The Lord Is Faithful

The Lord is faithful! God, in the days of old, chose the Prophets, the twelve disciples and ordinary people to speak the truth to the people, to warn the people, to heal the people, to teach the people His commands and to make disciples. Are we faithful? Do we have that mustard seed of faith to move a mountain? In my shame and stupidity, I am restless waiting on God! Almighty God who is in control and works all things for good to those who are called by Him for His glory! Knowing full well, God is just, His timing is perfect, and above all, He is faithful!
Lord, forgive me for not being faithful, obedient, yielded and still as You work in Your perfect timing. Give us all total trust and faith to be still in You! Amen

He is real...
John 4:25-26 
25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." 

26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he.

His faithfulness...

1Thessalonians 5:24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Deut.7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands

1 Corinthians 1:9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one

2Tim.2:13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful--for he cannot deny himself

He Who Comes From Heaven Is Above All

John 3:31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.


John the Baptist is speaking of Christ.
John 3:32-36

32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 

33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 

34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 

35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. 

Prophecy from the book of Daniel...
Daniel 7:14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.


Christ returns to the Father...
John 13:3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God

John 16:28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."

Christ as servant...
Spiritual washing and cleansing of the soul from sin...
Titus 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit
1 Peter 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ
Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many

You as servant...
Sharing the gospel...
Ephesians 5:26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word
Mark 9:35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all
Matt.28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit


The promise...
Christ...
Gal.3:22-28-
22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 
23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 
24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.


Lord, we long for Your return! Amen

Washed By The Water

The regenerating work of the Holy Spirit is compared to water. Our new birth which is wrought by the Spirit, brings us to the realization that sin destroys! Christ is the cornerstone of the gospel! Christ pardons the sinner!

The sinner's condemned state...
Romans 4:23-25 

23 But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, 
24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 
25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification


God's eternal love...
Jer.3:3 the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

God's wisdom and power through Christ...
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.


Sin requires sacrifice and atonement...
Romans 3:25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
Romans 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!

You must believe Christ is the Son of the living God...
1 John 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
1 John 5:9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.
1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

The benefit...
You will not perish...
You have everlasting life...
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The grace...
Ephesians 2:4-9 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.


Justified...
Gal.3:11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith."
1Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Eph.2:8-9 

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 
9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.



Sanctified...
Phil.2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure
1Cor.6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Condemned Already

John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.


We are born condemned! We are born in sin! Belief in Christ is the only way for salvation. Christ, our escape from condemnation, given us by holy God, a life freely given by an obedient Son! How can man turn his back on this eternal gift? A gift given at such cost!!
Precious Lord, who can understand? None! Who is worthy? None! Lord, I praise You for You alone are worthy! Amen

John 3:16-17 

16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Ephesians 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy

1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins

Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

Do you have a humble heart before God? Do you know that you are lost, forever separated from God?

There Was No Voice And No One Answered

1 Kings 18:26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made.


All who serve false gods, receive no answer! They have no voice! They have no power!

1 Kings 18:27-29 
27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." 
28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 
29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.


There is one true living God!

1 Kings 18:36-39 
36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 
37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." 
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God."


The spirit testifies....


John 1:29-34

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 

30 This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' 

31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." 

32 And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 

33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 

34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

Romans 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God

God's voice through His Son....

Hebrews 10:12-18 

12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 

13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 

14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 

15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 

16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," 

17 then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." 

18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Lord, we praise You for You alone are worthy! Amen

The Word Among Us

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.


Christ was wholly man and wholly God!
Definition of wholly:  Entirely; fully
Our menial brain can not fully understand the things of God. This is one of those things that remains a mystery and it belongs to God alone. Christ has the attributes of man and God! He was the acceptable choice for our sin debt there by offering salvation to all men. The Bible records real events as they unfold, given to man through the inspired word of God. We are warned of great judgment if we take away or add to these divine words. The historical records given to man for his use are indeed meant to enlighten, but more so to give an accurate record of God's will for man. These records show what God demands, from in the beginning with the old covenant law to the present day of Christ blood covenant with those who will serve Him.

From the beginning....
1John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.


Eyewitness accounts....
2 Peter 1:16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.


Wholly man....
Philippians 2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.


Wholly God....
Galatians 4:4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law


Before creation....
John 17:24 "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

Sinful man's reconciliation with God....
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me


Coming King....
Revelation 19:13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God


Lord most high God, Open eyes to the truth of this precious gift. Let all mankind know that Christ did it all! He is our salvation, provided by You from before the world began! Amen

Proclaimed In His Name To All Nations

Luke 24:46-48 
46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 
47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 
48 You are witnesses of these things. 

We are the witnesses God has given Christ, we are to proclaim His gospel to the nations. Although we have not physically seen the events in God's Word, we believe! Why? Because God's Word is so compelling! Because God has opened our eyes to see! Because God has shown us through His creation of the universe!

1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy

1John 5:10-11 

10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 

11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

Romans 1:19-20 

19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 

20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

God will not be denied! He demands worship! He alone is worthy! There is no other God!

Almighty God of the universe, creator of all things, forgive us! Loose our tongues with the hope found in You. Amen