Continue on in the work of the Lord!

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 15 January 2012

Acts 15 verses 36 – Acts 16 verse 4, 1 Corinthians 15 verse 58

Text: “Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” verse 58

Paul was writing to this group here in Corinth who had known many problems and difficulties and has this word of exhortation for them.  The days might be dark but I have one word for you “be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.”  In Acts 15 Paul was about to go off on another missionary journey.  He and Barnabas had talked together about the believers in the various places they had visited.  We need to revisit “every city where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.”  John Mark was there and Barnabas wanted to take him with them.  Paul said no.  We sometimes say division is a bad thing but here we see it is not always such a bad thing.  John Mark had made a decision early on that he didn’t want to go into the work but Barnabas wanted to encourage him.  Paul had the work of God on his mind and he says that to the Corinthian church.

Paul speaks of the concerns for the work of God.  “Therefore”, one of the old preachers wrote many years ago that when you see that word you should always ask yourself “what is it there for?”  It is there to tell us something.  Paul on this occasion wants to illuminate the work of God and our attitude to it.  Paul says here we ought to be steadfast.  He spoke of his sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11.  He told the believers how he had been shipwrecked.  He was not telling them that he might gain sympathy but rather answering those who said he was an apostate, not a true man of God.  He opens himself up to the people.  On one occasion he was shipwrecked, another time he was stoned to death, he was beaten, accused of all sorts of things, ridiculed, people turned their backs on him.  This was the man who could take the word of God and encourage us to continue in the work of God.  “Besides those things” Paul says sufferings, pain, loneliness, shipwrecked, beatings, stoned, ridiculed “that which cometh upon me daily the care of all the churches.”(verse 28)  Do we care for the work of God?  Do we think of the work of God from this Sunday to the next?  Do we care for the one who sat beside us in church?  For someone who is going through difficult, lonely times?  That is what Paul is getting at.  All the care that comes on my shoulders for the work of God.  At Miletus in Ephesus Paul talked to the elders, he had one concern on his heart and he told them that ravenous wolves will come in.  At one time they set aside all the books of witchcraft, brought them into the city centre and burned them (Acts 19 verse 19).  It was an open declaration that they were turning away from the past and turning to Christ in faith.  Is there something we are holding onto in our past that we need to let go of?  It is wonderful when God comes to us in faith.  We need to turn to him.  The Holy Spirit shows we need to turn to him, turn from the past and move with God.  When we come around the Lord’s table we are thinking of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, that body smote in Pilate’s hall, that blood shed for us as a ransom for our sins.  That is what Christ had done.  Paul feels for the elders in Ephesus.  There would be those in the centre of the fellowship that would lead the people astray, take them from the truth of God’s word.  He said to the Thessalonians “when we could no longer forebear we thought it good to be left at Athens alone and sent Timotheus … to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith.” (1 Thessalonians 3 verse 1 and 2)  He has the care of the work of God on his heart.  He doesn’t want anything to hinder it, is so caring for it.  When I could hold back no longer I sent Timothy to find out what was happening in your fellowship.  He was afraid the devil would get into this group.  The devil would love to pull apart the fellowship, to bring about divisions into the work of God.  That is why we have to be careful.  Do you have concern for the work of God?  Not to be the biggest or richest, that we are so concerned that this little one will reach out. that man or woman boys or girls will be saved.  Nothing else matters in this old world because of the fact that Jesus is coming again.  We need to have concern for the work of God.

Paul is specifying a combined work.  Paul is writing to “brethren”.  Not elders or deacons or pastors.  That is you and I.  We are in the family of God.  If we are born again of the Spirit of God Paul is laying the responsibility on every child of God.  God’s word is for every Christian.  Paul is writing to a church where there is division and factions – look at 1 Corinthians chapters 1 and 3.  Everyone of us are to be full time workers for the Lord.  We all have to be involved not just the leaders.  Doesn’t matter how young or old, what gender we are.  There is a work God wants us to do.   Are we concerned about him?  He writes to Timothy after leaving him in Ephesus “let no man despise thy youth.” (1 Timothy 4 verse 12)  He had great responsibility in leading the church even though he was a young man.  Anna and Simeon were at the other end of the scale being well on in years.  It was said of Anna “she departed not from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2 verse 37).  There is a ministry for all of God’s people.  No such thing as retirement in the work of God.  Never get to state of redundancy.  Paul says you keep at it.  Husbands and wives there is a work in partnership in the house of God.  There is a work for the men and women in the house of God – Philippians 4 verse 3.  There is something God wants done on this earth and if you don’t do it it will be still left undone. 

