Now that we have seen the scriptures that affirmed Jesus to be born of a Virgin and made a supreme being; made higher that the angels and ascended to the Throne of Righteousness as our High Priest, and intercede on our behalf to the Father, we can boldly come to Him…
Why do I refer to Jesus becoming a God of Consuming Fire? This is the fact…
1. Hebrews 12:29
for our “God is a consuming fire.”
2. Deuteronomy 4:24
For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
We are under Grace; ‘Grace’ means, to receive something that we do not deserve, the Bible says that today is the day of Salvation;
Today we can look and Hope in HIM knowing that by His Grace we are Pardoned for our Sins… we as human beings say if this ‘Pardon’ is a’ Given’ therefore; we can continue to sin as He already Paid it all?.... actually NO, for this reason, we need to look back at the actions of this Majestic God, as oftentimes many will take His Love and His ever presence Grace for granted, because again, as humans, the term Familiarity breeds contempt… We look at the presentation of God by many that we can categorized as a persistent Used-Car salesman, the proliferation of television and the multitudes of televangelists tend to make the spread of the Good News a promotional sales program, as many are offering the messages for a price.
Today this message is Free and it is focused at several key things that we need to know…
#1: That our Lord is the same and HE never changes, His message is the same, “You must be born again”…. John 3: 7 as He said…You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ (These are the Words of Jesus)
#2:: That when we come to the Cross and receives Jesus, we need to know that it is by HIS GRACE that we are saved… Ephesians 2: 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—… The Key words here are the Gift of God and the 2nd is FAITH… and 3rd we cannot save ourselves.
#3: That when we are saved His Holy Spirit will come to us, just like when the Apostles were told in Acts 1: 8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” These are the words of Jesus…
#4:: That as humans we are constantly subjected to all the temptations of this world, and we cannot please God by having Idols, what is an Idol?, anything that we place in a priority over our Lord… in Isaiah 12:17: Those that trust in idols, who say to images “you are our gods” will be turned back to utter shame
These 4 points are principles of Our Lord, who is Faithful. We are Saved by Grace, His Holy Spirit will Bless us and We are to have no other God. HE said in Psalm 81:9 You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not worship any god other than me.
Historically, we will briefly look back at the times of Israel, you may say why we are wasting time on this, it is because what is being reviewed it is relevant to our everyday living…
In the Beginning…. God Created the Heavens and the earth…. This stated fact establishes that our Creator made it all….how can we prove this….Because God is Supreme, and if we were able to prove these things then we would be God ourselves, there are many things that we still cannot do even with all of our scientific breakthrough; we still use chemical to try and cure cancer, we still cannot explain what man refers to as a Miracle…
All of what we have read since we were kids in Sunday’s school, including Adam and Eve, to Noah and the Ark are documented Biblical accounts as accounted for in Clay Tablets found in 1974 at the ancient site of Ebla, these Tablets were made 2,500-2,300 BC (Before Christ)
SIN came as we read… Genesis 3 describes the Fall of Man… even through all things are made by God, even the serpent that tempted Eve, that ate of the tree of knowledge, because God created us to live a life in a place of Splendor, the Garden of Eden, he did not make us slaves, he gave us ‘Free will” but with one caution… through this action of breaking the commandment of God, Sin entered the world… now we are all offspring of Adam. no matter how we look, we may be Jews, Syrians, Asians, Africans, English, German, Indian, Heinz 57 or some of the most beautiful people , we are all from the same stock, and was cursed by sin against God with this thing called Sin…we can see the evilness of Sin as stated in history of Cain and Abel… and the eventual out of control of man and women, then came the Flood, as in Genesis 6: 5 God saw how great man’s wickedness had become, and all that man did was to think of evil thoughts all the time, this grieved God, and He said I will Wipe out Mankind…as stated in Genesis 6: 9. We all know about the Story of Noah and the Ark, and after the Flood God made a Covenant not to repeat the Flood
Now we will talk a little about HIS Redemption:
The Messiah: 700 Years before Christ came, the Prophet Isaiah foretold of the Lamb of God, the Messiah, Isaiah 53, The Prophet Isaiah wrote a comprehensive history of Judal (Israel’s) rise and fall and gave a complete account of God’s punishment and Reward and renewal, and foretold of Jesus as the Messiah.
Remember I just said no matter how we look, and why there are different nations? This is something all of us have sometime or the other wondered how, and why we have many nations? Here is how and why God separated us into Nations around the World,
The breakout of one nation into a worldwide settlement is an event when the Lord saw that men were building the Tower of Babel, and HE sent His Holy Spirit to confuse them and broke them into foreign tongues…Genesis 11:we read: verse 1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. )skip to Verse 4_
3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”
5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”
8 So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth. This occurred long before the oldest nation on earth, China known to have thousands of years in history; Genesis was long before China was ever established… or any other ancient time or civilization then..
