Faith Free Will Baptist Church

Posts Tagged ‘Grace of God’

*FOUR BIBLE FACTS EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW*

(Job 14:1-7,14)

*Our world is faced with many questions: job, bank stabilities, safety of our people and children.  Sadly there are not many easy answers.

*The Book of Job is considered one of the oldest books in the Bible; it answers a lot of questions concerning man and God.

Yet, there are four great facts Job reveals that every generation needs to know:

(1)    Man’s frailty

(vs 1) “Man born of a woman is of a few days.”

*No matter the age we live to be, it never seems long enough.

*As flowers bloom in spring showing their radiant colors, soon fall comes and they wither: So is our life, time seems to move fast.

(Jam 4:14  Read)

*Our bodies as we get older are troubled by afflictions yet God has prepared us for incorruption (II Cor 5:1)

(2) Man’s troubles

(vs 1) “full of trouble”

(Job 5:7) “Yet man is born unto trouble as the sparks fly upward.”

*No matter our age or nationality troubles, sorrows, disappointments come sometimes into our lives.

*Sometimes we say “Why me?”  The devil tells us something is wrong with our spiritual life.

*Yet rough times have come into the lives of good people: Joseph, Daniel, Paul; but the greatest of men knows our troubles and sorrows.

*In 33 ½ years Jesus lived on this earth.  He faced many troubling times

(Isa 53:3) “A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”

*As Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, He came to His disciples Peter, James and John and said (Matt 26:38) “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful”.

(3) Man’s destiny with death

(Job 4:15  Read   &  Job 12:10  Read)

*No matter your status in life, rich or poor, king or servant, male or female: God knows your days (Job 7:1 Read)

*Our days are appointed and we must face death and God  (Heb 9:27)

*It is how we live and who we live for that determines whether we are ready to face death and God.

(Amos 4:12) “Prepare to meet thy God.”

(4) Man’s hope

(vs 7,14  Read)

*Since man’s creation he has looked for the Fountain of Youth.

*Ponce Deleon spent his life looking for that which did not exist, death crushed all his hopes.

*Billions of dollars are spent on creams and plastic surgery, but age takes all who use them, hopes.

Yet the greatest need, the greatest hope is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  (John 11:25,26  Read)

*GOD’S TOUCH*

(Job 19:21)

Some people like Job’s so called friends have the idea that God is a great giant sitting on a throne  somewhere not caring whether we live or die.  That He is not interested in what’s going on in our life, whether we are having good times or struggles.

*How wrong they are.  God is a great, benevolent and loving Father.

*He is interested in every phrase of our lives, wanting the best for us, being there in our good days and bad days.

*He does not leave us to blind chance.  He is ever guiding and ever touching our life.

*If we are His children we bear His handprint on our life.

Notice times when God touches us:

(1)   There is the touch of salvation

*Having been born in sin we walk the straight line that leads to hell if a divine change does not take place.

*God sees us, God loves us, He touches our hearts and says (Isa 1:18  Read)

*In (Acts 9) God touched a murderer named Saul and changed him to a minister named Paul.

*In (Acts 16) God touched a jailer and transformed him into a justified child of God.

*In (Acts 8 ) God touched an Ethiopian.

*Has He touched you?  Do you know Him through a personal relationship with His Son Jesus Christ?

(2)   There is the touch of service

(Matt 4:18-22   Read)

1)      Moses was tending a flock when God touched him for service

2)      Isaiah was busy in the temple

3)      Peter, Andrew, James and John were about their fishing business

*Has God touched and called you to some service?  Are you doing it?  If not, why?  If not, when?

Beloved fear not His call to service for who He calls He equips.  Give Him your availability and He will give you the ability.

(3)   There is the touch of strength

(I Pet 5:8,9    Read)

*We face an enemy who is relentless in his attacks.  At times it seems like one attack after another.

*Yet we have the same promise God gave the Apostle Paul.  (II Cor 12:9 Read)

*Devil I may not can whoop you but my Big Brother can.  He’s got your number “He is the Lord my strength”.

(4)  There is the touch of solace and comfort

*Life is full of sorrows, God’s children at times have eyes filled with tears.  During those times we may feel alone, feel God is not near.

*The story is told of a little girl who woke up in the darkness and was afraid.  She called out “Father”.  Her dad heard her but kept quiet hoping she would go back to sleep.  But she called out louder “Father”.  He answered her “Yes honey, what do you want?” “Nothing” she said. “I just wanted to know that you are there.”