Paul pleads in this verse for a commitment to the work.  Paul is pleading for a dedication to the work of God.  Nothing keeps us steadfast as determined to do a work.  That is the determination we need in the work of God.  To not grow tired of what we are doing.  That is the thought here.  Maybe there is a feeling we haven’t got a freshness any more.  Paul says don’t let that put you off in doing a work for God.  Galatians 6 verse 9.  Go back to Nehemiah’s day.  He was rebuilding the walls in Jerusalem.  The moment he came down and started to build the enemy came in.  The enemy tried to discourage and put him down when he wasn’t expecting it.  Nehemiah’s response was “I am doing a great work.”  He kept at it.  He was dedicated to it.  In Acts the early preachers were arrested for preaching the work of God.  They stood up and said to the leaders gathered around them that day “we ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5 verse 29)  People will try and stop you from speaking.  You will be ridiculed, criticised for it but it is better to obey God than obey man.  Psalm 1 who is the man who is blessed – not the one walking in the counsel of the ungodly, sitting in the seat of scorners but rather he is meditating day and night like a tree planted by the riverside.  Are we steadfast in the things of God?  Is God in your mind when you consider what you can do?

The caution Paul speaks of – “unmoveable”.  Something that is unmoveable is something that is not for shifting.  Imagine the statue in some of the cities – unmoving upon its base.  That is how you should be.  James talks of the double minded man who “is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1 verse 8)  The challenges that come in the work of God – there will always be something to try and shift us.  We need to be careful.  Nehemiah – the enemy thought if they could only move him to a village then he might lose interest, might give up the battle.  Nehemiah looked at the work he was doing and then looked up to the heavens and said “this is the work God has put in my soul and I am going to stick at it, I will not be moved.”  Wouldn’t it be awful if the devil got into your life?  If you have a grievance in your heart the devil can use that, can blow it up, take it out of all context it is in and he can make it as a sure thing.  You can blame everyone around you but the only one at fault is you. 

Paul encourages them to continue in the work – “always abounding”.

There is a crown for the work – “your labour is not in vain.”

There is an enemy who will try to bring you down but keep continuing in the work, going on with God.  Thank God there is a crown at the end of the day.

A new creature in Christ

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 8 January 2012

2 Corinthians 5 verse 17

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

This text reminds us what we become when we put our faith and trust in God – He makes us a new creature.  He does not simply dust us down but helps us along the way.  He makes us a new creature, the old things we used to enjoy are removed from us.  The things we meet are the things that God brings along our pathway.  Take 3 words from this text:

“if” speaks of a great possibility

“in” speaks of a glorious position

“new” speaks of a gracious provision.

The great possibility.  The apostle Paul is writing “therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature.”  Possibility is that each and every one of us might be saved.  “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”(Acts 2 verse 21)  The tragedy is that if we are not saved then we are on the way to a Christless and lost eternity.  The Lord said “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6 verse 37)  Doesn’t matter who he is, no one is excluded here because the apostle Paul is making a great assumption.  What are the qualifications for any man to get saved, to be a new creature in Christ?  Ephesians 1 verse 13 “after that ye heard the word of truth … ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.”  Firstly must hear the word.  That is the most important message you can hear in your life.  “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10 verse 17)  The one who left heaven’s glory, he took upon himself the form of a servant and accepted death even death on a cross.  “If it be possible let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26 verse 39) he said.  It was only according to the fathers will.  That is why Christ died on the cross.  He came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost.  No other way but to die on the cross of Calvary.  Paul said first of all with your heart then you believe there comes an exercise after you hear the gospel.  That is to believe what you have heard, to believe and put your trust in Christ.  Heard, trust and then you were sealed with the Holy Ghost.  What do you hear when you hear the gospel – your need of salvation, dependence, trusting, believing, coming.  That is what you hear.  Jesus says “repent and believe the gospel.”  There has to be a turning away from sin.  That is what it means to repent, have a sense of assurance in your heart.  In John 5 we see a man lying at the pool of Bethsaida for 30 years.  He had been there waiting for the waters to stir.  The first person who went into the waters after the stirring would be healed.  Every time it happened he couldn’t get in.  The Lord spoke to him and healed him.  He met him again in the temple.  “Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee” Jesus told him.  Remember the woman taken in the act of adultery.  The law said she should be stoned.  Jesus asked “let him that is without sin cast the first stone.”  They all edged away because they knew they had all sinned.  He turned to the woman and said “go and sin no more.”  In John 4 the woman at the well brought her water pot out to where Jesus was sitting.  She was living in a wrong relationship.  That day she met Christ and left her water pot behind.  She was making a clean break.  It is important to hear the word of God.  A message of repentance, a message of the cross, of coming in childlike faith and trusting in Christ.  Have you ever done that?

