MAIN TEXT: Genesis 15

Minimum Reading Assignment: Genesis 11:26 – 12:9, Genesis 15

What You Really Ought To Read: Genesis 11:26 – Genesis 15:21 

I. Abram’s Call

  A. Where was Abram originally from?  Ur of the Chaldees. Genesis 11:28

  B. What, most likely, was Abram’s religious background? Abram’s most likely religious background was polytheism, which is the belief that there are many Gods.

  C. Which of Noah’s sons was Abram a descendant of? Shem.  Genesis 10:1, 11:10-26

  D. What was God’s specific call to Abram? “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:” Genesis 12:1

  E. Name something interesting about God’s initial (first) promise to Abram (Genesis 12:2-3): It was sevenfold.

  F. List the elements of this initial promise:

    1. I will make of thee a great nation  

    2. I will bless thee

    3. I will… make thy name great

    4. thou shalt be a blessing

    5. I will bless them that bless thee

    6. curse him that curses thee

    7. in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed

  G. How did Abram initially respond to God’s call for him? He obeyed as God had spoken to him, and the Scripture does not record him doubting or questioning God at first. Genesis 12:4

  H. Who went with Abram? Sarai his wife, Lot and his wife, and the people they had acquired in Haran.

  I. What did YHWH tell Abram as he entered Canaan? “Unto thy seed will I give this land.”-Genesis 12:7

  J. What additionally did God later say to Abram regarding this inheritance (Genesis 13:14-17)? That He would give all the land Abram saw to him and his seed forever. He also told Abram, “I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.”

  K. On what occasion did YHWH tell Abram this? When Abram gave Lot the option of what land to take for himself after deciding it was best for them to separate. Genesis 13:8-11

II. The Promise Of God Genesis 14 and 15

 A. Name two substances that are mentioned together for the first time in Genesis 14 and give a brief summation of their presentation. The combination of bread and wine is first mentioned in Genesis14:18, the elements being presented to Abram by Melchizedek king of Salem and priest of the most high God. 

 B. Genesis 15:1 –  Name the occasion on which YHWH said to Abram, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” What might have been Abram afraid of? In Genesis 14 we read that God used Abram to rescue Lot from the armies of Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, Tidal king of nations, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, smiting those forces with only 318 men. Therefore we can safely assume Abram feared retaliation from these kings.

 C. Summarize Abram’s response in Genesis 15:2-3 to the encouragement given by God in Genesis 15:1 :

Being somewhat aged, he wants God to permit him to father a child and is concerned that his only heir would be the servant of his household.

 D. Summarize YHWH’s reply to him concerning this. God affirms that Abram will father a child (15:4). He then showed Abram the stars outside and said (15:5), “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.”

 E. State some points from Genesis 15:5 compared to God’s previous statement of His promise:

  1. Stars instead of dust are used in reference to Abram’s descendants.

  2. Most likely Abram was viewing the Milky Way.

  3. This is the first time the stars are connected to the promise. 

  4. Dust could represent Abram’s physical descendants, while the stars could represent his spiritual descendants, especially when we consider 15:6 cp Galatians 3:16 & 29.

  5. Additionally it might be considered that the dust could speak of the humanity side of Christ while the stars speak of his deity. (Galatians 3:16)

  6. Dust was something Abram was able to presently touch. However, the stars were a great distance away, so it could have been an indicator to Abram that the complete fulfillment of God’s promise was in the distant future.

  7. Devotionally, stars could speak to the fact that as God’s prophetic Word comes to pass there are higher purposes for His actions which might be out of reach for our human understanding. Our part is to simply trust God and take action on His Word. We have no absolute need to know of what all God is doing, His precise schedule nor every aspect of theology (Cp. Acts 1:7).

 F. State what force can we sense in God’s statement, “So shall thy seed be.” That this is a decree of Almighty God.

G. State sow Abram’s belief (15:6) is the same as ours (Romans 4:18-5:2). It was rooted in what not only God said, but what He established, and rooted in what God would do without any merit on our part.

H. What was accounted to Abram upon believing (trusting) what God had promised?  Righteousness.

I. Note: According to James Strong{1}, the Hebrew word for “believed” in verse 6 means to stand firm, to trust, trust, to be certain, to believe in, believe.

J. Albert Barnes{2} states the following about verses 7 to 21: The Lord next confirms and explains the promise of “the land” to Abram. When God announces himself as Yahweh, who purposed to give him the land, Abram asks, Whereby “shall I know that I shall possess it?” He appears to expect some intimation as to the time and mode of entering upon possession. The Lord now directs him to make ready the things requisite for entering into a formal covenant regarding the land. These include all the kinds of animals afterward used in sacrifice. The number three is sacred, and denotes the perfection of the victim in point of maturity. The division of the animals refers to the covenant between two parties, who participate in the rights which it guarantees. The birds are two without being divided. [About the birds that came to eat the carcasses,]“Abram drove them away.” As the animals slain and divided represent the only mean and way through which the two parties can meet in a covenant of peace, they must be preserved pure and unmutilated for the end they have to serve. 

III. The Spiritual Seed

 A. What is the justification for God to have spiritual seed? The efficacious work of Christ that would include His earthly life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension. Galatians 3:26, John 1:1-18, 3:3-7, Colossians 1:21-22                               

 B. What other decree of God pointed to spiritual seed apart from physical seed? Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

 C. Between the promise to Abram and that of Ge 3:15, which is most important and why? The most important is the one of Genesis 3:15 without which no one could truly please God and inherit Eternal Life, therefor becoming the spiritual seed of Abraham (Abram).

Notes:

Look up the Holy Scripture references at . . .