*God has promised to be there

(II Cor 1:3-5  Read)

(5)   There is the touch of satisfaction

*Christians are never fully satisfied here.  Because there is work to be done.  Jesus said “Occupy til I come”.  Simply put: We have business to do for our King.

*But King David gave us a clue when we will be completely satisfied (Ps 17:15  Read)

Has God touched you?

*THOUGH YOUR SINS BE AS SCARLET*
(Isa 1:18)

*This is one of the greatest verses in the Bible.  We know that man, even though far from God, even though he is deep in sin, that God will show great mercy and forgive him.
*He never forces man to be saved and to  put their trust is Him.  But He does want to reason with sinners.  He says “I will wash all your sins away if you will listen and obey Him”.
*So let us listen to what God, who is filled with compassion and love, is saying to the sinner.
(1) God says: “You must realize that you are a sinner”
*Here is the way He puts it:
(Rom 3:23)  “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”
(Rom 3:10)  “There is none righteous no not one”
(Isa 53:6)  “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way”
*God is not just saying that we have done some sinful things, He is saying that we have a sinful nature.  Some folks may say “I’ll stop doing this sin or I’ll give up this bad habit.
*You can do all that and still be a sinner.
*Listen: An apple tree is not an apple tree because it bears apples.  It bears apples because it is an apple tree.
*You are not a sinner because you sin.  You sin because you are a sinner, you have a sinful nature.
* 1) If a man is drowning, he sees his need for a rescuer.
* 2) If a man knows he’s sick, he sees his need for a doctor.
(God wants you and I to realize we are sinners and when we do we realize we need a Savor.)
*DL Moody says “Before a man can be saved he must first realize he is lost”.
(2) God says “I love you in spite of your sin”
*The question is how can that be possible?
*Because God is Holy and Righteous, He hates your sin but loves you.
*Suppose that you had a child that has a dreadful disease that was taking the child’s life.  You would not love the disease but you would love the child.
*How do we know God loves a sinner?
*We look to Calvary and see God’s love as His Son in dying on the cross.  (Rom 5:8  Read)
*Why did He let His Son suffer so?  (John 3:16)  “For God so loved the world”
*Now God calls for a response: What are you going to do about His love?
(3) God says “I don’t want you to perish”
(II Pet 3:9  Read)   (Ezek  33:11  Read)
*We are told that Hitler’s Nazi butchers  lead men, women and children in gas chamber killing six million Jews.  They were evil, wicked men but yet God would not have any pleasure in them dying and going to hell.
1) God called Noah out of a wicked world yet let him preach 120 years before destroying all lives.
2) God sent Jonah to the wicked people of Nineveh.
Why?  Because He has no pleasure in one sinner dying and going to hell.
*God has placed many stumbling blocks in our lives to stop us from going to hell; Bible, church, sermons, witnesses.
(4) God says “I offer salvation to you though my Son”
*If you are here today and God has been speaking, convicting you today that you are a sinner what are you going to do?
Will you
1)    Ignore Him and perish without hope?
2)    Step our from were you are and come to Christ

They Watched Him There

Matthew 27: 33-38

(Key verse – 36)

If we were there that day, what would we have seen?                  (1) A death beyond human comprehension

(2) Pain so intense it would make us shudder

(3) Blood running down His face and body

(4) Beard hair plucked out by the hand full

* There were many who watched this horrible sight (Vs 36)

Just who did watch Jesus there?

1. God watched Him there           (1) He saw His only begotten Son

John 3:36

* The crucifixion did not take God the Father by surprise

Acts 2:23

(2) God saw you and me

* When God saw His Son, I believe He saw all who would ever trust Jesus as their Savior

Galatians 2:20

2. The angels watched Him there

*What heaviness as they watched their Creator there   (1) They had announced His birth

(2) They had reassured Joseph concerning Mary

(3) They had told the shepherds He’s in Bethlehem

(4) They ministered to Him after His temptation in the wilderness

(5) They ministered to Him in the Garden of Gethsemane

* Now they watched His death

3. Mary His mother watched Him there                 (1) She was chosen of God to give birth to the Messiah

(2) She raised Him through His childhood

(3) When He was 12 years old, she heard these words, “I must be about my Father’s business.”

* Now she watched Him dying

4. Other women watched Him there

(Vs 55,56)

* We are not told all the women’s names             (1) Maybe the woman with issues of blood and healed

(2) Maybe the woman whose son was raised from the dead

(3) Maybe Peter’s mother-in-law whom Jesus healed

* Whoever they were, they did not forget who changed their lives

5. The disciples watched Him there          James, John, Peter, Joseph of Arimethius, Nicodemus

* No doubt they must have thought this was the end, yet it was Just the Beginning.

