The following is a quote from the POST PUBLISHED of this blog:
“This is your 22nd post. Dope! This post has 242 words.”
The POST PUBLISHED comes up following the posting of an article, or in this case the sermon points. It is relatively new to WordPress. Are you calling me a dope. If so, that is really good coming from some people who are supposed to be professionals in their field.
May God bless you and save you any way.
-Tim A. Blankenship
A Prince Near to GOD
Job 31:35-37
1. Job has a longing to be heard in God’s court;
2. Job is willing and does sign his petition to have the Almighty answer him;
3. Job believes that if the Almighty has written a book, then he will be found guiltless of the charges against him;
4. He would present himself as a prince near to GOD.
I. HOW CAN JOB BE CONFIDENT OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE GOD? (v. 35).
II. THE BOOK HAS BEEN WRITTEN AND THE HUMAN RACE, EVEN THE “RIGHTEOUS” ARE FOUND GUILTY (v. 35).
III. WHEN GOD FINDS A MAN RIGHTEOUS WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SHOW FORTH THE ONE WHO IS RIGHTEOUS – THERE IS A “CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” (v. 36; 1:8; 2:3; 2 Timothy 4:8).
IV. WHEN WE ARE DECLARED “RIGHTEOUS” BY GOD WE HAVE THE RIGHT, THE POWER (John 1:12) TO COME NEAR UNTO GOD AS A PRINCE AND/OR A SON(v. 37).
Summary –
i. The only way of confidence of righteousness before God is knowing that God has declared one righteous before Him;
ii. Without the just righteousness of God we all stand guilty before sinless God;
iii. God has declare many righteous, by grace, through the work of His Son Jesus Christ;
iv. We have inherited all that belongs to Christ Jesus Himself (Romans 8:14-17).
-T.A.
The sermon points of a message preached at Carr Lane Baptist Church 07/31/11 by Tim A. Blankenship
The following is the morning devotion by Charles Spurgeon from Morning and Evening:
Psalm 73:23
Nevertheless I am continually with Thee.
“Nevertheless,”-As if, notwithstanding all the foolishness and ignorance which David had just been confessing to God, not one atom the less was it true and certain that David was saved and accepted, and that the blessing of being constantly in God’s presence was undoubtedly his. Fully conscious of his own lost estate, and of the deceitfulness and vileness of his nature, yet, by a glorious outburst of faith, he sings “nevertheless I am continually with Thee.” Believer, you are forced to enter into Asaph’s confession and acknowledgment, endeavour in like spirit to say “nevertheless, since I belong to Christ I am continually with God!” By this is meant continually upon His mind, He is always thinking of me for my good. Continually before His eye;-the eye of the Lord never sleepeth, but is perpetually watching over my welfare. Continually in His hand, so that none shall be able to pluck me thence. Continually on His heart, worn there as a memorial, even as the high priest bore the names of the twelve tribes upon his heart for ever. Thou always thinkest of me, O God. The bowels of Thy love continually yearn towards me. Thou art always making providence work for my good. Thou hast set me as a signet upon thine arm; thy love is strong as death, many waters cannot quench it; neither can the floods drown it. Surprising grace! Thou seest me in Christ, and though in myself abhorred, Thou beholdest me as wearing Christ’s garments, and washed in His blood, and thus I stand accepted in Thy presence. I am thus continually in Thy favour-“continually with Thee.” Here is comfort for the tried and afflicted soul; vexed with the tempest within-look at the calm without. “Nevertheless”-O say it in thy heart, and take the peace it gives. “Nevertheless I am continually with Thee.”
-posted by Tim A. Blankenship
The following are the main points to a sermon by Jack Woodard titled “Lessons From Haggai” –
#1. UNFAITHFULNESS TO THE LORD HAS SEVERE CONSEQUENCES: [1:2; 2:2]
#11. REPENTANCE MAY NOT MEAN EVERYTHING WILL BE AS IT WAS: [2:3]
#111. IN THE COMING KINGDOM AGE JESUS WILL MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER THAN IT EVER WAS: [2:7-9]
You may follow this link to Jack’s blog for the rest of the outline.
