THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT
PROGRAM AIR DATE: 10-20-19
LESSON TITLE: THE HALF WAS NOT TOLD ME - GOD'S GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES
WELCOME
HERE WE ARE TOGETHER AGAIN ON ANOTHER FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK ON OUR LORD'S DAY! I AM SO GLAD YOU HAVE DECIDED TO JOIN US TODAY FOR ANOTHER TIME OF SERVICE TO OUR GOD. HOW BLESSED WE ARE THIS MORNING TO AGAIN COME BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD AND PARTICIPATE IN ACTS OF WORSHIP WHICH LAUD AND MAGNIFY HIS GREAT AND HOLY NAME. MY HOPE AND PRAYER IS THAT WE WILL EACH DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT AND ACCORDING TO HIS WONDROUS AND PRECIOUS WILL. SO AS WE BEGIN THIS MORNING, LET'S START BY TALKING TO OUR CREATOR IN PRAYER, WILL YOU BOW WITH ME!
PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE. WE ASK FATHER THAT YOU WILL HELP US TO ALWAYS DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE PROPER ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL AND WE MIGHT ALWAYS LOOK TO CHRIST FOR THAT STRENGTH THAT WE NEED AS WE LOOK AT HIS EXAMPLE AND WE LEARN FROM HIM TO KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE US TO DO IN ALL THINGS. FATHER, WE ALSO THANK YOU BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE ARE ONLY FOUND JUSTIFIED THROUGH THE GREAT SACRIFICE WHICH HE MADE ON THE CROSS AND HELP LIVE TODAY AND EVERY DAY WITH THAT IN SIGHT. FATHER, WE PRAY THESE THINGS THROUGH THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN.
YOU KNOW, THERE REALLY AREN'T TOO MANY THINGS TODAY THAT WE CAN REALLY TRUST IN OR PLACE OUR ASSURANCE IN! ESPECIALLY IN A WORLD WHICH IS SO SELF ABSORBED AND UNDEPENDABLE. HOWEVER, THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT WE DO HAVE A PLACE WE CAN TURN FOR COMPLETE ASSURANCE IN THIS LIFE AND THE ONE WHICH IS TO COME OUR GOD! WHAT GREAT LOVE OUR CREATOR HAS FOR US. SO, LET'S BEGIN OUR SONGS OF PRAISE THIS MORNING, WITH A HYMN THAT REMINDS US OF THE WONDROUS LOVE OF GOD. THE NAME OF THE SONG, "GOD IS LOVE!"
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
MANY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT OFTEN FORGOT WHO GOD TRULY WAS AND JUST HOW POWERFUL HIS WAS. IN FACT, WE SEE THAT NOT ONLY WERE THOSE OF THE WORLD GUILTY OF FORGETTING GOD, BUT ALSO THOSE WHO CLAIMED TO BE HIS SERVANTS! NOW BRING THESE THOUGHTS INTO THE PRESENT DAY. ARE NOT MANY OF US OFTEN GUILTY OF THE SAME TYPE OF DOUBT IN THE CREATOR? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU PRAYED AND ASKED GOD FOR HELP, BUT DEEP DOWN YOU REALLY DIDN'T FEEL HE HEARD YOU OR ANSWERED YOUR PRAYER? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD DIFFICULTY IN LIFE, AND AGAIN INSTEAD OF TURNING TO GOD FIRST, YOU TURNED TO OTHERS OR POSSIBLY EVEN TO THE WORLD. YOU SEE, AT TIMES WE ARE ALL GUILTY OF SHOWING THAT WE REALLY DON'T TRUST IN GOD, OR THAT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN HIS PROMISES. WELL, WITH THESE THINGS IN MIND, I WANT YOU TO GO TO GOD'S WORD WITH ME FOR A FEW MINUTES. BECAUSE THE FAITHFUL OF GOD AND SCRIPTURES GO FAR IN PROVING TO US THAT WE CAN COUNT ON GOD AND TRUST THAT HE CAN DO WHAT HE HAS PROMISED. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT WE SEE THIS TO BE TRUE. NOTICE HOW GOD SAVED NOAH FROM THE FLOOD. WHAT ABOUT MOSES AND GOD'S CARE FOR THE ISRAELITES. OR HOW ABOUT DURING THE TIMES OF THE CONQUEST FOR CANAAN. GOD TRULY GAVE HIS PEOPLE THE PROMISED LAND. YES OUR GOD IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO DO WHAT HE SAYS AND TO BACK UP HIS PROMISES WITH REALITY. IN JEREMIAH 32:27, GOD SAYS, "BEHOLD, I AM THE LORD, THE GOD OF ALL FLESH. IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR ME?" DAVID ALSO HELPS US WITH THIS IDEA WHEN HE SAID, "BE EXALTED, O LORD, IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH! WE WILL SING AND PRAISE YOUR POWER," PSALM 21:13. HERE WE ARE REFERRING TO OUR CREATOR, REDEEMER AND GIVER OF ALL. HOW CAN WE EVEN QUESTION THE POWER OF GOD. THE NEW TESTAMENT GOES ON TO CONFIRM THAT THE SAME THINGS ARE TRUE. WHAT ABOUT THE WORDS OF JESUS IN MATTHEW 19:26, THERE HE SAID, "WITH MEN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE." ALL THINGS ARE TRULY POSSIBLE WITH GOD. AGAIN IN ROMANS 1:20, PAUL REFERS TO GOD'S, "ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD." YOU SEE, GOD'S WORD CONFIRMS THAT WE SERVE A GOD WHO IS REAL, AND POWERFUL ENOUGH TO GUIDE, GUARD AND DIRECT US. A GOD WHO IS ABLE TO CARE FOR, PROVIDE FOR, AND TO PROTECT THOSE WHOM HE LOVES! THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU TRULY KNOW THE GOD YOU SERVE?" "DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF OUR CREATOR?
IN JUST A FEW MINUTES IT WILL BE TIME TO BEGIN OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY. WE ARE THANKFUL TO HAVE BROTHER BRENT GREEN WITH US AGAIN AS OUR GUEST SPEAKER. AS MANY OF YOUR KNOW BROTHER BRENT IS A FULL TIME INSTRUCTOR AT THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF MISSOURI AND HE IS ALSO OUR SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE. WE THANK HIM FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. AS FAR AS OUR SERIES, TODAY WE WILL BE CONTINUING OUR SERIES ENTITLED, "THE HALF WAS NOT TOLD ME." OUR SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE DAY WILL DEAL WITH, "GOD'S GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES!" SO PLEASE STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG, BROTHER GREEN WILL BE LEADING US IN THIS STUDY FROM GOD'S WORD. NOW LET'S JOIN TOGETHER IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE DAY. THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, "THE STEADFAST LOVE OF THE LORD."
LESSON
BY BRENT GREEN
LET US CONSIDER AGAIN FROM THE WORD OF GOD WHAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE PROMISES THAT GOD HAS MADE TO US. LET US FIRST LOOK AT THE WRITING OF PETER. SECOND PETER CHAPTER 1 BEGINNING IN VERSE TWO. IT SAYS GRACE AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED TO YOU WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OF JESUS OUR LORD. AS HIS DIVINE POWER HAS GIVEN TO US ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO LIFE AND GODLINESS THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM WHO CALLED US BY GLORY AND VIRTUE BY WHICH HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO US EXCEEDINGLY GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES THAT THROUGH THESE YOU MAY BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE HAVING ESCAPED THE CORRUPTION THAT IS IN THE WORLD THROUGH LUST. WHAT PETER SPEAKS OF HERE ARE THE GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES OF GOD. BUT I WONDER SOMETIMES IF WE REALLY CONSIDER ALL THE DIFFERENT PROMISES GOD HAS MADE? WE MIGHT SAY THAT THE HALF HAS NOT BEEN TOLD BECAUSE SO MANY TIMES WE MIGHT OVERLOOK SOME OF THE PROMISES OF THE SCRIPTURE AND WE MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN THEM. LET US LOOK AT THE BIBLE HERE AND CONSIDER SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PROMISES GOD HAS MADE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE FULL ASSURANCE OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS - THAT WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND TRULY WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO REALLY PARTAKE OF THESE GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES OF GOD.
