeying through this world. We know where we are going, and in whom we serve. We have a hope in life that no one who is not a follower of the Way can understand. IT IS FOREIGN TO THEM! You are an example of God’s love at work, school, in public, with your families and friends.

Show forth praises

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6

“This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.” Isaiah 43:21

“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;” Psalm 107.2

Psalm 150

Praise ye the Lord, Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltry and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

I think this speaks for itself, if you cant find a reason to praise the Lord in this Psalm, then you need to seriously consider your salvation. Paul and Timothy wrote in Philippians 2:12 “… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

Conclusion

“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work.” John 9:4

Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen – Matthew 28:1-20

See your not here to pray for new cars, or bigger houses. Your here to complete the mission for which you have been called. You are here to teach, preach, sing, and baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. That is your purpose. That IS your calling.

How can we do this? Here is your homework. Go home and answer these questions. Pray and seek God and come back and tell your Pastor. These are my answers!

Am I willing to commit my life to whatever God asks of me?
What roles that God has placed me in have I neglected?
What talents or abilities has God blessed me with?
How can I help the church or my Pastor with these talents and abilities?

Christian Persecutions John 15:18

John 15:18

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the word, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the world that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”

According to Open Doors ministries each month: 322 Christians are killed for their faith, 214 Churches and Christian properties are destroyed, and 772 forms of violence are committed against Christians. These violent crimes include beatings, abductions, rapes, arrests and forced marriages.

The World Watch List contains 50 countries in which shows the levels of persecutions of Christians and shows them as Extreme, Severe, Moderate and Sparse. The top 10 include North Korea, Iraq, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Syria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Iran, and Libya.

“Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Hebrews 13:3

We have a responsibility to our brothers and sisters to assist them, and to stand up for them. Open Doors and Voice of the Martyrs ministries are some ways that you can get involved. In addition there are several issues here in the United States that need to be address to assist Christians here in the states. Organizations like the ACLJ and WND report that while the exact rise in the rate of christian persecution is hard to determine, they have seen a significant rise in attempts to silence Christian organizations in the last few years. WND reported in February that the city of New York was attempting to cancel leases of all church and religious groups renting facilities, citing that government facilities such a public schools, should not be used by religious groups.

I know that allot of Christians don’t believe they should be involved in politics, however, your rights and freedoms are being summarily taken while you sit in front of your TV. You need to get involved and stand for your faith and the right to exercise your beliefs.

Philip and Personal Evangelism

Personal evangelism is expected of every believer of Jesus. It is not just the Pastors, responsibility to seek that which is lost, but everyone who is called by Christ is commissioned to this rewarding task. Jesus commanded us in Mark 16:15, “Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Still even with this great calling, many Christians are afraid to share their faith. They lack confidence in their ability to share the gospel effectively. So we are going to go to the bible to see how one of the early disciples shared his faith. The book of Acts has many examples on how the Apostles and early Christians shared the truth of Jesus. We will concentrate on one example portrayed in a short story about Philip.

”(26)And the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert.

(27) And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

(28)Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Isaiah the prophet.

(29)Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.

(30) And Philip ran there to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understand you what you read?

(31) And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

(32)The place in the scripture which he read was this, He was led like a lamb dumb before his shearer’ so opened He not His mouth:

(33)In His humiliation His judgement was taken away: and who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.

(34)And the eunuch answered Phillip, and said, I pray you , of whom speaks the prophet of this? Of himself, or of some other man?

(35)Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached to him Jesus.” (Acts 8:26-35)

The easiest way to address this would be to break it down into at least 2 major themes to take from Philip in this story. The first would be that Philip had the proper attitude, and the second would be his approach or technique.

Philip had an attitude of obedience. When the angel of the Lord commanded Philip to go, he went. I mean the angel said “arise and go”, then Philip, “arose and went”. He didn’t make excuses, or check his planner. He immediately responded to the will of God. He obeyed without question.

If we are going to be effective servants of the Lord, we must be submissive servants. We must be willing to obey His Spirit. We must at all times and at all cost, be willing to do what God wants us to do. The will of God must take precedence over all other issues in our lives.

In northern Lebanon there is a Christian by the name of Fadi Sabba, who routinely goes from home church to home church sharing his faith and his story. He had been shot by Syrian Islamic extremists on more than one occasion. He has been run off the road, and been left for dead. He has been run out of the country, and yet still goes back risking his life to bring food, bibles and to encourage the brothers in Syria and Lebanon that cannot escape the brutal Islamic state if ISIS. He was shot seven different times by Syrians, yet God uses his story to bring other Islamic followers to Jesus. He goes out of love and obedience. (Voice of the Martyrs, June 2016)

He like Philip in this story is concerned with spreading the truth of Jesus Christ whether it is to one person at a time, or a whole house hold. Philip was willing to travel the distance, go beyond his comfort zone and ignore his personal safety to achieve God’s mission. This kind of dedication takes real love.

