THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT
PROGRAM AIR DATE: 1-5-20
LESSON TITLE: SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES - THE REST OF THE STORY
WELCOME
HERE WE ARE TOGETHER AGAIN ON ANOTHER FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK - 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 DEAR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR YOU AND WE'RE THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO IN OUR LIVES FATHER, FOR WE KNOW WITHOUT YOU, WE WOULD BE NOTHING WE WOULD HAVE NOTHING. AND FATHER, THIS THE LORD'S DAY WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR IT THAT WE MIGHT WORSHIP YOU - THEREFORE FATHER, MAY WE GIVE YOU OUR VERY BEST TO DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU HAVE ASKED THAT WE MIGHT PLEASE YOU AND ULTIMATELY THAT WE MIGHT GLORIFY YOUR NAME AND LIFT UP THAT NAME ON HIGH. AND FATHER, HELP US TO LIVE EVERY DAY IN THIS LIFE; FOCUSED ON THE REWARDS OF THE LIFE TO COME KNOWING THAT THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL WILL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE THOSE GREAT BLESSINGS IN THE END. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACE - YOUR LOVE - AND YOUR MERCY AND IN YOUR SON'S NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.
HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE A GOD WHO IS THE VERY ESSENCE OF LOVE. THEREFORE, MAY THIS CHALLENGE OF TO NOW ONLY KNOW AND OBEY HIM, BUT TO IMITATE HIM AS WELL. WHAT KIND OF LOVE ARE YOU DEMONSTRATING BEFORE GOD AND THIS WORLD. WITH THESE THINGS IN MIND, IT'S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING, SO WON'T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER, "GOD IS LOVE!"
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
IT'S INTERESTING TO ME THAT SO MANY IN LIFE ARE LOOKING FOR THE TRUTH AND FOR LIFE ETERNAL - YET THEY SEEM TO HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING IT. THIS IS EVIDENCED IN THE FACT THAT MANY GO TO THE WRONG PLACES TO FIND WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN LIFE! THIS IS FURTHER SEEN IN THE FACT THAT MANY WILL CHOOSE TO FOLLOW OTHER MEN, SERVE THEIR OWN FLESHLY DESIRES, OR EVEN TURN TO EVIL AND VIOLENCE TO QUENCH A NEED THAT THEY COULD BETTER SERVE IN THE GOOD THINGS OF LIFE. THIS MORNING I MENTION THESE THINGS TO REMIND US THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE PLACE WHERE WE CAN REALLY FIND AND KNOW THE TRUTH, ESPECIALLY IN RELATIONSHIP TO THOSE THINGS WHICH PERTAIN TO ETERNAL LIFE. IF YOU READ WITH ME FROM JOHN 6:68, I THINK THIS IS THE VERY REALIZATION THAT THE APOSTLES HAD COME TO IN RELATIONSHIP TO FOLLOWING JESUS. THERE WE READ, "BUT SIMON PETER ANSWERED HIM, 'LORD, TO WHOM SHALL WE GO? YOU HAVE THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE.'" JESUS HAD JUST ASKED HIS FOLLOWERS IF THEY WOULD LEAVE HIM OR SEARCH FOR ANOTHER PLACE TO FULFILL THEIR NEED TO FOLLOW GOD. AND WHAT WAS THEIR BEAUTIFUL RESPONSE, WHERE ELSE CAN WE GO - YOU HAVE THE WORD'S OF ETERNAL LIFE!" DO WE REALLY BELIEVE THIS? DO WE REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT SALVATION UNTO ETERNAL LIFE - IS ONLY FOUND IN ONE PLACE AND ONE PERSON - JESUS CHRIST. THIS IS CONFIRMED TO US IN ACTS 4:12, WHERE PETER AGAIN PROCLAIMED, "NOR IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED." I MIGHT ALSO ADD THAT AN EARLIER VERSE TELL US THAT HE SAID THESE THINGS AS HE WAS "FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT!" SO, I ASK YOU, HAVE YOU BEEN SEARCHING IN THE WRONG PLACE FOR TRUTH AND ETERNAL LIFE? IF SO, WHY NOT TURN TO JESUS TODAY TO FIND THAT RIGHT WAY, AND THUS OBEY THOSE THINGS WHICH WILL RESERVE YOU AN ETERNAL PLACE IN HEAVEN!