Notice a glorious position.  “If any man be in Christ” no one can take up this position of his own accord.  It was only taken up by means of baptism not water baptism but the Holy Spirit.  1 Corinthians 12 verse 13 “for by one spirit are we all baptised into one body” we have to be baptised into the body – why – “because by nature we were sinners.”  By nature I am a sinner.  The moment I was converted I was a sinner because I was born in sin, shapen in iniquity.  Heaven’s door was closed in my face because born in that condition.  God has opened the door for us.  We can be reconciled back to God through his glorious gospel.  Perhaps you are now in Christ.  Remember Paul was speaking to believers.  There was a time before you were saved when you were without Christ.  Imagine that for a moment.  You could be here and without Christ.  You could have your church, your ministry, all the credits that go with it, the Bible, a prayer book and all the books that go with church but haven’t Christ.  If not saved “ye were without Christ …” but now Christ brings them right up to date. “ye who were sometimes afar off were made near by the blood of Christ”.  They had trusted in the Lord.  God brought them into a glorious position.  They were now enjoying being “in Christ”.  It means to be free from the penalty of sin.  The Bible says “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6 verse 23)  The word death means eternal separation from God.  If there never was a time when you came to Calvary, confessed your sin before God, taken the Lord as Saviour, knew your sins forgiven then if you were to die in that situation you would be cut off from God for all eternity.  Imagine if that were to happen to you tonight.  You would go out into hell and you would be there for countless ages of eternity.  I know there are many who would disagree and preach there is no such a thing as punishment of hell, that you would be simply turned away from it.  This is not what Jesus teaches.  We could have this glorious position.  What a wonderful position to be in.  The penalty is gone.  In the Old Testament scriptures there were 6 cities of refuge.  These cities were for those who would commit a crime unintentionally.  One particular man in question was Abner.  He slew a man, the brother of Joab.  He went to one of these cities of refuse but he wanted to go back to see David.  Abner spoke to David then returned to the city of refuge.  Joab found out he had been with David and followed him.  As he entered the city he spoke to Abner, put his arm around his shoulder, took his sword and killed him.  Abner fell dead in the shadow of the city gate.  David lamented over his death “died Abner as a fool dieth.”  He could have stepped across the threshold into safety of that city but didn’t do it.  He stopped to talk to the enemy.  You are sitting in the shadow of the cross.  One step would take you into safety of heaven and home.  Satan will tell you otherwise, don’t you listen to him.  He wants to damn your soul.  Come to Christ, make the Lord your Saviour.

There is a gracious provision.  Look at the gracious provision “if any man be in Christ he is a new creature.”  You say you couldn’t keep it.  The Lord makes you a new creature, old things have passed away.  Remember the apostle Paul’s testimony.  He would say he was a religious character but he committed some erroneous crimes.  Galatians 1 verse 22 “and was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ but they had heard only that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the fiath which once he destroyed.” God made him a new creature.  1 Corinthians 6 verse 9 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. … And such were some of you but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”  Are you interested in seeing your soul saved and ready for heaven and home?  Will you not come?  James 4 “he giveth more grace”.  If you were to come to Christ he will save your soul, fill your heart with grace to go on tomorrow.

Principles for planning

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 8 January 2012

James 4 verses 1 – 17

Principles for planning

James says there are certain principles we need before we make plans for life.  Verse 15 “ye ought to say if the Lord will”.  Not a sentiment or a phrase to roll off the tongue, it has to be the foundation of everything.

The first principle for planning – a sympathy to the will of God.  An awareness that there is a bigger and fuller plan.  All the plans we make must coincide with God’s greater plan.  God has a plan for us and wants every plan to fit in with that plan and once we do that there will be blessing in our lives.  James talks of a sovereign God who reigns and all our plans must coincide with his plans.  James doesn’t rebuke this people for doing so – verse 13 “go to now”.  In other words let’s consider for a moment. He looks to this people, sees all the business men, the family men with so many plans made and says “lets for a second consider a few pointers.”  He is not scolding or rebuking them for making plans but the mistake this people made were simply neglecting the sovereign God and his plan.  These people were saying they were going down to the city, would live there for a year and make a profit or gain.  James says “hold on let’s bring God into the situation.”  No matter what plans we have made they must coincide with God’s plan.  From the moment you were saved, from the moment he brought you to Calvary, instilled into you that you needed to be saved, accepted him as Saviour did you realise God has a plan for your life and my life?  In Luke 12 we see it very much in the life of this ambitious farmer’s life.  Remember how he had a great harvest.  First thing we see about him was he worked hard, ploughed the field, sowed the seed and the land brought forth plentifully.  God had worked in abundantly providing the crops.  It left the farmer with a problem.  The moment he could see the crops he began to consider the situation he was in.  He looked at his little barns and knew one thing for sure – the barns would be no use to him.  He began to make plans.  The thought came to him – I will have to pull down these barns and build bigger ones.  He set about building them and it took a bit of time.  He was probably a young, fit, healthy man with many years ahead of him.  He had plans not only for today and tomorrow but the ages to come.  Verse 19 the man decided to take things easy as he had much laid up for many years but God says of this man “thou fool”.  He didn’t say that lightly.  What this man didn’t realise on the particular day that he made his plans was that there was another plan God had already designed.  His days were numbered because God said to him “thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee.”  In other words you will fill these barns but who will they be for?  There was a plan working that this man never even thought of.  In James the people had planned to go to a city for a year to make money but didn’t know that was not part of God’s plan.  One thing is for certain James said - you didn’t know whether you will gain or lose all. 

