THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT
PROGRAM AIR DATE: 11-3-19
LESSON TITLE: SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES - ABEL
WELCOME
ISN'T IT GREAT TO KNOW GOD AND TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF GATHERING TOGETHER AND PRAISING HIS NAME ON THIS WONDROUS LORD'S DAY? THANKS FOR JOINING US ON THIS SPECIAL DAY. WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU THIS MORNING FOR THIS TIME OF OFFERING TO GOD. HOW BLESSED WE ARE IN THIS COUNTRY TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO ASSEMBLE THIS DAY AND TO GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR. IT IS MY HOPE AND PRAYER THAT WE WILL EACH DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME OF WORSHIP ACCEPTABLE IN GOD'S SIGHT AND ACCORDING TO HIS WILL! NOW AS WE BEGIN TO FOCUS OUR THOUGHTS ON GOD, WILL YOU BOW WITH ME BEFORE HIS THRONE IN PRAYER.
PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE. WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND MOST OF ALL FATHER WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE GIFT OF JESUS KNOWING THAT THROUGH THE SACRIFICE HE MADE WE CAN BE FOUND JUSTIFIED IN YOUR SIGHT. AND FATHER, HELP US THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY TO SHINE AS LIGHTS IN THIS WORLD AND TO DO OUR VERY BEST TO ALWAYS OFFER SACRIFICES WHICH ARE PLEASING AND ACCEPTABLE BEFORE YOUR THRONE. FATHER, WE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREATEST GIFTS AND THE PROMISE OF HEAVEN. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD A COMPLETELY QUIET AND RELAXING DAY? PERSONAL AND REJUVENATING TIMES LIKE THESE ARE CERTAINLY A COMMODITY AND THEY USUALLY ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. I KNOW AS A PARENT, WHO WORKS IT REALLY SEEMS THAT THEIR IS NEVER A DULL MOMENT OR MUCH TIME FOR SELF. HOWEVER, AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ALL NEED OUR OWN SPACE FROM TIME TO TIME. THIS MORNING WE WANT TO BEGIN BY SINGING A SONG THAT TELLS US WHERE WE CAN GO FOR THE GREATEST HELP IN THIS LIFE, NO MATTER WHAT THE DAYS HOLD OR WHAT LIFE THROWS AT US. SO I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING, "HE IS ABLE TO DELIVER THEE!
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
SOMETIMES WE MIGHT WONDER JUST HOW MUCH GOD CARES FOR US. WE ARE PROBABLY EVEN GUILTY OF FEELING THAT SOMETIMES GOD JUST DOESN'T CARE AT ALL. HOWEVER, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THIS IS COMPLETELY UNTRUE. IN FACT, THE BIBLE IS FULL OF PERSONAL EXAMPLES AND STATEMENTS GIVEN BY GOD'S FOLLOWERS THAT PROVES THE TRUE CARE AND CONCERN OF OUR LORD FOR US. ONE SUCH VERSE THAT CONFIRMS GOD'S CARE IS FOUND IN ISAIAH 43:1, TWO. HERE WE READ ABOUT GOD'S TRUE LOVE AND CARE FOR A FAITHFUL SERVANT AND JUST HOW FAR GOD WILL GO FOR THOSE HE LOVES. THERE WE READ, "BUT NOW, THUS SAYS THE LORD, WHO CREATED YOU, O JACOB, AND HE WHO FORMED YOU, O ISRAEL: "FEAR NOT, FOR I HAVE REDEEMED YOU; I HAVE CALLED YOU BY YOUR NAME; YOU ARE MINE. WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU; AND THROUGH THE RIVERS, THEY SHALL NOT OVERFLOW YOU. WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE, YOU SHALL NOT BE BURNED, NOR SHALL THE FLAME SCORCH YOU." GOD LOVES US ENOUGH TO ALWAYS BE THERE AND TO ALWAYS STAY BY OUR SIDE. ANOTHER GREAT VERSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT THAT HELPS US WITH THIS THOUGHT IS FOUND IN HEBREWS 13:5, THERE IT SAYS, "FOR HE HIMSELF HAS SAID, 'I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.'" BRETHREN AND FRIENDS, I THINK WE OFTEN FORGET JUST HOW MUCH OUR GOD DOES LOVE US AND CARE FOR US AS HIS ULTIMATE CREATION. NOW, THE QUESTION IS, "HAVE YOU RESPONDED TO THAT LOVE AND CARE THROUGH AN OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL?" IF NOT, WHY NOT? CHOOSE TODAY TO SERVE THIS LOVING AND CARING GOD AS HE HAS COMMANDED YOU TO.
