Tag: forgiveness

The Fall of Christianity in America

THE BIG “IF”

II Chronicles 7:11-16 – Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king’s house: and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected. 12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

Just recently a group of students from a catholic school were kicked out of the Smithsonian air and space museum in Washington DC.  Their crime – they all had hats that said pro-life on them. “ They were told they could not wear them in the museum. I applaud them for standing firm and refusing, even in the face of being kicked out, they refuse to compromise on the issue.  My friends, America is in trouble. In Nebraska, a state senator is introducing a bill that would “BAN” kids under 19 from attending Sunday School and Vacation Bible school – The reason, it indoctrinates children and leads to child abuse. 

  1. Note: This command was to be carried out in the HOUSE OF GOD.
  2. His house is to be a place of sacrifice, not a place of comfort.
  3. NOTE; God sends the pestilence – It is often to rebuke the sinfulness of His people
  4. The solution begins with IF.
    a. Humble– to be subdued, be brought down, be low, be under, be brought into subjection
    b. Pray – Not to just ask, but here to intercede
    c. Seek – to seek, require, desire, exact, request
    d. My face – Desire His presence
    e. Turn – To return, to turn back.
    f. Wicked ways – Evil, displeasing.
    g. Then –
  • I will hear – to hear with the intent to give attention too.
  • I will forgive – pardon.
  • I will heal – to make healthy.

II Corinthians 5:17-21 – Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Our standing in Christ

  1. We are made new.
    a. That means the old ways are to be forsaken.
    b. That means our attitudes, actions, thoughts, and love change.
  2. All things now are of God – we now live Godly in Christ

II Timothy 3:10-17 –  But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11  Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

We have been given THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION – the restoration of the favor of God to sinners that repent and put their trust in the expiatory death of Christ
Ephesians 6:19-20 - And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Acts 1:16-18 –   For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

He hath been made SIN FOR US.

  • He knew no sin.
  • He took my sin on Himself.
  • The Father looked a Jesus as if He were me.
  • The Father looked at me as if I were Jesus.
  • We have been given His righteousness

Titus 3:5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Romans 8:1-4 –   There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 10:3-4 3  For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.4  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Are you and I willing to do the “IF” part? -If my people!!!!!

Hebrews “Let Us”

We will continue our Hebrews study by looking at another key phrase.  The term “Let Us” is seen 11 times.  We will examine this as we consider what we need to be doing as believers in these difficult days. 

Let us Fear

Hebrews 4:1 – Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

A. Fear here means to be afraid of

  1. Ignorance of God’s word – Hebrews 2:1 – Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
  2. Failure to understand the promises to believers – Romans 16:17-20 – Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
  3. We come up short of the rest (totally trust in Christ to sustain us and complete us. – Rest appears 8 times in this chapter
  • A.. In our salvation – Christ alone and nothing else Hebrews 4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.–
  • B. Rest in the eternal salvation we have.Hebrews 4:5-6 -And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. – 6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: –
  • C. Hebrews 4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.– Jesus (Joshua means savior) could not give rest to God’s people. He pointed to another. Hebrew name is Joshua and the Greek name is Jesus.
  • D. We will enter into our heavenly home – real joy real peace, Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.–
  • E. Rest – Being complete in Him without works being a burden.
Hebrews 4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
  • Learn to enjoy the journey
  • God has done everything necessary.
  • We cannot earn it even a little.

Hebrews 4: 11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

  • Satisfied with being in the will of God. 
  • Satisfied with serving (Laboring for) Him. 
  • Satisfied with totally trusting Him. Learn to sit at Jesus feet. 
  • Satisfied with being used of Him

I Corinthians 9:24-27 –   Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Keep the goal in mind at all times – His reward to the faithful

2 Corinthians 5:1   For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 Corinthians 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Philippians 1:21   For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

We are to keep ourselves clean – pure

1 Peter 2:11  Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Romans 6:18-19   Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 –   Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Let us Labor

Hebrews 4:11 – Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

  1. Invest your time working for the right thing John 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
  2. Our salvation should produce works that lead us to fulfill the will of God. Philippians 2:12-16   Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14   Do all things without murmurings and disputings 15  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
  3. We should be glad to invest in His work –
  4. without mudrmurings (indicates an inner complaining, silent resentment)
  5. disputings. (inner argument with yourself about doing the will of God)   

Follow God’s formula for spiritual growth

II Peter 1:5-11 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10  Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11  For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

  • Keep in remembrance where we have come from.
  • We will become fruitful in our Christian walk
  • We will triumphantly enter into His kingdom because of the King.