The second principle – seeking God’s will.  Verse 15 “if the Lord will”.  It is one thing to be sympathetic to God’s will but another thing to start seeking for it.  Once you start seeking for God’s will for your life it can fly in the face of the plans you have made.  Imagine for a moment before the Government would take any decisions the Government would say “let’s set up a committee, set them up in a room, tell them here’s the plan we want to make but we will ask God what he thinks.”  Imagine what would happen.  What about ourselves?  It is my plan to do this but what would it be like to bring it to God and say “this is my plan for today how is it for you?”  Imagine that in our lives, in our work places, churches if we were to seek God’s plan?  If we were to make a point each morning asking God to show us his way for the day ahead.  Remember the 2 builders who went out to build a house each.  One wanted to build on the sand, the other on the rock.  The foundation becomes the word of God.  They are like those who hear the word of God turn their back on it and go out and do what they want to.  The man who builds on the sand is like the man who neglects the word of God.  That is like asking God for his plan for my life then when we are told it we say “it doesn’t fit into my plan so I will go my own way.”  They are like people building on a poor foundation who when they hit a rough patch in life where do they turn to?  They have no foundation, they are not in God’s plan.  We need to seek God, find out what he would have us to do.  Is God really in our plan?  Need to be careful.  We should say “if the Lord will.”  Saul on the road to Damascus asked “Lord what will you have me to do?”  Moses when he brought the people out of Egypt into the wilderness he went up into the mountain and said “Lord show me the way.”  We are responsible for that family God has given to us.  You are responsible for that Sunday School class.  You are responsible for the souls that you teach.  It is so important that you and I get to grips and know what God would have us to do.  David the king of Israel said “as for God his way is perfect.”

Third principle is - a surrender to God’s will.  The application of that statement of James is a statement saying “don’t go against the will of God.”  Has God been speaking to you today at this present phase in your life.? What is he saying today?  Surrender to it?  Paul’s advice to the Roman Christians in chapter 12 was “I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  It only comes when we surrender our all.  No other time.  We surrender our all to the Lord and say to him “thy will be done.”  Joseph when he went down into Egypt surrendered to the Lord’s will.  That surrender was to the evil of his brothers.  Joseph told them “you meant this for evil but all the time God was working it out for good.  He became the second in line to Pharoah.  God’s plan took him there.  What are we doing this morning?  Have we thought about what we hope to do or where we will be at the end of the year?  Have we sought the Lord for his perfect will?  Have we surrendered everything to him?  Have we said “I will lay my all on the altar, everything to you Lord, take it and use it for your glory?”

The shield of Faith

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday morning 20 January 2013

Luke 8 verses 22 – 25 and Ephesians 6 verses 10 – 18

The Armour of God  - “above all taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

The Lord told his disciples to get into the boat and they would go to the other side.  It was a definite instruction.  Half way across the storm arose “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world you’re your faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5 verses 4 and 5 The disciples ran to Jesus and said “Master we perish.”  The Lord said “where is your faith?”  “Above all” – yes Paul talks about all the other things but this is a tremendous protection for the child of God.  The Roman soldier’s shield was the size of a door carved around him.  He would move it around his body to protect every aspect of his body even his head when the arrows came down.  You and I as we go into the workplace, the school or the university need the shield of faith.  The disciples forgot about when in the midst of the storm.  They faltered.  The Roman soldier going into the battle would take the shield which would have a two fold usage.  One was a defence but it was also a stretcher, to be used to carry off the injured from the battle. Our faith takes us through many difficult days.  Luke 8 “where is your faith?”  Jesus said to the disciples and he still says it to us today!  He didn’t challenge them about their inability or strength or of their fear.  He spoke to them because of their faith.  As a child of God how often we falter at that very point.

The source of this storm.  Many of the Bible scholars and commentators agree that at its origin is the very powers of darkness.  The Lord arose out of his sleep and he rebuked the winds and waves therefore he rebuked the enemy.  We must see this as the work of the prince of the air, the devil himself.  The devil has tremendous power and authority today.  Today it seems as if the devil has been placed on a shelf, it is a figment of the imagination but no – there is an enemy for the child of God.  Are you in the boat with God today?  Maybe you are going through a storm today?  God is with you – have you allowed him to take over today?  Where is your faith?  Is there something that hinders and prevents you carrying out what Jesus would have you to do?  If the Lord Jesus has burdened you to do something for himself help is on its way.  Once we get into the boat with the Lord, follow his footsteps it will not be long until the enemy comes to hinder you.  In Thessalonica Paul wrote to a people who had accepted the Lord as Saviour and were waiting for his return.  Paul had to leave Thessalonica because of a riot and he wanted to get back there time and again.  He wrote to this church in chapter 1 verse 18 “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again but Satan hindered us.”  That is what will happen if you hear the call of God.  The source of this storm was the devil himself.  Whatever you do for the Lord the devil will hinder you.  Chapter 6 – where are these fiery darts coming from – the wicked one, Satan himself.  Sometimes we fail to see them, fail to put up the shield of faith.