The Blue Letter Bible:   http://www.blueletterbible.org/

Biblegateway:   http://www.biblegateway.com/

{1} From an electronic version of Jame Strong’s’ “Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance” incorporated into the Online Bible computer program.

{2} From an electronic version of Albert Barnes’ commentary on the Holy Bible incorporated into the Online Bible computer program.

NKJ=New King James, ASV=American Standard Version, JPS=Jewish Publication Society

This is the second in a series of lesson outlines on “God’s Powerful Promise.” The next lesson will be, “God’s Powerful Promise: Isaac and Ishmael.”  The previous lesson was “Before God’s Powerful Promise to Abram.”

I reserve all rights, but you do have permission to copy (personal use, church use, etc.) but not sell or re-publish.

Unless otherwise noted, all Holy Scripture is from the 1769 Authorized Version with spelling updated at times and LORD changed to YHWH when the ancient text so indicates.

Unless the context deems otherwise. terms like, “man” and “men” are used in the reasonable, non-politically correct, traditional sense.

Not responsible for lead picture after publication.

That is amazing right? Only some areas that hit by rain waters. The view is so beautiful. This is one of the God’s miracles. I just share it and want to know your opinion guys. So, please write your opinion about this photo. Thank you guys ^_^

Minimum Reading Assignment: Genesis 1, 3, 11:10-32

What You Really Ought To Read: Genesis 1 to, and including, 11

I. The Power Of The Decrees of God

 A. How did the universe come about? God created it. Genesis 1:1

 B. What does Hebrews 11:3 state about this act of creation?

  1. That God spoke it into existence.

  2. That, in initial creation, visible things were not made from other things that were visible.

  3. That we understand this by faith.

 C. Would this faith be what the world might call “blind faith?” No, because if we honestly look at the existing creation we will see it did not happen by chance but by intelligent command and design. (Psalm 19:1-6, 139:13-6, Romans 1:18-20)

 D. In what repetitive phrase is intelligent design seen in Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25? “after his kind” (KJV); “after their / its kind” (NKJV, ASV, JPS)

 E. In what repetitive phrase do we see the commands (decrees) of God in Genesis 1? “God said…” (vv. 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26, 28).

 F. What can be said about the decrees of God when we over the course of time see “natural restoration” after a destructive calamity? The decrees of God are very powerful.

 G. How was everything made by God described in 1:31? It was very good.

Note: For most of the occurrences in the early chapters of Genesis “man” and “Adam” are the same Hebrew word.

II. The Nature Of Man

 A. Looking at Genesis 1:26-27, how is mankind distinct from the rest of recorded creation? We are made in the image and likeness of God.

 B. Why can mankind invent things, design things, and command things and animals? Because we are made in the image of God.

 C. What aspect of man do we see in the last sentence of 2:19? Man has his own will.

 D. What does mankind do in Genesis 3:1-6? Disobey God.

 E. What observation can we make from the fact Adam and his wife attempted to hide themselves from the presence of YHWH God? Their fellowship with God was now broken.

III. God’s Intervention

 A. What should we note about God’s address to the man and his wife (2:16-19)? Though God’s decrees to them were of punishment, they are also the merciful means to impede mankind’s eventual self-destruction if left unchecked.

 B. What is God referring to when He told the devil that the seed of the the woman would crush his head and the devil would bruise His heel (3:15)? The work of Jesus Christ upon the cross to take our sin and kill our sin nature.

 C. How was this promise of the Messiah made understandable to Adam and Eve? It is recorded in 3:21 that YHWH God made coats of skin for them and personally clothed them. This implies YHWH God sacrificed an animal in front of them to describe the redemptive act He would do millennia later for all men.

 D. What other act of intervention did God take in Genesis 3 and why was it taken? It is recorded in Genesis 3:22-24 that God drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden so that they would not eat of the Tree Of Life and therefor live forever in a depraved and sinful condition.

IV.  List, In Order, Some Notable People Within Genesis 4 To, And Including, Genesis 11.

 A. Cain, the firstborn of Adam and Eve and the first murderer. Genesis 4:1-15

 B. Abel, the second son of Adam and Eve and the first victim of murder. Genesis 4:2-12

 C. Seth, the replacement of Abel. Genesis 4:26

 D. Enoch, whom the Word records as having walked with God, and the first person to be translated (Genesis 5:21-24). Jude 14 notes he was “the seventh from Adam.”

  1. What is meant by “translated” in regard to people? Their physical body is changed and they are taken by God to be with Him and for His purposes without experiencing physical death.

 E. Methuselah, the son of Enoch and the grandfather of Noah, who lived 965 years. Of all the people mentioned in the Holy Bible, he lived the longest. Genesis 5:25-27

 F. Noah, whom God commanded to build an ark to save his family and the animals per His instructions. Genesis 5:29-32, 6:8-8:22

 *G. The sons of Noah, viz., Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who are the ancestors of the world’s present population. Genesis 9:18-19

 H. Terah, a descendant of Shem and the father of Abram (Abraham). Genesis 11:25-32

V. List, In Order, Some Notable Events Within Genesis 4 To, And Including, Genesis 11.

 A. The first murder. Genesis 4:1-12

 B. People begin calling upon the Name of YHWH. Genesis 4:26

  1. Reconcile Genesis 4:26 with Ex. 6:3 KJV, NKJV, ASV, etc. About Ex. 6:3, Online Bible’s Treasury of Scripture Knowledge states, “Mr. Locke and others read it interrogatively, for the negative particle, lo, not, has frequently this power in Hebrew:  ‘I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, and by my name Jehovah was I not also made known unto them?’” C.I. Scofield concurs with this{1}.