IN JUST A FEW MINUTES IT WILL BE TIME TO BEGIN OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY. AS FAR AS OUR SERIES, TODAY WE WILL BE CONCLUDING OUR SERIES ENTITLED, "SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES!" THE SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE DAY WILL DEAL WITH THE, "THE REST OF THE STORY." SO PLEASE STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG, I 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, "DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD."
LESSON
BY RAY SULLINS
WE THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING WITH US THIS MORNING AS WE NOW GO TO ANOTHER LESSON FROM OUR SERIES ON THE GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES AND TODAY OUR DESIRE IS THE KIND OF WRAP UP OUR DISCUSSION IN RELATIONSHIP TO ALL THESE GREAT HEROES OF FAITH THAT WE'VE CONSIDERED FROM HEBREWS CHAPTER 11. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE INFORMATION IN THE LAST ABOUT 8 OR 9 VERSES THEN WE HAVE REALLY IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE FIRST MANY VERSES, 30 OR SO, THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT BECAUSE AT THE END OF CHAPTER 11 HE ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH A LONG LIST OF MANY NAMES OF OTHERS OF FAITH OR EVENTS THAT WE KNOW FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT PROVED THAT THERE WERE SO MANY WITHIN THE CLOUD OF WITNESSES - NOT JUST THE BIG NAMES - NOT JUST THE NOAH'S AND THE MOSES' AND THE ABRAHAM'S OR THE SARAH'S OR THE RAHAB - NOT JUST THOSE BIG NAMES OR EVEN ISRAEL ITSELF BUT IT'S ALL OF EVEN THE LESS FAMILIAR STORIES. BUT EVEN WITHIN THIS LIST ARE MANY VERY FAMILIAR STORIES EITHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY BEING MADE REFERENCE TO. SO, WHO ARE AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE OTHER HEROES OF FAITH BESIDES THE MEN AND WOMEN WE'VE LOOKED AND BESIDES ISRAEL AS THEY CROSSED THE RED SEA OR THERE IN CHAPTER 30 AS THEY WERE ABLE TO MARCH AROUND JERICHO AND THE WALLS FELL. WHO ARE THOSE OTHER WITNESSES AND THAT'S EXACTLY HOW THE AUTHOR OF HEBREWS INTRODUCES THE 32ND VERSE AS IT SAYS: "AND WHAT MORE SHALL I SAY? FOR THE TIME WOULD NOT FAIL ME TO TELL OF" AND THEN HE IS GOING TO MENTION THESE MANY NAMES. OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF TIME WE CAN'T LOOK AT THEM ALL BUT I WOULD LIKE TO READ MANY OF THEM AND BEGIN TO JUST SHOW YOU HOW THEY ARE SO WELL-CONNECTED THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AND HE ACTUALLY BEGINS WITH THE JUDGES.
