A BLESSED LIFE IN JESUS - Part 1

A BLESSED LIFE IN JESUS           - Part 1

Introduction

Every body wants to live a good, peaceful and successful life. Many are trying their best to attain joyous life and try to find the way to achieve meaningful life. Some persons also attempt variety of ways, including material success to get a blessed life and an impressive life. Many persons sought material success, wealth, power and others to achieve happiness. However, material success can not give any body peace of mind. And without mental peace, even physical body can not also enjoy healthy condition. As such, many kings, queens, princess and other royal family members also left their dignities and search for happiness, peace of mind and God to attain such blissful life. Some renowned persons, knowing no one can get such blessed life without God. That was why; some found religions and propounded ways and means to get the help of God, gods and goddesses. Even then, no one can get such blessed life without the help of the only one Almighty God, who created the universe. When God help, even the most simple and poor person can achieve true success, complete freedom from worldly anxiety life, which no one can snatch away from the possessor. The achievement may seem small in the eye of man but always impressive and good.

God created you and me and all to be His beloved children, enjoying His creations with a blissful life so that we can praise His name. However, Sin enters the world and created unending sorrow, every problems of life and death. God love us so much that He has given us the way to return to Him and enjoy His blessings again. Many persons on earth have already received His blessing and enjoy life on earth and with a hope for life to come after this life on earth. You are welcome to have such blessed life. To get such life, you must know who is God, who created us and everything.

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Then, how will you know who is the great God? How will you get His help to enjoy life and the life to come? No one has seen that God and how can you know who is the only one true Almighty God, who created everything. There is one way. Let us learn through His Holy Words in the Holy Bible. The Bible is not easy to study meaningfully without guide, as it is the book of books, all written by men of God as God Himself had spoken to them and made them recorded His Holy words for all the people on earth. That is why this guide is made and is written in most simple, easy to understand even by common persons. This guide is written from my study of God’s word as He gives me understanding with experience but base on the lessons I have learn. Please study one chapter daily with fervent prayer and meditation. God will bless you and help you understand His words as you study this guide. Please pray first to God to give you understanding of His profound Words, which are about HIS UNFAILING LOVE FOR YOU.

Chapter 1

01: The Bible - The Word of God

The Bible is not a book of philosophy, although it is philosophical. Do not go to the Bible for a scientific treatise; however, there is no discrepancy between the ascertained facts of science and the Bible.

 The Bible is not a book of history, but is found to be accurate when recording history. The Bible was given to man from God, revealing Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and God the Son, the only Savior. (John 14:6)

The Bible is as high above all other books as the heavens are above the earth. Someone has said of the Bible: “Read it to be wise; believe it to be safe; and practice it to be right.”

The Bible is written for all men and women on earth to make us understand God’ love for us. By studying the Bible, one can understand ‘who is God and how to get His help be saved from unending misery of life and share His eternal life.

The Bible says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.(John 3:16-18)

Here, we find that God understand all our misery in life cause by Sin and have mercy on us. He loves us very much and wants to safe us from these worldly troubles. Therefore, He sent His son Jesus Christ to so that any one who believes in Him will not live a miserable life and shall not perish but have eternal life and be saved through Him. Here, we also find that “but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” This means, if anyone do not believe in His Son Jesus Christ will be condemned. So, you must believe in Jesus.

Many persons study the Bible to get worldly knowledge and understanding. Yes, one can learn knowledge and wisdom from the Bible, but it is not the main purpose of God.

 In the Bible :Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7)

  02: The Bible – The Inspired Word of God

 ”All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16)

 ”All Scripture is inspired by God.”  By “inspired” we mean that the Holy Spirit exerted His supernatural influence upon the writers of the Bible. Therefore the Scriptures are God inspired word for word. By this we mean that every word, in the original, is fully and equally inspired in all of its teachings. The Bible does not just contain the Word of God, it is the Word of God.

 The writers of the Bible did not write by natural inspiration, or an act of the human will. “Men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God (2 Peter 1:21). David said, “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me and His word was on my tongue. (2 Samuel 23:2).

 01) The Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible (2 Peter 1:21).

02) Man is the instrument used by the Holy Spirit to write the Bible.

03) Results: The infallible Word of God. Therefore, the Bible is free from error and absolutely trustworthy (Matthew 24:35).”

 I pray our Lord uses this Lesson to increase your faith in the Bible as the inerrant Word of God and that it encourages you to spend time finding out what God wants to say to you.

03: The Bible - Is a Difficult Book

 ”But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

 ”The Bible is a difficult Book because it came from the infinite to the finite - from the unlimited, all-powerful God, to limited man. Therefore you cannot understand the Bible as you would understand the writings of Plato or Socrates. You can study the great philosophers with the natural mind, and by diligent application, grasp their profound meanings. If the Bible could be understood by natural man, it would be a natural book, and could not be the Word of God. Since the Bible is from God, and therefore spiritual, before you can receive its teachings, you must be born of the Spirit (John 3:6) and filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Always approach the Bible praying that the Spirit will be your teacher and will guide you to a better understanding of His Holy Word, or it will remain a difficult, closed book (John 16:12-16).”

 When you came to believe in Jesus, confessed your sins to Him, asked Him to forgive you, and to become your Savior and Lord, among many other blessings, you became born again of the Spirit, and received the Holy Spirit to be your teacher and guide. Why not take a moment now to thank and praise Father God for all His many blessings, to thank and praise Jesus for making it possible for you to become a child of God, and to thank and praise the Holy Spirit for working in your life.

04: The Bible - Is a Book of Oneness

 ”For no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (2 Peter 1:21)

 ”The oneness or unity of the Bible is a miracle. It is a library of 66 books, written by over 35 different authors, in a period of approximately 1,500 years. Represented in the authors is a cross section of humanity: educated and uneducated, including kings, fishermen, public officials, farmers, teachers, and physicians. Included in the subjects, are religion, history, science, poetry, drama, biography, and prophecy.

 For 35 authors, with such varied backgrounds, to write on so many subjects over a period of approximately 1,500 years in absolute harmony, is a mathematical impossibility. It could not happen! Then how do we account for the Bible? The only adequate explanation is: “ . . . men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:21).”

 I pray these amazing facts increase your faith in the Bible being the inerrant (without any errors) Word of God.

 05: The Bible - Special Power

 ”For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

 ”For the Word of God is living and active .  .”:

 01) The Bible is having dividing power as a sword (Hebrews 4:12). The Bible will separate man from sin (Psalm 119:11), or sin will separate man from the Bible (Isaiah 59:2).

 02) The Bible claims reflecting power as a mirror (James 1:22-25). In the Bible we see ourselves as God sees us - as sinners (Romans 3:23).

03) The Bible claims cleansing power as water (Ephesians 5:26). David prayed that God would wash him from iniquity and cleanse him from sin (Psalm 51:2).

04) The Bible claims reproductive power as seed (1 Peter 1:23). We are children of God, because we have been born into the family of God by the imperishable seed of God. This is the new birth (John 3:1-7).

 05) The Bible claims nourishing power as food (1 Peter 2:2). The Bible is spiritual food for the soul. No Christian can remain strong in the Lord and not study the Word of God.”

 Father God, I pray that as we read from the Bible, Your Word will perform its work in us and nourish our souls giving us strength to walk with Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to Your honor and glory. Amen.

 Chapter 02

01: God - Infinite and Eternal Being

 ”The Bible reveals God as the only Infinite and Eternal Being, having no beginning and no ending. He is Creator and Sustainer of all things. He is the Supreme Personal Intelligence, and Righteous Ruler of His universe. He is life, and therefore, the only source of life. (John 5:26)

 Man is natural and cannot know God by wisdom. “Can you discover the depths of God?” (Job 11:7)  God is a person and can be known only by revelation. In the Old Testament He revealed Himself to and through His prophets. In the New Testament He reveals Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 1:3)”

 The better we come to know God, the deeper our love grows; the deeper our love grows, the more we want to live lives pleasing to Him; the more we want to please Him, the easier it becomes to obey the teaching and commandments of Jesus.

Father God, I pray that as we spend time in Your Word, You will reveal more and more of Yourself to us, that knowing You better, loving You more deeply, we will grow day by day more into a likeness of Your Son, that Your Name may be magnified and glorified in all the earth.

 02: God - His Existence

 ”By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.  And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  (Hebrews 11:5-6)

 ”The Bible nowhere attempts to prove or argue the existence of God. “For he who comes to God must believe that He is.”  The existence of God is a fact taken for granted by the writers of both the Old and New Testaments. “In the beginning God” (Genesis 1:1). The Bible opens by announcing the sublime fact of God and His existence. There are arguments for the existence of God; they are not conclusive, but are food for thought:

 1) Universal belief in God comes from within man. It is innate in man, and comes from rational intuition.

 2) The argument from “cause and effect.”  Everything that began owes its existence to a cause. We have a watch; we must have a watchmaker. We have a building; we must have a builder. We have a creation; then we must have a creator. This creation could not have come into existence without an intelligent, personal creator, anymore than the alphabet could produce a book itself without an author.

3) The argument from anthropology.  Man’s moral and intellectual nature argues for a moral and intellectual creator.

 4) The Bible and the Christ that it reveals, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His vicarious death, and His bodily resurrection - all of this and much, much more - argue for the existence of God.”

 04: God - His Nature

 ”The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”  (1 John 4:8)

 ”There are four definitions of God in the Bible. Since God cannot be defined, they are incomplete. However, they do throw light upon the nature of God.

They are:

 01) “God is love”  (1 John 4:8). This is the nature of God in His divine compassion.

 02) “God is light”  (1 John 1:5). This is the nature of God in His divine character; in Him there is no darkness.

 03) “God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). This is the nature of God in His divine holiness.

 04) “God is spirit” (John 4:24). This is the nature of God in His divine essence.

 The attributes of God reveal His nature. Do not think of His attributes as abstract, but as vital mediums through which His holy nature is unveiled - attributes ascribed to Him, such as:

 01) Life is ascribed to God (John 5:26).

02) All knowledge is ascribed to God (Psalm 147:5).

03) All power is ascribed to God (Revelation 19:6).

04) Filling the universe with His presence is ascribed to God (Psalm 139:1-10).

 God is everywhere present, but He is not in everything. If God were in everything, man could worship any object and he would be worshipping God. God is a spirit being. “And those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

05: God - His Grace

 ”For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;” (Ephesians 2:8)

 ”Grace is the love and mercy of God in action. Mercy is negative, and love is positive; both together mean grace. To show mercy in love is grace. God showed mercy in love when He sent His Son to bear our sins in His own body on the cross. (John 3:16)

 01) The grace of God saves forever (Romans 8:38, 39).

02) The grace of God is unconditional; that is, we are not saved on the condition that we “hold out unto the end” or that we “fail not” or that we “do our best.” We are saved by the grace of God, apart from works.

03) The grace of God is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).

04) The grace of God makes no discrimination (Revelation 22:17).

05) The grace of God justifies (Romans 3:23, 24).

06) The grace of God makes every believer an heir (Titus 3:7).

07) The grace of God teaches the believer how to live (Titus 2:11, 12).

 The grace of God is nothing less than the unlimited love of God expressed in the gift of His Son, our Savior. It is the undeserved love of God toward sinners.”

 Thank you Father God for your amazing, infinite grace!

 06: God - His Trinity

 ”By the Trinity of God we mean His tri-personal existence as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - three distinct Persons in one God.

 1) The Father is recognized as God (1 Peter 1:2) and is all the fullness of the Godhead invisible (John 1:18).

 2) The Son is recognized as God (Hebrews 1:8) and is all the fullness of the Godhead manifested in the flesh ((John 1:14).

 3) The Holy Spirit is recognized as God (Acts 5:3,4) and is all the fullness of the Godhead acting upon man, convicting him of sin (John 16:7-11) and guiding the believer into all truth (John 16:12-15).

 4) The doctrine of the Trinity is not explicit in the Old Testament, but is rather implied, “Then God said, Let Us make man ...” (Genesis 1:26).

