THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT    <br><br>   

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 4-8-18    <br><br>   

    <br><br>   

LESSON TITLE: “WE HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS OF HIS PROMISES”    <br><br>   

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WELCOME    <br><br>   

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS.    <br><br>   

      WHAT A PRIVILEGE WE HAVE THIS MORNING TO JOIN TOGETHER IN THE STUDY OF GOD’S LIVING WORD. WE ARE HAPPY YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE WITH US TODAY AND ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TOGETHER TO GLORIFY OUR CREATOR. MAY WE EACH DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT AND ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. NOW, LET’S APPROACH OUR FATHER’S THRONE IN PRAYER.    <br><br>   

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY AND EACH AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR WE KNOW THAT YOU GIVE US ALL THINGS THAT WE NEED. ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO OUR PHYSICAL LIVES AND, FATHER, ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES. HELP US TO ALWAYS LOOK TO JESUS TO FIND THAT STRENGTH AND THAT THAT GUIDANCE TO YOUR WORD IN ALL THAT WE NEED IN HIS EXAMPLE, TO BE THE TYPES OF PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO BE, TO NOT ONLY FIND SALVATION OURSELVES BY YOUR GRACE, LOVE, AND MERCY BUT TO HELP OTHERS TO SEE YOU THROUGH US AS WELL. AND MAY WE THIS DAY AS WE WORSHIP YOU DO ALL AS TRUE WORSHIPERS AND IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH GIVE YOU OUR VERY BEST. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.     <br><br>   

      IT’S NOW TIME TO START OUR PRAISE THROUGH SONG. OUR FIRST SONG OF THE DAY FOCUSES ON OUR TRUE HOME AS FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST.  WON’T YOU JOIN IN THE FIRST HYMN OF THE MORNING, AS WE TOGETHER SING, “THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME!”    <br><br>   

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS    <br><br>   

      IN THE BIBLE, WE OFTEN READ ABOUT THE FAMILY OF GOD AS IT IS COMPARED TO A PHYSICAL BODY! IN ROMANS 12: 4-5, WE READ, “FOR AS WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS IN ONE BODY, BUT ALL THE MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION, SO WE, BEING MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER.” PAUL SAID, AS CHRISTIANS, WE ARE ALL A PART OF THE ONE BODY OF CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD AND WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS! ISN’T THAT HOW OUR BODY WORKS? MANY PARTS, ALL WORKING TOGETHER, YET SERVING DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS, SO THAT THE BODY MAY BE ABLE TO FULFILL ITS NEEDED WORK.      <br><br>   

      FURTHERMORE, AS WE TALK ABOUT FULFILLING OUR PART IN THE BODY OF CHRIST WE NEED TO CONSIDER A FEW QUESTIONS. WHAT PART OF THE BODY ARE YOU?  HAVE YOU FOUND YOUR TALENTS AND ARE YOU USING THEM FOR THE LORD? PROBABLY MANY OF US ARE NOT! WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU CONSIDERED WHAT YOUR SPECIAL TALENTS ARE? WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU PUT THOSE TALENTS TO WORK FOR THE LORD’S BODY? THE BIBLE IS FULL OF EXAMPLES THAT TEACH US THAT WE MUST ALL DO OUR OWN PART FOR JESUS.     <br><br>   