SO, HE GOES WAY BACK AFTER BASICALLY WE SEE THAT THEY HAVE ENTERED INTO THIS LAND OF CANAAN. AND THERE IN CHAPTER 32 HE FIRST MENTIONS GIDEON - WHICH IF WE WERE TO THINK ABOUT GIDEON HE WAS THE FIFTH JUDGE THERE IN CHAPTER 7 OF THE BOOK OF JUDGES AND HE WAS THE ONE WHO FOUGHT AGAINST THE MIDIANITES AND HAD 300 MEN IN DEFEATING THEM. NOT ONLY THAT BUT HE THEN MENTIONS BARAK. AS WE NOTICE THERE BARAK IS CONNECTED TO THE FOURTH JUDGE DEBORAH IN CHAPTERS 4 AND 5 AND AGAIN IN THIS SITUATION WHAT WE FIND IS GOD RAISING UP A WOMAN IN ORDER TO AGAIN DEMONSTRATE THE POWER OF GOD OVER THOSE WHO WERE PERSECUTING HIS PEOPLE. AFTER THAT WE HAVE SAMSON - HARDLY ANY DISCUSSION IS NEEDED ABOUT SAMSON THE 13TH JUDGE WHICH IS FOUND THERE IN AROUND CHAPTER 15 OF JUDGES. AND THE STORY OF SAMSON AND THE FAITH THAT HE HAD IN SERVING HIS GOD. AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER LEADER OF GILEAD THE NAME JEPHTHAH AND THAT WOULD ACTUALLY BE FOUND THERE IN THE 11TH CHAPTER OF JUDGES. AND JEPHTHAH WAS A MAN WHO LED THE MEN OF GILEAD ONCE AGAIN IN A SUCCESSFUL WAY AS WE AGAIN FIND IN ALL OF THESE SITUATIONS THROUGHOUT JUDGES AS THOSE WHO ARE RISEN UP BY GOD DURING GREAT PERSECUTION TO WHAT? BY FAITH TO OBEY THE WILL OF GOD AND AGAIN STOP THE OPPRESSION OF THE PEOPLE BY AND THROUGH WAR OR FIGHTING. WITHIN THE SAME VERSE HE MENTIONS KING DAVID. WE DON'T NEED LOT OF EXPLANATION FOR THE KING DAVID - WE KNOW THERE THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF KINGS WE FIND A LOT OF EXPLANATION ABOUT DAVID. WE ALSO SEE SAMUEL WHICH ACTUALLY WOULD COME BEFORE DAVID WHO IS NEXT MENTIONED, THAT GREAT PROPHET AND EVEN SOMETIMES JUDGE AS HE IS CONSIDERED HIMSELF. WE HAVE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT BEAR HIS NAME AND THE RECORDS OF EVEN HIM EVENTUALLY APPOINTING THE FIRST KING OF ISRAEL SAUL AND CONNECTED TO DAVID AS WELL LATER AND SO ON. ALL OF THESE SHOW US IN A SPECIFIC WAY OTHER SPECIFIC NAMES OF GREAT HEROES OF FAITH. BUT THEN WHAT HE DOES IS HE BEGINS TO GIVE A LONG LIST OF GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OF GREAT REWARDS, AND AT THE SAME TIME IS GOING TO TURN MORE AND MORE TO GREAT TRIBULATIONS THAT MANY HAVE EITHER ACCOMPLISHED, ENDURED, OR HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BEAR BECAUSE OF WHAT? FAITH.
AND SO, NOTICE SOME OF THE THINGS IN THIS LIST WITH ME THESE. THESE KINGS AND PROPHETS AND OTHERS AND EVEN THESE JUDGES WERE ABLE TO DO WHAT? SUBDUE KINGDOMS. THAT MEANS TO RESTRAIN KINGDOMS OR TO HOLD THEM BACK. THEY WERE ABLE TO WORK RIGHTEOUSNESS (VERSE 33) THEY WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN AND RECEIVE PROMISES FROM GOD AND EVEN SOME WERE ABLE TO STOP THE MOUTH'S OF LIONS. REMEMBER DANIEL? GO ON THERE IN CHAPTER 11 AGAIN IN VERSE 34. SOME WERE ABLE TO QUENCH THE VIOLENCE OF FIRE. THERE MIGHT BE SEVERAL EXAMPLES THERE BUT TO EVER THINK ABOUT SHADRACH, MESHACK, BENDIGO AND HOW THEY WERE SAVED FROM THE GREAT FIERY FURNACE BECAUSE OF WHAT? THEIR FAITH. THE KING HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH FAITH UNTIL HE SAW THOSE THINGS IN THEM. THEY ALSO WERE THOSE WHO ESCAPED THE EDGE OF THE SWORD AND OUT OF THE WEAKNESS