 5) The doctrine of the Trinity is revealed in the New Testament.  In Matthew 3:16, 17 we have Christ being baptized in water, the Father speaking from heaven, and the Holy Spirit descending as a dove. We are to baptize in the “name (not names) of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19).

 6) Even creation implies the doctrine of the Trinity. In creation, we have space, matter and time in one creation. In space, we have length, breadth, and height in one space.  In matter, we have energy, motion, and phenomenon in one substance.  In time, we have past, present, and future in one time. In man we have body, soul, and spirit in one man. (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

 7) In the Holy Trinity, we have Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in one God.”

 I pray this helps you to be able to give an answer to anyone about what you believe and why you believe it. I also hope this blesses you and encourages you to love, praise, thank, and pray to each person of the Holy Trinity.

  Chapter 03

01: JESUS – GOD-MAN

 ”Christianity differs from all religions, because it is more than a religion - it is the life of the Son of God made living in man. Christ is Christianity, and Christianity is Christ. He is he supreme subject of each book of the New Testament, and fulfills all the promises of God in the Old Testament, from His incarnation to His Second Coming as “Lord of lords and King of kings” (Revelation 17:14). He is the God-man Christ Jesus in glory, exalted above all creatures. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18).

 During His earthly ministry, He claimed to be God incarnate (in human flesh). He is all that He claimed to be, or He is less than the least (Revelations 1:8).  Before His claim can be denied, there are some things that must be accounted for:

             His virgin birth;

            His holy, sinless life;

            His many miracles;

            His vicarious death and His bodily resurrection.

 The next 6 Lessons will look at what the Bible has to say about our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus.

02: JESUS – HIS DEITY

 ”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

 ”The deity of Jesus Christ, or His God nature, is well established in the New Testament. Some of the facts are:

 01) He is called God by the Apostle John (above verse 1).

 02) He is called God by the Apostle Thomas (John 20:28).

 03) He is called God by the Father (Hebrews 1:8).

 04) He claimed to be God, in that He was with the Father before creation (John 17:5).

 05) He claimed to be God, in that He was before Abraham. “Abraham rejoiced to see my day . . . “ (John 8:52-59).

 06) He received worship, and only God is to be worshipped (Matthew 14:33). Angels refused worship (Revelation 22:8,9). Man refused worship (Acts 10:25,26).

 07) He forgives sin (Mark 2:5-11). Only God can forgive sin.

 08) He is creator and maker of all things (Colossians 1:16).

 09) He is sustainer of all things (Hebrews 1:3). Only God can control the universe.

 10) He claimed to have “all authority . . . in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). Only God has all authority.

 11) He walked upon the blue waters of Galilee. The winds and the waves obeyed His command. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He gave sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. He cast out demons and made the lame to walk. He turned water into wine, and fed five thousand men with the lunch of a lad.”

 {Note: Five thousand is the number of men only; there were women and children also that were fed and not counted in that number.}

 {Note: Regarding 4) and 8), above, Jesus is called the Word of God. When God spoke in Genesis 1:1, it was the Word of God taking the action.}

 May this Lesson help you to be ready at all times to give answer to those who question what you believe about Jesus and why you believe in Him.

  03: JESUS – HIS HUMANITY

 ”Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, Who was born a descendant of David according to the flesh . . .” (Romans 1:1-3)

 ”The humanity of Jesus Christ is seen in His human parentage (Matthew 2:11).

 1) He developed as a normal human being (Luke 2:52).

 2) He was subject to all the sinless infirmities of the human nature:

            a. He was hungry (Matthew 4:2)

            b. He was thirsty (John 19:28)

            c. He was weary (John 4:6)

            d. He wept (John 11:35)

            e. He was tempted (Hebrews 4:15)

 Jesus is man, and yet He is more than man. He is not God and man, but the God-Man. He is God in human flesh. His two natures are bound together in such a way that the two become one, having a single consciousness and will.”

 Jesus had to be human to die for sinful humans; He had to be God to be a sufficiently perfect sacrifice to be acceptable by the Father. Let us always thank Him and praise Him for all that He has done for us.

 04: JESUS – HIS BIRTH

 ”And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.  ...  And Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:31, 34-35)

 ”The virgin birth of Jesus Christ is without parallel in human history. It was by the virgin birth that God became man, one perfect person but two natures: One nature being that of Almighty God, the other being that of man - man without sin (Hebrews 4:15). The union of the two natures became the God-Man Christ Jesus.

 01) The first hint of the virgin birth is found in Genesis 3:15.  The One to defeat Satan was to be born of the “seed” of the woman. This is a biological miracle; there is no “seed” of the woman. From this, we are to understand that One was to be born of a woman without a human father (Luke 1:34-35).

 02) Isaiah prophesied that a “virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (God with us)” (Isaiah 7:14).

 03) Again Isaiah prophesied saying, “a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us” (Isaiah 9:6,7).  This means that God gave His only begotten Son who was with Him from eternity, and the Child Jesus was born of a virgin. God gave His Son “to us.”

 04) According to prophecy, He was to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Joseph with Mary went up to Bethlehem to be taxed, which fulfilled prophecy (Luke 2:1-7).”

  05: JESUS – HIS DEATH

 ”And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8)

 ”The death of Jesus Christ is mentioned more than 120 times in the New Testament, and is spoken of many times by the prophets in the Old Testament.

 01) The death of Jesus Christ was vicarious (Matthew 20:28). He was God’s substitute for sinners (2 Corinthians 5:21). On the cross, Christ was made sin for the sinner. By faith in Him, the sinner is made righteous with the righteousness of God.

 02) The death of Jesus Christ was natural (John 19:31-37). By a natural death, we mean that His spirit and soul were separated from His body.

 03) The death of Jesus Christ was unnatural (Romans 6:23). By an unnatural death, we man that since He was sinless, in that He “committed no sin” (1 Peter 2:22) - had “no sin” (1 John 3:5) - “knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21) - before He could die, He had to be “made sin on our behalf.” Therefore, His death was unnatural.

 04) The death of Jesus Christ was preternatural (Revelation 13:8). By this, we mean that the death of Jesus Christ was not an afterthought with God; it was the forethought of God.

 05) The death of Jesus Christ was supernatural (John 10:17, 18). Jesus said, “No one has taken it away from Me.” Then He said, “I lay it down on My own initiative (supernaturally).” “I have authority to take it up again (supernaturally).”  This He did on the cross, and three days and three nights later, He took life up again when He arose from the dead.

 Only God in the form of man could die a vicarious, natural, unnatural, preternatural, and supernatural death.”

 I pray this strengthens your faith in Jesus, your realization of God’s love, and your gratitude to Jesus for all He sacrificed for you. Let us thank and praise Him often throughout each day!

  06:  JESUS – HIS RESURECTION

 ”In John 11:25, we read that Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the doctrine of every disciple, the faith of every true believer, the courage of every martyr, the theme of every sermon, and the power of every evangelist.

 Luke tells us in Acts 1:3, that we have “many convincing proofs” of His resurrection. Let us look at some of the “convincing proofs” according to eye witnesses:

 01) After Jesus’ resurrection He appeared first to Mary Magdalene.

(John 20:11-18)

02) He appeared to the women returning from the grave (Matthew 28:5-10)

03) Then He appeared to Peter (Luke 24:34)

04) Then to the disciples on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:P13-31)

05) To the apostles when Thomas was not present (John 20:24-29)

06) Again to the apostles, with Thomas present (John 20:24-29)

07) To the seven by the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-23)

08) To over 500 brethren (1 Corinthians 15:6)

09) He was seen of James (1 Corinthians 15:7)

10) He was seen again by the eleven apostles (Matthew 28:16-20 and Acts 1:3-12)

11) He was seen of Stephen, the first martyr (Acts 7:55j)

12) He was seen of Paul on his way to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6 and 1 Corinthians15:8)

 Many of these eye witnesses died martyrs’ deaths because they preached the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They were glad to die for a living Christ. They had the “convincing proofs.”

 When Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, all of His disciples “left Him and fled.” (Matthew 26:56)  From this time until after His resurrection, the disciples lived in fear. They did not believe that He would rise from the dead. (John 20:9)  Had Jesus not come from the dead, the cross would have been the end of Christianity. After the death of Jesus, we see His disciples dejected, discouraged, and defeated. The death of Jesus meant but one thing to them: the end. How do we account for the great change that came into their lives three days and three nights later? The only logical explanation is that they had the “convincing proofs.”  He had risen from the dead, and was alive forevermore. They saw Him, talked with Him, touched Him, and ate with Him.

 Now look at some “convincing proofs” according to circumstantial evidence.

 01) The change that came into the lives of the disciples after the resurrection - from fear to unlimited courage. They rejoiced in persecution (Acts 5:40-42).  They chose death, with faith in the resurrected Christ, rather than to deny that faith and be released (Hebrews 11:35).

 02) The early church began to worship on the first day of the week, the day of the resurrection. It was not a law - it was spontaneous (Acts 20:7) For almost 2,000 years, the church has worshiped on the first day.  For the Christian, every Sunday is Easter.

 03) The early Christians went everywhere with the word of the resurrection (Acts 8:1-4).

 04) The empty tomb - for if Jesus is not alive, what happened to His body. The Roman guards were paid to say, “His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.” (Matthew 28:12, 13).  First, the disciples lacked the courage. Had the disciples stolen His body, then how do you account for the fact that they all suffered, and most of them died martyrs’ deaths? In the face of death, one of them would have revealed the hiding place of the “stolen body” to save his own life.  Second, no one was ever arrested or tried for stealing the body of Jesus. It is evident that the governing officials did not believe the story of the guards. Third, the guards could have been put to death for sleeping while on watch. Fourth, if they were asleep, how could they have known that it was the disciples who “stole” the body? Fifth, had the enemies of Jesus moved the body, they could have produced it and brought a quick end to Christianity, and they would have!

 05) The linen wrapping found in the empty tomb are proof of the resurrection (John 20:1-10).  Had friend or foe stolen the body, they would not have removed the linen wrapping; since He had been dead three days and three nights. When John saw the linen wrapping and recognized that they were folded the same as when they were wrapped about the body, he know that a miracle had taken place. Jesus came out of the wrappings and they collapsed without disturbing the folds. They were left in the empty tomb as “convincing proof”; and when John saw and understood, he believed that Jesus had come from the dead.”

 I pray this blesses you, strengthens your faith, and encourages you.

  07: JESUS – HIS ASCENSION AND SECOND COMING

 ”And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; and they also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, Who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:9-11)

 ”After forty days of instructing His disciples, the risen Christ ascended up on high and is seated at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 10:12). Two men (angels) brought the message of His second coming to the apostles: “This Jesus, Who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way . . .”  The message of the second coming of Jesus is so important, that it is mentioned over three hundred times in the New Testament.

 1) He is coming to take His church to be with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17);also(John 14:1-6).

2) He is coming to judge the nations (Matthew 25:31-46).

3) He is coming to save Israel (Romans 11:25, 26).

4) He is coming to sit upon the throne of David (Luke 1:31-33; also Isaiah 9:6, 7).

5) He is coming to bring righteous government to this earth (Hebrews 1:8).

 Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth again. “Come Lord Jesus!””

 And let all God’s saints (you and me) say, “Maranatha!”  (Come Lord Jesus!)

  CHAPTER 04:

01:THE HOLY SPIRIT – HIS QUALITY

 The Holy Spirit is God, and is equal to the Father and the Son. Don’t ever speak of Him as “It” or refer to Him as “an influence.” He is God the Holy Spirit, and is set forth in the Bible as being distinct from the Father and the Son. In the Genesis account of creation, He is seen actively engaged in the work of creation, along with the Father and the Son. In the Old Testament, He came upon men to empower them for service; but, when they were disobedient, He departed from them.

 When David sinned against the Lord, he prayed, “Do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). In the New Testament, after Pentecost, we see the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer, never to leave him, filling and empowering him for service. The study of the person and work of the Holy Spirit is of utmost importance. A scriptural understanding of God the Holy Spirit will make you a better Christian and servant of God.”