 C. Enoch is taken by God. Genesis 5:24

 D. The Flood. Genesis 6:8-8:22

 E. God’s establishment of the rainbow. Genesis 9:12-17

 F. God confounding the language of the people at the Tower of Babel, thus establishing multiple languages. Genesis 11:1-9

 G. Terah and his family leave Ur. Genesis 11:31-32

Special Note: The disciple should be aware that there are times in the Holy Bible that more than one person will have the same name. For example, in Genesis there are at least two Enochs. The one mentioned in this lesson is from what many view as the Godly Line.

Resources:

You can access the Holy Bible at the following sites (I recommend using the New King James, American Standard Version, The King James, works by Jay Green, and Young’s Literal Translation):

[http://www.biblegateway.com/] Biblegateway.com

[http://www.blueletterbible.org/] BlueletterBible.org

Notes:

{1} Scofield, C.I., Editor, The New Scofield Study Bible (Oxford University Press, New York: 1998) p.92

NKJ=New King James, ASV=American Standard Version, JPS=Jewish Publication Society

This is the first in a series of lesson outlines on “God’s Powerful Promise.” The next lesson will be, “God’s Powerful Promise To Abram.”

I reserve all rights, but you do have permission to copy (personal use, church use, etc.) but not sell or re-publish.

Unless otherwise noted, all Holy Scripture is from the 1769 Authorized Version with spelling updated at times and LORD changed to YHWH when the ancient text so indicates.

Unless the context deems otherwise. terms like, “man” and “men” are used in the reasonable, non-politically correct, traditional sense.

Not responsible for lead picture after publication.

The Holy Spirit impressed upon me to develop a course for our local church on the promise God made to Abraham. Our attendees will learn about the power behind the decrees of God and at the same time get a little history course that begins at Creation and goes into the future.

Each lesson outline published by this online publisher will have an embedded link back to this introduction so I will not have to repeat the same things over again.

The main thing I would like to point out about the upcoming outlines is that they will contain a lot Holy Scripture references. Except for the main texts that will be covered, I intend to incorporate the full text of MOST references into each outline.

For those that read my material, and I thank all that do, you will note I try to avoid abbreviations and present whole verses and small passages. I do this because I am painfully aware that some may not have a Holy Bible. There are times have presented links to online Holy Bibles, but then there are some people who might have certain difficulties accessing those sites, have connectivity problems, and so on.

For those that can readily access sites with online Holy Bibles, here are some links:

The Blue Letter Bible

Biblegateway

So, at the end of each outline I will have references typed out, as they occur according to the book order of the Holy Bible as found in most Protestant Holy Bibles.

These studies are inductive studies and some of the style of the layout is fashioned after that which is seen in the notes of Walter Beuttler, former instructor at Northeast Bible Institute, Green Lane, Pennsylvania. Because of that, I am going to try to submit them to Triond through the Internet Explorer since the formatting does not seem to remain in Google Chrome. I have not done that before and I hope the formating will remain.

Some of the formatting should look like this:

Sample Question Or Directive: What if the cows would not eat grass?  They might not give milk.Do some cows produce chocolate milk?  Nope, just white that I know of.Besides chocolate, name another flavor of milk.  Strawberry.

“How is your devotional life?”

The disciple admitted his prayer life and Holy Bible study time was not up to par.

“Go fix it,” said the instructor.

The brother left somewhat disgruntled, but over the course of time realized the teacher was correct. He did “fix it.”

While problems are not always an indicator of a weak devotional life with our Creator through Christ on our part, there are times many disciples, if not all at some point, ask for the troubles and discontent that plague their lives. Some of us, if not all of us, have gotten tangled in sin.

Whenever we know we need to straighten out our spiritual life, there are four things we can do that can fix it as we mean business concerning our walk with God in Christ.

I. Be Close To Christ James 4:8

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”-NKJ

Keep in mind this is God’s Word, so, since He said it, He will do it. Begin with confession of known sin and ask for forgiveness and cleansing from it, as well as unknown sin. 1 John was written to true Christians and we find the following in chapter 1: “8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Again, that is God’s Word, so fully trust it and follow through.

Next, worship and praise the Lord, even if you do not feel like it. Remember, it is written (Psalm 150:6), “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!” That “everything” includes you and me. Let us take it as a command and follow through with that too. Fight any negative feeling that would prevent you from worshiping God through Christ. Worship Him, for He is worthy!

II. Be Crucified With Christ Galatians 2:20, 6:14

  “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”-NKJ

In the previous article I focused on the fact that the Holy Bible needs to be taken seriously. An extension of thought to that article would be we need to take it literally, except for figures of speech and a few other matters as directed by context and leading of the Holy Spirit.

So, when we read passages like (Romans 6:11) “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord,” we need to do exactly just that. When we surrendered to Christ we repented of sin and every effort should be made on our part by the Holy Spirit to mend any cracks in our spiritual being. This might include removing things from our home that have even the slightest possibility of encouraging us to sin, spending quality prayer time with Christ in seeking a spiritual purging, forcing ourselves (if we have to force ourselves) to read even more of the Holy Bible, and anything else that the Holy Spirit might prompt us to do.

Further in Galatians it is written: “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”-NKJ

Trust in the power of His blood by spending quality time with Him. Just as the blood of the Passover lamb kept the Angel of Death away, His blood will protect us from the spiritual infections which lead to spiritual death provided we apply it daily.

III. Be Commissioned By Christ Romans 12:1-2, Matthew 28:18-20

   “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”-NKJ

   “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.”-NKJ

To anyone in my congregation who claims to be Christ’s and is on “disability” income I say, “You have a job.” No matter what physical or mental shape we find ourselves in, each true disciple has a job to do. We need to make God’s agenda our agenda.

The passage above from Romans speaks to the fact that part of our commission / agenda is to let God “renovate” us. And, many Christians think the directives in Matthew 28:18-20 were just for those disciples back in the time of the earthly ministry of Christ. Those directives are for all disciples, and there is nothing in the Word of God that says you have to be credentialed by man to perform those directives.