We must understand that one soul is a large enough crowd to be concerned about. Jesus explains is Luke 15, that if a man has a hundred sheep and loses one, would he not leave the 99 to find the one? Luke 15:10 says, “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over ONE sinner that repents.” We need to get excited! Have compassion over those who are lost! We need to love those who need our love the most!

Now something else to consider is that the Ethiopian, although he was devout in his way, was still considered a Gentile to the Jews. Most Jews would not have cared about his soul. Philip, however; went to him without a second thought. Not only that, he joined him in his chariot. We must be colorblind in doing personal evangelism.

I know that people here in America are scared and worried about the influx of Syrian and Middle Eastern refugees coming into the country. We have good reason, because there are allot who would seek us harm. But let us consider this, how many of us would be willing to go to their countries to convert them to Christianity? You see, where we would not obey God and go to them, God has brought them to us. Now you have an opportunity to witness to those who really need to hear of the love of Jesus. Jesus does not show partiality, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believes not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16)

Philip also had a sense of urgency. When he was commanded to join the Eunuch, the scripture says that Philip “ran to him”.(Acts 8:29) He new the man had an urgent need to know Jesus. Philip did not waste time. He had an enthusiasm that quite frankly, is missing in Christians in America. The early church was zealous in winning souls, if it would not have been, we wouldn’t know of Christ today. Unfortunately, there are many today in America who don’t know Jesus, even though they know of Him. That is our fault! It is mine and it is yours!

Ok I think we see the proper attitude. So once we pray and seek God, and get the proper attitude flowing again, what do we do with all that new found excitement for soul winning? Lets look again at Philip in this situation in Acts. Philip came upon the Ethiopian and saw him reading, and seeking God. Then he asked a question. Sometimes it is best to be quiet and listen to what the need is. Identify what the person is really seeking. A question is a great icebreaker to starting deep conversation.

If we were to ask a question and listen to the “need” hidden in the answer, we would go a long way in winning others to Christ, and repairing a few relationships along the way! Amen? The other thing that Philip had in his favor, is something you hear me say over and over again. Know your scripture! Know what you believe and why you believe it. You are an ambassador to the Kingdom of God. Take that responsibility seriously!

In Hebrew 5:11-14, the church is admonished because they have not studied and grown in the scriptures, that they should be teachers in the Word and works of God, but instead are fallen down and week. Don’t be caught off guard when someone asks you about a scripture or a doctrine of your faith. Hello! It’s your beliefs they are asking about! Grow Up! Study!

Then the scripture says, Phillip opened his mouth. When asked, speak! Tell your story of Jesus. Preach Jesus! If you haven’t taken the time to write out and rehearse your own story of salvation, then do it. If you have not taken the time to practice talking to yourself or another believer on how to share Jesus, then do it. I warn you. There is a reason you are either hearing or reading this… You will be called to testify.

Then Phillip went the extra mile. He closed on the situation. He made the Ethiopian make a decision. Hey, this is the whole point of personal evangelism. Win the soul! You can’t be a good fisherman if you don’t sink the hook and real that bad boy in! Bring the conversation to the point. Ask them, do you believe? Are you willing to make a change? Are you willing to be baptized? Seal the deal.

Then go on preaching to others, don’t stop. Don’t pat yourself on the back. Remember who sent Philip? The Lord did. The Lord knew the heart of the Ethiopian. The Lord knew that the eunuch needed a guide. Someone to tell him the truth about Jesus. That is your job, tell someone the TRUTH, the GOSPEL TRUTH! –AMEN!

Short Exposition of Hebrews 10:1-14

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

The word shadow is from the Greek word Skia, (skee’-ah), meaning shade or adumbration. An adumbration is something that vaguely suggests, or a partial outline. So the law of Moses and its sacrifices was meant to give us a representation, or outline of how sanctification would ultimately be obtained.

Perfect in this text is from the Greek telios, (tel-i-os), bringing things to their final act or state, the uttermost condition. Perfection is the final state of consummating the individual to perfection. This first verse is important because it tells us that the Law was never intended to complete our sanctification, but rather it was to let us know that there is a penalty for sin and that penalty must be paid with blood. But perfection cannot be obtained by an imperfect sacrifice.