      WE ALL REMEMBER THE STORY OF THE “TALENTS,” IN MATTHEW 25. THE MASTER GAVE EACH OF HIS SERVANTS TALENTS.  TO ONE HE GAVE 5, TO ANOTHER HE GAVE 2, AND TO ANOTHER HE GAVE 1. EACH SERVANT LATER RETURNED TO THE MASTER. THE 5 AND 2 TALENT MEN HAD DOUBLED THEIR TALENTS AND THE MASTER WAS WELL PLEASED. THE ONE TALENT MAN CAME BACK ONLY WITH THAT WHICH THE MASTER HAD GIVEN HIM. NOW LET’S SEE WHAT THE MASTER SAID TO THE ONE TALENT MAN IN VERSE 26, “YOU WICKED AND LAZY SERVANT…”  THE MASTER WAS UPSET THAT THIS SERVANT HAD DONE NOTHING WITH WHAT HE HAD BEEN GIVEN. ALSO, NOTICE THE OUTCOME OF THIS UNPROFITABLE SERVANT.  IN VERSE 28, WE FIND THAT HIS TALENT WAS TAKEN FROM HIM AND GIVEN TO ANOTHER.  THEN ON DOWN IN VERSE 30 WE READ, “AND CAST THE UNPROFITABLE SERVANT INTO THE OUTER DARKNESS. THERE WILL BE WEEPING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.”     <br><br>   

      ARE WE USING OUR TALENTS FOR THE GLORY OF GOD OR ARE WE SITTING AROUND LIKE THE LAZY SERVANT? WHY NOT FIND YOUR TALENTS AND BE A PROFITABLE SERVANT IN THE KINGDOM OF THE LORD. CHOOSE TODAY TO BE A HEALTHY PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST!     <br><br>   

      TODAY WE WILL AGAIN BE CONSIDERING A LESSON FROM OUR SERIES WHICH IS ENTITLED, “WE HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS OF…!” OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC THIS MORNING WILL FOCUS ON “HIS PROMISES!” SO STAY WITH US AND IN A FEW MINUTES I WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD. NOW IT’S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND HYMN OF THE MORNING, THE NAME OF THE SONG, “TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS.” 

LESSON    <br><br>   

RAY SULLINS    <br><br>   

      WE'RE SO THANKFUL YOU HAVE CONTINUED WITH US NOW AS WE GO TO GOD'S WORD AND LOOK AT ANOTHER LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE ARE MADE PARTAKERS OF AS WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD. SPECIFICALLY TODAY OUR MAIN TEXT WILL BE TAKEN FROM EPHESIANS CHAPTER 3 AND WE'LL BE LOOKING THERE AT VERSE SIX WHEN IT ACTUALLY MENTIONS THIS IDEA THAT THE GENTILES SHOULD BE FELLOW HEIRS OF THE SAME BODY AND PARTAKERS OF HIS PROMISES IN CHRIST THROUGH THE GOSPEL. NOTICE THE BEAUTIFUL IDEA HERE OF THE PROMISES OF GOD AND THAT WE, AS A JEW OR GENTILE, ARE ALL ABLE TO BE RECIPIENTS OF WHAT? THE PROMISES OF GOD. PARTAKERS OF THE PROMISES OF GOD.     <br><br>   

      WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO THAT MAIN TEXT IN JUST A MOMENT BUT I WOULD LIKE US NOW TO GO OVER TO SECOND PETER CHAPTER 3 AND I MIGHT REMIND YOU A FEW THINGS ABOUT GOD'S PROMISES IN GENERAL. AS WE THINK ABOUT THOSE BENEFITS THAT HE GIVES THE FAITHFUL, ONE THING THAT HE STATES OVER IN SECOND PETER CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE NINE IS THIS, “THE LORD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISES, AS SOME COUNT SLACKNESS, BUT IS LONG-SUFFERING TOWARD US, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.” WHAT DOES GOD WANT? GOD WANTS EVERY SOUL ALIVE TO REPENT, TO LEAVE SIN, TO COME TO GOD, AND FOLLOW GOD IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT BE WHAT? IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THOSE PROMISES OF GOD. AND BY THE WAY, THOSE PROMISES ARE NOT SLACK.  GOD DOESN'T LET UP OR GOD DOESN'T LESSEN THOSE PROMISES FOR THE FAITHFUL. GOD GIVES THE FULL REWARD. GOD GIVES EVERYTHING THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS WORTHY OF AND THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL HAVE PROVED HIMSELF ACCORDING TO THE PERFECT WILL OF GOD. BUT IF YOU'LL BACKUP ACTUALLY JUST A FEW PAGES PERHAPS IN YOUR BIBLE TO SECOND PETER CHAPTER 1, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT HE NOT ONLY SAYS THAT THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE NOT SLACK IN ANY WAY BUT HE THERE SAYS IN CHAPTER 1 AND VERSE FOUR THERE IS SOMETHING WE BEEN GIVEN. AND IT SAYS THERE, BY THE GOD WHO HAS ALL POWER, ALL ABILITY, WHO HAS GIVEN ALL KNOWLEDGE, ALL POWER, VERSE FOUR SAYS, “BY WHICH HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO US EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES.” WHAT HAS GOD GIVEN TO US? HE'S GIVEN US GREAT, NOT JUST GREAT BUT EXCEEDINGLY GREAT, THE BEST PROMISES. AND CERTAINLY THERE ARE MANY THAT ARE FOUND THERE WITHIN THE BIBLE. AND SO GOD HAS GIVEN US WHAT? NOT JUST EXCEEDINGLY GREAT BUT PRECIOUS, THOSE THINGS THAT ARE DEAR AND WONDERFUL TO US BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN TO US IN RELATIONSHIP TO ETERNAL LIFE. THAT WE'LL NOT JUST LIVE THE LIFE THAT WE HAVE HERE ON THE EARTH AND THEN THERE'S NOTHING ELSE AND THINGS ARE OVER BUT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ENJOY ETERNITY WITH GOD. AND BY THE WAY, ETERNITY IS DESCRIBED TO US IN THE SCRIPTURES AS CERTAINLY A PERFECT PLACE, A PARADISE WHERE EVERYTHING IS JUST RIGHT AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT IS BAD OR NEGATIVE IN ANY WAY.     <br><br>   

      BUT WITH THAT IN MIND, LET'S GO BACK TO THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS TO OUR MAIN TEXT BECAUSE IT IS WITHIN THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS THAT WE REALLY BEGIN TO SEE A LOT OF THE SPECIFIC PROMISES THAT ARE MENTIONED. AND IF YOU'LL GO BACK WITH ME THERE I THINK IT'S FIRST EVIDENT WITHIN OUR MAIN VERSE THAT AS WE, THE GENTILES, HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME PARTAKERS OF THE SAME BODY AND THE SAME PROMISES AS ANY WHO ARE FAITHFUL. WHAT THAT FIRST REMINDS US OF, TO ME, IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE CHANCE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE GRACE OF GOD. AND SO WHY IS IT THAT WE NEED ACCESS TO THE GRACE OF GOD? WELL, WE CAN BACK UP TO EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1 AND WE CAN BEGIN TO LEARN VERY QUICKLY THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD KEEP US FROM GOD, AND YOU AND I WOULD KNOW THAT THAT IS SIN. AND SIN SEPARATES ONE FROM GOD. AND MAN WHO LIVES IN THIS WORLD OFTEN CHOOSES WRONG AND THEY SIN AND IF THEY CONTINUE IN SIN WITHOUT REPENTANCE THEY THEN LEAVE THE PRESENCE OF GOD AND CERTAINLY GOD DOES NOT REMAIN WITH THEM. BUT HERE WITHIN THIS TEXT, NOTICE WHAT IT IS THAT GOD DID FOR US, WHAT PROMISE HE GAVE US. IT SAYS THERE IN VERSE SEVEN, “IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD.” DO YOU REALIZE, AND CERTAINLY YOU DO, THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN AS A PROMISE OF GOD THAT THROUGH THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS AND THE BLOODSHED THAT WE NOW CAN BE REDEEMED. ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL! AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO US, AS WE BACK UP TO VERSE THREE, IS THAT GOD GIVES US NOT SOME BUT ALL, EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING, IN AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. AND THAT'S WHY IT SAYS HERE IN RELATIONSHIP TO REDEMPTION THAT IT WAS THROUGH THE BLOOD. JESUS SHED THE BLOOD ON THE CROSS AND, THEREFORE, THE GREAT PROMISE THAT ALL MEN MIGHT BE SAVED. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHOEVER EVERYONE GOING TO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE, EVERY NATION. YOU SEE THERE THE BEAUTIFUL IDEA THAT GOD AGAIN WANTS WHAT? THE PROMISES THAT HE HAS AVAILABLE FOR EACH AND EVERY SOUL OF HIS CREATION THAT THEY MIGHT ALL COME TO REALIZATION OF THE TRUTH AND BE A RECIPIENT OF THOSE EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY GAINED IN ORDER TO ACT UPON WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE THEM TO DO. SO YES, WE HAVE THE PROMISE, THE PROMISE AS THE GENTILES TO BECOME FELLOW HEIRS, PARTAKERS, IF YOU WILL, OF THE VERY PROMISE OF GOD.   <br><br>   

      BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING ELSE THERE. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID IN OUR FIRST VERSE THERE VERSE SIX AS WE READ IT AGAIN. IT SAYS, “AND PARTAKERS OF HIS PROMISE IN CHRIST.” IN CHRIST! YOU SEE, CHRIST IS THAT ONE WHO GIVES US SUCH A CHANGE. NOW BACK IN CHAPTER 1, AGAIN, WHAT DO WE LEARN? IT SAYS THERE THAT WE, VERSE FOUR, HAVE BEEN CHOSEN IN HIM, IN JESUS CHRIST. LOOK AT VERSE FIVE, “HAVING PREDESTINED US TO ADOPTION AS SONS BY JESUS CHRIST TO HIMSELF.” THE FATHER HAS RECONCILED US, HAS CHOSEN US, AND GIVEN US THAT HOPE OF THE PROMISE OF ALL THINGS NOW AND ETERNALLY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST HIS SON. JUST AS WE READ A MOMENT AGO, WE ARE PARTAKERS OF THE PROMISE IN OR THROUGH CHRIST. AND HOW DO WE KNOW THAT? BECAUSE OF THE GOSPEL, BECAUSE OF THAT MESSAGE IN CHAPTER 3 ACTUALLY OF EPHESIANS. WHAT PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT IS THAT HE WAS MADE KNOWN OR, RATHER WAS MADE KNOWN TO HIM, A MYSTERY FROM GOD. A MYSTERY THAT HAD BEEN HIDDEN BUT THAT MYSTERY WAS THAT JESUS CHRIST WAS GOING TO COME IN ORDER TO DO WHAT? TO DIE FOR THE LOST. NOT JUST SOME BUT ALL THE LOST OF THE WORLD, THAT THROUGH HIS BLOOD AS WE HAVE LEARNED WE HAVE THE PROMISE OF WHAT? REDEMPTION. AND EVEN THERE AS WE BACKUP AGAIN TO VERSE SEVEN OF CHAPTER 1 EPHESIANS THE PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS. AND THEN HE TIES IT IN THIS, HE SAID, “ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE.” AND CERTAINLY THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT WE NEED AND DESIRE BECAUSE WE KNOW WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE.     <br><br>   