THE FIRST THING WE'LL DISCUSS IS THE FACT THAT GOD HAS PROMISED TO HEAR. IN FIRST JOHN CHAPTER 5 IN VERSE 14 THERE WE FIND THE WORDS THAT IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL HE HEARS US. THAT'S A PROMISE GIVEN TO US BY GOD THAT HE WILL HEAR OUR PRAYERS. THERE IS A CONTINGENCY THERER THAT HAS TO BE ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. IT CAN'T GO AGAINST HIS NATURE, IT CAN'T GO AGAINST THE WORD THAT HE'S DELIVERED TO US. BUT WE AS CHRISTIANS OFFER UP OUR PRAYERS TO GOD ACCORDING TO HIS WILL HE HAS PROMISED TO HEAR US - MEANING THERE'S NO PLACE ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH THAT GOD WILL NOT HEAR. THERE'S NOWHERE THAT WE CAN BE HIDDEN FROM HIS SIGHT THAT WHEREVER WE OFFER UP OUR PRAYERS GOD IS GOING TO HEAR US. THAT'S A GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISE. ONE WE SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. 1 THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 5 VERSE 17 TELLS US TO PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. WHY SHOULD WE DO THAT? BECAUSE GOD HAS PROMISED THAT HE WILL HEAR OUR PRAYERS. HOWEVER MANY PRAYERS ARE OFFERED AND WHEREVER THEY ARE OFFERED GOD HAS PROMISED TO HEAR. GOD HAS ALSO PROMISED THAT HE WILL BE ONE WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF OUR NECESSITIES. IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 6 THERE ARE SOME THINGS STATED THERE THAT WE OFTEN STILL WORRY ABOUT TODAY. WHAT AM I GOING TO EAT? WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR? WHERE AM I GOING TO FIND SHELTER? WELL, IF GOD TAKES CARE OF THE LILIES OF THE FIELD, WE HE NOT ALSO TAKE CARE OF US? AND THAT'S A PROMISE WE HAVE IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 6 AND VERSE 33. THAT IF WE AS GOD'S PEOPLE WILL SEEK JESUS CHRIST FIRST AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO US. WHAT ARE ALL THESE THINGS? IT IS THE PROMISE OF NECESSITIES. GOD SAYS IF YOU'LL FOLLOW ME AND DO AS I HAVE COMMANDED, YOU I WILL TAKE CARE OF THOSE BASIC NECESSITIES THAT YOU NEED IN THIS LIFE. WE SHOULD NOT WORRY ABOUT THOSE THINGS. 1 PETER CHAPTER 5 IN VERSE 7 SAYS THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CAST ALL OUR CARES UPON HIM FOR HE CARES FOR US. WELL, THE PROMISES IS THAT HE WILL PROVIDE OUR NECESSITIES. HE WILL TAKE CARE OF US CONCERNING THE THINGS THAT WE NEED IN THIS LIFE. ANOTHER GREAT PROMISE OF GOD IS REALLY ONE OF ANOTHER NATURE. THE FACT THAT GOD HAS PROMISED PERSECUTION. YOU MEAN IF I LIVE FOR GOD THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH PERSECUTION? YES. 2 TIMOTHY IN CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE 12 SAYS ALL WHO DESIRE TO LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION. SOMETIMES WE MIGHT THINK MAYBE I WON'T OR I WILL GET AROUND IT. BUT IF WE ARE ACTUALLY LIVING FOR GOD - SEEKING HIM FIRST, DOING WHAT HIS WORD COMMANDS EVERY SINGLE DAY OF OUR LIVES - PERSECUTION WILL COME. GOD'S RIGHTEOUS WILL SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF THE WICKED IN THIS WORLD AND WILL SUFFER DIFFERENT FORMS OF PERSECUTION. MAYBE IT'S NOT LIKE THE PERSECUTION OF THE FIRST CENTURY. MAYBE IS NOT PHYSICAL PERSECUTION ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE THAT EXISTS IN THE WORLD TODAY. IT MIGHT BE THAT MENTAL PERSECUTION. THAT VERBAL PERSECUTION. WE MIGHT HAVE TO SUFFER PERSECUTION IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS. BUT THE PROMISE IS WE WILL IF WE ARE LIVING FOR GOD PROPERLY. DO WE NEED TO SOMEHOW SAY WELL, I DON'T WANT TO LIVE FOR GOD BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT. NO - ALONG WITH THAT PERSECUTION GOD HAS SAID I'LL BE WITH YOU. I WON'T FORSAKE YOU. I'LL HELP YOU THROUGH THOSE DIFFICULT TIMES. BUT WE NEED TO KNOW THAT GOD'S PROMISEED THAT FOR HIS FAITHFUL; THOSE WHO ARE LIVING FOR HIM. WE'VE GOT TO BE STEADFAST AND IMMOVABLE.
