A Study of God's Word
There are many women mentioned in the Scripture. Some by name and others just by what they did. The stories are about the good, bad, beautiful, ugly and even evil women in the Bible.
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How does one know they are a True Christian? The Scripture gives us signs:
1 A New Birth:
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
2 A Growth
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
2 Peter 1:5-6 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
3 A New Garment
Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Zechariah 3:4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.
Matthew 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
Luke 15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Revelation 4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
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BELIEVERS OF THE BIBLE
That it is the literal and infallible word of God
LED
By the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the spirit
HAVE
The Father’s Heart for the lost, the poor, the elderly, the widow and the orphans
A HOUSE
Shall be called a house of prayer. Prayer is the foundation of all ministry
WILL
Be called the servants of the Most High God. We are here to serve Him in ministry
IN EVERYTHING WE DO
We glorify our Lord. It is our love for Him that compels us
Standing Firm
Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1
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TWO – Man has separated himself from God.
God’s character is the standard by which man is to live.
Leviticus 19:2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.
Anytime man deviates from God’s holiness, he violates God’s standard, and this is called sin. Obviously, then all of us have sinned.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
Psalm 53:3-4 Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.
Since God is holy and Just, he will not establish a personal relationship with anyone until his sin is dealt with because he cannot allow sin in his presence.
Habakkuk 1:13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:
Because sin is a violation of his standard and character, God must judge man’s sin and reject it. This is why sin causes spiritual death and results in separation from God.
Jeremiah 31:29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
As long as sin separates us from God, we can’t enjoy the life and relationship God wants us to have.
BUT can’t man solve the problem by living properly, by prayer, repentance and good deeds?
NO, man cannot remove the sin barrier by his own effort.
Psalm 143:2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
Ezekiel 33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
Human effort is not adequate because man cannot do enough to solve the problem.
Psalm 49:8-9 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.
BUT, THEN HOW CAN THIS PROBLEM OF SPIRITUAL DEATH AND SEPERATION FROM GOD BE SOLVED?
God must take the initiative: He must provide the solution.
Psalm 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me.
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THREE – The sin barrier can be removed by believing God’s Word (faith) and by having the blood of the atonement.
Abraham was an example of how the sin barrier can be removed.
Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
We must follow the same pattern.
Isaiah 26:3-4 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:
Habakkuk 2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
But Moses said that one more thing is essential, the blood of atonement.
Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.,
Leviticus 10:17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?
Leviticus 4:35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.
But why would God want an to go through the awful procedure of killing an animal?
When the offeror saw the sacrifice suffering and bleeding for the sins which he had committed, he was impressed with the awfulness of sin and the penalty of death the sinner deserved.
Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
The sacrifices showed Him God’s:
*Holiness, because of his hatred of all evil.
*Justice because he does not leave sin unpunished.
*Mercy because of his readiness to pardon the truly repentant and believing by providing a substitute for him.
THE Animal sacrifice thus provided the blood of atonement and was an act of faith acceptable to God,
BUT without a priesthood and without a temple, there can be no sacrifices. How can we have the blood of atonement today?
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FOUR – God has provided the blood of atonement for today.
God has provided the blood of atonement for today.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
IN THE PROLOGUE TO ISAIAH 53 (ISAIAH 52:12-15) THE AUTHOR IDENTIFIES THE “HE” OF THESE PASSAGES.
He is described as God’s servant who will be exalted. In other parts of his work, Isaiah equates this servant of God with Messiah.
Isaiah 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
God’s provision for the blood of atonement through the Messiah follows the same principles God set up in the sacrifice system.
*SIN OFFERING: atonement for a man by means of a sacrifice
*PESACH: atonement for a family by means of a sacrifice.
*YOM KIPPUR: atonement for a nation by means of a sacrifice.
*MESSIAH: atonement for all by means of a sacrifice.
As we have seen, under the sacrifice system personal faith was necessary along with the blood of atonement. So faith is necessary with the sacrifice of Messiah. He should be the object of our faith today.
BUT HOW CAN WE KNOW WHO MESSIAH IS?
God made sure we could recognize Messiah by certain specific identifying marks. These marks are described by the prophets of Israel.
*His ancestry was from the family of David. Jeremiah 23:5-6
*The city of his birth was Bethlehem. Micah 5:1
*He had a supernatural nature. Jeremiah 23:5-6, Micah 5:1, Isaiah 9:5-6
*The manner of his execution was crucifixion. Psalm 22:14-17
*He rose from the dead. Psalm 16:10, Isaiah 53:10
*The time of his coming was before the destruction of Herod’s Temple in
70 AD Daniel 9:26
Do you have any idea if anyone has fulfilled these prophecies, or even come close? History tells us that Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled these and many other prophecies.
There are at least 48 specific prophecies concerning the Messiah which Jesus fulfilled.