(Luke 24: 13-32)

6. The soldiers watched Him there           * The soldiers who mocked Him, beat Him, gambled for His robe; may be the same ones who would guard His tomb.

* But one saw Him as He should be seen – “Truly this was the Son of God.”

7. The Priests and the Elders watched Him there

(Vs 41-43)       * They envied Him , yet despised and hated Him. One day they shall be judged by Him.

8. The Thieves watched Him there           * Both at first ridiculed Him. Later one would come to trust Him.

9. Satan watched Him there

* From Genesis 3 until His crucifixion, the devil sought to somehow destroy the Redeemer of men.        (1) He had Herod kill Hebrew baby boys

(2) He tried to keep Jesus in the wilderness, unsuccessfully

(3) He fought the spiritual battle in the Garden

But Death and Hell was Conquered

“He Arose”

Is It Worth It To Be A Christian?

Psalm 73

In these scriptures, we see a serious struggle in the heart of a child of God who is concerned by the seeming contradiction he finds around him.

He looks around him and sees the prosperity of the wicked:       (1) There are people who do not care for God, who do not try to live for God.

(2) They have an easy time on their jobs, they seem to have all the material things they want; never does misfortune seem to come to them.

(3) The wicked seem to prosper better than those who live for the Lord.

* When we read vs 13-16, we see King David’s brokenness over this and his hasty conclusion: “That it just isn’t worth it.” He says what some think.

But notice vs 17

* In light of eternity, in light of God’s word, it really did matter about living for the Lord. (vs 24-28)

[Notice Three Reasons Why It Matters]1.             In light of our Past, it is worth it

We may come from different places, our life’s experiences may be different, but we all identify with one thing: (Romans 3:23)

* Even saved, our sinful past brings baggage with it.        (1) The Guilt of Sin

Some live day after day with guilt, things they cannot change now: Joseph’s brothers, who sold him into slavery

David’s adultery and murder; no doubt walking out on his

balcony reminded him

(2) Condemnation of Sin

(John 3:18)

(Romans 8:1)

(3) Burden of Sin

The devil does his utmost to cause us to live in constant sorrow and remorse, but Jesus bore all our guilt, our condemnation, our burden of sin and was nailed to the Cross, giving us a new life. (II Corinthians 5:17-21)

2.            In light of our Present, it is worth it

People seem to have more and more, but are enjoying it less and less. Some seem miserable.

The book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon, who reveals the emptiness of not serving God: (1) Solomon tried Riches; Today’s money – 20 million a year.

(2) Solomon tried Alcohol.

(3) Solomon tried Lust; 700 wives, 300 concubines.

(4) Solomon tried Education; 3,000 proverbs, 1,005 songs, yet he said “All is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Romans 8:28)

Your struggles today can bring shouts of victory tomorrow.

3.            In light of our Future, it is worth it

Everyone has a Future; The question is what is the future going to bring for you?              (1) If you are not saved

(Hebrews 9:27)

(2) If you are saved

(John 14:1-6)

Thanks to Calvary

Luke 23:33

Where would we be without Calvary?

John 3:16

It is at Calvary we see the greatest example of Love, the greatest sacrifice made.

Romans 5:8

The Apostle Paul makes a very strong statement: I Corinthians 1:18

Our world consists of seasons. By these times, farmers do their work. In the Spring, they plant and in the late Summer, they bring in their harvest. When harvest begins, there is but a small window of opportunity top accomplish this task.

There is a spiritual truth in this; some say “I can get saved anytime.”

Genesis 6:3

Sadly, some will wait until it is too late.

Jeremiah 8:20

The reality is that there are only a few windows of opportunity for people to accept Christ Jesus as their Savior:1.            The Window of Youth

Ecclesiastes 12:1

Paul exhorts a young preacher named Timothy.

II Timothy 3:14,15

2.            The Window of Concern

II Corinthians 5:11

Two thoughts should be noticed:

(1) To the sinner: Are you concerned about facing God?

(Hebrews 9:27) – (John 3:36)

(2) To the Saints: Are you concerned about the Lost? If not, when will you be?

John 4:35

3.            The Window of Conviction

Genesis 6:3

Romans 3:23

Proverbs 29:1

Right now, the Holy Spirit is convicting.

John 16:8

4.            The Window of Catastrophe

Job 14:1

Catastrophe means: A thing that happens suddenly and causes great loss or suffering.

(1) Hurricane Katrina: Lost all

(2) Pakistan Earthquake: 1,000’s killed

(3) September 11, 2001: Over 3,000 deaths

People are dying every day of disease, violence, auto wrecks.