IN JUST A FEW MINUTES WE WILL BEGIN OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY. THIS MORNING, WE ARE HAPPY TO HAVE BROTHER JERRY SULLINS WITH US TODAY, TO LEAD US IN OUR STUDY FROM GOD'S WORD. AS MOST OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, BROTHER JERRY IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE BIBLE INSTITUTE IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI WE THANK HIM FOR JOINING US TODAY. AS FAR AS OUR SERIES, TODAY WE WILL BE STARTING A NEW SERIES OF STUDY ENTITLED, "SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES!" THE SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE DAY WILL DEAL WITH, "ABEL!" SO PLEASE STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG, BROTHER SULLINS 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, "THERE IS A HABITATION."
LESSON
BY JERRY SULLINS
AGAIN WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE IN OUR VIEWING AUDIENCE TODAY AND THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN AGAIN MAYBE EVEN AFTER DECADES OF WATCHING THIS PROGRAM TO BE IN OUR AUDIENCE AND TO HEAR THE PRECIOUS WORDS OF GOD HIMSELF THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD. TODAY IS MY PRIVILEGE TO START A NEW SERIES OF LESSONS THAT IS BASED ON A CLOUD OF WITNESSES OR A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES.
YOU MAY HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT THE SCRIPTURE COMES FROM HEBREWS CHAPTER 12 VERSE ONE WHERE THE SCRIPTURE ITSELF SAYS: THEREFORE WE ALSO SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES LET US LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT AND THE SIN WHICH DOES SO EASILY ENSNARE US AND LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US. YES, WE'RE IN THAT GREAT RACE AS CHILDREN OF GOD; STRIVING TO DO GOD'S WILL AND DESIRING TO DO HIS WILL. SO THROUGHOUT THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE WILL BE DISCUSSING GREAT PEOPLE OF FAITH THAT IS FOUND IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11. BUT WHO MAKES UP THAT GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES IN OUR LIVES? I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST TO YOU FIRST OF ALL THAT GOD HIMSELF IS A GREAT WITNESS OF WHAT'S TAKING PLACE ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH. EVEN SOLOMON RECOGNIZED THAT - THAT IS KING SOLOMON HIMSELF IN ECCLESIASTES CHAPTER 12 VERSES 13 AND 14 - HE SAID THAT THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER SPEAKING TO HIS SON OR SONS HE SAID THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER IS THIS. THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER OF WHAT LIFE IS ALL ABOUT IS THIS: FEAR OF GOD AND TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. FOR THIS IS MAN'S ALL, THIS IS THE WHOLE OF MAN - AND AS A KING JAMES VERSION SAYS IT'S THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN. FOR GOD WILL WHAT? GOD WILL BRING EVERYTHING INTO JUDGMENT. EVERY SECRET THING WILL BE REVEALED BY GOD WHETHER IT IS GOOD OR EVIL. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT GOD IS WATCHING OVER US. WE KNOW THAT GOD IS OMNIPRESENT; HE'S EVERYWHERE. HE KNOWS EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON. THAT IS CALLED OMNISCIENT. SO GOD KNOWS WHAT'S TAKING PLACE IN OUR LIVES. BUT NOT ONLY DOES HE KNOW BUT THAT GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES THAT IS MENTIONED THERE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 - ALL THOSE GREAT PEOPLE WHO BY FAITH DID GOD'S WILL ARE ALSO WATCHING US. MANY BELIEVE THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS IS TALKING ABOUT HERE IN THE SAME CONTEXT. WE MIGHT ALSO MENTION THAT THE HEAVENLY HOST COULD BE INVOLVED IN THIS. NO DOUBT THEY ARE. THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE ANGELS AND OTHERS AND EVEN THOSE AROUND US. HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THAT THEY ARE WATCHING US? IF YOU HAVE GRANDCHILDREN, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN ARE WATCHING YOU. IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN, YOUR CHILDREN ARE WATCHING YOU. IF YOU HAVE NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS, YOUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS ARE WATCHING YOU. WATCHING HOW YOU LIVE, HOW YOU ACT, HOW YOU TALK. AND IT BECOMES A BLESSING TO THEM OR IT BECOMES A CURSING TO THEM. YOU'RE EITHER LEADING THEM CLOSER TO HEAVEN OR CLOSER TO HELL. ONE OR THE OTHER. BECAUSE OF YOUR LIFE - IS A LACK OF FAITH IN GOD AND HIS WILL FOR YOU. IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 AS WILL BE DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THIS SERIES OF LESSONS THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT PEOPLE OF FAITH. MOSES HIMSELF, ABRAHAM AND SARAH, NOAH, ENOCH, ISAAC, JACOB. OTHERS ARE MENTIONED EVEN RAHAB THE HARLOT IS MENTIONED IN THIS LIST OF FAITHFUL PEOPLE. THEY WERE FAITHFUL BECAUSE THEY DID GOD'S WILL. DO YOU THINK THEIR NAME WOULD BE LISTED HERE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 IN THIS GREAT HALL OF FAITH IF THEY HAD NOT DONE GOD'S WILL? WOULD NOAH'S NAME BE MENTIONED? NO. BY FAITH HE BUILT THE ARK. BY FAITH ALL OF THESE PEOPLE DID WHAT GOD HAD COMMANDED THEM.
TODAY IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO EXAMINE THE FIRST ONE THAT IS MENTIONED IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11. AND THAT IS ABEL HIMSELF. IN VERSE 4 THE BOOK SPEAKS OF ABEL AND HIS FAITHFULNESS. BY FAITH ABEL OFFERED TO GOD A MORE EXCELLENT SACRIFICE THAN CAIN THROUGH WHICH HE OBTAINED WITNESS THAT HE WAS RIGHTEOUS GOD TESTIFYING OF HIS GIFTS AND THROUGH IT HE BEING DEAD STILL SPEAKS. YES, EVEN IN DEATH HE'S STILL SPEAKING. THIS BRINGS OUR ATTENTION TO A STORY THAT'S MENTIONED IN GENESIS CHAPTER 4. I'D LIKE TO READ JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT STORY. AS IT BEGINS - NOW ADAM AND EVE HIS WIFE, ADAM AND EVE WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE WHO EVER LIVED ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH. AND THEY HAD TWO SONS. WELL EVE CONCEIVED AND BORE CAIN AND SAID I'VE ACQUIRED A MAN FROM THE LORD. THEN SHE BORE AGAIN. THIS TIME HIS BROTHER ABEL. NOW ABEL WAS A KEEPER OF SHEEP - CAIN WAS A TILLER OF THE GROUND. AND IN THE PROCESS OF TIME IT CAME TO PASS THAT CAIN BROUGHT AN OFFERING OF FRUIT. THE FRUIT OF THE GROUND TO THE LORD. ABEL ALSO BROUGHT OF THE FIRSTBORN OF HIS FLOCK. READING ON IN THIS SAME VERSE OR THE SAME STORY IN VERSE FOUR. IT SAYS: AND THE LORD RESPECTED ABEL AND HIS OFFERING. BUT HE DID NOT RESPECT CAIN AND HIS OFFERING AND CAIN WAS VERY ANGRY AND HIS COUNTENANCE FAILED. SO THE LORD SAID TO CAIN - WHY ARE YOU ANGRY? AND WHY HAS YOUR COUNTENANCE FALLEN? IF YOU DO WELL WILL YOU NOT BE ACCEPTED? THE FACT IS IF HE IS WILLING TO DO GOD'S WILL WOULD HE NOT BE ACCEPTED? YES. THAT IS A WHOLE POINT. AND IF YOU DO NOT DO WELL, THAT IS IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO DO GOD'S WILL, GOD WAS TELLING HIM SIN IS LYING AT THE DOOR. AND WE SEE THAT SIN BEING PRODUCED IN THE LIFE OF CAIN BECAUSE IT SAYS IN VERSE 8, NOW CAIN TALKED WITH ABEL HIS BROTHER AND IT CAME TO PASS WHEN THEY WERE IN THE FIELD THAT CAIN ROSE UP AGAINST ABEL HIS BROTHER AND KILLED HIM. NOW WHAT DID CAIN FEEL? HE FELT A REJECTION FROM GOD BECAUSE EVIDENTLY HE WASN'T OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE FOR GOD. HOW DO I KNOW THAT? THE HEBREW WRITER JUST SAID HEBREWS 11 VERSE FOUR BY FAITH ABEL OFFERED UP A MORE EXCELLENT SACRIFICE THAN CAIN. AND SO HE WAS JEALOUS OF GOD'S FAVOR SHOWN TO ABEL. I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT HE HAD BUT EVIDENTLY THEY WERE PRETTY SERIOUS FOR GOD TO SAY NOW SIN LIES AT THE DOOR. AND THE NEXT THING WE READ IS THAT CAIN KILLED HIS BROTHER. AS FAR AS WE KNOW THE ONLY OTHER EXISTING PERSON ON THE EARTH OTHER THAN ADAM AND EVE. SO THE FIRST MURDER TOOK PLACE BETWEEN THE FIRST TWO SIBLINGS THAT EVER EXISTED ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH. BY FAITH WE SEE IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 VERSE FOUR AS WE'VE BEEN READING THAT ABEL OFFERED UP A MORE EXCELLENT SACRIFICE. WHY WAS IT A MORE EXCELLENT SACRIFICE? BECAUSE IT WAS EVIDENTLY ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL. COMMON SENSE TELLS US THAT IF HIS OFFERING WAS MORE ACCEPTABLE AND IT WAS A LAMB THAT WAS OFFERED, THAT IS A MEAT OFFERING. WHILE A GRAIN OFFERING FROM CAIN WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND GOD MUST HAVE DECLARED THAT TO THEM. THAT'S THE ONLY CONCLUSION THAT WE CAN HAVE. GOD MUST HAVE DECLARED THAT WHEN YOU SACRIFICE TO ME YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE HAVE TO SACRIFICE A MEAT OFFERING. CAIN DIDN'T DO THAT. HE FORSOOK THE WILL OF GOD.