 The Holy Spirit is a source of great comfort to Christians. He is also our Teacher and Enabler. It is wise to pray to Him as well as to our Father God and Jesus. Why not ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with Himself every day? He will make it easier to be a faithful follower of Jesus.

  02: THE HOLY SPIRIT – HIS DEITY

 ”But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit ...” (Acts 5:3)

 ”In dealing with Ananias, Peter revealed the deity of the Holy Spirit when he said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit . . . You have not lied to men, but to God.” In this Scripture it is very clear that the Holy Spirit is God, and He is co-equal, co-eternal, and co-existent with the Father and the Son.

 His deity is also set forth in that He possesses divine attributes:

 01) He is everywhere present in the universe (Psalm 139:7-10).

02) He has all power (Luke 1:35).

03) He has all knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:10, 11).

04) He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14).

 His deity is revealed in that His name is coupled in equality with the name of the Father and the Son:

 01) In the baptism of the believer (Matthew 28:19).

02) In the apostolic benediction (2 Corinthians 13:14).

 His deity is seen in relation to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ:

 01) Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35).

02) He was anointed by the Holy Spirit for service (Acts 10:38).

03) He was led by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 4:1).

04) He was crucified in the power of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 9:14).

05) He was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11).

06) Jesus gave commandments to the apostles and the church through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:2).

 If Jesus needed to depend solely upon the Holy during His life and ministry here on the earth, can we afford to do less?”

 I encourage you to look up and prayerfully & thoughtfully read the Scriptures referenced in the above. Let’s remember to ask for the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives, as He was in the life of Jesus.

   03: THE HOLY SPIRIT – HIS EMBLEMS

 In Luke 3:16, we see John the Baptist talking to the crowds that had gathered to hear him:  ”John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming Who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

 ”It is often difficult to impart truth by the use of words. Frequently they reveal only a half-truth, leaving the other half hidden. The writers of the Bible used certain emblems when unfolding the mysteries of the Holy Spirit, because they illustrate more about Him than volumes can contain. They are:

 1) Fire as an emblem (above verse): Fire speaks of His consuming, purifying power in the life of the believer (Acts 2:3; Isaiah 6:1-7).

 2) Wind as an emblem (John 3:8): Wind speaks of His hidden depth in His mighty regenerating power.

 3) Water as an emblem (John 7:37-39): Water speaks of His power to fill the believer to overflowing with spiritual life.

 4) Seal as an emblem (Ephesians 1:13): Seal speaks of His ownership of the believer; it is a finished, eternal transaction.

 5) Oil as an emblem (Acts 10:38): Oil speaks of His power to anoint for service.

6) Dove as an emblem (Mark 1:10): The dove speaks of His gentle, tender, peaceful nature.

 We may know “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension” (Philippians 4:7), only when we are fully surrendered to God.”

 My friend in Jesus, may we always and in every way be wholly submitted to the will of God, diligent to know and to follow the teachings and commandments of Jesus, and praying daily to be filled with the Holy Spirit and His enabling power and abundant grace for every good work and word.

 04: THE HOLY SPIRIT – SIN AGAINST

 Here is Jesus speaking to the crowds: “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven.” (Matthew 12:31)

 ”This is a solemn study, because the Holy Spirit is God and can be sinned against by both the believer and the unbeliever May He help you search your heart as you consider:

 1) The sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit is committed by unbelievers. It is often called the unpardonable sin. It has no forgiveness. It was committed by the enemies of Jesus when they accused Him of casting out demons by the power of Satan. (Matthew 12:24) when Jesus claimed to cast them out by the Spirit of God. (Matthew 12:28)

 2) The sin of resisting the Holy Spirit is committed by the unbeliever when rejecting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (Acts 7:51)

 3) The sin of grieving the Holy Spirit is committed by believers. He is grieved by us unless He controls our lives to the glory of Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 4:30-32)

 4) The sin of quenching the Holy Spirit is committed by Christians when known sin is allowed to go unconfessed. (1 John 1:9)

 5) The sin of lying to the Holy Spirit was the sin of Ananias and Sapphira and was deception, born in jealousy. They tried to mock God (Galatians 6:7).

 The Holy Spirit can be sinned against because He is God.”

 Please Note: Only the sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. However, due to the example of Ananias and Sapphira, I think that trying to lie to the Holy Spirit would be very dangerous!

 Let us pray often to avoid all these sins against God’s Holy Spirit and welcome always His work in our lives.

  05: THE HOLY SPIRIT – HIS WORK

 ”But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin, and righteousness, and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will no longer behold Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.” (John 16:7-11)

 ”In instructing His disciples regarding the coming of the Holy Spirit, Jesus said “ . . . for if I do not go away, the Helper shall not come to you; but if I go I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will . . . “ :

 01) Convict men of the sin of unbelief (John 16:9).

02) Convict men that Jesus is the righteousness of God (John 16:10 and

    Romans 10:3,4).

03) Convict men that the power of Satan has been broken (John 16:11).

04) Regenerate the believer (John 3:5 & Titus 3:5).

05) Indwell the believer (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).

06) Seal the believer (Ephesians 1:13, 14).

07) Baptize the believer (Acts 1:5 & 1 Corinthians 12:13).

08) Infill the believer (Ephesians 5:18).

09) Empower the believer (Acts 1:8)

10) Lead the believer (Galatians 5:16-18)

11) Administer spiritual gifts to the believer (1 Corinthians 12:1-11).

 The Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, to remain with the church until it is complete and presented to the Lord Jesus at His coming. Just as Jesus Christ finished the work He came to do in the flesh, so the Holy Spirit will finish the work He came to do in the church.”

   06: THE HOLY SPIRIT – HIS FRUIT

 ”... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

 ””The fruit of the Spirit is love.” Only as we live in love can we fulfill the will of God in our lives. The believer must become love-inspired, love-mastered, and love-driven (2 Corinthians 5:14). Without the fruit of the Spirit (love), we are just a religious noise (1 Corinthians 13:1).

 ”The fruit of the spirit is love,” and it is manifested in joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control:

 1) Joy is love’s strength.

2) Peace is love’s security.

3) Patience is love’s endurance.

4) Kindness is love’s conduct.

5) Goodness is love’s character.

6) Faithfulness is love’s confidence.

7) Gentleness is love’s humility.

8) Self-control is love’s victory.

 ”Against such things there is no law.” A Holy Spirit-controlled person needs no law to live a righteous life. The secret of a Spirit-controlled life is found in dedication to God (Romans 12:1, 2). Put your all on the altar, and the Holy Spirit will fill your heart with the love of God. (Romans 5:5).

 My brethren in Jesus, let’s take this advice and be filled with the love of God, to His praise and glory.

  CHAPTER 05

01: SIN – INTRODUCTION

 ”In considering the question of sin, we are faced with two startling facts.

 The first fact is that man makes so little of sin.  To some, it is an illusion - a religious mirage - the invention of some fanatic.  It is denied, joked about, and laughed at by man.  Many who believe sin to be a fact, continue in it with little thought of its penalty.

 The second fact is that God makes so much of sin.  God said, “The person who sins will die” (Ezekiel 18:20),  “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).  All sins are an abomination to God (Proverbs 6:16-19), and He hates those who do iniquity (Psalm 5:5).  Moses said, “ . . . everyone who acts unjustly is an abomination to the Lord” (Deuteronomy 25:16).

 Sin is an evil force.  Its presence cannot be escaped in this life, but it can be overcome by the power of God.”

Between the world, our own flesh, and the devil, we will never be free of temptation while on this earth.  But, we can overcome temptation through the empowering of the Holy Spirit and the closer we cling to Jesus the easier it becomes.

 02: SIN –ITS ORIGIN

 “The origin of sin is one of the mysteries of the Bible. “The secret things belong to the Lord our God.” (Deuteronomy 29:29). Its origin is one of the “secret things” that will remain wrapped in obscurity. Sin was first noted in the heart of Satan. He was created a perfect being, “ . . . Until unrighteousness was found in you.” (Ezekiel 28:11-19). Satan fell from perfection when he exerted his will above the will of God. Five times he said, “I will” (Isaiah 14:12-17). It was his will over God’s will - this is sin.

 It is believed that Satan, when first created, was ruler of this earth (Genesis 1:1), and that he fell through self-will; and at his fall, the earth became “formless and void” (Genesis 1:2). Isaiah tells us that God created the earth “and did not create it a waste place” (Isaiah 45:18). He did not create it a chaos. The earth was a perfect creation in Genesis 1:1. Something happened that caused a catastrophe and the earth became “formless and void” (Genesis 1:2), but it was not created thus. It is believed that some of the angels, along with Satan, sinned by leaving their first estate. This does not prove that Satan was the originator of sin, but it does reveal sin in the heart of Satan before God created man.”             

  03: SIN – ITS EXISTENCE

 ”It is impossible to deny the existence of sin, when the whole world is in conflict between good and evil. If sin were not a fact, there would be no crime; we would not need jails or prisons. We would need no locks on our doors, or vaults for our valuables.  To some, sin is being indiscreet; or it is a weakness of the flesh.  To others, it is the absence of good. To the so-called scholar, sin is ignorance; and to the evolutionist, it is the nature of the beast.  The latest theory is that sin is a disease to be treated by science, because man is not a sinner - he is only sick. To others, sin is a form of selfishness, but God declares that:

 1) Sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4)

2) Sin is falling short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

3) Sin is revolting against God (Isaiah 1:2)

4) Sin is unbelief; it makes God a liar (1 John 5:10)

5) Sin is going your own way, planning your life according to your own will, without seeking the will of God (Isaiah 53:6)

6) All unrighteousness is sin (1 John 5:17).

 Sin is a folly to deceive you, a force to destroy you, and a fact to condemn you. Sin is a volitional act of disobedience against the revealed will of God.”

 05: SIN – ITS RESULTS

 ”” . . . the wages of sin is death.” (Ephesians 2:1)  As a result of man’s sin, there are three deaths. Keep in mind that death does not annihilate; it only separates. In the Garden of Eden, it separated man from God spiritually; this is spiritual death. In natural death, it separates the spirit and the soul from the body; this is physical death. In final death, it separates man from the mercy of God forever; this is eternal death.

 1) The wages of sin is spiritual death. Just as sin separated man from God spiritually and drove him from the presence of God out of the Garden, so sin will separate you from God (Isaiah 59:1,2). The only way back to God is to confess your sins to Him (1 John 1:9) and forsake your sins (Isaiah 55:7), that you may be restored to fellowship with God.

 2) The wages of sin is physical death. Physical death is the result of sin. Death had no claim on man until man sinned. Now all die, because all are in sin. Death is universal, and since we have a universal effect, we must have a universal cause, and that cause is universal sin.  All men die - the good and the bad - the young and the old - and man will continue to die until death is destroyed by the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:26) and is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).

 3) The wages of sin is eternal death. “The person who sins will die” (Ezekiel 18:20). This is eternal separation from the love of God (Revelation 20:14). Once the soul passes beyond the portals of Hades he is lost and lost forever. He will continue to exist, but without hope. He is damned and damned to all eternity.Eternal death is eternal separation from God (Luke 16:19-31).”

 Let us examine ourselves daily, confess our sins promptly to Jesus, and stay in God’s good graces that we will be saved and saved to all eternity, to be with God forever and ever, never to be separated again.

 06: SIN – GOD’S REMEDY

 “Man, not willing to accept God’s remedy for his ruin, strives to bring about his own salvation by human means.-

 01) He strives for self-righteousness, when he needs to be made the “righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 & Isaiah 64:6).

 02) He strives to reform, when he needs to be regenerated (Titus 3:5).

03) He strives to turn over a new leaf, when he needs a new life (John 10:10).

04) He strives to be justified by the Law, when he needs to be justified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:16).

 05) He strives to clean up the old man, when he needs to be made a new man in Christ (Ephesians 4:24).

06) He strives to be saved by good works, when he needs salvation by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).