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? Because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

If the Law of Moses and the Sacrifices could have cleaned the sin from man, then there would have not been a need to continuously make sacrifices year after year. Under the Levitical system, the Israelites knew that their sin was not removed, but covered by the blood of the sacrifice. They had to, at the end of the year, make sacrifices for sins they had committed, so it was a reminder to them that they were still in sin. Sin is a part of the human condition, it permeates us. Ezekiel 32:27 says, “They are gone down to Sheol… and their iniquities are upon their bones.”

Therefore when he comes into the world, He says, Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body have You prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have had no pleasure, (PS 40:6) Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me,) to do Your will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin You would not, neither had pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

The Lord God did not take pleasure in the killing of the animals for sacrifice. What the Lord seeks is the voluntary sacrifices offered in obedience. He wants those who serve Him to delight in His will and to keep His Word in their hearts. Jesus said that you have to worship God in spirit and in truth. The sacrifices were to remind the children of Israel that sin had a consequence of death, there was no escaping it, however, God loved them enough to provide a way to cover the sin, so they could enter his peace. This was a foreshadowing of what Christ was to provide for us in His selfless sacrifice that not only covers sin, but removes it from us. The crucifixion of Jesus was prepared for us as a final sin offering. A spotless lamb had to be offered. The only way for this to happen was for God (Jesus) to become flesh (man), and become the sacrifice for us all.

Then said He, Lo, I come to do Your will, O God. He takes away the first that He may establish the second.

Here we see that the “first” (sacrifices) offered according to the Law of Moses had to be removed so that the “second” (Christ’s sacrifice) can be established. The sacrifices under the law are removed and Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient to remove all unrighteousness. So Jesus had to come and be a perfect sacrifice, to do God’s will, in order that the old sacrifices under the Mosaic Laws could be done away with. This perfect blood sacrifice established the method that God foretold of in the scriptures and established a new covenant. William R. Newell wrote, “Note then that this is the devotion to God’s will, abstractly considered, blessed as that is, that is here in view; but that express will of God by which Christ was offered up on the Cross.”

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From hereafter expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

The result of Christ’s sacrifice is total redemption. There is no need for further sacrifices as made previously, by the Levitical priesthood. We are completely separated to God for His glorification. We are sanctified and bought with a terrible price. The ending that Christ is sat down is a demonstration that all work has been completed by Jesus.

References

Newell, William R. Hebrews, Verse by Verse. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1987. Print.

Strong, James. The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 1996. Print.

King James Easy-reading Study Bible. Goodyear, AZ, 2002. Print

Believe Not Every Spirit

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

John the Apostle warned the early church, that there were false teachers out there in their midst. There were people who, would mislead the teachings that they had already received. We have so much out there today, that people who call themselves Christians, try to sell us, that which does not come out of the Bible. In fact they will put a twist on what is actually in the Bible and use our own ignorance of scripture against us. They will try to tell us that God, the Almighty One is at our beck and call. That He is just a great djinn in the sky that grants our every wish, or if we just claim it, He will give it. God is not at our beck and call!

God told Job “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding.” (Job 38:4) Again God told Moses, I AM who I AM in the book of Exodus. No sir God is not someone who is just conjured up to give us a new car or a new house. God is not at our beckoning.

“I am the Lord: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8)

This is the same thing the serpent did to Eve in the Garden of Eden when he tempted her. He twisted her understanding of what God said verses what He meant. This is nothing new, it was even evident in the times in which the Apostles were still living. The first epistle of John is believed to have been written between 85 and 100 A.D. This tells you how long these cults have been around. Many have just changed their names, but they message or twisting of the truth is the same message as it was thousands of years ago. These false doctrines were, and are still causing problems in the church today. Many professing Christians are be led astray by these false doctrines.

John tells us to be discerning. We should scrutinize and examine every claim that is laid to the spirit. We as followers of Christ are allowed and expected to use discretion on what someone tells us is scripture. There are organizations that call themselves Christian, and even publish bibles and go door to door giving away their bibles and additional materials that in the heart of their religion, deny the deity of Christ. There are other religions and schools of thought that say that Jesus, did exist and, and that He was a very good man, and that he was even a prophet, but they deny that He is the Son of God. They deny the need for His sacrifice.