But He also warned us against going against His will, as evidenced in our daily attitude towards many things, example…
While God is good and merciful, it is dangerous to presume upon His goodness. It is the goodness of God that should lead us to repentance, but if we persist in our sin, God will respond in judgment.
There is a Judgment, and we can avoid this Judgment, by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior,
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9
Romans 8 is my favorite chapter… it is like an instruction manual
Life Through the Spirit… we read….
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Let’s make one thing clear….After looking at the Supremacy of God, we need to know that HE loved us so much that He sent His SON, now many of us are confused how did God have a Son and He was not married? Jesus, who is The CHRIST, is God in One of the Triune God, (The Holy Trinity) by The Father, Son and Holy Spirit… In actuality Jesus who said ‘before Abraham, I was” and having lived among us for 33 years, His Ministry tells us of a Loving God-Man, His sole mission here was to Redeem us from Sin, remember in (HE said in) Genesis 2: 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
Because HIS words are emblazed and spoken as when He created the Heavens and Earth, and made Light by saying ‘let there be Light’… These words had to be cancelled by HIM personally….So therefore Jesus came to Redeem us, as said in Acts 2: 22 His Disciple Peter, said….“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
HIS Resurrection was witnessed by many as we read in… Acts 2: 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. , this was said by Peter at the day of Pentecost His testimony was He and his fellow Disciples witnessed Jesus’ Resurrection as Jesus spent 40 days with them before His Ascension into Heaven.34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’[f]
(This was at the Festival known as Pentecost, Peter was speaking)… 36“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
Verse 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
The same condition persists today… The answer of what to do is
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” THIS Opportunity still exists to this very hour in our lives. But remember HE is coming again, and as we sojourn through this life we need to have insurance for our cars, so why not have HIS Assurance which is already fully paid for and it Free…
Finally…How can this Supreme God understand us in these times?
In Romans 8: (We are made Sons and Daughters)
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Come to our Lord today and take a reflection on what we discussed here today… I invite you if you have never come to the Cross and placed all your sins and ask Jesus to be your Redeemer, you can do this right now, look at what He offers and...
What a Privilege HE gave us….
- Life
- His Grace that Pardoned US
- His Holy Spirit
- His Assurance of A Place that HE prepared for us, which is a place of Splendor
- Until He calls use, we are assured of an Abundant Life through HIM.
To Receive His Holy Spirit today, we have this opportunity right now… Because of HIS Blessed Assurance… If you come to Christ today the Angels will celebrate in heaven today.
Romans 8: 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
(Today you are all here for one Reason, to be given this Opportunity to become JOINT HEIR with Jesus, because in verse) 29 For those ( You and me) God foreknew he also predestined (YOU) to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he (JESUS) might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, (you and me) he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” Verse 37 Says… No
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Pray…
Lord Jesus The CHRIST, Son of our Father and our Creator, who is GOD in One of Your Holy Trinity, as our Eternal GOD, I come to You to seek you today Lord and to come to the Cross where you Paid it ALL… and by Your divine Resurrection, You triumphed over Death, and declared that “IT IS FINISHED”… Lord by your Grace I can come and receive Your Great Salvation today knowing that You are at the Right Hand of our Father and that no one can come to the father unless through You Lord Jesus, as our Intercessor and our Redeemer, I dedicate my life and accept You Lord Jesus as my Redeemer and by Your divine Resurrection, You paid for my sin, today, I give You the Glory. I Pray in Your name Lord JESUS and praise You and to You be the Power and the Glory in Your Matchless name Lord Jesus… Amen
· My Pledge of Decision to be Saved: Today is the ___ day of ___________ 2011, I came to know Jesus that accepted me as I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior
Sign: _______________________
· Statement of Faith: I come with a humble heart knowing that I have received Jesus, THE CHRIST, as my Eternal God today, knowing that Jesus is God in One of His Holy Trinity as the Anointed Holy One from our Father and Creator, and I come to Jesus and in Faith look to receive His Holy Spirit and be guided by HIM, and knowing that Jesus is now my Eternal Living God, I can join in by saying, in Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. By today’s acceptance of our Lord, I can say I am Saved by HIS Grace.
Or:
Send an Email to:
maurice@goodnewsforever.org
Good News Forever is a Volunteer lay person ministry that publishes short messages and books on “The Reason for HIS Coming” and other select publications proclaiming Jesus our Messiah and why we need to keep looking up….