The suddenness of the storm – verse 23.  As Jesus fell asleep there came down a storm.  As the disciples got into the boat the sun was bright, the sky was blue and there was no sign of a storm at all.  When they got half way across the storm blew up.  How often that happens in our daily lives.  Something happens that just knocks us for 6.  Paul was arrested in the streets and cast into prison.  That is what sometimes happens – the enemy does it suddenly and without warning, when our guard is down.  We need to take the shield of faith with us.  The enemy can attack us so quickly.  An accusation is thrown quickly against us.  Never see it coming from any quarter.  The soldier had to be ready with his shield to turn it around again.  Sometimes accusations can be made, a word spoken that hurts us, brings us down.  A wrong thought comes into the mind.  Maybe there is a hasty word spoken.  We need to be careful.  The enemy comes suddenly.  The disciples were in the place Jesus would have them to be when the enemy struck.  Maybe you are in the right place at this moment in time.  God has been leading you and instructing you.  You know you are in the centre of God’s will yet there is a tremendous storm brewing in your life.  You could understand it happening in Jonah’s life – after all he heard God’s word yet ran in the opposite direction.  You could understand that of the young man who said he would go and work in the vineyard but didn’t but I am trying to do my best – to do as God has asked yet there is a tremendous storm.  James said “my brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations.” (chapter 1 verse 2)  In other words rejoice in that storm because God is doing something mighty in your life.  Always take care of the half way – many give up at that stage.  You might feel your work is very laborious and haven’t seen much blessing as a result – keep at it.  Remember the story of a young man who was conducting a mission in a village in England.  He preached night after night to himself for 3 solid weeks.  Not one person turned up to hear him but he continued on.  Eight months later he was back in the village and stepped into the local shop.  A little woman came into the shop and said “oh you are the man who came here 8 months ago and preached every night in that hall at the bottom of my street and yet no-one came to hear you.  Well I want you to know that on the last night of your mission I got down on my knees and accepted the Lord as Saviour.  I thought there must be something in what you were doing when you continued on night after night.”  The enemy strikes when you least expect it.  The shield of faith will be able to quench every fiery dart of the wicked one.  Remember Elijah on the mountain top.  He called the people to the Lord yet immediately Jezebel sent word that she was going to kill him and he had to run for his life.

The severity of the storm.  The disciples panicked.  The severity made them fear for their lives.  There was something different about this storm.  We go through many difficulties at times that are nothing to do with the devil but here was one where the devil himself had sent and the disciples panicked.  In the spiritual sense we face storms with fear.  We can never get above them.  Remember when Job got up out of his bed one day.  There was an unseen battle going on in the unseen realms of heaven.  The devil was trying to bring Job down.  The first messenger came and told him the Sabeans had stolen his herds.  Then another messenger came to say the fire of God had fallen and consumed the flocks.  The third messenger came with news that the Chaldeans had carried away the camels.  The fourth messenger told him that his sons and daughters were partying when there was a great wind causing the house to fall on them.  Everything was taken away from Job on that day.  Then a great sickness came on Job himself which took him to his knees.  His wife told him everything is taken from you now will you not curse God and die.  His 3 friends came and sat with him for 7 days never saying a word.  They did not offer any comforting word but rather said Job must have done something wrong, God wouldn’t allow this to happen to you otherwise.  In Job 28 Job lifts the shield of faith and says “he knoweth the way that I take I am happy to leave my life in his hands.  Someone once said of Abraham: he lived his life for God, he left all with God, he found all in God and he yielded all to God.

The settling of the storm.  The Lord Jesus rose up and he rebuked the winds and the seas and all was calm.  For the child of God who is coming through difficult times God will be there, yes it is difficult and there is much darkness but the Lord will one of these days stand and say ‘enough’.  God told the devil “you can do whatever you like to Job but don’t take his life” - a distance was set.  Delivery is on its way.  If your faith is not in Christ take heed today – trust Christ as Saviour.  If you are a child of God take the shield of faith with you today.

God is my salvation

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 6 January 2013

Isaiah 12

“Behold God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”

When Isaiah chapter 12 verse 1 is put in context it is speaking of a day yet to come, a day still to be fulfilled.  Isaiah was an Old Testament prophet – what was the day he was singing about?  It was not the second coming of the Lord.  He was an Old Testament prophet who didn’t know anything about the rapture of the Church.    Isaiah was speaking of a day when the Lord would set up his throne, his kingdom here on earth.  Isaiah was looking to a day when the Lord would set up his kingdom after the rapture.  Verse 2 “behold God is my salvation”.  Look at the present tense.  If we have eyes on the rapture of the church we need this assurance in our heart.  If not we will miss that day when it comes.  Isaiah starts us off in the new year with a tremendous example, putting God first in his life.  There are 2 steps in this verse – first of all the reality of God in the prophet’s hearts and then the working out of the response in the prophets actions.

The profession the prophet makes.  Isaiah has his eyes on the Lord God of Israel.  He is his present help in time of trouble but it wasn’t always like that for Isaiah.  In Isaiah 10  he wrote of the Syrian forces whom God was putting to flight.  Then in Isaiah chapter 11 he gets his eyes on God setting up his own kingdom.  In chapter 12 Isaiah is singing a song of praise to the God of heaven.  Was there a moment in your life when you accepted Christ as Saviour?  In Isaiah’s life there was a crisis in his life and as a result a challenge came to his life.  Chapter 6 Isaiah talks of day when he went into the temple.  Uzziah the king was dead after 50 years of reign.  God helped him but he lifted himself up, he turned his back on God of heaven.  He thought to himself “I have done all this myself.”  For Uzziah there was rebellion in his heart.  God struck Uzziah with leprosy until he day of his death.  It wasn’t until this king died that the prophet Isaiah got his eyes on God.  What is keeping your eyes off God?  A relationship or companionship?  In the house of God Isaiah received a revelation of God, of who he is, the character of God, that he was of purer eyes to behold iniquity.  God turns his eyes inward and lets him see what he was like on the inside.  Isaiah said “I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips.”  The angel came though and purged his sin.  God came with tremendous power and made Isaiah aware of his sin.  Has there been a turning point in your life?  Maybe you remember the occasion well but sadly since then you have grown cold.  God touched Isaiah’s lips.  Until we get this double revelation – of who God is and what I am we will never be changed.  Peter fell at Jesus’ feet and said “depart from me I cannot stand in your presence.”  He realised he was a sinful man.  Will you get your eyes off everything else and onto Jesus?