-T.A.
How Should Any be Just with God?
Job 9:1-35
1. The legalism of Bildad;
a. This is the judgment of God (8:1-7);
b. Look at the issues of past history (8:8-10);
c. Look at the evidence of nature (8:11-22).
2. Job’s questions;
a. How can I be just/righteous with God? (v. 2)
b. How can stand before God in debate? (v. 3)
c. In chapter 10 he asks, “Why was I even born?”
I. JOB’S CONCLUSION IS THAT DEBATING WITH GOD IS FUTILE (v. 3).
II. THE GOD OF CREATION IS UNAPPROACHABLE BY MAN ALONE (vv. 4-15).
III. BEFORE GOD EVERY MOUTH WILL BE STOPPED/EVERY MAN CONDEMNED AS A LIAR (vv. 16-21; Romans 3:4).
IV. WITHOUT A REDEEMER WE ALL STAND GUILTY BEFORE GOD (vv. 22-31).
V. JOB AND ALL MANKIND NEEDS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN OURSELVES AND GOD (vv. 32-35).
Application –
i. Mankind in his pride, religion, moral goodness cannot stand before the just, righteous and holy GOD;
ii. As far as we are concerned He is unapproachable, because of His purity; and our impurity;
iii. All the accusations of mankind will be stopped and we shall be accounted as liars;
iv. However, there is a redeemer; He too is just, righteous, and holy; He is GOD; our “daysman” – Mediator; His name is Jesus.
-TA.
This sermon was preached in the Sunday morning worship 07/24/11
Trusting is a necessary in many places of life. It is necessary that husbands and wives trust one another fully. It is necessary that friends trust one another. It is necessary that business partners trust one another. In these relationships, if there is little or no trust the relationship will not last long.
Trusting takes a willingness to be the one who takes the loss, should it come to that. Take a loss without revenge, or getting even. Trust means being the one who endeavors to right the wrongs, or absorb the wrong in behalf of the other. This trust of which I presently speak, of course, is of human relationships. When it comes to trusting the Divine One; our GOD, and Lord, then that trust is completely without risk, in faith.
The people of Judah were trusting in Egypt, yet failing to trust the LORD. That is Isaiah’s message to the people when he writes to them –
“Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!” Isaiah 31:1 (KJV)
When it comes to the humanity of us we are pretty quick to trust in what we can see. For instance, if we see a company or an individual who is successful in making wealth, we will almost automatically trust that individual or company to give us good advice, and sometimes even trust them with our wealth. We judge pragmatically thinking, “If it has worked for them, then, no doubt it will work for me.” We can end up being “burned”, “Scalped”, and left holding an “empty bag”.
Human reason often leaves GOD out of the matter of safety, economy, politics, personal wealth, health, etc. We think “That is not anything I need to concern God about”, or “I can handle this matter myself”. So thought Israel, and they were trusting Egypt to come to their aid against Babylon, and they were defeated.
It will bring peril for an individual to place their trust in human advice alone; without seeking the LORD’s leadership. We can go to a financial adviser/counsellor to get advice on a financial matter; however, if this adviser gives shady advice then we better have the counsel of the LORD on the matter; or we will find ourselves in the proverbial “hot water”. Then, where will that adviser be.
Israel was about to be let down by trusting in the defenses of Egypt and her great army; because they did not have the heart and mind of GOD.
Having safety and security is not dependent upon any human government. Our economic prosperity is not dependent upon the Congress, the Senate, or the President of the USA. Our dependence for safety, economic blessing, protection from enemy attack comes only from our LORD, and that only when His people trust solely upon Him.
Woe to them that go to China for help, who trust in their own military might, or the power of the congress, senate and/or President, and power of the dollar; because they are strong; but they look not unto the Holy One…, neither seek the LORD!
Let’s call unto the Lord God, humble ourselves before Him, repent of our sins, turn from our wicked ways, and trust Him to forgive our sins, and heal our land, then we will be renewed and strengthened, and healed.