Sunday vs Saturday Worship

Mark 2:23-28

23  And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.24  And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?25  And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? 26  How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the hewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? 27  And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 28  Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Colossians 2:16-17   Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Colossians 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Let us begin by looking at the Sabbath in the old testament. It was more than just a special day. It also pointed forward to a future rest, the rest of redemption yet to come. The Sabbath was also a reminder not only of rest after six days of creation, but also the fact that God had delivered His people from Egypt. In Exodus 20:8-11 God told His people to keep the Sabbath because He rested. You will notice NO work of any kind was to be done, not even preparing of meals. This was given to the children of Israel before they entered the promise land.

In Deuteronomy 5:15 we see a change added. In verse 15 the Sabbath now becomes a reminder of their deliverance from Egypt. You will remember while they were in Egypt; God came and slew all the first born of Egypt. Only those who had the blood on the door post would be spared the loss of the first born. This was the foretelling of  the deliverance God would provide when the sacrificial Lamb’s (Jesus Christ) blood would purchase (redeem) us to Him. Hebrews 10:1-10 explains this very well. The blood sacrifices under the Law could not redeem. They could not make one perfect. They were a reminder man’s sinfulness and man’s inability to save himself. God prepare a body (Jesus’) to be the once for all sacrifice. The laws and the sacrifices under the law were replaced by the perfect sin offering.

Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Isaiah 53:4-5; 11-12   Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

We see even in the Old Testament the promise of the once for all redeemer ould come. In Romans 8:3-4 we see:

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Galatians 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

While the Children of Israel were in captivity, the “promised” land was enjoying 70 years of rest (Sabbaths).

II Chronicles 36:21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.

When the children of Israel took Jericho, they marched around the city for 7 days, once each day the first six but seven times on day 7. What a picture of them entering the promise land, their land of rest, after 70 years of captivity and 40 years of aimlessly wondering about in the wilderness. The old covenant (testament) was all about looking forward to the coming promised redeemer,

John 4:25-26 – The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he. Jesus was the promise that was to come.

Jesus fulfilled the Law on the cross, once and for all paying the price for all sin. He declared redemption work finished. John 19:30 –“…It is finished…” We now see the finished product. Our redemption has been secured by the resurrection. The resurrection is as vital to mankind as the creation was. In the beginning God is paramount to everything else. This new “rest” redemption preceded even creation.

I Peter 1:18-20. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

This plan, the prefect plan, was put in place “before” the foundation of this world was laid. God knew the law would not suffice. He knew a perfect plan had to be instituted.

After the resurrection we see a change from the believers, followers of Jesus. They begin meeting on the first day of the week. Jesus met with them as well on the first day of the week as they gathered. We no longer see them gathering on the seventh day, but on the first. Let us examine the evidence.

  1. The resurrection was on the first day of the week –
    Matthew 28:1
  2. Jesus appeared to others on the first day of the week.
    John 20:20, Luke 24:13
    3 Jesus met on the first day of the week with the disciples as they were gathered together.
  3. The Holy Spirit was given 50 days after the Sabbath of the
    Jewish Passover. That would be on the first day of the week. Again, the followers of Jesus were together on the first day of
    week
  4. In Acts 20:7 the believers were together in worship on the first day of the week, not the seventh, but on the first. Paul preached to them This was the day, after the resurrection, that the church came together.
  5. In I Corinthians 16:1-2 Paul encourages them to bring their offerings on the first day of the week. Throughout church history this has been the scriptural habit of believers. The churches in the New Testament gathered on the first day of the week.
  6. They came together on the Lord’s day. The apostle John was banished to the Island of Patmos. He may have been the
    only one of the original 12 who was still alive. In Revelation 1:10 we see Him in the spirit on the Lord’s day. He referred to the day as THE Lord’s day. It was a particular day. He did not say the Sabbath day, but the Lord’s day. It was the day that Christ defeated death. He had conquered the last enemy of sin, death.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

It was on the first day of the week that Jesus defeated all the enemies, even death. That is “THE LORD’S DAY.” Christians began to gather on the first day even during the life of the apostles. We celebrate His resurrection as well as the coming of His Holy Spirit at Pentecost to indwell all believers. The command to honor God one day in seven is still in practice. It is clear that the New Testament church gathered not on the seventh day, but on the first day. Note again, Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. It is clear when they came together. It was the first day of the week. Since the earliest mention of the church, Sunday, the first day, has been the day they came together.