What will it take to wake you up?

I John 5:12

Thanks to Calvary, you can have peace,  joy and forgiveness.

The Comfort of His Coming and Our Going Home

I Thessalonians 4:13-18

Introduction:

- The people Thessalonia had become confused

- They were expecting Christ at any moment, as we should be.

- Some in their midst had died. They thought their loved ones had missed the Second Coming.

I Thessalonians 4:13

Three Problems:

Ignorance, Sorrow, Hopelessness

- Paul is writing to address these problems.

-  He is going to tell them about the Rapture of the Church.

verse 14-17

- Now look at verse 18

- Encourage or comfort (the comforts of home)

Let’s look at three truths that are unshakable and will give you God’s Comfort.1.               You can rely on the certainty of His Coming!

verse 14

- For if we believe (Salvation)

Romans 10:9,10

- By the Word of the Lord. verse 15 (God’s Promises)

2.            You can rest in the comfort of His Coming!

verse 18

- Outline of the Rapture verse 16-18

3.            We should respond to the challenge of His Coming!

verse 17

- To meet the Lord!

- Are we ready to meet Him?

Conclusion:

Are you ready to go Home?

Growing in Grace

II Peter 3:17,18

The desire of God for those saved is to grow spiritually.  Like all things that live, there is a beginning and maturity.

*How do we accomplish this in a proper way.

1  The Christian Life begins with a Birth

John 3 (Nicodemus)

II Corinthians 5:17

2  What is Growth in Grace and Knowledge

First : What it’s not

1 Not becoming more saved than the day you were saved.

2 Not becoming more justified.

Second: What Christian growth is .

1 It is learning more of what God wants through His word.

2 It is being able to accomplish more of what God wants.

*Consider the expectation of physical growth.

Baby – Child – Adult

Garden – Seed – Sow – Reap

3  What are the Evidences of Growth

1  Increase in Love

I Thes 3:12

2  Increase in Faith

II Thes 1:3

3  Increase in Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22,23

*How’s your Fruit Tree doing?

4  What are the means God uses to help you grow in Grace?

1  He uses His word        I Peter 2:2

2  He uses troubles and experiences     James 1:2-4

3   He uses public worship    Hebrews 10:24,25

*THE LORD IS WITH THEE*

(Judges 6:11-16)

Let me give a quick survey of (chp 6 & 7).  After 40 years of peace (vs 1) says the children did evil in the sight of the Lord.  The Lord used the Midianites to oppress His people.  (vs 3 & 4)  tells us that their crops, their herds and flocks were destroyed.  (Vs 6)  says Israel was greatly impoverished.  (Vs 11,12) tells us and Angel of the Lord visits a young man named Gideon, who was cutting wheat behind the winepress so the Midianites would not see him and take the wheat.  The Angel tells Gideon God will use him to deliver Israel from their enemy.

*Gideon asks for a sign and God performs three.

*Gideon gathers an army of 32,000 men but the Lord says that is too many.  He then begins cutting down his number.

1)  Those afraid could go home.  22,000 left and went home.

2)  10,000 went to the river and 9,700 were sent home.

3)  300 men were left to fight.  Over 100,000 estimated soldiers.  (vs 5)

*Gideon split the men into 3 groups each having a trumphet and a pitcher with a lite lamp inside.

*Notice  (7:18,19)

*The remaining victory is read in the remaining verses.

This great deliverence reveals six tremedous truths.

1)  God sees our potential

(6:12  Read)

*Gideon’s response (vs 15  Read)

*In other words “who me?”

*God knew Gideon’s ability.  There are possibly some here who suffer with this same problem.  The difficulty of believing God could use you.

1)  Moses, called of God to deliver Israel out of Egypt, but he made excuses.  1) They won’t

believe me.  (2) I’m slow of speech.

2) Apostle Peter was called “ignorant and unlearned”.  Yet God used him to bring 1,000’s to Christ.

*If we could select people for church membership we probably would select, doctors, lawyers, educated professors.  But God sees beyond our appearance and uses a faithful heart.

*Listen: The Lord Jesus chooses people not on the bases of what they were but what they will become for His glory.

2) Every Christian has a place and it is important that they be in that place.

*Gideon depended on each of those 300 men to be in their proper place.  To not be in that place could be devastating.

*The church functions at peak efficiency if it is to accomplish it’s task.  It is very difficult to operate effective if teachers, choir, soloist, musicians are not here ready to minister.

*I may not be able to play ball well with one arm but two would be better.

*I run better with two legs, not one.