Isaiah now had God’s protection.  God is our protection for all that life throws at us.  Isaiah realised that whatever lay ahead God would lead and guide him.  When Jesus first came to the fishermen who were mending their nets he simply said “follow me”.  Are we sure that the God of heaven is before us today?  He is leading and guiding us.  All the Lord is asking of us is to follow him.  When you are doing that he is going before us.  He is taking care of everything.  We fret and worry unnecessarily – to know God is before us what have we to fear?  If God be for us who can be against us?  The disciples realised all they had to do was follow him because he was going before them.  God is our protection today.  Joseph was asked by his father one morning to take food to his brothers.  He left his father’s home that day and never saw him again for 20 years.  Joseph said to his brothers “you meant it for evil but God meant it for good.”  You don’t know what will happen in this year, maybe even in this day alone.  As a young man Joseph knew God was with him.  In Potiphar’s house Joseph knew that he could say God was his profession but more importantly he was his protection.  Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph but Joseph said “I cannot do this and sin against God and your husband.”  Joseph ran from the house but Potiphar’s wife concocted a story that landed him in prison.  God was with Joseph in the prison house too.

Isaiah knew that God was his power.  God is not going to take us into something that he cannot take us through.  The Psalmist could say “The Lord is my shepherd … yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me.”  God has promised he will never leave us nor forsake us.  He will take us through because he is our power.

Isaiah could also say that God was his praise.  God put a song in his heart.  When the children of Israel were carried into captivity in Babylon they were asked to sing.  “How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land.”  There was no joy in their heart.  The Psalmist also said “restore unto me the joy of my salvation.”  In the prison house at midnight Paul and Silas were able to sing praises to God.

God is also our provision.  He will provide for all that you need.  All that you need and all that you want may be 2 different things.  As we go into a New Year let’s put God first in our fellowship and in our lives – ask the Lord to be first in our lives.  If he is not Lord of all he is not Lord at all.

The testimony of the Apostle Paul

Philippians 3 verses 1 – 11

The testimony of the apostle Paul

Paul could say “if any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away behold all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5 verse 17)  We have received a new start if we have come to the foot of the rugged cross and accepted Christ as Saviour and Lord.  If the apostle Paul was here how would he start to begin his testimony? 

The first thing he would say was “I was a man who was deceived.”  As Paul wrote to the Philippian believers he is defending himself against false teachers who came into the fellowship.  They are telling you that if you live as good a life as you possibly can you will be all right, earn the measure with God, when you close your eyes in death he will allow you to enter into heaven.  These men are living good lives, not going to say anything against that but they are depending on the flesh.  Verse 4 “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh.  If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more.” Paul doesn’t make any bones about it.  I was trusting in the flesh, I have far more than they think they have, I had more of an advantage than anyone else.  Paul was speaking to people who had been deceived into believing that their birth gave them more than any man.  In Romans 3 verse 23 Paul said “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  Then he puts up a hypothetical question.  What does it profit to be a Jew?  What benefit is there in being a Jew?  It was to them that the Lord came to first of all.  The oracle was passed down to the descendants of Abraham but Paul says don’t depend on that getting you into heaven.  There was a time when I looked to all these things – verse 5 “circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel”.  He was taken by the leader of the law and the act of circumcision was performed on him as the word of God instructed his parents to do.  He came from the tribe of Benjamin, that is where royalty came from.  King Saul came from the tribe of Benjamin.  See how much Paul has going for him.  Acts 22 verse 3 I was taught in the Jewish religion by the most honoured man of all – Gamaliel “as touching the law, a Pharisee”.  Galatians 1 verse 4 - “yet I was deceived.”  I sat at the very best teacher the Jewish religion could have brought forth at that time.  Could almost imagine Paul telling us he took time to read through all the books of the law, listened to him, to all the historical things that happened.  When it came to the Passover lamb in Exodus 12 I didn’t realise anything about the blood shed for my sins.  He didn’t know that that spoke of the Messiah my Saviour the one called Jesus who was hanged between 2 thieves and gave his life for me.  I knew nothing of that.  Knew nothing of the suffering servant in Isaiah 53, that this was Jesus who was taken out and hanged between thieves.  The devil is the greatest deceiver of all time.  He stepped into the Garden of Eden and deceived Eve.  God said to Eve “of every tree in the Garden you may eat of but one tree you cannot eat of it. In that day you will die.”  The serpent came to Eve “I think God is taking you for a fool here.  Do you mean to say that the day you eat of that fruit you will die, you will not”.  Eve was deceived.  The apostle Paul was deceived because he came of a great lineage, because of his good name.  How many are deceived by good characteristics, brought up in a church parents were members from the earliest days, taken to Sunday School, took communion later in life then became an elder later on.  Just like Paul were deceived all the time thinking one day that heavens door would be opened and they would be allowed to enter in.  That is where people’s testimonies begin – how they were deceived, how they were good enough and could never attain God’s.  The devil is a master at deceiving.  He deceived Saul of Tarsus for so long.  Maybe he has deceived you and you are not saved.  You think you are on way to heaven and home.  2 Timothy 3 verses 13 “but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived.”  So much going for them but they have been deceived.