(2) Hereby know you the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (3) And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (1 John 4: 2-3)

Christ is a Greek translation for Messiah, the anointed one of God. Confessing Jesus does not just mean that you acknowledge that He was a good man or just a prophet. Jesus is the Son of God, thus says the Lord, “This is My beloved Son: hear Him.” (Luke 9:35) Anyone who comes in the Spirit of God confesses that Jesus is the Son of God. If they do not, then do not listen to their doctrine. They are from the antichrist and the Spirit of God is not with them.

Jesus said, “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.”(Matthew 24:11) So as the scriptures says. Don’t be worried, we have been warned that these things would happen. Instead we should test every spirit. How do we test every spirit? Well we already mentioned it earlier when we mentioned the fall of Eve. We have to study the scriptures. Be in a constant attitude of prayer, and encourage one another in sound doctrine.

Get yourself into a good church that teaches from the Bible. A good Bible teaching church will use the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments as its source of exposition. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

We are to be diligent with the Word of God and always reprove everything against the Word of God. Know what the Lord says about things that are in your life, your community, and your relationships.

“Continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them; (15) And that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

Encouragement

Hebrews 10:19-25

These scriptures focus on some very important principles on what we have in Christ, and our responsibilities as individuals and as a church toward one another. We have (1)Boldness to enter in to the Holiest of Holies by the blood of Jesus Christ. (2) A freshly slain and living way to through the veil. And (3) A great High Priest over the House of God. Because we have such important gifts from God the Father, we have certain responsibilities that we are to focus on as individuals and as a church. They are to:

Draw Near
Hold Fast Our Confession
Consider One Another
Assemble Together
Exhort One Another

The responsibilities covered in this scripture are the foundation of church life. Church life is not just showing up once or twice a week and being entertained for an hour or so and then going out to eat at a restaurant and never considering the impact of Christ in our lives and in the lives of our brethren.

We are invited into the very presence of God. That way is made possible because of the covering we receive from the blood of Jesus. We are able to enter into the Holy of Holies to do service to God. The Levitical High Priest could only enter the presence of God once a year. The purpose was to offer sacrifices for the House of Israel for sins they had committed throughout the year. In the book of Exodus the process for the priests to enter the Holy of Holies is outlined. The clothes that Aaron and the priests were to wear had to first be washed with water. Then Aaron was to be robed and anointed with a specially made oil. Only after the washing, the robing, and the anointing could Aaron enter the presence of God with confidence that he would not be destroyed. This complete sacrificial system was superseded by the complete sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross. Jesus is our cleansing, sanctification and access to the Father. His living sacrifice is what gives us boldness to enter the presence of God.

Our sins are therefore, not only covered, but removed from us. Psalm 103:12 says, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Do you know that no matter how far east you go, you can never find the west? Nor can you find the east from going west. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12) Jesus became the great High Priest, because of his righteousness toward God. Now that Jesus is risen He is continuously before the Father offering up prayers and interceding for us. This gives us a clean conscience by which we can enter with confidence in to the presence of God.

Draw Near

The Lord Almighty had extended salvation to us, and an invitation to renew our fellowship with him. We must move on past the basic milk of the gospel. We have to move on to the meat and potatoes of our relationship with God the Father. Genesis 5:24 says that “Enoch walked with God.” Genesis 6:9 says that “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with God.” We have the same ability right now. Jesus had made it possible to walk in the presence of the Creator of the Universe! – Amen! We can draw near to God and into his very presence through prayer, scripture study, and fellowship. “And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.” (Hebrews 8:11) We have become priests to God, and there is now no veil between his presence and our priesthood. We need to come to God with a “true heart” and in “full assurance of faith.” A true heart has full faith and acceptance that one can into the presence of God.

Hold Fast Our Confession

These times we live in are hazardous to Christians. Groups like ISIS are torturing and killing Christians by the truck load. Hostility towards Christians and the scriptures is toxic even here in the United States. Christians are losing their jobs, educational opportunities, and freedoms of open worship all across this country. Sharing the Love of Christ is often met with “hater” rhetoric and standing up for your Christian faith can even lead to civil and criminal charges in many states.

Now this should not surprise us, Jesus made more than one warning that we would be mistreated and persecuted for embracing Him. I will not expand on it here, but read Matthew 24: 4-13 to see what Jesus warned we would face in the last days. But remember the importance of taking up his cross. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or shat shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Sond of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels: and then He shall reward every man according to his works.”(Matthew 16:24-27) (Matthew 24:4-13) (Daniel 7:13-14) Keeping in mind that this is our end game, we should assist one another and keep each other’s sufferings and needs in mind. In case you missed it, Jesus is RETURNING – Amen!