WERE MADE STRONG AND BECAME VIOLENT IN BATTLE AND TURNED TO FIGHT ALIEN ARMIES. YOU SEE AGAIN WE COULD TAKE THE TIME AND YOU CAN EVEN LOOK AT YOUR CROSS-REFERENCES HERE AND YOU'LL FIND MANY OF THESE THINGS REFERRING BACK TO GREAT EVENTS; FAMILIAR EVENTS OF OLD. WHAT ABOUT THOSE DEAD OF OLD THAT WERE BROUGHT BACK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT? VERSE 35 SAYS THERE WERE THOSE WOMEN WHO RECEIVED THEIR DEAD RAISED TO LIFE AGAIN. REMEMBER SOME OF THE PROPHETS THAT DEALT WITH SUCH THINGS. OTHERS WERE AGAIN TORTURED NOT ACCEPTING DELIVERANCE THAT THEY MIGHT OBTAIN A BETTER RESURRECTION. THEY UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS SOMETHING GREATER DOWN THE ROAD AWAITING THAT WOULD HELP THEM TO AGAIN OBTAIN A RESURRECTION THAT WAS ETERNAL IN NATURE THAT WAS FROM GOD SPECIFICALLY VERSE 36: TO LOVE OTHERS ENDURED MANY THINGS LIKE WHAT? TRIALS OF MOCKING - SOME WERE SCOURGED, SOME IN CHAINS, AND SOME WERE IMPRISONMENT. YOU GO BACK AND YOU THINK OF MEN LIKE JOSEPH THAT ACTUALLY WERE THROWN IN PRISON OR WHO WERE TAKEN CAPTIVE. AGAIN, VERY FAMILIAR GREAT MEN AND WOMEN OF FAITH; THOSE WHO WERE STONED (VERSE 37) THOSE WHO WERE SAWED IN TWO AND WERE TEMPTED WERE SLAIN WITH A SWORD. THEY WANDERED EVEN ABOUT IN SHEEPSKINS AND GOATSKINS BEING DESTITUTE, AFFLICTED, AND EVEN TORMENTED. YOU SEE WHAT FAITH - WHAT FAITH CALLS MANY TO DO? GREAT THINGS IN A POSITIVE WAY MOVING FORWARD TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS FOR GOD, TO TEACH OTHERS GREAT ABILITY TO ENDURE WONDERFUL THINGS. BUT EVEN SOMETIMES PHYSICAL AFFLICTIONS AND GREAT TORMENTS THAT MANY OF WHICH WOULD EVEN CAUSE US TO TURN AWAY FROM GOD. DO YOU SEE THE EXAMPLES OF FAITH? THAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES THAT SHOWS US THERE WEREN'T JUST A HANDFUL OF FAMILIAR NAMES BUT SO MANY SO MANY EXAMPLES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT OF THOSE WHO DID SUCH GREAT THINGS. THERE ARE THREE MORE THINGS I WANT US TO REALLY CONSIDER THEN NEAR THE END OF THIS TEXT THAT THAT TO ME RELATE TO ME SHOW A GOOD OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN CONSIDERING TOGETHER. NOTICE THERE IN VERSE 30 AFTER HE IS MENTIONED ALL THESE - EVEN THESE AFTER THEY HAVE SUFFERED THE GREATEST TRAVESTIES MAYBE OF THE EARTH AND THE GREATEST TRIALS AND PERSECUTIONS. IN VERSE 38 IT SAYS: OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY. MANY IN THE WORLD EVEN THOUGH THESE PEOPLE WERE DYING AND SUFFERING AND GOING TO GREAT EXTREMES TO HELP THEM TO KNOW GOD AND TO SEE THE POWER OF GOD. WHAT WAS THE END RESULT? THE END RESULT WAS THEY REALLY WERE NOT WORTHY OF THE ACTIONS THESE INDIVIDUALS WERE ENGAGED IN. THEY WERE NOT WORTHY OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING. BUT YET WHAT DID THEY DO? THEY DID BY FAITH WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO PROVE TO GOD THAT THEY LOVED HIM BUT ALSO TO PROVE TO OTHERS WHO GOD WAS. THEY WEREN'T JUST INTERESTED IN SAVING THEMSELVES. THEY WERE INTERESTED IN HELPING OTHERS TO KNOW GOD AND TO FIND THAT SALVATION AS WELL. THESE VERY INDIVIDUALS (VERSE 38) SAYS SOMETIMES THEY HAD TO WONDER IN THE DESERT, SOMETIMES IN