-Tim A. Blankenship
We don’t often think of a “Living stone”, though living in the Ozarks of Southwest Missouri, we joke about stones growing; and it does seem that way at times. I can remember picking rocks off the fields, carrying them off by wagon, or taking them for fill somewhere else; and they never seem to get any lower number on the fields.
Peter, the apostle, has written of vices that are not to be in the life of a Christian in verse 1 of chapter 2. We are to be growing in the “sincere milk of the word” into the image of Christ. That is “Christian” [Christ like] in living.
“To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious…” 1 Peter 2:4 (KJV)
As we look through the Bible we find the terms, “Cornerstone”, “Stumbling stone’ or ‘Stone of stumbling”, (Psalm 118:22; 144:12; Isaiah 28:16; Jeremiah 51:26; Zechariah 9:15; Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:20) “Rock” (Deuteronomy 8:15; 32:13, 15, 18, 30, 31; 1 Corinthians 10:4). Those who come to this Rock, Stone to stay, to abide; those who come for Him are not as those who cast Him away, or those who crucified Him.
The Living Stone is Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16).
For some reason there are growing numbers of people who are believing that Jesus had thousands and thousands who believed in Him, however, the truth of the matter is that He was highly rejected, by the religious establishment of the time as well as the multitudes; many of whom He fed on the mount; many of those who laid palms in His path on the day of His presentation in the streets of Jerusalem. On the day of Pentecost, there was only 120 gathered in the upper room praying (Acts 1:15). That was most likely all there were who believed in Him.
The prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled in both the life and death of our Savior. His coming, rejection by many, and His condemnation unto death are all foretold by the prophets.
He was “disallowed” (disapproved, and rejected) by the majority; showing clearly that the majority is not always right. Who in their right mind could reject so much love, kindness, and such a great salvation which is provided through His death, burial and resurrection? Only those who cannot see clearly; those who are blinded by their sin.
He is the chosen One of GOD; and He is precious, unique, no other like Him. The only precious, Son of GOD.
I pray He is precious to to you. That you have come to Him to stay, to abide with Him forever.
-T.A.
A Nail in His Holy Place
Ezra 9:5-15 (v. 8 )
1. Verses 5-15 is a prayer of Ezra for the people who have been in captivity, having disobeyed God in the matter of holiness, and sanctity (9:1-2).
2. Ezra was grieved by the disobedience of Israel, and even at this time in Jerusalem there were things which needed to be corrected (v. 3).
3. Those who were trembling because of the disobedience joined Ezra in the mourning, and prayer to GOD of Israel (v. 4).
4. It was at the time of the evening sacrifice, and Ezra fell on his knees, and spread out his hands to GOD (v. 5).
I. THERE IS SHAME FOR THE BEHAVIOR, AND DISOBEDIENCE OF GOD’S PEOPLE (vv. 6-7; 2 Cor. 6:17-18).
II. GRACE AND SECURITY ARE GIVEN TO THE REMNANT OF GOD’S PEOPLE – THE NAIL [PEG[ IN HIS HOLY PLACE (v. 8).
III. GOD’S PEOPLE GRIEVE OVER FORSAKING THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD (vv. 9-14).
IV. BECAUSE OF SIN NO ONE CAN STAND BEFORE THE RIGHTEOUS GOD (v. 15)
Summary –
i. Christians of our day need to be ashamed of our own sin;
ii. We rest assured in the security of the Nail of Jesus Christ who holds us in His hand from which no one can snatch us out of the Father’s hand;
iii. The reason for the lack of holiness, sanctification in the church is not related to the sins of a lost world;
iv. It is related, and the sole responsibility of the Christian who refuses to grieve over their own sin.
v. Remember it is the Nail of His holy place which keeps us in grace – and the Nail has a name; His name is JESUS (Isaiah 22:21-25)
-T.A.
This message was preached at Carr Lane Baptist Church Sunday July 17, 2011 – Morning sermon.
I couldn’t have said it any better myself so I give you this from “GotQuestions.org”.