Consider One Another

In the 17^th chapter of John it is recorded that Jesus prayed for us. “I pray not that You should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from evil… Sanctify them through Your truth, Your Word is truth.” (John 17:15) Jesus not only prayed for His apostles, but for every believer in the world and anytime. If it is so important for our savior to consider our needs and to pray for us. How much more should we pray for one another in our daily lives. In James 5:16 it says, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Assemble Together

Assembling together is not just something to be done on Sundays. The assembling with believers is mandated over and over in the New Testament. Assembling together puts us right in the presence of Jesus. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) Assembling together gives us a support structure through accountability and encouragement.

I am a recovering alcoholic, and as such, I cannot go and hang out with old friends who drink. Instead I have to be around other recovering alcoholic and abusers. My old friends are still living in there destructive lifestyle and would only encourage me to return to my old ways. I would be foolish to put myself in that situation. It is not that my old friends wish me harm. They just miss the guy I use to be.

But those who are striving to leave the old ways behind, and know the consequence of failure, are more likely not to let me return to my old ways. In addition, they can more readily see the signs of when someone is on their way to return to drinking or abusing. Then they can intercede and stop me from making a foolish mistake, in a moment of weakness, which could cost my life. In fact the first signs that someone is recovering is that they stop going to meetings, and stop communicating with their sponsor. It is very simple. “Birds of a feather, flock together”; so this gives us strength in numbers.

Exhort One Another

Living a life for Christ, even in American, can have its hazards. It takes courage and love to go our on a daily basis and talk to people about Christ. Even in environments where your expected to. Ministry takes a lot of overcoming insecurities, and self criticisms. Preaching the gospel, caring for the poor and homeless, the elderly, diseased, and those imprisoned takes personal sacrifices. These sacrifices include time, money, family relationships, employment, and sometimes social status. Wow, just thinking of it can be daunting.

Without encouragement fellow believers would fail. Encouragement is more than just patting on the back and saying hang in there. Encouragement is interceding for one another, supporting one another financially, and reinforcing the heart and mind with scriptures. Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Some other scriptures of encouragement are: Psalm 9:9, Psalm 23:4, Palm 25:22, Matthew 11:28-29

So in closing, I encourage you to pray one for another, do not forsake the gathering together with believers, remember the sacrament of the breaking of bread, and draw close to Jesus. “And let the peace of Christ rule your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, and be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15) – Amen!

References

Newell, William R. Hebrews, Verse by Verse. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1987. Print.

Strong, James. The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 1996. Print.

Carson, D. A., Douglas J. Moo, and Andrew David Naselli. Introducing the New Testament: A Short Guide to Its History and Message. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010. Print.

King James Easy-reading Study Bible. Goodyear, AZ, 2002. Print.

Henry, Matthew, and Leslie F. Church. Matthew Henry’s Commentary: Genesis to Revelation. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. House, 1961. Print.

Psalm 1:1 Guard Your Company

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, not standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful (Psalms 1:1)

The key words in this text for today’s message are:

blessed
ungodly
sinners
scornful

In order to move ahead with this message, we have to make sure we all have the same understanding of these words. What the intent of the writer is and how the ancient Hebrews would have most likely interpreted the meaning of these and then put them into context. I will attempt to do this for us.

*References are from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.

Blessed

The Hebrew root for the word used in blessed is ashar, meaning to go straight, go on, or advance. Many scholars translate the intent of this word to mean “level”, or “sturdy”. We could go on to say that this is a good foundation, in order to move ahead. That you’re on the “right path”, if you follow what is about to be said. Interestingly enough, this is the same term that Jesus starts his 1^st sermon of his public ministry. In the sermon we have come to know as “The Sermon on the Mount”, Jesus begins with the “Be-attitudes”. He says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) This shows the understanding that God has for us. Jesus’ first sermon and the 1^st Psalm start off with an encouragement to us. Be happy, you’re on the right path! Be of good cheer, you are right with God.

Ungodly

The Hebrew root for the word use for ungodly is rasha: wicked, criminal. A criminal or someone who is wicked, is someone who made a choice to be in err. The Latin term would be “Malum in Se”, this means that something is just wrong in itself. No one needs to tell you that murder, rape, burglary, robbery are wrong. Those that commit these crimes are wicked.

Sinners

The Hebrew root for the word used for sinners is chata: to miss, go wrong, sin. This is to fall short. Like a basketball player that just cannot make a basket. There is a standard and it is not being reached. The term we are probably most familiar with would be “lost”.