Let us conclude by the following passages of scripture. The law was imperfect in that it could not save. God fulfilled the old with a new and better covenant.

Hebrews 9:11-15 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Christ became the mediator through death of the new covenant.

Hebrews 8:6-7 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

A new covenant had to be given because the old could not save, it could only show one’s sinfulness.

Galatians 3:16-24 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Even Abraham could not be saved by keeping the Law. We clearly see the Law cannot save. It can only point one to the promise of Christ, the redeemer of the world. Praise be to God for His unbelievable grace and mercy.

Jude 24-25 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion, and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Only Jesus, not the law will present your faultless. Amen and Amen.

Seven Stages of Temptation, part 1

The blame game

Genesis 3:11-13

   And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?12  And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.13  And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
  • Adam – you gave me the woman
    • Blamed God
    • Blamed Eve
  • Eve – Blamed serpent – Satan
  • Satan – Blamed God – “Hast not God said”
Sin always comes with a price!

 Genesis 1:16-17 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:17  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin

The ultimate cost for man– both physical and spiritual death.

For the Serpent – Genesis 3:14-15 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15  And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Eve’s curse Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.   

Adam’s curse – 17-19 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18  Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Sin leads to loss of innocence

Genesis :6-11 – And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.7  And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8  And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.  9  And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10  And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. 11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

Attacking the blame game Ultimately, in the end, we all blame our sin on God

James 1:13-17 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16  Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • Satan tempts with sin (evil)
  • God gives only Good Gifts.
  • God is NEVER the author of temptation.
  • God is always the author of everything good in your life:

-Forgiveness, mercy, grace, love, compassion, church,
loving family, provision, life itself.

Seven stages of temptation

  • The look – when he is drawn away
  • The lust – One’s own lust
  • The lure – enticed – the bait
  • The conception – lust has conceived
  • The birth – brings sin
  • The growth – finished – full grown
  • The death – brings forth death
“The Look“
  • The open door
  • It opens the door from the protection and the protector
  • You are drawn away – you go from safe to risky
  • You must be aware of the LOOK
  • REMEDY – draw back immediately
“The Lust“

1.) Identify:

  • Person who tempts you
  • Situation that tempts you
  • Activity that tempts you
  • Place that tempts you
  • Those thoughts that tempt you

2.) Your own lusts – these are eagerly awaiting a willing heart!

Daniel 1:8  

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

  • You are drawn away by what you allow to enter your heart
  • Temptation tempts you because of what is in the inside, not what is on the outside
  • “she tempts me” it is your lustful heart tempts you
  • I saw it and could not help myself, so I took it – your covetous heart is the source of your temptation
  • They just made me so angry – you unforgiving heart was the source of your temptation
  • Temptation distorts a God given desire

It pushes the God given desire past the normal limit into excess.

It pushes the God given desire to find fulfillment in areas that are off limits.

God’s new Temple

I Corinthians 6:19-20

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Today we conclude our series on moving forward in Christ.  The first was Our old nature.  Then we looked at Transformation, not reformation.  Last week was the New Creation we have become in Christ.  Today, we will look at our Bodies as God’s new temple.

I. God has paid for this new Temple.

A. It cost Jesus His blood.

Hebrews 9:27-28 – 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.


B. His blood and His alone justifies Sinners.

Romans 5:9 – Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.


C. His sacrifice was necessary to satisfy God the Father.

Isaiah 53:4-11 – Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.10 ¶ Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.


D. His blood provided total forgiveness for all your sin.

E. Man cannot become spotless without this blood.

I Peter 1:18-19 – Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:


F. His blood produces a never ending life.

John 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

John 3:15-16 – That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

II. It cost God His son

Romans 8:3-4 – For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Mark 15:34  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

A. God sent the son for our sin.
B. Jesus was forsaken by God because of our sin.
C. Because of this sacrifice, we can be made righteous in God’s sight.

III. It cost you and I all our sin.

Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
I John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

IV. God is now the one who determines what this new temple can do.

I Corinthians 6:19-20   What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

A. Our body is not longer ours to control.
B. We have indeed been bought with a great price.
C. We our to glorify God in our body and our spirit. – Both the inside and the outside.

V. God’s simple plan of salvation.

A. One must see themselves as a sinner unable to save themselves.
B. One must see that they deserve to die for their sin –

Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.


C. One must believe that Jesus died to pay your debt and Jesus alone is able to pay for your sin.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.


D. Heart belief and outward confession

Romans 10: 9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.


E. One must call out to the Lord for salvation –

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

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