 The only remedy for the ruin of man is the Son of God, being made sin for us on the cross. The only way to receive this remedy is by faith in Him as personal Savior (John 20:30-31).”

  CHAPTER 06

01: JUDGEMENTS - INTRODUCTION

 ”In the Scriptures, we are instructed in how we should be “handling accurately the Word of Truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

This is most essential when studying the judgments. Do not endeavor to make all the judgments conform to the theory of one “general judgment.” The “general judgment” theory is the invention of religion (man), and is not taught in the Word of God. There are five separate judgments revealed in the Bible, and they differ as to time, place, and purpose. Yet, they all have one thing in common: the Lord Jesus Christ is the Judge (John 5:22).

 Everyone - from Adam to the last man to be born on this earth - will stand before the Lord Jesus Christ to be judged. In the first judgment, the sins of the believers have already been judged in Christ on the cross.

 In the second judgment, the believer is to judge self, or be judged by the Lord Jesus Christ and disciplined. In the third judgment, all believers must appear at the “judgment seat of Christ” where their works are to be judged. In the fourth judgment, all nations are to be judged at the Second Coming of Christ. In the fifth judgment, the wicked dead are to be judged at the great white throne.”

02: JUDGEMENTS- OF SINS OF BELIEVERS

 ”Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him Who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24)

 In the above verse, our Lord tells us that the believer “does not come into judgment.” Our sins were judged in Christ on Calvary and every believer “has passed out of death into life.”  This is present salvation. Christ paid for our sins. He was judged in the believer’s stead. The believer will not come into judgment because:

 01) Jesus Christ paid the penalty, and on the ground of His substitutional death, the believer is separated from his sins forever (Psalm 103:12).

 02) The sins of the believer have been wiped out and God has promised that He “will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25).

 03) Our Lord suffered for our sins, “the just for the unjust,” that we might be saved and never come into judgment as sinners (1 Peter 3:18).

 04) The believer will never be condemned with the world, because Christ was condemned in his place. “He (the Father) made Him (Jesus) to be sin on our behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ was made a curse for us on the cross, and on our behalf redeemed us from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13). “He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26). The believer will not come into judgment because his sins have been purified (Hebrews 1:3).

 Let us offer thanksgiving to Jesus and our Father God every day with immense gratitude for what God has done for us.

  03: JUDGEMENTS- Of the Believer’s Self

 ”But if we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged.” (1 Corinthians 11:31)

 The judgment of the believer’s self is more than judging things in the believer’s life. When the believer judges self, the good and the bad in his life come to light; and he will confess the bad (1 John 1:9) and forsake it (Isaiah 55:7). However it is not enough just to judge sin in the believer; he must judge self.

 01) To judge self is to practice self-abnegation, for when the believer sees self as God sees him, he will renounce self. It is replacing the self-life with the Christ-life (Colossians 3:4). Christ is the believer’s life.

 02) To judge self is to deny self. This is more than self-denial. Self-denial is denying one’s self of the gratifications of the flesh. If we practice self-denial only, it is treating the symptom and not the cause. But when we deny self, we are attacking the cause, for in self (that is, in the flesh) “nothing good dwells” (Romans 7:18). To deny self is to take up our cross and follow Christ (Mark 8:34-38).

 03) To judge self is to lose the self-life, and find the Christ-life (Galatians 2:20).

 04) To judge self is to no longer be self-conscious, but become Christ-conscious (Matthew 28:20).

 05) To judge self is to no longer be self-controlled, but to become Christ controlled (Acts 9:6).

 06) To judge self is to no longer practice self-esteem, but to esteem others better than self (Philippians 2:3).

 To judge self is to become selfless

 04:JUDGEMENTS - Of the Believer’s Works

 ”For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10)

 The believer’s works will be judged at the “judgment seat of Christ,” which is referred to many times in the Bible. A careful reading of 2 Corinthians 5:10 within the context reveals that only believers will appear at the “judgment seat of Christ.” Their works will be judged, not their sins, for we have already seen that all sins of the believer were judged in Christ on Calvary, and “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1)

01) This judgment will take place “in the air” following the first resurrection. “The dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:14-18).  There will be a thousand years between the resurrection of the saved and the unsaved (Revelation 20:4,5), therefore, there will be a thousand years between the “judgment seat of Christ” where only saved will appear and the “great white throne judgment” where only unsaved will appear.

 02) At the judgment seat of Christ, the believer will give an account of himself to God. Therefore,we should look to our own works, and not judge the works of others(Romans 14:10-13).

03) It is a most humbling thought to know that some day the believer will face all of his works —  “good or bad.” Some will be ashamed (1 John 2:28) and “suffer loss” —  not the loss of salvation, but the loss of rewards (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). So whatever you do, do it to the glory of God (Colossians 3:17).”

 05: JUDGEMENTS - Of the Nations

 ”But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne, and all the nations will be gathered before Him . . .” (Matthew 25:31,32)

 This judgment is not the judgment of the great white throne (Revelations 20:11-15). A careful comparison of the two judgments will establish the following facts:

 01) The judgment of the nations will take place “when the Son of Man comes in His glory . . . then He will sit on His glorious throne.” The great white throne is never called “the Throne of His Glory” (Revelation 20:11-15).

 02) At this judgment, He will judge the nations (Joel 3:11-16). At the white throne judgment, He will judge the wicked dead.

03) At this judgment, there will be no resurrection of the dead. At the white throne all the wicked dead are raised: “The sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them . . .” (Revelation 20:13).

 04) At this judgment, the judge is God “the King” judging the living nations in His earthly kingdom. At the great white throne, the judge is God, judging only the wicked dead.

 05) At this judgment, there are no books opened. At the great white throne, the “books were opened.”

 06) At this judgment, there are three classes judged: “sheep - the saved (Revelation 7:9-17); “goats - the unsaved (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10); “tribes - the elect of Israel (Revelation 7:1-8 & Romans 11:25-28). At the great white throne, there is only one class: “the dead.”

 07) At this judgment, the King gives the kingdom to those who have eternal life. At the great white throne, there are no saved and no kingdom; they are all “thrown into the lake of fire.” “

  06: JUDGEMENTS - Of the Wicked

 ”And I saw a great white throne and Him Who sat upon it, from Whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.” (Revelation 20:11)

 The great white throne judgment will follow the thousand year reign of Christ on earth. This is the final judgment, and only the wicked dead are to be judged. According to Revelation 20:5, the believers were resurrected a thousand years before this judgment, and their works were judged at the “judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

 01) At this judgment, the wicked dead will seek a hiding place from the face of the Lord Jesus Christ, the judge. But there is no hiding place.

 02) At this judgment, the “dead, the great and the small” will stand before God. But the greatness of the great will be of no value. “There is none who does good, there is not even one” (Romans 3:12).

 03) At this judgment, the “book of life” will be opened. Why the “book of life” if there are no saved at this judgment? The wicked will be shown that God in His mercy provided space for them in the “book of life” so that they are without excuse (Romans 1:18-20).

 04) At this judgment, the dead will be judged “according to their deeds.”  God is a just God; and since there are degrees of punishment in hell, some will be punished more than others (Luke 12:42,48).

 05) At this judgment, there will be no acquittal, no higher court to which the lost may appeal. It is lost, and lost forever; it is damned to all eternity, and that without hope. There is a Hades (Luke 16:19-31), and in Hades, there is no hope, no sympathy, no love; even the love of God does not extend beyond the portals of Hades.”

 Praise God for His mercy and loving kindness to us, that because of Jesus, we will not stand before God at the great white throne judgment. Thank You Lord!

  CHAPTER 07

01: Rewards - For Believer’s Works

 “There is a vast difference in the doctrine of salvation for the lost, and

 the doctrine of rewards for the saved. Salvation is “the gift of God; not as

 a result of works” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Salvation is received by faith in the

 finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3:36). Rewards are according to  the works of the believer (Matthew 16:27).

 A most revealing Scripture on rewards is found in 1 Corinthians 3:8-15.

 First, every believer will be rewarded “according to his own labor” (verse

 8).  We do not labor for salvation.

 Second, “We are God’s fellow workers” (verse 9) - not for salvation but for

 rewards.

 Third, the believer is not to build “a foundation other than the one which

 is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (verse 11).

 Fourth, the believer has a choice of two kinds of building materials: “gold,

 silver, precious stones” - this is building with eternal materials; or

 “wood, hay, straw” - this is building with temporal materials (verse 12) (2

 Corinthians 4:18).

 The believer who builds on Christ with eternal materials, “gold, silver,

 precious stones” shall receive a reward. Those who build on Christ with

 temporal materials, “wood, hay, straw” will receive no reward. The works of

 “wood, hay, straw” will be destroyed at the “judgment seat of Christ” and

 the believer will suffer loss - not the loss of salvation, but the loss of

 eternal reward.

 Some believers will be ashamed at the “judgment seat of Christ” (1 John

 2:28) - ashamed of their works of “wood, hay, straw.”

 In the first year of my ministry, I sat at the bedside of a dying friend. As

 we talked of his home-going, tears filled his eyes. Being young in the Lord,

 I thought he was afraid to die, and attempted to speak words of

 encouragement to him. He said, “I am not afraid to die; I am ashamed to

 die.” He went on to say that Christ was his Savior, but he had lived for

 self, and now had to meet the Lord Jesus empty handed. His life loomed up

 before him as “wood, hay, straw.” He was “saved, yet so as through fire.”

 Rewards are called “crowns” or “wreaths” in the New Testament.”

 Note: In the next five Lessons, we will look at the individual rewards

 available to every believer.

 Father God, I pray that I will live for You. I ask the help of Your Holy

 Spirit to do all things “as unto the Lord Jesus” because I want to bring You

 honor and glory and praise. Please help me live this life so that when I

 meet my Lord Jesus I will have done works of “gold, silver, precious stones”

 to give to Him with praise and thanksgiving for all He has done for me. I

 ask these things in the holy Name of Jesus, and thank You Father God. Amen.

 02: Rewards - The Crown of Life

 ”Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”  (James 1:12)

 ”This reward could be called the lover’s crown. Upon examination of the above verse, we discover that the believer finds strength to overcome temptation and endure trials, through the love of God. Paul said, “We also exult in our tribulations.” The question is: Do we today exult in tribulations? We can, only if the “love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:3-5). Without the love of God in the heart of the believer, trials can cause him to become bitter and critical and lose the “crown of life.”

 All believers have eternal life (John 3:15, 16), but not all believers will be rewarded with the “crown of life.” This crown will be given to those who are “faithful until death” (Revelation 2:10). To receive the “crown of life” the believer must love the Lord more than his own life. “For whoever wishes to save his life (live for self) shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s (live for Christ at all cost) shall save it” (Mark 8:35). This reward will be given to those who live for Christ, and endure temptations, in the power of the love of God. (1 Corinthians 10:13).

 Lord God, please deepen my love for You, not for the reward, but because You are worthy. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

03: Rewards - The Wreath Imperishable

 ”Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain the prize. And everyone who competes in the games, exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)

 ”Paul makes use of the Greek games to illustrate the spiritual race of the believer. They ran to win a “perishable wreath; but we an imperishable” wreath. No young man could contend in the games unless he was a Greek citizen, born of Greek parents. No unsaved person can participate in the services of the Lord for rewards; only the born of God are eligible (John 3:3).

 Just as an athlete must deny himself many gratifications of the body, so the believer must say, “I buffet my body and make it my slave” or he will become “disqualified.” He will not lose his salvation, but he will lose the “imperishable wreath.”

 The Greek games had hard and fast rules for all participants. The New Testament contains the rules for believers who would enter the spiritual race to win the “imperishable wreath.”

 01) The believer must deny self of anything that would weigh him down and hold him back (Hebrews 12:1).

02) The believer must keep his eyes fixed on Jesus, and not look to the right or the left (Hebrews 12:2).

03) The believer must find his strength in the Lord (Ephesians 6:10-18).

04) The believer must place his all upon the altar of the Lord (Romans 12:1, 2).