      WELL, WITH THAT IN MIND THEN WE AGAIN SEE THAT THIS VERY CONCEPT IS AS WELL TIED TO THE THINGS OF GOD. IN FACT, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER WITH ME BACK IN CHAPTER 2 OF THE FACT AS HE TALKS THERE ABOUT THE BLESSINGS OF GOD ABOUT HOW THE WE WILL SIT TOGETHER, IT SAYS THERE IN VERSE SIX OF CHAPTER 2 EPHESIANS, SIT THERE IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS HAVING LEFT SIN AND HAVING BECOME RICH IN THE MERCY OF JESUS CHRIST, THE ONE WHO LOVES US. AND NOW NOTICE WITH ME WHAT HE GOES ON TO SAY IN VERSE SEVEN CONTINUING, “THAT IN THIS THE AGE TO COME MIGHT SHOW THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE. THE EXCEEDING RICHES,” THE VALUE OF THAT PROMISE, “OF THAT GRACE.” AND HOW IS THAT KINDNESS SHOWED TOWARD US? THE SAME VERSE SAYS IN AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, AGAIN. AND SO THEN WHAT DO WE HAVE? WELL, THAT'S WHY HE THEN IN VERSE EIGHT SAYS FOR BY GRACE YOU ARE SAVED. FOR BY GRACE! THE PROMISE OF GRACE! SEE, THE PROMISE OF GRACE, NOT ONLY FOR US TODAY BUT FOR ALL MEN OF ALL AGES, WAS CENTERED IN JESUS CHRIST. THAT PROMISE WAS FULFILLED, NOT ONLY IN HIS COMING, BUT HIS LIFE AND HIS DEATH AND HIS BURIAL AND HIS RESURRECTION THAT WE MIGHT AGAIN BE RECIPIENTS OF THE PROMISES OF GOD! THAT WE MIGHT SHARE EVEN AS THE GENTILES AS AGAIN FELLOW HEIRS AND AS WE HAVE READ AS THOSE WHO ARE OF THE SAME BODY IN JESUS CHRIST AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. AND THEREFORE, THAT WE, BY FAITH, MIGHT THEN RECEIVE THAT GRACE. AND REALLY CERTAINLY MANY PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO READ ON THERE IN THAT TEXT AND THEY READ, ‘WELL, FOR BY GRACE YOU ARE SAVED AND AMEN AND PRAISE BE TO GOD.’ BUT THE VERY NEXT THING THAT IT SAYS TYING THAT TOGETHER WITH THE CONCEPT OF A PREPOSITION IS THIS, “FOR BY GRACE YOU ARE SAVED THROUGH FAITH.” GOD, HIS POWER, HIS CONTROL, HIS ABILITY, WHAT HE OFFERS, THE PROMISE HE HAS GIVEN, IS GRACE. FOR HE ALONE HAS THE POWER TO OFFER AND TO GIVE THAT FAVOR THAT WE DON'T DESERVE. BUT WHAT IS OUR PART? FAITH! DEMONSTRATING OUR BELIEF IN GOD BY DOING THOSE THINGS THAT HE HAS ASKED OF US SO THAT WE MIGHT BE RECIPIENTS OF WHAT? THE PROMISES OF GOD. THAT WE MIGHT BE RECIPIENTS OF WHAT IT IS THAT HE HAS GIVEN US.     <br><br>   