MOUNTAINS, SOMETIMES IN DENS, SOMETIMES IN CAVES EVEN THEY STRUGGLED. BUT WHAT DID THEY DO? THEY GAVE OFTEN EVEN THEIR LIVES, THEIR TIME, THEIR FORTUNES OF THE EARTH, THEIR RELATIONSHIPS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE HAD WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. AND WHY? BECAUSE OF FAITH THAT THEY MIGHT BE TRUE TO GOD AND THAT THEY MIGHT REPRESENT TO OTHERS WHAT TRUE FAITH WAS BEFORE GOD. THE SECOND THING I WANT YOU NOTICE IS FOUND THERE IN VERSE 39 AS NOW IT SAYS: ALL OF THESE HAVING OBTAINED A GOOD TESTIMONY THROUGH FAITH. ALL THESE EXAMPLES OF THESE MANY INNUMERABLE ALMOST EXAMPLES THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE SOME ARE SO GENERAL THAT WOULD'VE MAYBE APPLIED TO MULTIPLE NAMES OR EVENTS. ALL OF THESE BY FAITH DID THESE THINGS AND YET VERSE 39 SAYS THEY DID NOT RECEIVE THE PROMISE. I ALWAYS FIND THAT AMAZING BECAUSE ABRAHAM KNEW OF THE PROMISE - REALLY THE TWO-FOLD CONCEPT OR PROMISE OF WHAT GOD WOULD DO FOR HIS DESCENDENTS; HIS PEOPLE EVENTUALLY THROUGH CANAAN BUT THE ULTIMATE PROMISE WAS WHAT? IN CHAPTER 12 OF GENESIS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST THAT ALL NATIONS OF THE EARTH, ALL PEOPLES OF THE EARTH, WOULD BE BLESSED SOMEDAY INCLUDING YOU AND I. SO THESE PEOPLE HAD THIS FAITH NOT EVEN HAVING SEEN THESE THINGS TO COME. THEY HAD THIS FAITH KNOWING THAT THEY THEMSELVES MIGHT NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO DO NOT ONLY VIEW IT BUT WOULD NOT ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED SOME OF THESE THINGS IN THEIR LIFE. NOW YOU AND I ARE ABLE TO SEE THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE TRANSPIRED EVEN THE COMING OF JESUS'S DEATH, BURIEL, AND RESURRECTION; THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KINGDOM. WE NOW HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD AND WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND SEE ALL THAT HAD BEEN DONE AND THAT THEY DIED FOR NOT HAVING YET RECEIVED IT. OH WHAT A GREAT FAITH! WHAT IF I SAID - YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GIVE SOMEDAY YOUR DESCENDENTS $1 MILLION BUT YOU HAVE TO LIVE A CERTAIN WAY FOR ME TO GIVE IT TO THEM. I DON'T KNOW YOU MIGHT SAY I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS WORTH IT. NOW IF IT WERE YOUR CHILDREN YOU MIGHT SAY WELL MAYBE FOR MY CHILDREN. BUT MAYBE FIVE OR SIX GENERATIONS DOWN THE ROAD I AM GOING TO DO THIS FOR YOUR FAMILY IF YOU DO THESE THINGS AND ACT THIS WAY. YOU SEE WE MIGHT NOT BE WILLING TO DO THAT. THESE INDIVIDUALS BY FAITH DID WHAT THEY HAD BEEN TOLD TO DO BY GOD EVEN THE THOUGH THEY HAD NOT YET RECEIVED THAT PROMISE AND IN REALIZATION KNEW THAT IT WAS REALLY THEIR DESCENDENTS THAT WOULD RECEIVE THESE PROMISES. OH WHAT GREAT FAITH! ARE WE WILLING TO SERVE GOD EVEN THOUGH SOMETIMES WE DON'T GET THE IMMEDIATE DIRECT BENEFIT BUT WE'RE REALLY HELPING OTHERS AND THAT IS WHAT SOME OF THESE EXAMPLES SHOW AS WELL. THESE PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO HAVE FAITH EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE TORTURED - EVEN THOUGH THEY SUFFERED TO DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD IN THEIR ACTIONS.