05) The believer must, by faith, refuse anything that would impede spiritual progress (Hebrews 11:24-29).

 Do not be a spiritual spectator. Enter the race and run to win the “imperishable wreath.”

  04: Rewards - The Crown of Exultation

 ”For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?” (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

 ”The “crown of exultation” is the soul winner’s crown. The greatest work you are privileged to do for the Lord is to bring others to a knowledge of Christ as personal Savior. The degree of your joy in heaven will be determined by the souls you have had a part in bringing to Christ. Paul tells the Thessalonian believers that they are his “ . . . hope or joy or crown of exultation” now and when Jesus comes.

 01) It is wise to win souls to Christ (Proverbs 11:30).

02) It is a work against sin to win souls to Christ (James 5:20).

03) It is a cause for joy in heaven to win souls to Christ (Luke 15:10).

04) Every soul winner will shine as the stars forever (Daniel 12:3).

 How you can win souls to Christ:

 01) Witness with your life; live so that others may see Christ in you (2 Corinthians 3:2 & Galatians 2:20).

02) Witness with your mouth, trusting the Holy Spirit to give power to the spoken word (Acts 1:8).

03) Witness by tithes and offerings that others may preach Christ, and you will have “profit which increases to your account” (Philippians 4:15-17 & 2 Corinthians 9:6).

 God has promised that your toil will not be in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). The soul winner will not rejoice alone - all heaven will rejoice with him when he receives the “crown of exultation” (John 4:36).

  05: Rewards - The Crown of Righteousness

 ”I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

 ”The “crown of righteousness” is a reward, and it is not to be confused with the “righteousness of God” which the believer receives when he becomes a Christian; for at that time, the believer is to “ . . . become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This saving righteousness is a gift to be accepted by the lost. The “crown of righteousness” is a reward to be earned by the saved. If the believer looks for, and loves the doctrine of the second coming of Christ, it will affect his whole life. Look at the dynamic impact this truth had on the life of the Apostle Paul. He could say:

 01) “I have fought the good fight” (2 Timothy 4:7 & 1 Corinthians 15:32). He fought a spiritual battle throughout his Christian life, and won. He never surrendered to the enemies of righteousness (Ephesians 6:12).

 02) “I have finished the course.” He had a course to travel, and he did not detour the hard places; neither did he look back (Luke 9:61-62). He finished his course with his eyes fixed on Christ (Philippians 1:6).

 03) “I have kept the faith.” He preached the “ . . . whole purpose of God” - never betraying any of the great doctrines (Acts 20:24-31). The Apostle looked ahead to the “judgment seat of Christ” where the “crown of righteousness” will be given to those who “loved His appearing.” How important it is for the believer to look with a heart of love for the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that he may receive the “crown of righteousness.”

 Father God, I pray that Jesus will come soon to take His rightful place as King of kings and Lord of Lords, and begin His 1,000 year reign. I ask it in Jesus’ Name, and thank You Father that You hear our prayers. Amen. Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)

  06: Rewards - The Crown of Glory

 ”Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and as a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1 Peter 5:1-4)

 ”The “crown of glory” is a special reward for the faithful, obedient God-called pastor. He will receive this reward when the “Chief Shepherd appears.” It is eternal; it is “unfading.” Every believer may share in the pastor’s “crown of glory.” “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward” (Matthew 10:41). Support your faithful, God-called pastor by praying for him and encouraging him in the work of the Lord. Under-gird his ministry with God’s tithes and your offerings (Malachi 3:10), giving freely of your time to the service of the Lord. And God will reward you for supporting His chosen servant by allowing you to share in your pastor’s reward. The pastor will earn this “crown of glory” by:

 01) Feeding the church.  He is to proclaim the Word of God without fear or favor; and, when necessary,he will “reprove,rebuke,exhort, with great patience and instruction”(2 Timothy 4:2-5).

 02) Taking the spiritual oversight of the church.  The pastor is responsible to God for the message preached to His people. No pastor should preach to please the people; he is to please his Lord (Galatians 1:10).

 03) Being an example to the church.  He is not to serve for the reward of money. Yet, the church is responsible to care for his every material need (1 Timothy 5:18). He is to be a spiritual leader, and not a dictator. He is to walk with God by faith. “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

 Here is the standard by which we should measure the Pastor of a church. If he is falling short, we should pray for him. If he is teaching to please the people, such as with the “prosperity gospel,” we should confront him and if he refuses to repent, we should find a different church.

   CHAPTER 08

01: Prayer - Introduction

 ”Prayer is as old as man, as universal as religion, and as instinctive as breathing (Genesis 4:26). It is practiced in some form by all men of all faiths. Prayer springs from the heart with a need - a need greater than man’s ability to encounter. Prayer is man’s acknowledgment of a being higher than himself.

 Most men try to pray, yet so few know how. There are two kinds of prayers: the prayer that does not reach God, and the prayer that does reach God. This is illustrated by our Lord in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke 18:9-14). Both men went to the same place, at the same time, for the same purpose - to pray.

 The Pharisee prayed in his religious pride, expecting God to answer because he thought himself worthy. He informed God of his own goodness, that he was better than others. He boasted of his good works. He said, “I fast; I pray.” This is the kind of prayer that does not reach God. It is self-righteous prayer.

 Now look at the publican and his prayer. He came to God in great humility, conscious of his unworthiness, confessing himself a sinner, and begging for mercy. This is the kind of prayer that does reach God. This is righteous prayer.

 It is a rare privilege to pray; because it brings you into close fellowship with God, admitting your need for Him and your utter dependence upon Him.”

 When we feel we can do nothing about a situation in which we find ourselves, when we feel we can do nothing for someone else, it is important to remember that we can go to God, Who has no limitations. This is the most effective thing we can do for ourselves or others, regardless of the situation. Our gracious Lord and Savior is always ready to hear from us and wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives. Let us pray often.

  02: Prayer - What Is It?

 ”Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father Who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)

 [Note: The Greek words translated “ask,”  “seek” and  “knock” are more accurately translated “ask and keep asking,”  “seek and keep seeking”  and  “knock and “keep knocking.”  Jesus here was telling us to be persistent in prayer.]

 ”Prayer is asking and receiving; it is talking with God. It is making your request known to Him in faith. The above scripture is so simple on the surface, that we are in danger of failing to recognize its immensity. Our Lord instructs the believer to ask, seek, and knock; because these three words cover the whole spectrum of prayer.

 01) Prayer is asking and receiving.  When you know the will of God regarding a need, whether it be material or spiritual, you can ask and receive. This is prayer according to the revealed will of God. (1 John 5:14, 15)

 02) Prayer is seeking and finding. When you do not know the will of God regarding a need, whether it be material or spiritual, then you are to seek His will in prayer concerning this need until you find it. This is prayer for knowledge of the unrevealed will of God in a specific need. (Colossians 3:1 & Jeremiah 29:12, 13)

 03) Prayer is knocking and opening. When you know the will of God, and yet you find a closed door, you are to knock and to keep on knocking until God opens the door. This is tenacious prayer - prayer for mountain-moving faith. Knocking prayer perseveres until the impossible becomes the possible. This is miracle-working prayer.

 All things are possible when you ask, seek and knock.”

 Prayer is talking to God as you would talk to your deeply loved, greatly respected, very best friend. Jesus told us to “pray without ceasing.” He is our very best friend and is always ready to hear from us. Let’s remember to talk with Him often throughout each day and last thing before going to sleep.

  03: Prayer - Why Pray?

 ”Now He (Jesus) was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart . “ (Luke 18:1)

 Note: This is the parable about the judge and the widow, in which Jesus, again, tells us to be persistent in prayer.

 ”The reasons we should pray are:

 01) Because Jesus said, “at all times they ought to pray . . .” Prayer is imperative. You are commanded to pray. (Matthew 26:41)

 02) Because prayer is the only way to get things from God. “You do not have because you do not ask.” (James 4:2)

 03) Because there is joy in prayer. (John 16:24)

 04) Because prayer will save you out of all your troubles. (Psalm 34:6)

 05) Because prayer can unlock the treasure chest of God’s wisdom. (James 1:5)

 06) Because prayer is a channel of Power. (Jeremiah 33:3)

 07) Because it is a sin not to pray. (1 Samuel 12:23)

 08) Because Jesus, while here in the flesh, prayed often to the Father. Now if Jesus, the Son of God, needed to pray, then we should “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)”

 Pray -  Because  Jesus said, “at all times they ought to pray . . .” Prayer is imperative. You are commanded to pray. (Matthew 26:41), prayer is the only way to get things from God. “You do not have because you do not ask.” (James 4:2), Because there is joy in prayer. (John 16:24), Because prayer will save you out of all your troubles. (Psalm 34:6), Because prayer can unlock the treasure chest of God’s wisdom. (James 1:5), Because prayer is a channel of Power. (Jeremiah 33:3), Because it is a sin not to pray. (1 Samuel 12:23),Because Jesus, while here in the flesh, prayed often to the Father. Now if Jesus, the Son of God, needed to pray, then we should “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)”

 05: Prayer - Where to Pray

 ”So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.” (Acts 12:5)

 ”There was a remarkable change in the prayer life of the disciples after the resurrection of Jesus, and it is noted again after Pentecost. Before the death of Jesus, the disciples slept while Jesus prayed in the Garden. (Matthew 26:36-46)  But after His death and resurrection:

 01) They assembled in the upper room, waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit; and they prayed. We should always pray when assembled with believers. (Acts 1:13, 14)

 02) They prayed as they went from house to house. (Acts 2:42-47)

 03) They prayed in the church when Peter was in prison. (Acts 12:5)

 04) Paul and Silas prayed in prison. (Acts 16:25)  Here we see Christians praying in the presence of unbelievers, but not to be heard of them. Never pray to please others present; pray only to please God.

 05) The most important place to pray is any place where you can be alone with God. (Matthew 6:6)

 06) We are instructed to pray in all places at all times. (1 Timothy 2:8)

 It is a great joy to be able to talk with God, any time, any place, under any condition, and to know that He will hear and answer us.”

 Some people think that to pray, a person must be on their knees. While it’s good to do that sometimes to show our reverence for God, it is not necessary. Jesus taught us to be persistent in prayer, the Bible says to “pray without ceasing.” So it is obvious that God wants to hear from us often and He does not care what we are doing or the attitude of our body when we talk with Him. I read that someone once said, “There are times when, whatever the attitude of the body, the soul is on its knees.” I agree. What do you think?

 06: Prayer - Hindrances to Prayer

 ”. . . so that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7)

 ”When prayers are not answered, you should examine yourself in the light of God’s Word. If you find anything not pleasing to God, confess it, believing God for forgiveness that your prayers may be answered. (1 John 1:9)

 01) An unharmonious relationship between husband and wife will hinder prayer. (1 Peter 3:1-7)

 02) Selfishness will hinder prayer. (James 4:3)

 03) An unforgiving spirit will hinder prayer. (Matthew 5:22, 24)  Many Christians go without answers to prayer because they have wronged others, or have been wronged and have failed to humble themselves and seek reconciliation.

 04) Unbelief will hinder prayer. (James 1:6, 7  & Hebrews 11:6)

 05) Known sin in the heart will hinder prayer. (Isaiah 59:1, 2  &  Psalm 66:18)

 When you pray, go to God in all humility. Ask Him to reveal anything in your life that is not pleasing to Him. Then judge it; confess it, calling it by name, and forsake it. Pray in all simplicity and earnestness, believing, and God will hear and answer.”

 We are so blessed that Jesus is always ready to forgive us and the Holy Spirit is always ready to give us His power to overcome temptation. Thank You, Jesus, and thank You, Holy Spirit.