Question: “Can a Christian lose salvation?”
Answer: Before this question is answered, the term “Christian” must be defined. A “Christian” is not a person who has said a prayer, or walked down an aisle, or been raised in a Christian family. While each of these things can be a part of the Christian experience, they are not what “makes” a Christian. A Christian is a person who has, by faith, received and fully trusted in Jesus Christ as the only Savior (John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8-9).
So, with this definition in mind, can a Christian lose salvation? Perhaps the best way to answer this crucially important question is to examine what the Bible says occurs at salvation, and to study what losing salvation would therefore entail. Here are a few examples:
A Christian is a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This verse speaks of a person becoming an entirely new creature as a result of being “in Christ.” For a Christian to lose salvation, the new creation would have to be canceled and reversed.
A Christian is redeemed. “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19). The word “redeemed” refers to a purchase being made, a price being paid. For a Christian to lose salvation, God Himself would have to revoke His purchase that He paid for with the precious blood of Christ.
A Christian is justified. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). To “justify” means to “declare righteous.” All those who receive Jesus as Savior are “declared righteous” by God. For a Christian to lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and “un-declare” what He had previously declared.
A Christian is promised eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Eternal life is a promise of eternity (forever) in heaven with God. God promises, “Believe and you will have eternal life.” For a Christian to lose salvation, eternal life would have to be taken away. If a Christian is promised to live forever, how then can God break this promise by taking away eternal life?
A Christian is guaranteed glorification. “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” (Romans 8:30). As we learned in Romans 5:1, justification is declared at the moment of faith. According to Romans 8:30, glorification is guaranteed for all those whom God justifies. Glorification refers to a Christian receiving a perfect resurrection body in heaven. If a Christian can lose salvation, then Romans 8:30 is in error, because God could not guarantee glorification for all those whom He predestines, calls, and justifies.
Many more illustrations of what occurs at salvation could be shared. Even these few make it abundantly clear that a Christian cannot lose salvation. Most, if not all, of what the Bible says happens to us when we receive Jesus Christ as Savior would be invalidated if salvation could be lost. Salvation cannot be reversed. A Christian cannot be un-newly created. Redemption cannot be undone. Eternal life cannot be lost and still be considered eternal. If a Christian can lose salvation, God would have to go back on His Word and change His mind—two things that Scripture tells us God never does.
The most frequent objections to the belief that a Christian cannot lose salvation are 1) What about those who are Christians and continually live an immoral lifestyle? 2) What about those who are Christians but later reject the faith and deny Christ? The problem with these two objections is the phrase “who are Christians.” The Bible declares that a true Christian will not live a continually immoral lifestyle (1 John 3:6). The Bible declares that anyone who departs the faith is demonstrating that he never truly was a Christian (1 John 2:19). Therefore, neither objection is valid. Christians do not continually live immoral lifestyles, nor do they reject the faith and deny Christ. Such actions are proof that they were never redeemed.
No, a Christian cannot lose salvation. Nothing can separate a Christian from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). Nothing can remove a Christian from God’s hand (John 10:28-29). God is both willing and able to guarantee and maintain the salvation He has given us. Jude 24-25, “To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”
Recommended Resource: Eternal Security by Charles Stanley.
-posted by T.A.
The following are the closing paragraphs of a message by W. A. Criswell titled “The Ableness of God” from Ephesians 3:14-21 from October 25, 1970.
The ableness of God; we never exhaust it. It’s never beyond what He can do for us—above all we ask or think. Lord, who would ever have thought the little shepherd boy David would be the king of Israel? Who would ever have thought Amos the sycamore gatherer would be God’s first great writing prophet? Who would ever have thought Cephas, the fisherman of such a volatile spirit, would have been Peter at Pentecost? Who would ever have thought that Saul of Tarsus, persecuting the church, would have been the apostle who kneels down here in prayer. Who would ever have thought it? Oh, the whole gamut of God’s world is like that. Who would ever have thought these prison doors open of themselves in the twelfth chapter of Acts? Who would ever have thought the lions’ mouths would have been stopped or the three would have been delivered out of the fiery furnace?