IV. Be Captivated With Christ 1 John 4:19, 1Peter 1:7g-8

   “We love Him because He first loved us.”-NKJ

   “Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,”-NKJ

True Christianity is not mere religion, but an active, ongoing, love relationship with God in Christ, evidenced by Holy Spirit empowered obedience to His Word. As we love Him, we will love His Word and His Holy Spirit directed ways.

We need to be daily at His nail scarred feet, feasting upon His very presence. We need to be obedient to His written and spoken Word regardless of our feelings or consequences we might face.

He was so captivated with us that, for us, He lived a perfect life, said “no” to temptation, endured abuse, and died on the cross that He might provide redemption for us. Let us be so captivated with Him that we deny ourselves, take up our cross, and let Him live through us, no matter what. He certainly is worth any price we have to pay to live for Him. As He loved you, love Him back!

Notes:

This article was in the form of a sermon (message) outline with comments. God willing by June 10, 2013 (hopefully much sooner), you should be able to hear the actual message (sermon) by selecting a link at http://www.sapphirestreams.com/life/audioM.html#M253 .

Unless otherwise noted all Holy Scripture is from the 1769 Authorized Version with spelling of some words updated for our time in addition to changing LORD to YHWH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates.

Where the New King James Version (NKJ) is used, it is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The NKJ text was copied from http://www.biblegateway.com.

Not responsible for lead picture after date of publication. Not responsible for any advertisements appearing with this article nor am I necessarily in agreement with any of them. The statements of this paragraph hold true not only for this article, but for everything I have placed on the Internet.

NOTE: This article is NOT aimed at any one person or locale. I consider my ministry an international ministry to both the universal Body of Christ and the unsaved. In love, I unashamedly tell you I take the Holy Bible for what it says as it speaks as a whole and from the ancient tongues. The topic of the following message outline with comments was chosen over a month ago by God for delivery to our local church, Cornerstone Assembly I.P., and is going forward despite anything I recently saw on social media sites.

The Holy Bible is not myth. It is not fable. It is powerful, life-changing, and event revealing (like the re-establishment of Israel in 1948 and the formation of the United Nations a few years before that). Sadly, few, including those that claim to be Christians, take it seriously.

Psalm 119:109-112 gives us a very good reason to take it seriously, along with reasons why we had better pay attention to, and obey His Word. First, the reason.

I. You Are Accountable v. 109

 “My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.”

The Hebrew word{1} translated as “soul” here may be translated as “life,” which the New King James Version and some other versions and translations do.

We are not robots or animals. All of us can and do make choices. From Genesis to Revelation it is crystal clear that we have the ability to choose, and we had better choose well. Please do not fall for what some scientists, government agencies or anyone else says if they tell you you cannot change. I can think of two groups on the spur of the moment that have been fed such lies, viz., those who are told they are tra-nsge–nde-red{2} and the me-nta-lly ill. God is God and He can do anything according to His holy omnipotence! Anyone truly moved upon by the Holy Spirit’s conviction can repent and obtain salvation in Christ. No matter what illness you have, you can be healed by Him.  And if you consider well Matthew 3:9 (“And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”), if you think you are trapped in the wrong body or trapped in mental illness God certainly has the power to change you!

Remembering God’s Word to the extent that we put it into practice is important. We need to choose Life,and daily walk close to God. Certainly we want to make the correct choices throughout life, therefore the remainder of our passage brings out what condition our heart should be in.

II.Be Alert v. 110

The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.

Biblically basically there are only two types of people in the world: those who have chosen Light and Life in Christ, and those who are darkness and heading toward damnation. Of the over seven billion on earth the vast majority are not the redeemed children of God. The wicked, therefor, are found everywhere, including governments, government agencies, clubs, businesses, employers, school systems, families, dating sites including most “Christian” dating sites, medical systems, religions and even churches.

The Hebrew word for “snare” here is the same one found in Isaiah 24:17, part of a passage I delivered a message from titled, “The Snare: An Apocalyptic Warning.”

Depending upon some people, much to all of the Holy Bible is ignored. Here are some passages with examples.

Luke 16:18, RSV, “Every one who d-iv-or-ces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman d-iv-or-ced from her husband commits ad-ul-tery.” Most denominations overlook this and the next few passages.

Matthew 19:6 “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. —What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.;” One of the ways the first sentence of this verse is not taken seriously is there are some married Christians that do not refer to their in-laws as mom and dad, but use their first name instead. Conversely oddly enough I know of a young lady whose IQ is below average, is most likely not dedicated to Christ, but still refers to what she thinks are her future in-laws as mom and dad! She inherently follows the precept of one flesh. A pastor friend of mine also recently bemoaned the fact that one of his in-laws refer to him and his wife by their first name.

There is much more to say about the principle of one flesh in regard to possessions, mutual accountability, holiness and more. However, I must save that for another day.

For the second sentence of the verse, well, you know as well as I do that some follow a doubled-tongue Christ who told the woman caught in a-du-lter-y “neither do I condemn thee” but at the same permits d-iv-or-ce, which He never really did. While it is not in the scope of this article to demonstrate He never permitted d-ivo-rc-e, I will provide links below at footnote {3} to pages I have that will reveal the falsehood many churches, fellowships and denominations adhere to.

Ephesians 5:23 “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.” Hollywood, media and society have helped to degrade the position of the husband. Satan, of course is behind this. He just loves to trample anything sacred. Over the decades the “man of the house” has become the butt of jokes.