      NOW I'D LIKE TO TIE IN WHAT IT IS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IN RELATIONSHIP TO BEING PARTAKERS OF THOSE PROMISES. THE IDEA OF REDEMPTION, THE BLOOD THAT WAS SHED, WHAT JESUS DID BY GRACE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE, THE PROMISES OF GOD CAPABLE OF BEING FULFILLED WITHIN OUR LIVES. IF YOU LOOK THERE WITH ME OVER TO THE HEBREW LETTER, IT IS INTERESTING THERE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 9 THAT OF COURSE DEALING WITH THE SAME CONCEPT OF THE OLD LAW AND THE OLD METHODS IN THE OLD TEXT AND THE NEW COVENANT AS CHAPTER 8 ALSO DEALS WITH. BUT THEN IN CHAPTER 9 HE'S JUST BEEN  TALKING ABOUT THE DEATH OF THE TESTATOR AND THE DEATH MUST'VE TAKEN PLACE IN ORDER FOR THE NEW COVENANT TO BE ENACTED. THAT THERE'S A BETTER BLOOD, JESUS CHRIST, RATHER THAN THE BLOOD OF ANIMALS, OF BULLS AND GOATS. NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS SPECIFICALLY IN VERSE 15 OF THAT TEXT. HE SAYS THIS, AGAIN, HEBREWS CHAPTER 9 AND VERSE 15, “AND FOR THIS REASON HE IS THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT, BY MEANS OF DEATH, FOR,” NOTICE, “THE REDEMPTION OF THE TRANSGRESSIONS UNDER THE FIRST COVENANT, THAT THOSE WHO WERE CALLED MAY RECEIVE THE PROMISE OF THE ETERNAL INHERITANCE.” WHAT IS IT THAT THE FAITHFUL WILL RECEIVE? THE PROMISE OF THE INHERITANCE. AND REALLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE PROMISES OF GOD, PROBABLY THE IDEA THAT WE LOOK AT, ARE TWO-FOLD. WE LOOK AT THE PHYSICAL PROMISES IN BLESSINGS AND WE LOOK AT THE SPIRITUAL PROMISES IN BLESSINGS. AS WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN BACK IN EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1 THERE IN VERSE THREE, GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH NOT SOME, AGAIN, BUT ALL SPIRITUAL, EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING. BUT THEN WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL NEEDS, WE EVEN FIND THAT SAME CONCEPT THERE IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 6 THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A GREAT FAITH! NOT A LITTLE FAITH BUT A GREAT FAITH. BECAUSE AS GOD CARES FOR ALL OF HIS CREATION, EVEN THE BIRDS OF THE AIR OR THE GRASS OF THE FIELD OR THE FLOWERS, HE EVEN CARES MUCH MORE FOR US AS THOSE WHO CAN HAVE WHAT? FAITH! THEREFORE WE SHOULD HAVE FAITH. SO HE IS GOING TO HELP US TO HAVE THE SUBSTANCE THAT WE NEED, THE CLOTHING THAT WE NEED, THE FOOD THAT WE NEED, THE SHELTER THAT WE NEED. GOD HAS PROMISED TO CARE FOR US IN THAT WAY. IN FACT, EVEN IN THAT TEXT HE SAYS DON'T WORRY LIKE THE GENTILES WORRY BECAUSE YOU HAVE YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER. AND THEREFORE, IF YOU SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, VERSE 33, ALL OF THESE THINGS, NOT SOME, ALL OF THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU. SO THAT'S HOW WE USUALLY THINK OF THE PROMISES OF GOD AND RIGHTLY SO. THESE GREAT SPIRITUAL PROMISES THAT GOD GIVES US, EVERYTHING WE NEED NOW TO KNOW HIS WILL, TO KNOW WHAT TO DO TO KNOW HOW WE SHOULD LIVE, WHAT OUR CHARACTER SHOULD BE, HOW WE SHOULD SPEAK IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT BE FOUND PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT AND BE RECIPIENTS OF THAT GRACE. BUT THEN THE PHYSICAL ASPECT OF WHERE HE AGAIN PROVIDES FOR US, ALL THOSE FLESHLY THINGS WE NEED IN THIS LIFE TO BE ABLE TO DO THE WORK OF THE LORD, TO BE ABLE TO LIVE SPIRITUALLY AS HE HAS COMMANDED.     <br><br>   