“Above all that we ask for;” be encouraged, my brethren. Let’s lift up our spirits and our hearts. Let’s roll up our sleeves. Let’s ask God for great things for Jesus. Let’s ask Him for these families, these homes, these children; these teenagers; these young marrieds. Let’s ask Him. Let’s ask in faith that God’ll give us their souls, their lives, their children, and then, having found answered prayer, let’s teach them the Word of God. Let’s just place in their very souls the riches of that glorious revelation. Let’s just spend our days around here praising Jesus, loving God. I’ve got to quit. Man, we could just love the Lord forever, couldn’t we? Just talking about what God can do for us and how we’re going to, in His love and grace, attempt great things for Him.
W. A. Criswell, 1970
-posted by T.A.
Anyone who thinks or believes that living the Christian life is “easy” has not begun to live the Christian life. Several years ago, I was preaching in a Baptist Church [my conviction] on the difficulties of living the Christian life. I had a woman who came to me afterwards and said, “I don’t find living the Christian life difficult.” Now, I don’t know if she quite got a grasp of what I was saying, or if she did not know what the Christian life was about; but living it is difficult; even when we have the Spirit of God living within.
Death Grip is what sin has on those who are human. The sad part of that is; that even when someone trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we still have a battle with sin’s death grip. Every Christian struggles with sin. We will continue to struggle with it until this body, this shell of flesh we live in takes its last breath, and the heart beats its last beat.
That is why as a Christian we are admonished by the Word of God to “put on the whole armor of God” (Ephesians 6:11). The promise of the Word is that we are no longer a slave to sin (Romans 6:16-17), as long as long as we “have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you”. That doctrine, of course, is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Yet, we struggle against sin. Yes! Christians still commit sin. Not because we love it, but because of the death grip of sin. The prophet Isaiah said, “Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope…” Isaiah 5:18. Most of our struggle with sin is due to our own weakness to resist it. We have the power to resist temptation because of the work of Jesus Christ and His “earnest payment” left us; the Holy Spirit. Yet we are in that death grip.
Back during the Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix, AZ. Dr. Al Mohler upset a lot of our folks by some comments he made using words, such as “Homophobic” and “Choice”. It was falsely reported by one news agency that the SBC had recanted and changed its view of homosexuality; NOT SO.
Dr. Mohler believes as I do that homosexuality is sin. Just as adultery is sin, murder is sin, stealing is sin, lust is sin, murderous thinking is sin, disobedience to God and His Word is sin. Homosexuality, in scripture is called an abomination.
When an individual comes to faith in Christ we are not perfect, but we enter a state of growth where we are growing more into the image of Christ. That, though, will not be perfected until we see Jesus face to face.
Sin’s Death Grip is like Isaiah’s iniquity, and cart rope; we still drag that sinful flesh along with us. It is a burden, a drag, yet we desire to be free from it; and one day we will. Until then, let us put off the works of the flesh, by the power of the Holy Spirit. When we fall, let us take the hand of our Savior, arise forgiven, cleansed, and continue on the journey.
There is forgiveness for all who will call on the name of Jesus Christ in faith. Christian remember this, “God will not allow His children to sin successfully”.
-Tim A. Blankenship
The following is yesterday’s e-devotional from Turning Point by Dr. David Jeremiah.
Friends for the Journey
Two are better than one…. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion….
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Recommended Reading
Romans 15: 4-7
In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Christian is blessed with two friends for his journey to the Celestial City: Faithful and Hopeful. At one point in the story, Christian and Hopeful are captured by Giant Despair and locked away in Doubting Castle. The symbolic names give wise counsel. Faith and hope are key companions when we encounter the twin destroyers of doubt and despair–especially in these desperate days of economic catastrophes and natural disasters.
Bunyan’s allegory of the believer’s struggle through life toward heaven poignantly illustrates the difficult journey we face. But the indispensable lesson of faith and hope through Pilgrim’s traveling companions reminds believers of another important truth: We need friends along life’s path to pick us up when we fall, encouraging us to keep on keeping on.