1 Corinthians 7:26 ASV “I think therefore that this is good by reason of the distress that is upon us, namely, that it is good for a man to be as he is.” This is from the chapter on marriage in 1 Corinthians. While it is perfectly fine to re-marry, if God so directs, after the death of a spouse, quite many who name the Name of Christ just jump right into it. While we do not know what distress the Corinthians were facing, I think we are facing more distress today — nuclear expansion in unstable nations, worldwide terrorism, weak economy, etc. One had better seek the face of God before getting married.

One of the many things the avoidance of the above Scriptures brings is the weakening of the meaning of marriage as well weakening of the family.

Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.” Many churches no longer have Sunday School, evening worship (decades ago there were afternoon services too in some cases), and mid-week services, even though we are apparently heading toward the close of the Age of the Gentiles, the Great Tribulation is next, and the Millennial Reign is soon to follow. We are much closer to that “day” than when those words were first written. One nominal “Christian” church not far from us did not have any Christmas day services (even though I and others feel the incarnation occurred a number of weeks prior to traditional Christmas) so their congregation can “be with their family.” That, by the way, is a slap in the face to what Christ said about who His family were (Matthew 12:48-50).

2Thessalonians 2:8-9 “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.”  Years ago I said from the pulpit and even now warn that the time will come that fake miracles, powered by the devil himself (see Exodus 7:10-12) will increase and overtake the true ones from God. Yet, there are oodles of Christians that think any miraculous work is the handiwork of God.

Slipshod communion services…1 Corinthians 11:28 “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” I have to cringe each time I am in a communion service where just anyone and everyone is invited to come up. Somehow ministers that do this do not care about this verse. I have gone to at least one church where I was “a stranger” and communion was offered, but there was no explanation of who should receive the Lord’s Supper. One of the erroneous thoughts this encourages is automatic universal salvation.

 Colossians 2:10 “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Apparently this verse is not true in the mind of some ministers who say to ladies / men “you NEED” another woman / man to talk to. I guess Jesus just is not good enough and we need to forget choruses and songs like “He Is All I Need” and “Jesus Is All I Need.”

Deuteronomy 6:7 “And you shall teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up.” Yes, that is the Old Testament, but Christ fulfilled the Law to release its principles to a higher and more potent level. One thing, among others, that concerns me is Christian parents are not teaching their children to thank God for their food, clothing, etc. Or they gather together for a party but no one leads in blessing of the food and festivities. I guess that hour or two in church is good enough despite the fact our children are often bombarded with inverted values in many of our schools systems. Some of the same parents let their children become infected with what is on TV. One of the down-sides to this is unsaved youngsters grow up unsaved, depending upon mammon and not God, and considering the Holy Bible as an old book with outdated rules.

III. Be Abiding v. 111

“Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.”

When you are physically dead your house, money, earthly possessions. etc., will not do you any good. However, if you are a true Christian you can rejoice in the fact that every testimony of God’s Word (consider Hebrews 11 as an example of some) that you follow brings blessing and reward both now and in eternity.

I mentioned above that we are definitely not in pleasant times. However, there is no need for that to weigh us down because if we are truly in Christ we have a glorious future.

Just a few years before I came to Christ I thought for sure the United States was about to be overthrown from within. For one thing there was tremendous social unrest, we were mired in Vietnam, nuclear war was at our doorstep, and more. I lived backed then and I know for a fact that things are far worse now. However, I rejoice!

About a month ago I was going to write a warning article about the impending downfall of the United States but I have so many things to do at this time I can just do one or two articles a week, and those being message (sermon outlines). Though I love my Nation and would hate to see it fall, and though it continues to strip its citizens of their basic rights, I rejoice because my true citizenship is in heaven, Philippians 3:20 ASV: “For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:”

Certainly there are far more repressive countries than the United States, but regardless what country the true disciple of Christ finds themselves in each one of us should greatly rejoice over passages like Philippians 3:20. Consider the attitude of the human author God used to write Hebrews 10:34, “For you had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that you have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.” I hope my readers realize that thousands, if not tens or hundreds of thousands, of Christians are victims of pilfering, confiscation, and fines every week.

It is written in 1 Peter 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you.”

Taking such passages seriously will bring strength giving joy to every true disciple’s heart.

IV. Be Ardent v. 112

“I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.”

Be passionate about following Christ. He was passionate enough to live and die for you. Die and live for Him. Make an effort by the Holy Spirit to align your heart with God’s heart as shown in Christ.

Remember you have a choice. Someone asked me when did I choose to become straight. Please read my reply here.

We all have to make choices most of the moments of our time. Let us determine to take the Holy Bible seriously and make each choice based upon the only written Word of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit within.

Let us ask God through Christ to make godly choices until we die or are raptured.

If you do not have Christ within. you will find it difficult to make godly choices. I encourage you to come to God now through Christ, forsaking all sin, denying self, and embracing all that Christ is.

Notes:

{1} From an electronic version of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong incorporated in the Online Bible program, and so throughout the article whenever a definition of a word from the original Biblical language is mentioned.

{2} These words are purposely broken apart to avoid unwanted advertisements.

{3} I think it would be best to provide the main link to all the pages on this subject, so here it is:  http://oasis.sapphirestreams.com/ma00.html . This might be a temporary link since I had to move the original site. If this link becomes temporary, it will redirect you to the new location.

This article was in the form of a sermon (message) outline with comments. God willing by June 10, 2013 (hopefully much sooner), you should be able to hear the actual message (sermon) by selecting a link at http://www.sapphirestreams.com/life/audioM.html#M252 .

Unless otherwise noted all Holy Scripture is from the 1769 Authorized Version with spelling of some words updated for our time in addition to changing LORD to YHWH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates.

Not responsible for lead picture after date of publication. Not responsible for any advertisements appearing with this article nor am I necessarily in agreement with any of them. The statements of this paragraph hold true not only for this article, but for everything I have placed on the Internet.