      BUT PERHAPS OF ALL THE PROMISES OF GOD THAT STAND UP THE MOST, IT IS WHAT AGAIN WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MAKING REFERENCE TO IN SOME OF OUR TEXT HERE IN THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS BUT ALSO IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS WHERE IT, AGAIN, SAYS CONCERNING THE PROMISE OF GOD THAT WE LOOK FOR ETERNAL LIFE. WE LOOK FOR OUR TRUE HOME, THE HOME THAT HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR US IN HEAVEN. THAT THE GREATEST PROMISE OF GOD IS THE REWARD OF LIFE ETERNAL. REMEMBER WHEN JESUS CAME PROCLAIMING TO US THAT HE WAS THE LIFE AND HE OFFERED LIFE TO MAN AND THAT HE THEREFORE GAVE ETERNAL LIFE! THE OPPORTUNITY THAT WE WOULD NEVER DIE! OF COURSE, THE IMMORTALITY THAT WE HAVE BEEN CREATED WITH THAT WE WILL LIVE FOREVER BUT THE FACT THAT WE WILL NEVER DIE AND YOU WILL GO AND BE WITH HIM FOREVER. THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO ENJOY AND BE RECIPIENTS OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT HE HAS GIVEN US AND THAT HE HAS BLESSED US WITH. PAUL SPOKE OF SIMILAR THINGS TO THE EVANGELIST TIMOTHY AND YOU MIGHT TURN OVER THERE WITH ME TO FIRST TIMOTHY AND CHAPTER 4. THERE IN VERSE EIGHT NOTICE WITH ME AS HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE NEED THAT ONE WOULD HAVE IN ORDER TO NOT FOCUS ON JUST THE FLESH, THE BODILY EXERCISE, BUT TO FOCUS ON THE SPIRITUAL EXERCISE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT PERTAINS TO OUR ETERNAL EXISTENCE IS WHAT HE SAYS THERE VERSE EIGHT. HE SAYS THIS, “FOR BODILY EXERCISE PROFITS LITTLE, BUT GODLINESS IS PROFITABLE IN ALL THINGS, HAVING PROMISE OF THE LIFE THAT NOW IS AND WHICH IS TO COME.” YOU SEE, THAT REALLY SUMS IT UP WELL BECAUSE IT TAKES BOTH CONCEPTS AND IT SAYS, THE PROMISE OF LIFE NOW AND THE BLESSINGS FOUND FROM GOD WITHIN THAT LIFE FOR THE FAITHFUL OF THE PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL. ALL THAT WE NEED, BASED ON WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE, EVERYTHING WE NEED TO KNOW GOD AND TO FIND SALVATION SPIRITUALLY. BUT HE ALSO THERE SAYS AS YOU MIGHT'VE NOTED THAT HE ALSO GIVES US THAT WHICH IS TO COME, THE LIFE WHICH IS TO COME, THE HEAVENLY HOME, TO HEAVENLY REWARD.    <br><br>    

      SO THEREFORE, WE CAN KNOW THAT THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE TRUE. WE CAN KNOW THAT HE IS AS HE HAS PROMISED TO RETURN TO THE EARTH SOMEDAY TO JUDGE MAN, THAT WILL HAPPEN. AND THAT IN THAT DAY, EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS, THE DEAD WILL RISE, AND, AS THEY ARE JUDGED BY JESUS, THE FAITHFUL WILL BE TAKEN UP BACK INTO HEAVEN WITH HIM AND FOREVER BE WITH THE LORD. BUT THOSE WHO ARE CONDEMNED WILL CERTAINLY LOSE THEIR SOULS IN HELL.     <br><br>   

      YOU SEE, THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE REAL AND THE PROMISES OF GOD PERTAIN TO ETERNAL THINGS, WHETHER YOU FOCUS ON WHAT YOU DO TODAY OR WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER THIS LIFE. THEREFORE, MAY WE ALL BE PARTAKERS OF THE PROMISES OF GOD DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO KNOW THAT WE ARE FAITHFUL RECIPIENTS. BECAUSE ONLY THE FAITHFUL WILL RECEIVE THE MANSION PREPARED IN HEAVEN AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE! MAY YOU LIVE EACH AND EVERY DAY WITH THAT GOAL IN SIGHT KNOWING THAT IN THE END BY THE GRACE OF GOD YOU WILL BE SAVED AND LIVE FOREVER WITH HIM ON HIGH.    <br><br>   

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      CLOSING COMMENTS    <br><br>   

      LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. I HOPE AND TRUST, THAT TOGETHER WE HAVE ALL BENEFITED FROM THIS SERVICE TO OUR LORD. LET ME ALSO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD’S DAY MORNING AT 7:30 AS WE GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR.     <br><br>   

      NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A FREE CD OR DVD OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:     <br><br>    

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      WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO KNOW OF THE WONDROUS PROMISES AND REWARD OF GOD. MAY WE ALL LEAVE EACH DAY IN SUCH A WAY, THAT WHEN THIS LIFE IS OVER WE MAY RECEIVE ALL THOSE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS RESERVED FOR THE FAITHFUL. PRAISE BE TO GOD FOR HIS GREAT GIFTS AND HIS LOVING KINDNESS!    <br><br>