No burden is too great to carry with the heavenly promise of our Lord (John 14:1-2) and encouraging friends who help turn our despair into joy and doubt into a stronger faith and hope. Look around your path today. There is probably someone not too far from you who needs your encouragement.
‘A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.’
Arnold Glasow
-posted by T.A.
Every one concerned about the killing of the unborn child needs to hear and see the following video.
The following is from Morning and Evening a daily devotional by Charles H. Spurgeon. I found this very encouraging and thought it might be for someone else as well.
Morning …
Proverbs 1:33
Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.Divine love is rendered conspicuous when it shines in the midst of judgments. Fair is that lone star which smiles through the rifts of the thunder clouds; bright is the oasis which blooms in the wilderness of sand; so fair and so bright is love in the midst of wrath. When the Israelites provoked the Most High by their continued idolatry, He punished them by withholding both dew and rain, so that their land was visited by a sore famine; but while He did this, He took care that His own chosen ones should be secure. If all other brooks are dry, yet shall there be one reserved for Elijah; and when that fails, God shall still preserve for him a place of sustenance; nay, not only so, the Lord had not simply one “Elijah,” but He had a remnant according to the election of grace, who were hidden by fifties in a cave, and though the whole land was subject to famine, yet these fifties in the cave were fed, and fed from Ahab’s table too by His faithful, God-fearing steward, Obadiah. Let us from this draw the inference, that come what may, God’s people are safe. Let convulsions shake the solid earth, let the skies themselves be rent in twain, yet amid the wreck of worlds the believer shall be as secure as in the calmest hour of rest. If God cannot save His people under heaven, He will save them in heaven. If the world becomes too hot to hold them, then heaven shall be the place of their reception and their safety. Be ye then confident, when ye hear of wars, and rumours of wars. Let no agitation distress you, but be quiet from fear of evil. Whatsoever cometh upon the earth, you, beneath the broad wings of Jehovah, shall be secure. Stay yourself upon His promise; rest in His faithfulness, and bid defiance to the blackest future, for there is nothing in it direful for you. Your sole concern should be to show forth to the world the blessedness of hearkening to the voice of wisdom.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Where There is Liberty
2 Corinthians 3:17
References – Gal. 2:4; 5:1, 13; John 8:32; James 1:25; Isaiah 61:2;
1. The Spirit blinds eyes of rebellion (3:14-15).
2. The Spirit is the veil that hides the fading glory of the Old covenant (3:13, 15)
3. The Spirit is the means of the liberty of the soul (3:16).
I. THERE IS LIBERTY, FREEDOM, IN CHRIST THROUGH THE SPIRIT.
II. THERE IS LIBERTY FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN AND DEATH.
III. THERE IS LIBERTY FROM THE CONDEMNATION OF THE LAW (Gal. 2:4).
IV. THERE IS LIBERTY WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS (Gal. 5:1).
V. WHERE THERE IS LIBERTY THERE IS RESPONSIBILITY (Gal. 5:13).
Summary –
i. True freedom comes only in yeilding one’s life to Jesus Christ as Master and Lord.
ii. True freedom liberates from sin’s bondage and death.
iii. There is liberty in the faith of Jesus Christ.
iv. True freedom gives liberty to make clear, godly, righteous decisions.
-T.A.
Sunday morning sermon points preached at Carr Lane Baptist Church July 03, 2011.
When looking at the series of “The Scarlet Thread” my intention in doing this is to show Jesus Christ. As we look at the manna – “What is it?” – is the actual meaning of the word. We must remember Jesus’s words, “I am the Bread of Life.” (John 6:32-35).
Manna was a special bread provide miraculously by GOD for the children of Israel to gather each morning for each day. It could only be gathered for six days, and enough could be gathered on the six day for the seventh day. It was given in Exodus 16:14-15. There is more scripture dealing with it in verses 16 -36. For the verses we will look at in the book of Numbers I want us to remember Exodus 16:31,
“And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.”