By the Holy Spirit James warns (James 3:8), “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” Even if one thinks they have their tongue pretty well under control there are subtleties most of us are unaware of. 

When looking at verses 3 and 4 I see two aspects of guarding our mouths.

I. Outwardly 3

Given our basic helplessness as mentioned in James 3:8 we may not always realize certain things we are saying might be wrong, so it is best we implore YHWH God to set a watch at our mouth. This needs to be done for not only what comes out of our mouth, but for what we might easily pick up as we do our business in this present world. I am reminded of Isaiah’s lament in Isaiah 6:5, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, YHWH of hosts.”

Aside from the cursing, foul language, sexual innuendo and more, there are those “little things” that eventually cause us to sound like the world in some cases. Here are a few examples: saying “good luck,” referring to any woman as Ms., calling a married woman “Miss,” saying ex-husband or ex-wife, using the terms “church staff,” “church business meeting,” “church board,” etc. You might disagree with that but I will agree with you if there is any Biblical use of those terms and, when I say Biblical use, I refer to the Holy Bible as it is in its original tongues.

While the principle revealed by Christ is foundational in that what comes out of person from their heart defiles that person, as shown by Isaiah 6:5 and other Scriptures, our thoughts can be infected by simply being part of society. So we need Christ to not only keep our own filth from coming out but also to keep the unclean sayings of the world from making inroads into our hearts. One way to do that is by making Christ our standard. What would He say? What would He not say?

The word “keep” is from the Hebrew {1} natsar (naw-tsar) which here can mean  . . .

1a) (Qal) 1a1) to watch, guard, keep 
1a2) to preserve, guard from dangers 
1a3) to keep, observe, guard with fidelity 
1a4) to guard, keep secret 
1a5) to be kept close, be blockaded 

Here are some more things Christ will guard us from flowing out of our mouths or entering our ears to prompt us to speak the same:

 1. unclean language
 2. coarse joking
 3. persistent re-hashing, complaining, whining, etc.
 4. anything Jesus would not say
 5. anything not directed by the Holy Spirit
 6. improper negative thoughts about self
 7. improper pride about self

For help on the last two, please listen to the message (currently in video form), “Balance Your Brain.”

II. Inwardly 4

Looking at verse 4 we will see a progression from just past temptation to deep involvement whereby we no longer just speak some things that the world speaks, but we heartedly participate in them.

“Incline not my heart to any evil thing,…”

Looking at the whole of Scripture this does not mean God causes one to do evil, but that as we get closer to the world the principles are set forth that we will become infected by the world. This is the result of disobeying Scriptures like James 4:8.

“…to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity:…”

Whether it comes from the heart or floats into our ears, if we permit the sayings of the world to become our thoughts then we will begin behaving like the world. It was the mercy of God through Peter in that Simon was rebuked in Acts 8:18-20. Simon thought he could buy the authority to impart the gift of the Holy Spirit.

“…and let me not eat of their dainties.”

Meditate for a moment on the definition for the Hebrew word “lacham” for “eat” used in this clause:

1) to fight, do battle, make war 
1a) (Qal) to fight, do battle 
1b) (Niphal) to engage in battle, wage war 
2) (Qal) to eat, use as food 

There were eleven other possible Hebrew words that could have been used, especially the main one that denotes our daily act of eating food. However, the Holy Spirit chose “lacham” which in Qal, as you can see, primarily means acts of fighting, battle and war.

The point of that is that if we are not careful we will not simply just speak like the world or just “blend in,” we will reckon the commands and principles of the Holy Bible as inferior to the world’s, loving and depending upon the ways of the world more than the directives of our merciful loving God Who desires us to be spared from the ravages of sin.

A sad, common example of this today is how many churches act like the world and cater to societal whims. sNot too long ago we saw one church did not have Sunday services on Resurrection Day (a far better term than “Easter”) so their congregation and be with their families. This is a far cry from the life of Christ Who considered those that did the will of God to be His real family (Luke 8:21).

We need to gather together for fellowship and uphold one another in the Lord, especially in these end times. Sad it was for the Apostle Paul when, as Paul was facing sure execution, that Demas forsook him having loved the world much more and traveled to Thessalonica (2 Timothy 4:10). 

Getting back to our times, it is extremely sad that there are some who name the Name of Christ but are in favor of things like {2} h-om-ose-xu-al m-arr-iage and ab-ort-ion. They have succumbed to the waves of the world and the sinful force of their own flesh. Thus, they join in the condemnation pronounced by Christ (Matthew 12:34), “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Enough now of the sad stuff! The Good News, the Great News is that the victorious Christ can be our standard. He Who conquered sin can within us cause us to be more than conquerers! Christ has the authority and power to do it.

Think and say what Christ would. This can be done by making a full surrender to God through Him, making Christ King in your life. That means He is in charge of your thoughts and actions.

Notes:

{1} From an electronic version of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong incorporated in the Online Bible program.

{2} These words are purposely broken apart to avoid unwanted advertisements.

This article was in the form of a sermon (message) outline with comments. God willing by May 28, 2013 (hopefully much sooner), you should be able to hear the actual message (sermon) by selecting a link at http://www.sapphirestreams.com/life/audioM.html#M251 .

Unless otherwise noted all Holy Scripture is from the 1769 Authorized Version with spelling of some words updated for our time in addition to changing LORD to YHWH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates.

Not responsible for lead picture after date of publication. Not responsible for any advertisements appearing with this article nor am I necessarily in agreement with any of them. The statements of this paragraph hold true not only for this article, but for everything I have placed on the Internet.

I. Constancy 18a “Praying always . . .”

Prayer is communicating, fellowshipping with God and should be continual like our breathing. No, you do not have to be on your knees all the time. Besides, some cannot be on their knees. But we should be continually communing with Him.