Paul would also say he was a man who was disturbed.  Something happened to disturb Saul of Tarsus.  We are dealing with this young religious Jewish fellow, head strong, proud, fervent in what he believed.  Acts 9 “I have heard by many of this man how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem.”  The Bible says there is nothing too hard for the Lord.  Saul of Tarsus was an evil, wicked, bad tempered young man.  The incident that disturbed Saul so much was the day they stoned Stephen to death.   Saul had actually signed his death warrant.  Stephen was described as full of faith and the Holy Ghost.  Mighty things were happening in the church as a result of his preaching.  The council brought him in, tried him and sentenced him to death.  They ran to Saul and asked him “what shall we do with this man?”  Saul told them to put him to death.  They told him they needed his signature to do that.  Saul signed the death warrant of that martyr Stephen.  Saul kept the raiment of them that slew him.  Stephen is now facing this angry Sanhedrin who couldn’t argue with Stephen because his face was of an angel.  They couldn’t get around him because of the Holy Spirit answering their questions on Stephen’s behalf.  The only thing they could do was to stone him to death. Saul gathered the clothes of the men who stoned him.  He stood and watched that event.  Stephen’s words must have hit Saul hard as he stood and watched what was happening, as they stoned Stephen he was calling on God “receive my spirit”.  Here’s the man in the throes of death who kneeled down and cried with a loud voice “lay not this sin to their charge.”  Notice the certainty of this young man’s death.  In death he had no bitterness because he prayed for his persecutors.  Saul must have become broken hearted.  We must come to that place where we are really broken hearted for the sins we have committed before God.  Always has to be that point when false pride is disturbed to bring us to God.  When Enoch saw the baby Methuselah he thought to himself what a miracle here.  From that point on he walked with God.  Need to do that.  Need to have that place of disturbance.

Paul would say he was a man who came to a decision.  In Acts 8 he was causing havoc with the little church in Jerusalem.  One day when standing before Agrippa he said “I was making my way up to Jerusalem I was brought to my knees on that day.”  It was a place of decision.  We will never drift into God’s salvation.  It is by decision only.  God the Holy Spirit shows us our great need of salvation, shows the sacrifice of his son and the merits of blood shed, never enter into heaven unless we confess our sins and take the Lord as Saviour but we have to make that decision ourselves.  You and I were not born as a child of God, a Christian.  No way.  Not brought up in a godly home and made Christians that way.  It is by decision.  It is the only decision you and I can make for ourselves.  Paul said “Lord what would you have me to do?”

The other thought Paul had was deployment.  Sad thing is testimony is seen as end at salvation.  Hear about the depravity and sin entered into.  Hear how churchy they were then come into contact with Jesus Christ.  This is where the testimony ends.  That is really only where the testimony begins.  Saul said “Lord what would you have me to do?” He was deployed in the battle against the enemy to take the word of God out into the highways and byways.  He was deployed.  Our testimonies don’t end there.  We might stand and tell what sort of life we lived and how we took Jesus as Saviour but what about now?  Are we deployed against the enemy?  Out to win souls.  Have we a love for the Lord?  Do we want to see souls saved?  Are we deployed for the Lord?

Paul was deceived – all are.  Thank God he deals with us, brings us to place where we are disturbed, takes us through to place of decision then he deploys us in to his army to see others saved.

Committing our way to the Lord

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 1 January 2012

Psalm 37 verses 1 – 13

“Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass.”

This is a word that is recorded for our instruction and good.  It is all about committing our way to the Lord and committing ourselves to the Lord.  It was penned under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  The Psalmist David says in verse 25 “I have been young and now am old”.  An experienced man of God, battle scarred man of God, comes to the juncture of his life and is thinking of others.  We want to follow him in the pathway of blessing with all the many trials and tribulations.  David wasn’t excused any of those, puts pen to paper to say to you and I “listen there is one thing I would plead with you to do, if you want blessing in your life commit your way to the Lord.”  Have you given time to really commit yourself to the Lord even today?  Think of a few points about this text of scripture.