1 CORINTHIANS 15 AND VERSE 8 GOD HAS ALSO PROMISED UNTO US A CROWN OF LIFE. REVELATION CHAPTER 3 IF WE WOULD LOOK THERE THE WORDS WE FIND THIS IS - A LETTER WRITTEN TO THE CHURCH OF THE DAY. REVELATION CHAPTER 2 THAT IS - THERE IN VERSE EIGHT WE SEE THIS IS THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA AT THE TIME. AND THEN IN VERSE NINE JESUS SAYS I KNOW YOUR WORKS, TRIBULATION AND POVERTY BUT YOU ARE RICH AND I KNOW THE BLASPHEMY OF THOSE WHO SAY THEY ARE JEWS AND ARE NOT BUT ARE A SYNAGOGUE OF SATAN. DO NOT FEAR THOSE THINGS WHICH YOU ARE ABOUT TO SUFFER. INDEED, THE DEVIL IS ABOUT TO THROW SOME OF YOU IN A PRISON. THAT YOU WILL BE TESTED AND YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION 10 DAYS. THERE'S THAT PROMISE OF PERSECUTION THAT WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, THERE IS ALSO A PROMISE HERE OF SOMETHING ELSE. THESE CHRISTIANS WERE GOING TO SUFFER. THEY ARE GOING TO BE PUT TO THE TEST. THEY ARE GOING TO BE TRIED IN THIS LIFE. BUT WHAT PROMISE WOULD GET THEM THROUGH THOSE TRIALS? IT IS FOUND THERE AT THE END OF VERSE 10 WHERE IT SAYS: BE FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE CROWN OF LIFE. MEANING THAT IF THEY WERE FAITHFUL, NOT JUST UNTIL THEY DIED, BUT IF THEY ARE FAITHFUL ONTO THE VERY POINT OF DEATH, MEANING IF THEY HAD TO GIVE THEIR LIVES FOR JESUS CHRIST AND IF THEY DID THAT OR WERE WILLING TO DO THAT, THEY WOULD RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE. THAT'S THE PROMISE THAT WE STILL HAVE TODAY. IT'S A PROMISE THAT NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM US. REVELATION 3 AND VERSE 11. THAT CROWN CANNOT BE TAKEN FROM US. NOBODY CAN SNATCH IT AWAY. WE COULD GIVE IT UP BY OUR UNFAITHFULNESS BUT IT CAN'T BE TAKEN FROM US. THIS PROMISE OF GOD, IF WE ARE FAITHFUL WE WILL RECEIVE THAT CROWN OF GLORY - THAT CROWN OF LIFE ALSO FOUND THERE IN JAMES ONE IN VERSE 12.
YET ANOTHER GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISE OF GOD IS THAT OF FREEDOM. NOT NECESSARILY FREEDOM IN THIS PHYSICAL WORLD - ALTHOUGH WE MIGHT CHERISH THAT AND HAVE THAT IN THE COUNTRIES IN WHICH WE LIVE - BUT HERE THE PROMISE OF FREEDOM IS FROM THAT BONDAGE OF SIN. JOHN CHAPTER 8 DEALS WITH SUCH BONDAGE. JESUS TALKING TO JEWS AND THEY WOULD CLAIM THERE WE HAVE NEVER BEEN IN BONDAGE. I GUESS THEY FORGOT THEIR HISTORY AND THAT TIME THEY SPEND IN EGYPT THERE THAT YOU FIND IN THE BOOK OF EXODUS. BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A PHYSICAL BONDAGE. JESUS IS REALLY TRYING TO GET THEM TO UNDERSTAND THERE IS ANOTHER TYPE OF BONDAGE. THAT OF SPIRITUAL BONDAGE. THAT'S WHAT SIN BRINGS ABOUT. BUT JESUS SAID IN JOHN CHAPTER 8 AND VERSE 32: YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE. JESUS WOULD SAY OF HIMSELF IN JOHN 14:6 - I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME. CAN WE BREAK FREE FROM THE SHACKLES OF SIN? CAN WE COME OUT OF THAT BONDAGE? MOST CERTAINLY AND JESUS SAYS YOU CAN DO THAT. THAT'S A PROMISE. YOU CAN KNOW THE TRUTH AND YOU CAN BE SET FREE. PAUL WOULD ALSO WRITE ABOUT SUCH IN ROMANS CHAPTER 6. HOW THE OLD MAN WHO WAS IN THAT BONDAGE OF SIN WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH, WOULD BE BURIED IN THE GRAVE OF BAPTISM. BUT ONCE ONE CAME FORTH FROM THE WATERS OF BAPTISM HE WOULD RISE TO WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE HAVING BROKEN THE SHACKLES OF SIN. HAVING COME OUT OF THAT BONDAGE NOW TO SERVE A NEW MASTER; JESUS CHRIST. THE PROMISE IS THAT OF FREEDOM - FREEDOM SPIRITUALLY. A PROMISE THAT ONLY GOD CAN PROVIDE THROUGH WHAT JESUS CHRIST DID FOR US BY OFFERING HIMSELF AS A SACRIFICE. GOD'S PROMISES CONTINUE. GOD HAS ALSO PROMISED SALVATION. AND THAT WILL GO ALONG WITH THAT PROMISE OF SPIRITUAL FREEDOM. BUT THINK ABOUT THE SALVATION THAT WE CAN HAVE, NOT JUST A PHYSICAL SALVATION WHERE ONE MIGHT GO BECAUSE THEY'RE SICK TO THE HOSPITAL. AND THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE DOCTORS AND NURSES WORKING THROUGH THAT SICKNESS AND ILLNESS WITH THEM THEY MIGHT BE RESTORED OF THEIR PHYSICAL HEALTH. WELL, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT SORT OF SALVATION TO BE SAVED FROM SOME PHYSICAL ILLNESS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SALVATION THAT COMES ABOUT FROM OVERCOMING THE SPIRITUAL SICKNESS THAT SIN BRINGS ABOUT BECAUSE WE KNOW ACCORDING TO JAMES CHAPTER 1 THAT SIN BRINGS DEATH TO ONE SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING. GOD HAS PROMISED SALVATION. MARK CHAPTER 16 VERSE 16: HE WHO BELIEVES AND IS BAPTIZED WILL BE SAVED. THAT LAST PART - THAT'S THE PROMISE OF SALVATION. NOW THIS ONE AGAIN COMES WITH A CONTINGENCY. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE AND BE BAPTIZED BUT IF YOU OBEY GOD'S PLAN THE PROMISE IS THAT OF SALVATION. THAT'S FOUND THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPTURE. FIRST PETER CHAPTER 3 IN VERSE 21 THERE IS AN ANTI-TYPE THE NOW SAVES US. BAPTISM - THE PROMISE WAS NOT JUST IN THE FIRST CENTURY. NO ACTS 2:39 SAYS IS UNTO ALL WHO WOULD OBEY AND BELIEVE A GOD'S COMMANDS. IF WE FOLLOW WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS IN ACTS 2:38 THERE JUST PRIOR TO THAT VERSE: REPENT AND LET EVERYONE OF YOU BE BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE PROMISE OF SALVATION IS UNTO ALL WHO WOULD BELIEVE AND OBEY GOD'S WORD. THAT'S A GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISE GOD HAS GIVEN. PROMISES OF GOD DON'T STOP THERE. THEY CONTINUE.
ANOTHER PROMISE IS THAT OF PROTECTION. JESUS OFFERED THAT PROMISE TO HIS OWN DISCIPLES. MATTHEW 28 VERSUS 18 TO 20: THAT HE WOULD BE WITH THEM ALWAYS. NOW SPECIFICALLY THEY WERE GIVEN A VERY SPECIAL PROMISE THAT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO WOULD BE WITH THEM. JOHN 14:26 AND JOHN 16:13. WHO WOULD REMIND THEM OF WHAT JESUS TAUGHT. WHO WOULD GUIDE THEM IN THE TRUTH THAT IS THE REVELATION THAT GOD WOULD DELIVER THROUGH THEM TO ALL MANKIND. NOW ALTHOUGH THE MIRACULOUS AGES CEAST WE STILL HAVE THE PROMISE OF JESUS BEING WITH US. WE STILL HAVE THE PROMISE THROUGH THE WORD THAT HAS BEEN NOW DELIVERED UNTO US THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH THAT WORD IS STILL A COMFORT, IS STILL A GUIDE UNTO US EVERYDAY, WE STILL CAN KNOW THAT GOD IS WITH US AND THAT HE OFFERS US PROTECTION. NOW, WE PROBABLY ALL HAVE LOCKS ON OUR DOORS AND DIFFERENT MAYBE SECURITY SYSTEMS. THINGS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE THAT WE HAVE PUT THERE THAT THEY MIGHT PROTECT US FROM THINGS OF THIS WORLD. WHAT BETTER PROTECTION IS THERE THEN GOD? AND GOD HAS PROMISED TO BE WITH US.