Prayer should be balanced in that there is no vain repetition (Matthew 6:7). However, that does not mean we are expected to “pray once and that is it” as some in the positive confession realm might have us to believe. After all, even Christ had to pray more than once (Mark 8:25).

II. Content 18b “…with all prayer and supplication…”

The opening wording of this verse, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication,” in that “praying” and “all prayer” occur together followed by “supplication” speaks to the fact that praying is not just asking.

If we look at men like Moses and Daniel we will see that they had conversations with God. Prayer may comprise many things including but not limited to worship, praise, confession of sins, and just telling God how we feel. 

The thought of “all prayer” would include praying privately and publicly, and all needs.

“Supplication,” asking, occurs AFTER the term “all prayer,” indicating that general fellowship with God through Christ should be the bulk of our communication with God. Its “subject matter” can range from everyday things to crying out to God audibly or silently in the event of an emergency.

We need to erase from our mind, though, that God is a Santa or a genie. He is holy. His eternal purposes for us far outweigh our personal temporal goals.

III. Conduction 18c “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit,…”

We are exhorted to fellowship and ask as directed by the Holy Spirit. This does not mean if we see a need we should wait to hear from God as to whether or not we should pray for it. It does mean that we listen to Him and pray the way He desires us to pray. This will always be according to His written Word. Back in the 1980s someone asked me to pray that a man would break up with his wife so she could start dating him! I refused and proceeded to tell this woman how wrong that request was.

IV. Consciousness 18d “…and watching thereunto…”

As already mentioned, we should be listening to what God says to us by His Holy Spirit. For help along this line, please read How To Know The Voice Of God.

If you are truly saved, you might recall Christ knocking on the door of your heart before you surrendered to Him. Essentially it is the same once you are redeemed, being able to spiritually sense His direction.

There are other aspects in regard to watching, such as visions. Images and / or sounds might be impressed on your mind and sometimes you will also be able to sense what it is about. But if you do not understand what you are seeing and / or hearing, then simply ask God to take care of whatever it may be. In a case like this I pray something like, “I don’t understand what I am seeing, but Father whatever it is I ask you in the Name of Christ to meet that need whatever it may be.”

We also should be watching for special opportunities for prayer. Let the Holy Spirit reveal the needs of others to you. Consider praying for persecuted Christians and their persecutors.

Watching also carries the connotation of a watchman on a wall, charged with the duty of warning of impending danger. We must be aware of things that might be a hindrance to prayer, tools of the devil, that would distract and / or discourage us. By the Holy Spirit Paul led up to this point of prayer by beginning with the following three sentences (6:10-13): “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

V. Completeness 18e “with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

Notice that “all” occurs three times in this final portion. This speaks, to a degree, of the value and importance of prayer.

When I think of persevering in prayer I must think of those cases where the problem drags on for years or one is impressed with the sense that “it is no use – do not even pray.”

Time and again I have told my hearers numerous incidents such as a missionary who had no converts for twenty years and about a woman whose husband left her but it also took twenty years to pray him back. It is situations like those whereby our character and state of mind is shaped into that of Christ’s.

In cases where we feel it is no use to pray most likely demonic forces are doing what they can to discourage us from praying. As a minister I have been there a number of times but discovered that each time this happened, as prayer was presented through Christ to the Father, the situation being prayed about dramatically changed for the better.

The list is just about endless in regard to all supplication, for currently there are over 7 billion people, over 200 nations with some type of persecution of Christians in almost all of them, and constant changes throughout. I could go on with many more sentences, but it can be summed up with the previous point that our prayers need to be Holy Spirited directed. 

Concerning “all the saints,” this means to be praying for each true believer in Christ. Again, be Holy Spirit directed. Only God knows how many true disciples there are and our needs are varied. This, too, is an almost endless list. Even what some consider as top-notch Christians need prayer, and certainly be praying for any disciple in the limelight. Satan would just love to see them fall.

And, do not forget yourself, keeping in mind the most important aspect of you is your spirit. We must, through the help of the Holy Spirit, nurture the seed of Christ implanted within us. While it is good at times to think of others first, your personal walk with God must take priority.

If you have a chance, please read my first article on Relijournal about prayer, Prayers That God Hears.

Notes:

God willing by May 22, 2013 (hopefully much sooner), you should be able to hear the actual message (sermon) by selecting a link at http://www.sapphirestreams.com/life/audioM.html#M250 .

Unless otherwise noted all Holy Scripture is from the 1769 Authorized Version with spelling of some words updated for our time in addition to changing LORD to YHWH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates.

Not responsible for lead picture after date of publication. Not responsible for any advertisements appearing with this article nor am I necessarily in agreement with any of them. The statements of this paragraph hold true not only for this article, but for everything I have placed on the Internet.

The verses above are another example that no one can match or supercede Christ. Let us look specifically at verse 17 where we will discover three reasons, among many, as why Jesus Christ is the all sufficient Lord for everyone no matter where you have been born or what religion you have been raised in.

I. Jesus The Pure 17a

“Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren,…”

Christ was afire with the agape love of the Father Who desired to provide our redemption from sin and the curse thereof. Romans 5:8 records, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Christ always existed. Philippians 2:5-11 explains the the term “made.” It bears repeating: When we see the life of Christ on earth we are viewing our salvation under construction. For our salvation Christ willingly chose not to operate from His deity but as the “last man,” or, as the Christmas hymn terms it, “second Adam from above.” Just like we must do (Romans 8:14), He went by the direction of the Holy Spirit.

As such, Christ was thorough in all submissive obedience to the Father in all His actions. Additionally, His attitude in all of this pleased the Father. So we are complete in these ways before God if Christ truly dwells within us.