Scornful

The Hebrew root for the word used for scornful is luts: have in derision, make a mock, mocker. These are those who make fun of the righteous. Who question the authority of scripture. Those who elevate their own craftiness, who think they are smarter then God. Those who believe in their own wisdom. Those who are arrogant. The saying goes, “He is too smart for his own good”. The 1st Cor. 3:19 says, “For the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God.”

So from the Hebrew perspective it would read more like:

Steady or Level is the man that;

Does not walk in the counsel of those who depart from the path;

Does not stand in the way of those who miss the mark;

Does not sit in the seat of those who imitate (mock) the truth.

We can even say, “At peace with God are those who:

Do not follow those that have strayed from the true path;

Do not hang out with those who miss the mark;

Do not believe there is no God.

A sinful man is one who misses the mark, stumbles and fails. A sinful person makes mistakes. An evil man is one who is bent on hurting someone and who has a life style of injuring others. No Christian should ever want to just hurt anyone. Sin is progressive. “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse…” (2^nd Timothy 3:13)

Every evil person was once just a sinner. Sin causes separation from God and hardens the heart. If you hang out with people who have no morals, or have gray areas, or do not have a definite truth, then you will eventually adopt this way of thinking. Somehow we think that we can hang around evil people, people who take the Lord’s name in vain, who lie, steal, and cheat on their spouses, and think that we will not be corrupted. Have you not read? “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” (Galatians 5:9 NIV) We are warned of this fact over and over in the scriptures.

(Proverbs 4:14-16) “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.”

Eventually this evil will get inside of you, and you will start thinking about the evil desires and it will grow in your heart. That is why Jesus let us know that if a man even looks on a woman in lust, he has created adultery already. This is just one example of how impurity corrupts the heart and mind of a man. Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33) It starts with a suggestion, grows into a thought, then a desire. This desire may manifest itself in words first, then before you know it, you have committed the act. James 1:15 says, “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

When someone is living a certain lifestyle contrary to what others perceive as right, they will at first hide this lifestyle. They will lie and deceive the ones they love, to protect this lifestyle. Then they will seek out others who live this same lifestyle, this gives them a sense of acceptance.

Even though they still know it is wrong inside. Then they move on to trying to convert others to their lifestyle. This is a progressive hardening of the heart. Once the heart has grown callas then they turn and attack the ones that tried to keep them from going down the forbidden path. They turn vicious and try to destroy the ones who care about them and who try to show them the way that they should have come.

They will try to say there is no God, because if there is no God then there is not absolute truth. Without truth there is no moral compass. Without a moral compass there is no judgement. Without judgement there is no penalty.

In reality God does exists, man knows it, and has turned their back on Him. Psalms 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” We have all missed the mark, we have as a whole and individually been corrupted. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23 KJV) You will die and be judged. Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time for every, including a time to die. (Ecclesiastes 3:2) After this we will all be judged. “and as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement:” (Hebrews 9:27 KJV)

What is the judgement? What is the criteria? Why are you condemned? You have turned your back on Jesus and rejected Him, even allowed yourself to be fooled by the mockers, and you have no excuse. You are personally responsible to Jesus. “And this is the judgement, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil.”(John 3:19 KJV) The consequence of the judgement is that you will be cast out of the presence of God. Much like those who violate the laws of society, they are thrown into prison and the fellow prisoners do what they will.

“For without are dogs, and sorcerers the sexually immoral, the murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” (Revelation 22:15)

“Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men,” (1 Corinthians 6:9 NIV)

If you are on a trip and decide that you no longer want to go to the destination, how do you prevent arriving there? Your make a decision, and get off the course you’re going and correct your course. If you hang out with evil men you will become evil. Paul writes to us, “But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.” (1 Corinthians 5:11)

Hiding from your sin will do you no good, “Whosoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13) Jesus is the only way to be forgiven of your sin and have death Passover you. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood-to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished.” (Romans 3:25 NIV) Turn away from your sins, confess to Jesus your sins, and receive him as the atonement for your sins. Serve him as Lord of your life. You have a life debt to Him.

If you are a Christian and not doing what you should, forsake your life and confess, take up your cross and follow Him. The time for salvation is today.

This is the way to blessings. Being in fellowship with Jesus, who is God. The blessings of God are peace, joy, love, forgiveness, and fellowship with the One who created everything that is seen and unseen. He is a marvelous God who sacrificed all to make a way for you to experience His love. Hold fast to that which you have been told. Guard your mind and your heart from the ones who seek to destroy your fellowship with Jesus.