AND THEN FINALLY THERE THE THIRD THING IN VERSE 40: GOD HAVING PROVIDING SOMETHING...WHAT? BETTER FOR US. GOD HAS DONE SOMETHING FOR US AS THE HEBREW WRITER CONTINUES TO SPEAK OF OVER AND OVER THROUGH JESUS CHRIST THAT IS SO FAR BETTER, SO MUCH BETTER THAN ANYTHING THAT WAS EVER DONE OR OFFERED UNDER THE OLD LAW ALTHOUGH THE OLD LAW SPOKE BY PROPHECY THAT THIS WOULD COME TO BENEFIT ALL MEN OF ALL AGES IN ALL TIMES. AND WHAT IS IT THEREFORE CLARIFIED IN VERSE 40 THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE MADE PERFECT APART FROM US. THEY WERE DOING IT NOT HAVING YET RECEIVED IT AND NOW THEY HAD NOT YET RECEIVED IT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THEM TO BE MADE PERFECT APART FROM WHAT? US. BECAUSE THE PERFECT THING HAD NOT YET COME. THAT IS JESUS CHRIST; THAT THING WHICH WOULD ALLOW US THAT THAT BEING GOD HIMSELF IN THE FLESH THAT WOULD GIVE US THE PRIVILEGE AND THE OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO KNOW GOD BUT TO RESPOND BY FAITH TO GOD IN THE WAY THAT EVEN THOSE OF OLD DID EVEN NOT YET HAVING RECEIVED THAT GREAT PROMISE. BUT NOW YOU AND I'VE BEING ABLE TO SEE IT WITH OUR OWN EYES AND OUR OWN HEARTS BEING ABLE TO READ ABOUT IT AND TO HAVE FAITH IN IT. HOW MUCH STRONGER NOW TO KNOW THAT GOD DIDN'T JUST SAY HE WAS GOING TO BLESS ABRAHAM. GOD SAID HE WAS GOING TO BLESS ALL NATIONS. GOD DECLARED ALL THE WAY BACK IN THE BEGINNING IN THE BIBLE THAT HE WAS GONNA BLESS YOU AND ME. THAT HE WAS GOING TO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY OF BEING A PERFECT PART OF A PERFECT KINGDOM LED AND RULED BY A PERFECT GOD. THAT NOT ONLY IS OF AND FOUND ON THIS EARTH TODAY BUT IS ETERNAL IN THE HEAVENS AS EVEN EARLIER IN CHAPTER 11 VERSE 13 WE HAVE INDICATED - A CITY THAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE FOR THEM THAT THEY HOPED AND LONGED FOR THAT TODAY IS MADE AVAILABLE FOR US. OH HOW BLESSED WE ARE BY FAITH TO NOT ONLY HAVE THE PROMISE AND THE REWARD AND PART OF THE SAME GLORIOUS THING THAT GOD SPOKE UP FROM THE BEGINNING BUT TODAY WE ARE RECIPIENTS OF SUCH THINGS AND THAT BY FAITH MAY WE LIVE IN A WAY THAT WE WILL BE BLESSED NOT ONLY TODAY BUT WILL BE BLESSED ETERNALLY TO THE GREAT THINGS THAT GOD HAS ALWAYS PROMISED AND GIVEN TO THE FAITHFUL.
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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IT IS SO AMAZING TO HAVE THE BIBLE AND TO KNOW THAT IS IT FILLED WITH SO MANY WONDERFUL EXAMPLES OF THE FAITHFUL. MAY WE STRIVE DAILY TO LEARN FROM THESE GREAT EXAMPLES IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT BE BETTER AND MORE FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF GOD OURSELVES. ARE YOU WILLING TODAY TO SUBMIT FULLY TO GOD IN ALL THINGS?