The Psalmists lays before us a choice or challenge.  At the outset of this year what are we going to do with God?  Remember Pilate when Christ was brought before him on the judgement day.  People had enough of this blasphemer, scoundrel and wanted rid of him.  Pilate could find no fault in him as he looked and examined all the facts.  “I can find no fault in this man.” (Luke 23 verse 14)  His wife comes to him and tells him to get rid of him.  She had suffered much in a dream because of Jesus (Matthew 27 verse 19).  Pilate looks to the crowd and asks the question “what shall I then do with Jesus?”  What are you going to do today?  Are you coming in sincerity, laying all down in front of the Lord and saying “here I am take me, use me, in this new year?”  This psalm is written for me because it says in verse 1 “Fret not thyself”.  It is a Psalm written for those who worry, get over anxious.  The Lord says “what are you fretting about?  Why is your soul anxious?  I have you in the palm of my hand.  I will never leave you nor forsake you.  I will not abandon you.”  Isn’t that wonderful as we go into a new year?  He is able to fulfil and meet that need in your life.  Here is a little Psalm just for people who fret and the answer is found in verse 5.  Here’s David in his latter years.  It is not worth fretting about.  Commit thy way to the Lord.  That little word “way” means a mode of contact.  In other words the way we live our lives, our lifestyles, everything that can affect our lifestyles.  Here the word says we are to commit it to God.  What are the things affecting our lifestyles?  Our relationships – both business, personal and socially.  Remember the children of Israel coming out of Egypt.  9 plagues they had endured then God said there would be one more – the firstborn son would be killed.  Only the blood of a lamb saved the children of Israel.  The blood represents the blood of Christ shed for us.  It was the mighty hand of God.  Blood brought you out of the penalty of sin in your life.  In Exodus 12 the redeemed people then became a rebellious people.  40 years walked in the wilderness wouldn’t come into the land of Canaan, the land of blessing.  They turned around.  False spies went in to spy out the land and came back with stories of giants and buildings so tall to conquer.  For 40 years the children of Israel wandered in a state of rebellion (Numbers 13).  We need to be careful.  God brings us out from the world of sin wants to bring us into blessing of God.  Will we see the blessing of God in our lives?  In this New Year we have to have obedience if we want to see that blessing.  Thankfully we can commit our way to the Lord.  God brought the people back to Kadesh Barnea once more.  That is sometimes what happens in our lives.  He brings us back to the place were we lost out just as he did with the children of Israel.  There is no blessing until you cross that river and go into the land.  That is the same for you.  There is something that has to be made right.  God puts his finger on it.  Remember the Lord warns against taking the Lord’s Supper until you have made restitution with someone you have wronged.  We have to go back and make amends.  The people of Israel go through into the land of Canaan.  When they came into that land they had to drive out the enemy.  We are redeemed by the precious blood of God of course we are but we have got to drive out the enemy.  There are so many things that crop up in our lives that could be an enemy for the child of God.  The enemy of apathy, carelessness, coldness, idleness, anger, malice, jealousy, temper.  Keep us out of the blessing of God.  You don’t tolerate them but drive them out.  Colossians 3 verses 6 to 11 “For which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him; Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision, nor uncircumcision, Barbaraian, Scythian, bond nor free; but Christ is all and in all.”  Ephesians 4 verses 24 and 25 “And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour for we are members one of another.” The children of Israel had to go into the land and drive out the enemy.  Psalms 36 and 37 David had a specific problem – he was speaking to people who were looking at others.  Be very careful here.  Asaph was a singer in the choir and wrote a Psalm about not looking to others.

The control the Psalmist is talking about.  If we commit our way unto the Lord he is now in control of our lives.  Hebrews 13 verse 5 “let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have”.  Until we leave all with the Lord we will not receive contentment like we have never experienced before.  Not talking about religion here or communion table.  This is your soul in your body we are talking about.  One day you will take your last breath.  For the last second you will gaze around you and then go out into eternity for ever.  It will not matter what church you belong to.  The moment you close your eyes in death only one thing you need for all eternity is Jesus Christ.  Have you got Christ today?  In your heart?  Are you trusting him?  Commit your way unto the Lord if you are not saved.  Come to Christ and give him your all and he will prove to you he is a great Saviour.  Philippians 4 verse 11 “for I have learned whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.”  Is he in control of your life today?  You have to commit your all to him, trust also in him, a point of committal, point of also going on through in the flesh.  Paul had and he committed that to the Lord and was content about it.  Are you happy with your lot today?  We must depend on the Lord to take us through life.  Trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass.

It is a life centred in the Lord.  Commit thy way, give him your life today.  He is not talking to unsaved but believers today.  Have we ever committed our way to the Lord?  Or are we still living our own way or is the Lord Lord of our lives today?  Are we committed to him today?

The comfort is he shall bring it to pass.  Doesn’t say how or when but he will bring it to pass.  Fanny Crosby was a great hymn writer.  In her infancy she took an eye infection.  The doctor prescribed the wrong remedy and completely destroyed her eyes.  At the age of 4 Fanny’s neighbours and friends gathered up money to take her to a specialist.  He did his tests and told Fanny “you will never see again.”  The family were totally devastated.  In later years as she brought blessing thorough her wonderful hymns she had written Fanny said to her mother “if I had a choice I would still choose to remain blind for when I die the first face that I will see will be the face of the one who died to save my soul.”  Will we commit ourselves to him today?  Will we say “Lord here I am, take me today, I want this year, the rest of my life to be lived for you.”  Laying your all to the Lord will bring you into the land of blessing.