Remembering the taste of it was as “Honey”, or “wafers made with honey”, so it had the taste of sweetness in it.
We read in Numbers 11:8,
“And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.”
Then, they go around murmuring that “There is nothing at all, beside this manna”. Well! Is it any wonder? They have taken a perfect substance, made by the hand of God, miraculously provided, a daily provision; and they try to “Improve” it.
According to Jesus in John 6 He Himself is the Bread of Life. It is not an overstatement for me to say that there is much people today trying to “Improve” on Jesus. When people are bored with worship of Jesus preachers try to improve it by adding to the Word of God, adding entertainment to draw a crowd, adding worldly music with spiritual words, and that don’t always include the cross of Christ. All just so they can have a crowd. They lose their love for Jesus.
When we look at Jesus and think of Him, worship Him, adore Him; what more could we need? What more could we want? We are to desire to be like Him. How can we be like Him. He desired to do the Father’s will (Luke 2: 49; John 8:29). We are to live for Him, just as the Scriptures proclaim; nothing of the flesh.
We are not called to draw a crowd. We are called to be a witness. We are called to bear the image of Christ.
The manna is the Bread of Heaven who is Christ. Follow Him.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Are We Better Than They?
Romans 3:9
1. The accusation to be answered – “Do evil that good may come”.
2. Is the Jew better than the Gentile?
3. Jew and Gentile are on the same level.
4. All are under sin.
I. THERE IS AN ACCUSATION FROM OTHERS THAT CHRISTIANS THINK THEMSELVES BETTER THAN THE NON-CHRISTIAN.
II. THE CHRISTIAN IS NOT BETTER, BUT IS BETTER OFF CONCERNING ETERNITY, AND ETERNAL MATTERS.
III. THE WAGES OF SIN IS UPON ALL WHO ARE SEPARATE FROM THE LORD.
Summary –
i. The sin of mankind is universal and requires a universal Savior – Jesus.
ii. By faith in Jesus Christ and His death on the cross, burial and resurrection we are delivered from the wages and penalty of sin, and assured eternal life with Him.
iii. Rejecting Jesus Christ one chooses to remain separate from God and universally sin bound for all eternity.
-T.A.
Sunday morning sermon points preached at Carr Lane Baptist Church June 26, 2011.
“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” 1 Peter 2:1-3
It is a certain fact that all men are dying. There have been only two exceptions to this in Scripture, and those two were Enoch of Genesis 5:21-24; and Elijah of 2 Kings 2:9-11. Even Jesus Christ died; and He did that for you and me; taking all the sins of the world upon Himself, taking the wrath and judgment of the Father; and we by faith are justified through faith in Him.
Paul the apostle says that the evidence of a new heart is bearing fruit, or the evidence,
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law; and they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.” Galations 5:22-26
It is a hard matter, but there are professing Christians who seek to do harm to their brethren, and that is malicious behavior. Desiring the harm of another is “malice”, and comes from an evil heart. Peter says that the Christian, follower of Jesus Christ is to lay these matters aside; and you could say “Put them off” entirely. He includes “Guile” which would be scheming deception to achieve your own way, and or lying to protect you own skin.
The Christian is to be real. Hypocrisy is found where ever there are people. The Christian might be hypocritical at times, but should not be a hypocrite. Being a hypocrite is one who dwells in that way; always pretending to be something they are not. It is the hypocrite who goes to church, speaks the theological language on Sunday, at Sunday worship; appearing holy, yet curses his fellow employees, employer and others the rest of the time. It is “Envy” which caused the religious rulers to crucify Jesus (Matthew 27:18). Envy is a form of jealousy which will do anything, even murder, to get what they want.
These things which control a life are not the fruits of the Christian. They are the Evidence of a Dead Heart.
The “Newborn babe” desires the word of God, and grows in it. The Christian is not perfect, nor sinless, yet we are growing into the image of Christ; if indeed we have “Tasted that the Lord is gracious”.
-T.A.
“And He said unto them, ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.’