His dwelling within any of us was made possible because He willingly identified Himself with us and experienced every type of temptation.

II. Jesus The Loving 17b

“…that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God,…”

First, when I speak of love in relation to God it is always with the following truth: God’s love is a holy love. It is without sin and conforms to the demands of His holiness. God presents two types of love to mankind, viz., agape love which stems from His will even though the object of that love, each of us, is unworthy. The other is phileo, which is discussed along with agape in my article, The Double Love Of God.

Considering the love of God which is holy, when the Holy Scriptures refer to Christ as merciful and is understanding, it does not mean He tolerates sin. He Who said “Neither do I condemn thee” also said “go and sin no more” (John 8:11).

Unlike many priests and ministers today, Christ was faithful in His ministry for the Father and to mankind. He faithfully obeyed the written Word and that spoken to Him by the Holy Spirit.

III. Jesus The Effectual 17c

“…to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”

Christ and only Christ paid the price required for the removal of our sin, guilt, and shame. No other “religious” figure offers this nor is there any religion so effective. His redemptive work made it possible for God and sinful man to come together in fellowship. Such restoration is available to all, no matter how bad you think you are.

Because He has made reconciliation for us, through Christ we can win victories over temptation, disappointments, and whatever else earthly life can throw at us. If we remain in Him He will bring us to final victory.

Notes:

God willing by May 10, 2013 (hopefully much sooner), you should be able to hear the actual message (sermon) by selecting a link at http://www.sapphirestreams.com/life/audioM.html#M249 .

Unless otherwise noted all Holy Scripture is from the 1769 Authorized Version with spelling of some words updated for our time in addition to changing LORD to YHWH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates.

Not responsible for lead picture after date of publication. Not responsible for any advertisements appearing with this article nor am I necessarily in agreement with any of them. The statements of this paragraph hold true not only for this article, but for everything I have placed on the Internet.

I think that is probably one reason why they were so underappreciated, in my opinion. I think it’s because most people only heard the studio recordings. Sure they were nice sound quality but they just didn’t capture the rawness of their live performances. If the only thing you’ve heard from them was the studio recordings, you just have to pick up Some Enchanted Evening. If you have any taste in music, you won’t regret it.

The album was recorded at a few different locations in the United States and England. One of the locations was Atlant’as Fox theater, the same place Lynyrd Skynyrd’s One more From the Road album was recorded. It was released in September 1978 and has all of the original band members. As most people realize, a band’s best work is usually from the period in which it had its original members. When a band first starts out, there is a certain chemistry that enables them to become successful. Then after personnel changes, their popularity usually wanes. It’s the classic Rock classic story. It’s happened to many a good band.

The Album kicks off with “R.U. Ready 2 Rock” from the Spectres album, which was the last studio album released prior to this album. The first thing you hear is a fade-in of the band warming up and then the introduction: “Atlanta Georgia! Are you ready to rock and roll? Well Please welcome, from New York City, Blue …  Oyster … Cult!” Then the jamming begins. I love it!

They follow that song up with a song from the Agents of Fortune album called E.T.I. (Extraterrestrial Intelligence). That was the first album B.O.C. Had that went gold. It also featured their first hit “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” As with the first song, and the others to follow on the album, they do an extended version. In fact, the album only has seven songs on the original release, due to the fact that they were extended so much. They have since done a re-issue with a number of bonus tracks though.

The third track is one of my favorites on the album, called “Astronomy.” Metallica (B.O.C fans themselves) had actually done a cover of the song. I personally prefer this live version over the original studio version and any other live recording of it. It was originally from their 3rd studio album Secret Treaties, which was one of the albums covered in the band’s first live album, On Your Feet or On Your Knees but didn’t make it on to that album even though it was a 2 record set. Go figure. It made it onto this live album, though, and was one of the highlights.

Side two on this album starts out with a cover of Mc5’s “Kick Out the Jams.” this is where they really let it rip. I love the lead guitar work by Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser on this one. Oh, and the drumming provided by Albert Bouchard on this song is quite impressive as well.

Then we get into the live version of “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” This song was the band’s first hit song, which hit the U.S. Charts in 1976, put the band on the rock and roll map and also helped the Agents of Fortune album to become their first gold record. They don’t perform it in the original key of A Minor on this album though. They do it in B Minor instead, so it has a bit of a different sound to it. Not to mention the fact that it is a bit extended as well. Overall, a very nice version. They have since done a couple of live versions of the song, one in the original key of A Minor, but I kind of like this live version best.

Then there is “Godzilla”, originally from the Spectres album. This is probably one of their 3 most famous songs. The other two being “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and “Burnin’ for You”, from the Fire of Unknown Origin album. By the way, the Fire of Unknown Origin album was the last studio album to fully feature the original lineup. It was after that, that they had begun to decline in popularity. So that was probably them at their peak of popularity. It was also around the time where they had done the Black and Blue tour with Black Sabbath.

I would have to say, though, that the Some Enchanted Evening album probably captured the band’s peak of live performance under the original lineup. Some other fans prefer either the On Your Feet or On Your Knees or Extraterrestrial Live albums instead but that’s okay, I still like those albums as well.

The album finishes with a cover of the Animal’s “We Gotta Get Out of This Place” and is a nice version of the song. It kind of fits nicely as the final song for what I consider their best album. This is the album that made me a fan of the band. If you have never givien it a listen, you should do so. You can get it dirt cheap on Amazon now too. There is also a special edition of it with some great bonus tracks too. They were actually recorded at the same time the other tracks were recorded but were cut out of the final release when they decided to go with just a single LP album instead of a two record set like the other two live albums I mentioned above. Anyway, give it a listen and see for yourself why I think this is their best album. You might agree.