  04: Prayer - How to Pray

 ”Pray, then, in this way:  Our Father Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”  (Matthew 6:9-13)

 ””Pray, then in this way.” Our Lord gave this as a model prayer after one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John (the Baptist) also taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:1)

 01) We are to pray to “Our Father who art in heaven,” because He is all-wise, all-loving, and all-powerful. We are also instructed to pray in the Name of Jesus (John 14:13, 14), depending on the mediative influence of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:26, 27)

 02) We are to pray for His will to be done in everything. (James 4:15)

 03) We are to pray for the coming of the Kingdom. (Matthew 25:31-46)

 04) We are to pray for our daily necessities. (Luke 11:3)

 05) We are to pray for forgiveness, and practice forgiving others. (Matthew 18::21-22)

 06) We are to pray for the leading of the Lord, and deliverance from evil. (Luke 22:42)

 07) We are to pray in faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please God.” (Hebrews 11:6)

 This model prayer is brief, to the point, and not repetitious. It is the perfect prayer.”

 Holy Spirit, please teach us to pray and guide us when we pray, so we always pray the Father’s will. We ask this in the Name of Jesus and thank You, Holy Spirit. Amen.

  07: Prayer - Does God Answer All Prayers?

 ”If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7)

 ”The Bible is filled with answered prayers from Genesis to Revelation. You are commanded to pray, and God has promised to answer (Jeremiah 33:3). In the above scripture, there are two requirements for answers to prayer. First, you are to abide in Him, that is to continue in Him. It means to remain in His perfect will at all cost (Romans 12:1, 2).  Second, His words are to abide in you; they are to become a vital part of your life. You are to be filled with, and guided by, His words (Colossians 3:16, 17). Meet these two requirements and your prayers will be answered.

 01) The answer is sometimes immediate. Peter walked on the water to go to Jesus, and as he began to sink, he prayed, “Lord, save me!”  The answer was immediate (Matthew 14:22-31).

 02) The answer is sometimes delayed. The delay is according to His will (Romans 8:28).  The resurrection of Lazarus is a good example of delayed answer to prayer. Lazarus was sick. Mary and Martha sent for Jesus to come and heal him. But Jesus delayed coming until Lazarus was dead and in the tomb for four days. Then He came and raised Lazarus from the dead. The answer was delayed but not denied (John 11:1-44).

 03) The answer is sometimes “no.” When God answers with a “no,” He always accompanies the answer with peace (Philippians 4:6, 7) and grace (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

 04) The answer is sometimes different from what you expect. You pray for perseverance and God sends tribulation - because “tribulation brings about perseverance” (Romans 5:3).  God answers all your prayers - not according to your wishes, but according to His perfect will.”

 As long as we remember that God is infinitely more knowledgeable than we are, and that He wants what is best for us, we can accept His will with peace in our hearts.

  CHAPTER 09

01: Faith - What Is It

 ”Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

 ”Your faith is your title deed to eternal life. Just as a title deed is evidence of real estate (ownership), so your faith is evidence of your eternal estate in God. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

 1) Faith is taking God at His word and asking no questions (Hebrews 11:6).

 2) Faith is knowing that: “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.” (Romans 8:28) Faith does not believe that all things are good, or that all things work well. It does believe that all things (good or bad) work together for good to those who love God.

 3) Faith has two sides. One side has to do with the intellect. It is an intellectual conviction that Jesus Christ is God. The other side has to do with the will. It is a volitional surrender of the will to Jesus Christ as Master. This is seen when Thomas believed and confessed, “My Lord and My God” (John 20:28).”My Lord” - this was volitional surrender to Him as Lord (Master) of your life. By faith, the mind trusts in God; the heart responds to the love of God; the will submits to the commands of God; and the life obeys in the service of God.

 4) Faith is paradoxical. It goes beyond reason. It believes without understanding “why.” It sings in prison (Acts 16:25). It exults in tribulations (Romans 5:3). It chooses to endure ill-treatment (Hebrews 11:25). It accepts all things as a part of God’s will (Philippians 1:12).

 You are not born with this faith. It comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). This is why we are commanded to preach the gospel to every creature, that they may hear and believe. (Romans 10:13, 14).

 Ask God to bring to you a person He has prepared to hear His Word of salvation in our Lord Jesus. Father God, may we have the grace and power of the Holy Spirit working within us to make us bold as lions to proclaim the good news of salvation to the lost you bring to our attention. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

  02: Faith - Its Importance

 ” . . . in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16)

 ”The shield of faith is a vital part of the Christian’s armor. You are to put on “. . . the full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10-18), because the Christian life is a warfare, a spiritual conflict. As Paul names the different parts of the Christian’s armor, he comes to the shield and emphasizes its importance by saying, “In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith . . .” (Ephesians 6:16)  For with the shield of faith, nothing can hurt you;”. .  in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him” (Romans 8:37).

 The importance of faith is seen in that:

 01) You cannot be saved without faith (John 3:36).

02) You cannot live victoriously over the world without faith (1 John 5:4).

03) You cannot please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6).

04) You cannot pray without faith (James 1:6).

05) You cannot have peace with God without faith (Romans 5:1).

06) You cannot have joy without faith (1 Peter 1:8).

07) You are justified by faith and not by works (Galatians 2:16).

08) You are to live by faith (Galatians 2:20).

09) You are made righteous by faith (Romans 10:1-4).

10) Christ dwells in your heart by faith (Ephesians 3:17).

11) The Holy Spirit is received by faith (Galatians 3:2).

12) “Whatever is not from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).

 Faith is important because it honors God, and God always honors faith.”

 Let us come against the mountains in our life with faith!

  03: Peter’s “little faith”

 ”Matthew 15:28 And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’”

 ”At this stage in the spiritual growth of Peter, he was a man of “little faith.” However, after Pentecost, he became a spiritual giant. Let us take a look at his “little faith” and profit from it. Jesus came to His distressed disciples, walking on the water in the midst of a storm. Peter asked to come to Jesus on the water. He must have thrilled at the thought of doing the impossible. Jesus said, ‘Come.’”

 1) Peter did the impossible thing; he walked on the water, by faith.

2) Next, Peter did the conceivable thing; He saw the storm, and had a second thought - he doubted. For a moment, he lost sight of Jesus. He may have turned and started back to the boat (Luke 9:62)

3) Now Peter did the natural thing; he feared destruction. Doubt always breeds fear.

4) Then Peter did the expected thing; he began to sink - he failed.

5) Now Peter did the right thing; he prayed, ‘Lord save me.’  Immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him. Once more Peter made contact with Jesus by faith.

6) Again Peter did the impossible thing; he walked on the water with Jesus, to the boat.

 In this lesson, we see the success and failure of “little faith.”  Now let us recap the steps that led to failure. Peter started by faith, and walked on the water.  Then he saw the storm, and had a second thought that led to doubt, that produced fear, that caused him to turn back, that brought about failure.

 You need a faith that is bigger than the elements that would drag you down to defeat. You can have big faith by “prayer and fasting” and by feeding your faith on the Word of God. You can have mountain-moving faith.”

 I pray this blesses, inspires, and encourages you in your faith.

 Peter’s “little faith” ::

Jesus came to His distressed disciples, walking on the water in the midst of a storm. Peter asked to come to Jesus on the water.  ”Matthew 15:28 Peter said, ‘Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’” Jesus said, ‘Come.’”

 1) Peter did the impossible thing; he walked on the water, by faith.2) Next, Peter did the conceivable thing; He saw the storm, and had a second thought - he doubted. For a moment, he lost sight of Jesus. He may have turned and started back to the boat (Luke 9:62)3) Now Peter did the natural thing; he feared destruction. Doubt always breeds fear.4) Then Peter did the expected thing; he began to sink - he failed.

5) Now Peter did the right thing; he prayed, ‘Lord save me.’  Immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand and caught him. Once more Peter made contact with Jesus by faith.6) Again Peter did the impossible thing; he walked on the water with Jesus, to the boat.

 In this lesson, we see the success and failure of “little faith.”  Now let us recap the steps that led to failure. Peter started by faith, and walked on the water.  Then he saw the storm, and had a second thought that led to doubt, that produced fear, that caused him to turn back, that brought about failure.

 You need a faith that is bigger than the elements that would drag you down to defeat. You can have big faith by “prayer and fasting” and by feeding your faith on the Word of God. You can have mountain-moving faith.”  I pray this blesses, inspires, and encourages you in your faith.

   04: Faith - Three Kinds

 ”Martha therefore said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21)

 ”In John, Chapter 11, we see the faith of Martha in connection with the resurrection of her brother Lazarus. Now Lazarus fell ill, and Martha and her sister Mary sent for Jesus to come and heal him. Jesus delayed His coming until Lazarus was dead and in the tomb for four days. Then He came to raise him from the dead, and found the limited, fundamental faith of Martha His only obstacle.

 1) Martha’s faith was limited. She said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21).  The death of Lazarus meant the end of Martha’s faith. She believed that Jesus had the power to raise her brother up from the sick bed, but not from the dead. Her limited faith restricted the power of Christ (Matthew 13:58). Limited faith is controlled by circumstances, and motivated by fear of failure.

 2) Martha’s faith was fundamental. Jesus said, “Your brother shall rise again” (John 11:23). These words were spoken to kindle hope and faith in Martha; but she said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day” (John 11:24). Martha declared her fundamental faith in a great truth, but that is not enough. Jesus stated, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). Jesus was saying that He had all power over life and death. Then He asked, “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26). Martha evaded the question by stating her fundamental faith in her creed (John 11:27). It is not enough to believe in a creed only; faith must go beyond your creed to the living, all powerful Christ. Her faith limited the power of Christ (Mark 10:27). And “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Jesus wept when He came to raise Lazarus from the dead and found limited, fundamental faith only.

 3) At last, unlimited faith came to Martha when she consented to have the stone moved from the grave (John 11:41). When Jesus first ordered the stone taken from the grave, Martha objected in unbelief. (John 11:39). Then Jesus challenging her to believe, said, “Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40).Martha believed and waited to see the glory of God, and she was not disappointed.We often hear that “seeing is believing,” but this is not so. You believe and then see. Faith comes before sight. Now Martha’s faith no longer limited the power of Christ.She consented to have the stone moved from the tomb and Jesus “cried out with a loud voice,”Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43),and Lazarus was raised up.

 Don’t be satisfied with limited, fundamental faith only, when you can have unlimited faith that pleases God and reveals His glory.”

 Let us all strive to have mountain-moving faith!

05: Faith - Heroes of (The Hall of Faith)

 ”And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jepthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets . . .” (Hebrews 11:32)

 ”Chapter 11 of Hebrews is often called the “Hall of Faith.”  You need to come here often and linger long, that your faith may become strong in the Lord; for in this section of Scripture we get a view of the history of Israel and the church, as it is written by faith, in the blood of the saints.

 They worshiped by faith as Abel. They walked by faith as Enoch. They worked by faith as Noah. They lived by faith as Abraham. They governed by faith as Israel (Jacob). They fought by faith as Joshua. They conquered by faith as Gideon. They subdued kingdoms by faith as David. They closed the mouths of lions by faith as Daniel. They walked through the fire by faith as the three Hebrew children. They suffered by faith as Paul. They died by faith as Stephen, the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:54-60).

 By faith they were patient in suffering, courageous in battle, made strong out of weakness, and were victorious in defeat. They were more than conquerors by faith. It is only by faith in the all-powerful Christ that you can be superior to circumstances, and victorious over all the evil forces that would destroy you. “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:2).  The faith of the saints inspires us, but we look to Jesus as our example of faith.”

 I pray this encourages you to exercise your faith and believe God for miracles.

 06: Faith - Summation

 ”The righteous shall live by faith.”  This declaration of the Christian’s principle of life is found four times in the Bible: (Habakkuk 2:1-5; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:10,11; and Hebrews 10:38). In Habakkuk we see the difference between the lives of the unrighteous and the righteous. The unrighteous are puffed up and live by their own self-sufficiency. But the righteous live by faith - their confidence is in God. To them, faith is more than a philosophy of life; it is the very principle of life (Habakkuk 2:4).  The righteous shall live his whole life by faith. He is saved by faith (Acts 16:31); he is kept by faith (1 Peter 1:5); and he lives by faith (Galatians 2:20). His faith shall be tried many times and in many ways (1 Peter 1:7), but faith will always be vindicated, because it is more than equal to any occasion. Faith knows how to wait on the Lord (Isaiah 40:31), and it is always victorious (1 John 5:4).