GOD HAS ALSO PROMISED US REST. OUR LIVES ARE SPENT WORKING IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND OUR BODIES GET TIRED. WE GET WORN OUT. WE SOMETIMES THINK - MAN, IF I COULD JUST LAY DOWN AND REST FOR A WHILE. GOD HAS PROMISED NECESSARILY PHYSICAL REST IN THIS LIFE ALTHOUGH THOSE TIMES COME. GOD HAS PROMISED US A GREATER REST THOUGH. NOT REST FROM THE LABORS OF THIS WORLD BUT REST IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE. WE CAN GO ON TO THAT HEAVENLY REALM. HEBREWS CHAPTER 4 HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT PROMISED REST. HEBREWS 4 VERSE ONE WE FIND THESE WORDS. IT SAYS THEREFORE SINCE A PROMISE REMAINS OF ENTERING HIS REST LET US FEAR LESS ANYONE SEEM TO HAVE COME SHORT OF IT. NOW THERE IS A CAUTION THERE. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LOSE THAT REST THAT IS PROMISED TO YOU. THE PROMISE IS GIVEN THERE THAT WE CAN ENTER INTO HIS REST. THE REST THAT GOD PROVIDES WHERE WE CAN GO ON TO THAT HEAVENLY REALM AND BE WITH HIM FOR ALL ETERNITY IN A PLACE OF REST. THAT'S A WONDERFUL PROMISE OF THE SCRIPTURE. ANOTHER PROMISE THAT IS GREAT AND PRECIOUS IS THAT A FELLOWSHIP. FIRST JOHN CHAPTER 1 IN VERSE SEVEN: THAT IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP ONE WITH ANOTHER AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST HIS SON CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN. THAT IS I AS A CHRISTIAN AND YOU AS A CHRISTIAN AS WE WALK TOGETHER IN THE LIGHT OF GOD; THAT IS HIS TRUTH. WE CAN HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH EACH OTHER BECAUSE WE'RE WALKING BY THE SAME STANDARD. WE'RE WALKING IN THE SAME PATHWAY AND ULTIMATELY AS WE DO THAT WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD. WHAT GREATER FELLOWSHIP COULD THERE BE THAN THAT FELLOWSHIP WE HAVE WITH GOD ALMIGHTY! WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T LEAVE THE LIGHT LESS WE LOSE THAT PROMISE. BUT WHAT A GREAT PROMISE IT IS.
ANOTHER PROMISE IS THAT OF CHRIST RETURN. JESUS ASCENDED THERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 1 BUT HE PROMISED IN JOHN 14 THAT HE WOULD COME AGAIN. HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE WAS GOING TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU AND HE WOULD COME BACK AGAIN AND RECEIVE THEM TO HIMSELF. THOSE MANSIONS THAT AWAIT US IN HEAVEN PREPARED FOR AS BY JESUS CHRIST HE WILL COME BACK. WE DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT IS. IT WILL COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. THERE WILL BE NO SIGN, NO WARNING THAT JESUS IS ABOUT TO COME BUT HE IS PROMISED US THAT HE WILL COME AGAIN. THAT IS A PRECIOUS PROMISE ONCE AGAIN THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO. PROMISES OF GOD FOUND THROUGHOUT THE SCRIPTURE ARE SO PLENTIFUL AND THOUGH OUR TIME IS SHORT WE CAN NEVER GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM IN EVEN ONE LESSON. BUT IF YOU JUST BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT GOD HAS SAID TO US - SURELY AGAIN THE HALF HAS NOT BEEN TOLD AS WE COULD GO THROUGH AND STUDY THE SCRIPTURES AND FIND OUT AND READ ALL THE PROMISES THAT GOD HAS MADE, THESE WE TALK ABOUT AND SO MANY MORE, THAT PROMISE JUDGMENT IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5 VERSE 10 WE ARE ALL GOING TO STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT AND THAT PROMISED VICTORY THAT IF WE ARE FAITHFUL IN DEATH GOD HAS PROMISED US TO BE VICTORIOUS IN A SHARE IN THAT CROWN. CONSIDER ALWAYS GOD'S GRACE AND PRECIOUS PROMISES.
CLOSING COMMENTS
MAY I AGAIN TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. I HOPE OUR TIME TOGETHER HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND THUS A BLESSING TO US ALL. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE INVITED BACK TO JOIN US EVERY FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS TIME OF WORSHIP BEFORE GOD!
BUT FOR NOW, LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY'S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A CD/DVD OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
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HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO KNOW OF THE GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES OF GOD AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL. THE QUESTION IS, ARE YOU DOING WHAT IS NECESSARY TO BE A RECIPIENT OF THESE WONDROUS BLESSINGS FROM GOD?