THE LORD RESPECTED ABEL AND HIS OFFERING. WHY? BECAUSE MY FRIEND, IN ROMANS 10:17 EVEN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. SO WHEN WE HEAR THE WORD OF GOD WE KNOW WHAT GOD'S WILL IS. AND WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO? WE HAVE TO DO HIS WILL. DO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT GOD HAS NO WILL CONCERNING YOUR LIFE? SOME PEOPLE LIVE LIKE THAT. THEY LIVE WITH THE CONCEPT - WHY, I DON'T CARE WHAT PEOPLE SAY AND I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT GOD SAYS. I'VE HEARD THOSE THOSE WORDS. VERY HURTFUL WORDS SAID ABOUT GOD FROM SEVERAL HUMAN LIVES. AND I THOUGHT HOW TRAGIC THAT IS. THESE PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY NEVER SEE HEAVEN. THEY'LL NEVER BE INCLUDED AMONG GREAT PEOPLE OF FAITH BECAUSE THEY DON'T EVEN WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE GOD OF HEAVEN. SO FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD. NOW, WE ABOUT ALSO NOTICE HERE IN VERSE 4 OF HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 THE SCRIPTURE SAYS; BY WHICH HE OBTAINED WITNESS THAT HE WAS RIGHTEOUS. HE WAS RIGHTEOUS AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE WATCHING HIM; GOD AND THAT HEAVENLY HOST, THESE PEOPLE OF FAITH WERE WATCHING HIM. THAT'S THAT GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES. HE WAS RECKONED UNTO TO ABEL HIMSELF THAT HE WAS RIGHTEOUS. HIS TESTIMONY WAS THROUGH WHAT? THE LIFE THAT HE LIVED. THEY WITNESSED THE LIFE THAT HE WAS LIVING. A LIFE THAT INVOLVED MAINLY WHAT? WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THESE VERSUS BACK WHEN THE INCIDENT ACTUALLY HAPPENED THAT IS RECORDED IN GENESIS AND EVEN HERE? WE RECOGNIZE ONE THING. THAT HE WAS ABIDING BY THE WILL AND THE LAW OF GOD. THAT'S WHAT WAS HAPPENING. SO HIS TESTIMONY WAS THROUGH HIS LIFE AND BECAUSE OF THAT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS IN HEBREWS 11 VERSE 4 THAT GOD RESPECTED HIS GIFT AND HE HAD A GOOD REPORT FROM GOD. EVEN GOD IN HEBREWS 11 VERSE FOUR TESTIFY CONCERNING THE GIFTS THAT HE SPOKE. HE SPOKE WELL. THAT'S WHAT THAT MEANS. HE SPOKE WELL OF THE GIFT AND THE GIFTS THAT ABEL WAS OFFERING BUT NOT CAIN'S. AND THE ONLY REASON I CAN COME UP WITH, AND I BELIEVE IT'S A LOGICAL CONCLUSION, THAT CAIN FOR SOME REASON WAS UNWILLING TO EVEN PURCHASE A LAMB OR TO PURCHASE A MEAT OFFERING OR TO DO ANYTHING THAT GOD HAD ASKED HIM TO DO.
THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE ON THE FACE OF THIS EARTH THAT ARE UNWILLING TO DO WHAT GOD WANTS THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY RECOGNIZE THERE IS A GOD IN HEAVEN. I RECOGNIZE THERE'S A GOD BUT I JUST DON'T THINK I'M ABLE TO DO HIS WILL AND I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO DO HIS WILL. MAYBE SOMEDAY I WILL DO HIS WILL. ARE YOU IN THAT CATEGORY? I HOPE NOT. I HOPE THAT YOU REALIZE THAT WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE WELL PLEASING UNTO GOD. FOR HE THAT COMES TO GOD MUST FIRST OF ALL BELIEVE THAT HE IS AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THEM THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK AFTER HIM. THAT'S IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 VERSE 6 RIGHT IN THE SAME AREA OF THE VERSE THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING ABOUT ABEL THIS MORNING. SO BECAUSE OF ABEL'S GIFT EVEN THOUGH HE WAS DEAD YET HE WAS SPEAKING TO PEOPLE. AND HOW TRUE THAT IS ABOUT OURSELVES.