 Faith defies reason; it moves mountains (Matthew 17:14-21).  Faith does not always face facts; it never gives up (Hebrews 11:32-39).  Faith says, “God is working out His perfect will in my life, and I can wait, endure, and suffer.”  Faith does not make anything easy, but is does make all things possible.”

 When we look at the problems in our lives with natural sight, the situation often looks impossible. But we know that with God all things are possible. So let us look at our problems with the eyes of faith and wait expectantly for God to act on our behalf.

   CHAPTER 10

01: The Abundant Life - God’s Best

 ”” . . . I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10). The only way into eternal life is through faith in Christ as personal Savior (John 3:15).  But do not stop there; to have eternal life is great - but there is more. Christ came that you might have life abundantly.  All believers have life, but not all have abundant life. You are living beneath your privileges if you are a believer and not enjoying the abundant life.

 For life to be abundant, it must have abundant resources, and the only unlimited source of life is in the Person Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 14:6).  To possess this fuller life, the believer must abide in Him (John 15:1-5).  Dynamic, abundant living is not for just a few - it is God’s norm for all believers.  It is spiritual life in depth, and without it, the Christian life becomes inane and meaningless.

 If you do not have abundant life within you, you will soon yield to the fleshly life around you (1 Corinthians 3:1-4)  The fleshly life is circumstance-controlled; the abundant life is Holy Spirit-controlled.  The fleshly life leads to defeat; the abundant life leads to victory in Christ.  Man seems to know everything about life except how to live it abundantly.  From this moment on, determine not to be satisfied with anything less than God’s best: living life abundantly.”

  02: The Abundant Life - Is a Yielded Life

 ”For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”  (Romans 6:10-13)

 ”How to live the abundant life is no secret; it is revealed in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.” (above, Verse 10)  Faith that saves identifies you with Christ in His death - this is eternal life. Faith that yields identifies you with Christ in His resurrection - this is abundant life. (Colossians 3:1-4)

 01)It is one thing to have eternal life by faith.It is quite another thing to have abundant life by faith.

 02) It is one thing for you to “ . . . become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21); it is another thing for you to realize His righteous life is in you (1 John 3:7).

 03) It is one thing for you to live in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17); It is another thing for Christ to live His life through you (Colossians 1:27).

In the above (verse 13), the believer has a choice. He may yield to God by faith and enjoy abundant life, or he may yield to sin and endure a defeated life (Revelation 3:1). God would have you know the power of a yielded life; it will lift you above circumstances that circumvent abundant living. The abundant life begins when you yield to Jesus as Master, allowing Him to live His life through you by faith.”

  03: The Abundant Life - Is a Service Life

 Romans 12:1-2

 ”I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

 ”To live abundantly, you must serve the Lord Jesus Christ, Who Himself became our example.  He served all the way to Calvary, and there He was the Obedient Servant, “ . . . obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8).

 In the above verses 1 & 2, the believer is urged to take the necessary steps for abundant living.

 1) You are to “present.”  This is volitional surrender to the perfect will of God, even though you may not know God’s perfect will for your life; it is, on your part, an act of faith (John 7:17).

 2) You are to “present your bodies.”  God must control and use the whole man. “And may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Your whole man was redeemed on the cross and sanctified (set apart for service)” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

 3) You are to “present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice.”  This is exemplified in the life of the Apostle Paul; he was a “living sacrifice.”  In life, he was “a bond-servant of Christ Jesus” (Romans 1:1).  In battle, he was a warrior (Ephesians 6:10-18). In the will of God, he was a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:1). These words were spoken from a Roman prison; he never referred to himself as a prisoner of Rome. To the Apostle, prison was a part of the perfect will of God.  With this conviction, he lived abundantly (Philippians 1:12).  In death, he was victorious (2 Timothy 4:7, 8).

 You have been “transformed” - changed by the power of God, and no longer “conformed to this world;” but now you can be conformed to the “good and acceptable and perfect” will of God - and live abundantly!”

  04: The Abundant Life - Is a Separated Life

 ”Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, . . .”  (Romans 1:1)

 ”Separation is both positive and negative. You are to be “ . . . set apart for the gospel of God” - this is positive (above verse). You are to come out from anything that is contrary to the perfect will of God (2 Corinthians 6:17) - this is negative. To be separated means to be sanctified (set apart) for salvation and service.

 01) The Word of God has the power to separate the believer from sin (John 17:17 & Psalm 119:11).

 02) God the Father has the power to separate the believer to the “ . . . coming of our Lord Jesus Christ”    (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

 03) God the Son has the power to separate the believer to righteousness, “ . . . having no spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:24-27).

 04) God the Holy Spirit has the power to separate the believer unto salvation and service.     (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

 Without being separated, you can have relationship with God; but you cannot have fellowship with Him. You may be united to Him in Calvary, but separated from Him in sin (Isaiah 59:1,2). Without separation, you can have influence without power, movement without achievement; you may try, but not trust; serve, but not succeed; war, but not win.  Without separation to God from sin, your whole Christian life will be “wood, hay, straw.”  The abundant life is made possible by the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and made a reality by being separated to Him.”

  05: The Abundant Life - Is a Spirit-Filled Life

 Ephesians 5:18-20

 ”And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;  . . . “

 The Holy Spirit indwells every believer. You may be immature, weak and imperfect; but, if you have been “born again” of the Spirit (John 3:3-7), He dwells in you (1 Corinthians 6:19 & Roman 8:9).  It is one thing for you to have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, but does the Holy Spirit have you, that He may fill you with abundant life? The abundant life is not found in environment or circumstances, or in the things you may possess. It is found in the infilling of the Holy Spirit. “Be filled with the Spirit (above verse 18) is a command. You may be filled many, many times (Acts 2:4 & Acts 4:31).  The apostles that were filled in Acts Chapter 2, were filled again in Acts Chapter 4. To be filled with the Holy Spirit is to be Spirit-possessed, Spirit-empowered, Spirit-led, and Spirit-controlled (Acts 8:26-40).

 01) You are filled with the Spirit that you might have joy (above verses 19 and 20).

02) You are filled with the Spirit for service (Acts 6:3 & Acts 11:22-24).

03) You are filled with the Spirit for power to be a witness (Acts 1:8 & Acts 2:4-7).

04) You are filled with the Spirit for the hour of persecution (Acts 7:54-60).

05) You are filled with the Spirit that you may “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16-26).

06) You are filled with the Spirit that you may be led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14).

 How can you be filled with the Holy Spirit? First, you must desire Him to fill you. Second, you must ask Him to fill you. Third, you must believe that He does fill you (John 4:14 & John 7:37, 38).”

  06: The Abundant Life - Is a Mature Life

 2 Peter 3:18

 ” . . . but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

 ”The above Scripture reveals four stages of spiritual growth in the Christian life:

 01) The baby stage (1 Corinthians 3:1-4). A baby thinks only of self; and, if denied the things desired, it will raise a rumpus. It seeks its own; its feelings are easily hurt and it is often jealous. A baby lives to be served - it never serves. It drinks milk and cannot eat strong meat. It cries, but never sings. It tries to talk, but never makes sense. These infant characteristics are so prominent in the lives of many church members. They have been born into the family of God, but have failed to develop spiritually. They are spiritual babies - carnal Christians.

 02) The little child state (1 John 2:12). Some Christians grow to be little children spiritually, but stop there. Here are some of the characteristics of children: they are often untruthful, envious, and cruel. If rebuked, they become martyrs; if crossed, they are resentful and often make a scene.  They are talebearers, repeating everything they hear (in adults, it is called gossip). They are given to emotional outbursts, and are easily puffed up. They love praise, and will accept it from any source. They seek only the things that appeal to self. Are you a spiritual child?

 03) The young man state (1 John 2:13).  Spiritual growth to that of a young man is not reached by many. He is strong and virile and is well able to overcome his enemy. He has a vision for the future and the faith and courage to tackle it. He is preparing for his productive years. You, too, can become a young man spiritually by doing “away with childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11), and grow.

 04) The father stage (1 John 2:13). This stage of spiritual development can be reached by all, but so few ever attain it. The spiritual father has peace with God (Romans 5:1). He knows the peace of God (Philippians 4:7). He rejoices in his spiritual children (1 Thessalonians 2:19 & 1 Timothy 1:2). He has learned contentment under all circumstances (Philippians 4:11). He knows the only source of true strength (Philippians 4:13). He does not brood over the past, but looks to the future (Philippians 3:13, 14). He knows that all things work together in his life for his eternal good (Romans 8:28). He enjoys abundant life now and will enjoy it in the life to come.”

  CHAPTER 11

01: Repentance - Introduction

 ”He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion” (Proverbs 28:13).

 God desires “truth in the innermost being” (Psalm 51:6) and commands “all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). The sinner must repent before he can become the recipient of salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8, 9). The saved must practice repentance if he is to enjoy unbroken fellowship with God (Job 42:1-6). Someone said, “I repented before I understood the meaning of the word, but since then, as a Christian, I have repented many times.”

 Repentance is granted by God (Acts 5:31 & Acts 11:18).  “The kindness of God leads you to repentance” (Romans 2:4).  The kindness of God is not merited; therefore, the results of His kindness, including repentance, are His gifts. This gift of repentance is an inward change produced by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit as the Word of God is proclaimed (Acts 2:37, 38) & John 16:7, 11). The results (are), “repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21); faith that Christ died for our sins; and that He was buried and that He rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

 Repentance qualifies a man for salvation, but it takes faith in Christ to acquire it. True repentance is always coupled with faith. It is impossible to have saving faith and not repent. “Repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” are essential and inseparable in salvation.

 Holy Spirit, may we be sensitive to your conviction, and quick to repent. I ask this in the Name of Jesus and thank You Holy Spirit. Amen.

  02: Repentance - Defined

 2 Peter 3:9  “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

 ”First, let us see what repentance is not:

 01) Sorrow. “Sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:9, 10). Godly sorrow is a guilty feeling that leads to repentance, it is not repentance.

 02) Penance. Penance is an act on the part of the guilty to render payment for sin. It is to make an effort, in some way, to atone for wrongs done against God or man. God calls all men to repentance, not to do penance.

 a. Jesus did not say, do penance and believe the Gospel. He said, “repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15).

 b. Peter did not say, do penance and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ. He said, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).

 c. Paul did not say, God is declaring all men everywhere to do penance. He said, “God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30). If penance is repentance, than salvation is not the gift of God, and we are not saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8, 9).

 03) Reformation. Reformation is a change brought about by the efforts of man for self-glory (Matthew 12:43-45). It is a turning away from known sin, or giving up a bad habit, or trying to overhaul the old nature, or turning over a new leaf, or making restitution. Judas reformed but it did not save him and neither can it save you (Matthew 27:3-5)

 Second, let is see what repentance is:

 01) A change. The change is always evidenced in three elements:

 a. The intellectual element, a change of mind.

b. The emotional element, a change of heart.

c. The volitional element, a change of will.

 02) The parable of the prodigal is a perfect illustration of repentance. He had a change of mind, a change of heart, and a change of will (Luke 15:11-32).

 a. The intellectual element, “He came to his senses.”

b. The emotional element, “I have sinned.”

c. The volitional element, “I will get up and go to my father.”

 Repentance is a change. The prodigal had a change of mind; and his change of mind effected a change of heart; and his change of heart effected a change of will. No one is ever saved until he wills to be (Revelation 22:17). Repentance is a change of mind, of heart, and of will.”

03: Repentance - Preached

 Mark 1:4  “John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

 ”Repentance was preached in the Old Testament before the birth of Christ, and during the life and ministry of Christ. It was preached on the day of Pentecost, and in the Book of Acts after Pentecost. It is taught in the Epistles and the Book of Revelation. It is a doctrine to be preached and practiced in all dispensations.