19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Mark 16:15-20
Jesus gives us the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and it is longer and more detailed in its application there. Here, however, we have a simple “Go and preach the gospel to every creature”, and then, what follows are signs, evidence that they are servants of God. Because of the newness of this message of grace, that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again, there must of necessity have been proofs of their words being true. The gospel is true and powerful to save, but the Scriptures [New Testament] had not yet even started to be written. Today, we have the completed Scriptures [Old and New Testaments], and we no longer need evidence of the power of the gospel to save.
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” seems like a salvation of works, but any one who comes believing in Jesus will in obedience follow the Lord in water baptism. It is the “Public confession” of one’s faith in Jesus. When a person comes to faith in Jesus they have a desire to obey Him in all things. The first step of obedience, and the believer’s first call is a public testimony, and that is shown in baptism. Baptism is the testimony of Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection, and by baptism you tell the world of your faith in Jesus and that you have died to the old life, been buried putting it all away, and have risen to new life in Him.
According to the apostle John in the gospel he wrote, “He that believeth not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). You could ask the question, a fearful question, “What does one have to do to go to Hell? The answer to that is absolutely nothing. You can be saved by grace through faith in Jesus, His finished work on the cross and the resurrection, and enjoy the glory of Jesus for all eternity. You can do absolutely nothing and spend eternity in Hell. The truth of the matter is we are all condemned, dying, hellbound sinners. We are born in that condition – separated from God, hating God, loving ourselves, and seeking our own way, and not God’s way. There are some who believe that once this life is over that is it. There are even some professing Christians who believe only the saved will have an “Eternal life” while those who do not know God through His Son Jesus will simply go back to the dust, and their “spirits” will cease to exist. Part of the way that God created us in His image is that He gave us an eternal soul and spirit. Not “Eternal” in the sense that He is; like “Eternal past”, but an eternal future, and our eternity with Christ actually begins with our faith in Him. The condemned person’s eternity without Christ begins at the death of the physical body, and it will be an eternity without light, without friends, without satisfaction of desires. It will be an eternity of torment, or flames, heat, no water, nothing to quench your thirst. It will be a place without God’s love, only wrath.
These were signs of authentication. They were evidence of the power of God to save those who believe, and the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. The first sign Jesus gives is the power to “…Cast out devils [demons]”. There is evidence of this in Acts with a young girl who is “demon possessed”, and brings great profit to her owner, because she can “Foretell” the future. Paul was bitten by a poisonous serpent, and without harm (Acts 28). The apostles Peter and John, on their way to the temple, meet a man who is lame, and by their words, “Rise up and walk” he gets up and walks (Acts 3). Paul raises a young man named Eutychus from death (Acts 20). There are many accounts in the book of Acts of the work of the Spirit of God in the lives of the apostles, doing miracles, signs and wonders, to confirm the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the Gospel which is being promoted not the miracles, and we must always remember that.
The changed lives of millions through the years is evidence of the power of the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Men and women who have had hate filled, murderous hearts are changed into loving, compassionate, caring individuals who reach out to others with the truth of Christ. Men and women who have selfishly stolen from others through greed, lust, and larceny are changed into giving, unselfish individuals who love Christ and have given their all for Him.
One sign of the resurrection of Jesus is His ascension into Heaven to His Father’s right hand. The apostles all witnessed it. Peter, James and John, Matthew, and all the rest, except Paul for he had not yet come to faith in Jesus. Jesus fulfilled all the Scriptures concerning the things concerning Himself and His first coming, and He will fulfill all the things concerning His Second coming.
The disciples/apostles were the ones who are responsible, by the power of the Holy Spirit, for the beginning of the Church – the Body of Christ. Without the Holy Spirit confirming their word, there would be no church.
Can we go out in the same power of the Spirit that they did? Most certainly, and now we have something much better than miracles, signs and wonders. We have God’s Spirit confirming His written Word. It is finished. There is no more being added to it, and anyone that does add to it or take away from it will find the curses of His Word in their lives (Rev. 22:18-19).
There is nothing impossible to those who walk in the Spirit of God. Praying for the power of the Spirit on Christian lives.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Broken Pieces 