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU? WHAT IS THE MESSAGE YOU'RE GIVING TODAY CONCERNING YOUR FAITH? WHAT'S THE MESSAGE YOU'RE GIVING TO YOUR GRANDCHILDREN? TO YOUR CHILDREN? TO YOUR FRIENDS AND YOUR NEIGHBORS? WHAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE GIVING THROUGH YOUR FAITH? YOU SAY WELL I BELIEVE JESUS IS THE CHRIST. I'M TALKING ABOUT, NOT JUST BELIEF THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, BUT IN YOU'RE DOING OF WHAT JESUS WANTS YOU TO DO. WHAT IS THE MESSAGE YOU'RE GIVING? IS IT ONE THAT WILL HELP SAVE THEM OR LEAD THEM AWAY FROM GOD? AND ANOTHER QUESTION - WHAT WILL BE THE MESSAGE THAT WILL BE LEFT AFTER YOUR DEAD AND GONE? MANY FUNERALS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE PERSON WHO HAS PASSED AWAY. THEY SAY NOTHING ABOUT GOD. THEY SAY NOTHING ABOUT JESUS BECAUSE THAT PERSON WASN'T EVEN INTERESTED IN GOD AND JESUS. WELL, THAT PERSON'S DEATH ALONE, EVEN THOUGH HE IS DEAD WHETHER HE WAS RIGHTEOUS OR NOT RIGHTEOUS IT SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE. MANY PEOPLE HAVE FOUND FAITH IN GOD BECAUSE OF THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE. THEY BELIEVE HE IS GOING TO HEAVEN BECAUSE OF THAT PERSON'S RIGHTEOUS LIFE. ALL OF THESE PEOPLE OF FAITH...IT MENTIONS IN HEBREWS CHAPTER 11 BEGINNING WITH VERSE 13. IT SAYS: THESE ALL DIED IN FAITH NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE PROMISES BUT HAVING SEEN THEM AFAR OFF WERE ASSURED OF THEM, EMBRACED THEM, AND CONFESSED THAT THEY WERE STRANGERS AND PILGRIMS ON THE EARTH. AND IT SAYS THIS TIME IN VERSE 16, BUT NOW THEY DESIRE A BETTER THAT IS A HEAVENLY COUNTRY THEREFORE GOD IS NOT ASHAMED TO BE CALLED THEIR GOD FOR HE HAS PREPARED A CITY FOR THEM. NOW THESE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT THE COMING MESSIAH. NO DOUBT MANY OF THEM DID. THE PROMISE WAS MADE TO ABRAHAM AND OTHERS KNEW A MESSIAH WAS COMING. EVEN IN GENESIS 3:15 - SOMEONE FROM GOD TO SAVE THE WORLD FROM THEIR SINS. SO MY FRIEND MY MESSAGE TO YOU THIS MORNING IS FROM GOD'S WORD.
YOU NEED TO DEVELOP A PROPER FAITH IN GOD, TO OBEY HIS WILL, HEAR THE WORD OF GOD, BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST. REPENT OF YOUR SINS. THAT'S WHAT JESUS SAID TO DO. REPENT OR PERISH. CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD AND BE BAPTIZED FOR THE REMISSION OF YOUR SINS. AT LEAST START THAT ROAD TOWARD DOING GOD'S WILL AND THEN LIVE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH. THAT'S WHEN YOU WILL RECEIVE THE GREAT CROWN OF LIFE. OH YES! A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES IS WATCHING OVER US. I'M PERSONALLY AM HAPPY ABOUT THAT. IT CHALLENGES ME TO LIVE THE LIFE THAT GOD WANTS ME TO LIVE. SOMETHING THAT IS NOT OF THIS WORLD BUT SOMETHING THAT IS HEAVENLY AND SOMEDAY I HOPE THAT NOT ONLY I WILL BE THERE BUT MANY OF YOU WILL BE THERE AND MY LOVED ONES WILL BE THERE IN THAT BLESSED PLACE CALLED HEAVEN.
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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WHAT A GREAT EXAMPLE OF FAITH WE HAVE IN THE MAN ABEL. MAY WE ALL STRIVE TO OFFER THOSE SACRIFICES TO GOD WHICH ARE EXCELLENT AND PERFECT ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. FOR WE KNOW, GOD IS A REWARDER OF THE FAITHFUL WHEN THEY PROVE THERE LOVE FOR TO HIM THROUGH OBEDIENCE.