The probability that one person could fulfill all 48 prophecies is 1 out of 10 with 157 zeros after it. During His lifetime many people called him Messiah (Christ is the Greek translation) and believed in Him.
Matthew 16:16, John 1:45-51, Acts 6:7
Many people since that time, both Jews and Gentiles, have had their sins forgiven and have gained a personal relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through Messiah Jesus. Through Him one becomes a completed person: a Jewish person becomes a completed Jew .
Since the blood of atonement has been provided through Messiah Jesus, there is only one more thing left for you to do.
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You must by faith receive Messiah Jesus into your life in order to have a personal relationship with God and a satisfying worthwhile life.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Receiving Messiah Jesus involve a moral decision to turn to God’s way and from your own, to trust Messiah Jesus to forgive your sins and bring you into a right relationship with God.
You receive Messiah Jesus by faith (trusting what he has done for you), he comes into your life and gives you the power to live a satisfying, worthwhile life.
Jesus says Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Some people think that receiving Messiah Jesus by faith means you’re no longer Jewish.
THAT’S NOT TRUE. AS JESUS PUT IT;
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
The apostle Paul felt the same way:
Acts 28:20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
Don’t let anything hold you back …
why not invite Messiah Jesus to give you a right relationship with God right now?
REMEMBER
*God is the source of a worthwhile life.
*Your sin has separated you from God.
*God’s provision through Messiah Jesus is the solution to the sin barrier.
*The only thing God asks you to do is to trust Messiah Jesus to forgive your sins and give you a right relationship with God.
MESSIAH JESUS ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES
Did you receive Him by Faith? Do you know what that Means?
It means hat the following promises are now true in your life:
*Messiah Jesus came into your life, and He’s there permanently.
Hebrews 13:5, Revelation 3:20
*All your sins are forgiven. Colossians 2:13
*You have a brand new relationship with God-you’re His child! John 1:12
“You’ve become a completely new person inside, and you’ve got a great new life! 2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 John 5:11-13
*You’ve been set free from yourself to help others.
John 8:31-35, Galatians 5:13
SO, NOW WHAT?
Continue to trust Messiah Jesus
The way you began is the way to keep going. Colossians 2:6, Hebrews 11:6
If you keep trusting him, you’ll grow in your new relationship.
Here are a few suggestions:
*Let him communicate to you, read his words. 1 Peter 2:2
*Talk to him about everything. Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Peter 5:7
*Get together with others who have received him. Hebrews 10:24-25
*Tell other people about him. Acts 1:8. Remember to be tactful and kind.
Ezekiel 36:25-27 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
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A look at repentance …
There is a lot taught about repentance … “I’m Sorry”
SORRY, about what? What you did? Or That you got Caught?
Paul says there is a difference …
2 Corinthians 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
What is true repentance …
Read Matthew 21:28-32 Parable of the two sons
Luke 15:11-32 Parable of the lost Son
True Repentance is Deciding to change … THEN doing it!
Repentance involves more than being sorry … it involves restitution.
The son repented an restored his father’s faith
The lost son repented and was willing to work as a slave
Restoration … the act of paying back or making right.
Zacchaeus Luke 19:1-8
What does the LAW say …
Exodus 22:1-4 Restitution for theft
Leviticus 6:2-5 Restitution for Deceit, Lying, Perjury, Robbery
Leviticus 24:14-22 Restitution for death of man or beast
Who is to be restored?
Numbers 5:6-7 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way[a] and so is unfaithful to the LORD is guilty and must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution for the wrong they have done, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the person they have wronged.
Repentance, Restitution without it there is no joy in salvation.
David the example … Psalm 51:12-13 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.
RESTITUTION begins with Prayer and Ends with all parties restored.
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God Called Samuel – to do His work.
WHY? 1 Samuel 2:26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
Ever wonder why God hasn’t called you? Could it be:
Lack of dedication.
We all want to serve … IF it doesn’t interfere with other plans.
Church attendance … IF nothing else comes up.
Not sure how to serve … Service opportunities:
Teach Sunday School, Sing in choir, Usher, Door greeters, Nursery Worker, Bus Driver, Church Cleaning, Decorating, Visitation, Soul winning …
Habitually late for appointments.
5-10 minutes … never on time … you are cheating others.
Don’t keep your word.
Promise to do something … and don’t
Promise to be somewhere … Don’t show up (or arrive very late).
When you fulfill 1 Samuel 2:26, you’ll be hearing from God.
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Isaiah 4:5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
Isaiah 40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Isaiah 41:20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.
Isaiah 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:
Isaiah 43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.
Isaiah 45:8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.
Isaiah 45:12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
Isaiah 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
Isaiah 48:7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.
Isaiah 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
Isaiah 57:19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Isaiah 65:18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
Jeremiah 31:22 How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
Ezekiel 21:30 Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.
Ezekiel 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Ezekiel 28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
Amos 4:13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.
Malachi 2:10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
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