3)  The Lord refused to use the fearful.  (7:3)

*Can you image how the battle would have gone with 22,000 frightened men.

(II Tim 1:7)  “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love and a sound mind.”

(Isa 12:2)  “I will trust and not be afraid.

4)  Brokeness was essential to success.  (7:20  Read)

*When the pitchers were broken the light shines.  (Matt 5:14)

*The Christian who gives excuses who cannot give themselves to full service for the Lord, may save the physical side but will lose out on the spiritual side of blessings.

(Matt 16:24,25  Read)

*The Apostel Paul suffered prison, beatings, stoning, sleeplessness, but he called it all gain for Christ.

5) Testing preceded victory

(7:24  Read)

*Though some missed the start of this battle, they joined later to accomplish the task.

*This church had many battles and tests thru the years, some of us were here during those trying time, now we have others who know nothing of those times but enjoy the victories, the fruit of those before them.

*But all of us will face more struggles, so whether good or bad, light or darkness, let us be faithful.

(I Cor 15:58 Read)

6) The victory was by grace alone,

*Why were 32,000 men too many?  (7:2   Read)

*With 300 men everyone knew this victory was of the Lord.

Friend that is exactly your condition.

If there was any other way you could earn your salvation you would be tempted to say “you did it your way”.

(Eph 2:8,9  Read)

Song: “Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.”

*GOD IS SO GOOD*

(Psalms 145:8-13)

*One of the attributes of God is His goodness:

1) He gives us eternal life the moment we believe.

2) He gives us immediate access to Him thru prayer.

3) He gives us purpose in the worst of life’s troubles.

4) He gives us discipline when we stray into sin.

5) He gives us everything we need to live a successful Christian life.

6) He gives us what we need to meet our physical needs.

*We think of these things given to the saved but;

Question:  How good is God to the unsaved?   (Vs 9  Read)

Rom 2:4  “The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.”

*The apostle Paul makes this statement after telling us in (Rom 1:18-32) the entire human race lives in sin and wickedness.  Whether they are good, religious, or heathens we stand without excuse before the True and Holy God.  (Rom 3:23) “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

*With this in mind:  Look at how good God is to the unsaved. Understand that every breathe the unsaved takes is showing God’s goodness which should lead to repentance.

(1) God is good by creating them knowing that they would rebel.

(Gen 1)  Seven times He looks over creation and calls it good.  The last time He looked over creation with man in it and He said “It is very good”.

*Yet God knew that the peace and joy of Paradise would soon be broken by Adam’s foolish sin.  He knew what Eve and Adam would do.  He knew the pain and result of sin on the whole human race.  Yet seeing it all, knowing it all, He still created man.

(Jer 17:9)  “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.”

(2) God is good by sustaining them in spite of their continued rebellion.

(Exo 34:6)  “God is merciful and gracious. longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth.”

(Ps 103:10)  “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.”

(Exo 32:7)  The people had corrupted themselves.

*No one could blame God if He chose to destroy all men but He has not.  He would have been justified to destroy Adam and Eve.

(3) God is good by pouring out common grace upon unsaved.

*Common grace is a term that refers to the general blessings God gives to men regardless of their spiritual condition.

(Matt 5:45)  “He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.

*Although the lost may not know it, they are receivers of God’s goodness.  The sun, the rain, shine and fall on them as it does to the saved.

(4) God is good to the unsaved by putting a desire for God inside every human heart.

(Ecc 3:11)  Tells us God has put eternity in every human heart.  When Paul preached in Athens he spoke of them being very religious, in fact they even had a shrine to “to unknown God”.

*There is something in man that drives him to seek and acknowledge a higher power.  If you go to the darkest jungles you will find men worshiping something.

(5) God is good to the unsaved by hearing the prayers of the saved for the lost.

(Luke 18) Jesus tells a story in order to encourage us to pray and not give up or grow weary.

(Rom 10) Paul says his heart’s desire and prayer is for Israel to be saved.  Some are alive today because of prayer.

*How many of us are saved because someone prayed for us: A father, mother, wife, husband, son or daughter or a friend whispered a prayer with a broken heart for you to be born again before you perish without Him.

(6) God is good to the unsaved by inviting them to salvation and making provisions thur Jesus’ death.

(Eze 18) Tells us God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

(I Tim 2) Tells us that God desires all men to be saved.

(II Pet 3) Tells us God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

(Rev 22) Contains the very last invitation in the bible for men to come to Christ. “Whosever will”.

*No sinner will ever be able to say ” I asked for mercy in Jesus’ name but God turned me away”.

(John 3:16)