 01) John the Baptist preached repentance.

 a. He preached the baptism of repentance (Luke 3:3).

b. He preached, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). He was “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord.’ “ (Matthew 3:3). John’s preaching of repentance exalted Christ, denounced sin, warned of judgment, and it cost him his head.

 02) Jesus preached repentance.

 a. He preached, “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15). He went about doing mighty works and calling sinners to repent and to have faith in the good news of God.

b. His preaching of repentance was an ultimatum: repent or perish (Luke 13:1-5). Salvation by grace is for the repentant soul, and judgment without mercy for those who resist.

 03) Peter preached repentance.

 a. At Pentecost he preached, “Repent and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).

b. In his second Epistle he preached that, the Lord “is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).  Every soul that goes to hell goes against the will of God.

 04) Paul preached repentance.

 a. He preached that God “is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent” (Acts 17:30). This message was given on Mars Hill to the intelligentsia of Athens. The results were three-fold. First, some sneered; second, some procrastinated; third, some believed (Acts 17:32-34).

 04: Repentance - From Dead Works

 Hebrews 6:1  “Therefore, leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God”

 ”What does the writer of Hebrews mean by, “repentance from dead works”? First, we need to see the other two categories of works. They are:

 01) Good works (Matthew 5:16).  Only saved souls can do good works and please God. Of the lost He said, “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:1-3).  The believer is not to hide his good works, but let them be seen to the glory of the heavenly Father.  Mary of Bethany anointed the head and feet of Jesus with precious perfume while He sat at the table of Simon the leper. Some of the disciples called her deed an extravagant waste. But Jesus said, “She has done a good deed to Me . . . She has done what she could” (Mark 14:3-9). Like Mary, we are to do all we can to the glory of God, not in order to be saved but because we are saved, having no other motive.  This is the way to do good works.

 02) Evil deeds (Colossians 1:20, 21). Evil deeds are deeds done by the unregenerate, natural man (1 Corinthians 2:14). He walks according to this world system. He is motivated by the “prince of the power of the air (Satan).” His talk is filled with the lust of the flesh and he lives to gratify the desires of the flesh and the natural mind. He is a child of wrath and his works are wicked because he is dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1-3).

 03) Dead works (Hebrews 6:1). Dead works could be called religious works.  They are done by the religious for the purpose of meriting eternal life.  It is a legalistic effort to keep the moral and ceremonial laws of God for the purpose of winning God’s favor and being saved by works (Ephesians 2:8, 9).  Paul said, “because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight” (Romans 3:20).

 Dead works are performed by the religious, “For not knowing about God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:1-4).

 Paul is a good illustration of repentance from dead works. He clearly stated that he had “no confidence in the flesh;” then he lists his dead works of which he had to repent (Philippians 3:1-9).  When he compared this righteousness which is by dead works of the Law, with the righteousness of Christ which is by faith, he counted the former but rubbish. He knew the meaning of “repentance from dead works.”

  07:Repentance - The Importance Of

 Acts 17:30  “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent”

 ”Repentance is so important that God commands that “all everywhere should repent.”

 01) The lost are to repent.  Jesus said, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13).  Again, He said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3-5).

 02) Backsliders are to repent.  Paul said, “I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance” (2 Corinthians 7:9).  There were fleshly Christians in the church at Corinth.  In Paul’s first letter to them he called upon the church to discipline the guilty.  In his second letter, he rejoices because the guilty repented.

 03) Local churches are to repent.  In the Book of Revelation (Revelation 2 - 3), our Lord sent seven letters to seven local churches.  He called upon five of the seven to repent:

 a. The church at Ephesus was to repent because she had left her first love.

 b. The church at Pergamos was to repent because she permitted the doctrine of Balaam to be taught, and to eat the things sacrificed to idols, and to commit acts of immorality.

 c. The church at Thyatira was to repent because she tolerated Jezebel to teach and lead God’s servants to commit acts of immorality.

 d. The church at Sardis was to repent because she was a dying congregation.

 e. The church at Laodicea was to repent because she thought she was rich and did not need anything. In her opinion, she had arrived.  She did not know that she was neither hot or cold, but lukewarm and God was ready to spit her out of His mouth.

 The Lord called upon these five local churches to repent or else He would remove their candlestick and they would cease to be a light in darkness.

 The lost are to repent or perish.  The backslider is to repent or be disciplined.  The local church is to repent or lose its effectiveness in a world lost in sin.”

 08: Repentance - The Evidence Of

 Acts 26:19-20  “Consequently, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.”

 ”The evidence of repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ is seen in:

 01) The repentance of unbelieving Thomas (John 20:24-29).  Thomas would not believe that Christ had been raised from the dead until he saw the risen Savior and was given the opportunity to touch His nail-pierced hands and put his hand into His wounded side.  Thomas repented, believed, and made his great confession of faith, “My Lord and my God!”

 02) Three thousand changed their minds, hearts, and wills on the day of Pentecost and immediately gave evidence of repentance (Acts 2:41-47).

 03) Saul of Tarsus experienced repentance when he met Jesus on the Damascus road and gave evidence of repentance (Acts 9:1-22).

 04) Cornelius, his family, and friends repented when they heard the gospel preached by Simon Peter, and evidence of repentance followed (Acts 10:24-48).

 05) The Philippian jailer and his house repented when witnessed to by Paul and Silas; the evidence of repentance followed (Acts 16:26-34).

 Repentance is a change of the mind, the heart, and the will.  The proof of repentance is: (1) turning from “transgressions” (Ezekiel 18:30); (2) turning to God; (3) followed by good deeds (Acts 26:19-20).”

   CHAPTER 12

01: The New Birth - What It Is

 It is of the utmost importance that we have a clear understanding of what Jesus meant when speaking with Nicodemus.  He said, “You must be born again.”  The new birth is a spiritual birth.  It is as much a birth as the natural birth; it is not just a figure of speech.  The first birth is of the seed of man.  The second birth is of the seed of God.  “. . . for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and abiding word of God.”  (1 Peter 1:23).

 Therefore, you cannot become a child of God by joining the church, any more than a monkey could become a man by joining the human race.  He may act like a man, dress like a man, and try to live like a man - but he would still be a monkey.  Now, if by some miracle, the monkey could be born again of the seed of man, then - and only then - could he become a man.  The only way to become a child of God is to be “born again.”  ”Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)   What is the new birth?

 The new birth is a new creation. “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 The new birth is a spiritual resurrection.  “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.”  (Ephesians 2:4-6)

 The new birth is regeneration.  “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior . . .”(Titus 3:5-6)

 The new birth is partaking of the divine nature of God.  “For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, in order that by them you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”  (2 Peter 1:4)

 The new birth is receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, by faith.  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of the will of God.”  (John 1:12 -13)

 The new birth is being made the “righteousness of God.”  “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  (2 Corinthians 5:21)

 The new birth is compulsory if you are to become a child of God: “You must be born again.”

 02: The New Birth - Jesus and the Two Births

 John 3:1-8   “Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Him by night, and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’  Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’  Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old?  He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born can he?”  Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

 ”In the above Scriptures, we see Jesus and Nicodemus face to face - Jesus the Son of God, and Nicodemus the son of natural man. Nicodemus was a very religious man, but he was not a child of God. What a shock it must have been to learn that his religion was not enough!  It never is.  He came to Jesus, addressing Him saying, “You have come from God as a teacher.”  Jesus knew Nicodemus, as He knows all men (John 2:24, 25), and Jesus knew that he needed more than a teacher - he needed a Savior.  He needed more than religion - he needed regeneration.  He needed more than Law - he needed life.  Jesus began by going right to the point when He said, “You must be born again.”  Nicodemus asked, “How can a man be born when he is old?”  Then Jesus pointed to the dissimilarity in the two births: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” (the flesh will never change); and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (the Spirit will never change). (John 3:6)

 First, let us take a brief look at the flesh birth:

 01) It produces an old, sinful nature (Psalm 51:5)

02) It produces a perishable nature (1 Peter 1:23)

03) It produces an old nature under the sentence of death (Romans 6:23)

04) It produces an old nature that makes every unsaved person a child of the devil (1 John 3:10 and John 8:44)

 Second, let us say a word about the new birth:

 01) It produces a sinless nature (1 John 3:9)

02) It produces a nature that cannot sin (1 John 3:9)

03) It produces a righteous nature (2 Corinthians 5:21)

04) It produces a divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)

 Every born again person has two natures: the old from the old birth, and the new from the new birth.  By the old birth, we are children of the flesh; by the new birth, we are the children of God.  This is why “You must  be born again.”

 03: The New Birth - Issues a New, Sinless Life

 1 John 3:9   “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

This is one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible.  Do not try to understand it in the light of personal experience  Keep in mind that the above verse is speaking of the new nature - not the old nature - because the old nature is not born of God.  The old nature is born of fallen man and is depraved.  The new nature is born of God and is holy.

 First, let us see what this verse says about the new nature:

 01) The new nature does not commit sin, because it is the product of the seed (sperm) of God.

 02) The new nature cannot sin, because it is the divine nature of God (2 Peter 1:4) and since God cannot sin, the new nature that issues from His holy seed cannot sin.

 Second, let us see what the Bible says about the old nature:

 01) The old nature does sin any time you let it sin (Romans 6:12).  As a child of God, you will keep under (control) the old nature (1 Corinthians 9:27) by not yielding to the desire of the flesh; or the old nature will keep you under, and you will live a defeated Christian life (Romans 6:13).

 02) There is nothing good in the old nature (Romans 7:18).  The power to live a righteous life cannot be found in the old nature; it can be found only in the new nature (Galatians 2:20).

 If you have been “born again” you have two natures - the old and the new - and you are walking according to one of the two.  Examine your Christian walk in the light of God’s word (Romans 8:5, 6).”

  04: The New Birth - Is Imperishable

 1 Peter 2:23   “. . . for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is through the living and abiding Word of God.”

 ”In the above verse we have two seeds, two births, and two natures.

 01) The corruptible seed issues a corruptible nature (Romans 1:23).  The seed of man became depraved in the seed of Adam when he sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6-10).  Corruptible man can produce only corruptible seed (Matthew 7:18).  “All have sinned . . .” (Romans 3:23) because all are born in sin (Psalm 51:5). You are not a sinner because you sin - you sin because you are a sinner.

 02) The incorruptible seed issues an incorruptible nature (2 Peter 1:4).  You cannot corrupt that which is incorruptible; therefore, the incorruptible seed of God issues a new nature that cannot be corrupted at any time, or in any way.  The new birth produces the life of Christ, and this life is made living in man by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 8:8-10).

 The seed of man is corruptible; the birth of man is natural. Therefore, the nature of man is sinful.

 The seed of God is incorruptible; the new birth is spiritual.  Therefore, the new nature is sinless.”

  05: The New Birth - Its Means

 John 3:14-18   Jesus is speaking.  “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.  He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

 ”Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness” (Numbers 21:5-9).  He lifted up the serpent for a sinful, disobedient people.  When anyone was bitten by a serpent, he had a choice:  He could humble himself and by a simple act of faith look and live (Isaiah 45:22); or he could refuse to look on the serpent of bronze and die.

 ”Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.”  Just as the serpent in the wilderness was the only means for the healing of Israel, so the death of Jesus Christ is the only means for the new birth.  And the only way to appropriate the regenerating power of God is by faith in the vicarious death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

 The sinner must come to Christ by faith, believing:

 01) That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (Isaiah 53:1-12 & Zechariah 13:6).

 02) And that He was buried.This is the proof of His death.He was in the grave three days and nights.

 03) And that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.  This is the gospel that saves - but it is powerless to save until the sinner believes it (Romans 1:16).

 The means of the new birth is found in that:

 01) “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” - to be the only means of the new birth (above verse 16).

 02) Jesus Christ gladly came into the world to become the only means of the new birth (John 12:27 and John 17:1-5).

 03) The Holy Spirit came into the world on the day of Pentecost to convince men of their need of the new birth (John 16:7-11). 

 A personal faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only means of the new birth.”