Category Authority

Hearing the Voice of Jesus, Pt2

The Preacher Leave a comment

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27)

Last week we began the discussion about hearing the VOICE of Jesus. The previous article included the first 3 of 5 points.

This article will touch on the next 2 points in this series.

What does it mean to hear the VOICE of Jesus? Some claim He will speak directly, personally, and miraculously to us. What is the truth?

Hearing the VOICE of Jesus.

The voice of Jesus (through the study of His Word) is a source of comfort for us in our pains, sorrows, and hurts. The letters of the New Testament are also the commands of Jesus; “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1Cor 14:37), The truths contained therein contain comfort. One example is in 1Thess 4.

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1Thess 4:13-18).

We can find comfort through the words of Jesus. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2Cor 1:3-4)

Another one of the ways His word comforts us is through the assurance we have from His promises. “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil” (Heb 6:18-19). “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb 11:6).

Paul wrote; “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2Tim 4:7-8).

When we seek His voice through the reading & study of His inspired word, and we Obey it, we can have the assurance that He will reward us.

Finally, His voice has the words of ETERNAL Life.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28).

Sadly, some will hear it & turn from it. “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68).

Jesus said, “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).

The writer of Hebrew was inspired to write, “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb 5:9). Cornelius was told he needed to hear words, so he sent for Peter who came to tell him words and they were ready to, “hear all things that are commanded thee of God” (Acts 10:6, 22, 33).

When we read, we can believe that we might have life, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). When we read, we can understand the mystery, “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Eph 3:4).

The VOICE of Jesus is represented as a sword in the imagery seen by John in Revelation 1:16. The Hebrew writer said, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb 4:12).

The sheep will find comfort, peace, assurance, and salvation through the words of the Good Shepherd, Christ Jesus.

–Spencer

Hearing the VOICE of Jesus pt1

The Preacher 1 Comment

Hearing the VOICE of Jesus?

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27)

The Hebrew writer wrote, “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds” (Heb 1:1-2).

We now live under the New Testament of Jesus Christ. The Old Covenant was nailed to the cross and is obsolete (Col 2:14; Heb 8:13).

Any who desire to go back to do one part of the Old Law of Moses is obligated to do the whole; “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace” (Gal 5:3-4).

But that is not good, for that Law was a shadow of the good things we have in Christ now (Heb 10:1; Col 2:17).

God Himself said, “This is my beloved Son: hear him” (Mark 9:7). Seeing that all this is true, believers are to hear Jesus. What does it mean to hear the VOICE of Jesus? Some claim He will speak directly, personally, and miraculously to us. What is the truth?

Hearing the VOICE of Jesus.

Contrary to mainstream belief, the sheep that follow Jesus do so of their own volition. God is seeking those that seek Him. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt 6:33). God’s desire that all to come to repentance and be saved (2Pet 3:9) is evidence that we have free choice. We voluntarily seek Him, listen to His voice, and it’s His voice (words) that will judge us in the last day. “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).

Therefore, all are invited to follow the Good Shepherd of our own free will.

Those that choose to follow Jesus also Obey His VOICE. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15; 15:14). “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say” (Luke 6:46)? “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt 7:21-23).

It makes zero sense to call oneself a “follower” of Christ, and not actually follow Him in obedience to His word. People keep using that word “follower” without doing anything He says. I constantly hear folks living in sin claiming also to be a follower of Jesus. Paul warned; “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1Cor 6:9-11). If these cannot inherit the kingdom of God, how can we say at the same time that we are followers of Christ while continuing in them?

Therefore, all true followers of Jesus are obedient to His voice.

This next point is vital to understand. Some also claim that Jesus will speak to us personally, miraculously, and separately from the Inspired word. Jesus never made this claim.

In His prayer in the garden, while praying for His Apostles, He then prayed for folks that would believe in Him after His death. He said, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me THROUGH THEIR WORD; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:20-21). We who come to Jesus after His death will believe based on the words of the Apostles. The Apostles were given the promise of divine Holy Spirit Inspiration (John 16:13; cf, 14:26; 15:26), not us.

We hear the voice of the Chief Shepherd in as much as we read His inspired word delivered through the Inspired writers. Paul wrote through inspiration; “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (1Cor 14:37). He also wrote; “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Eph 3:3-4; cf 2Tim 3:15-17).

The Apostle John wrote, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30-31). He also wrote, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1John 5:13; emph mine seb).

Therefore, all true followers of Jesus hear His VOICE through the reading, studying, and memorizing His written inspired word.

Next week we’ll look at a few more points regarding the VOICE of Jesus. To recap; we Voluntarily hear His voice. We who hear it will Obey His voice. Those that hear, and obey are Informed of His will through the reading, study, and memorizing of His Inspired word.

–Spencer

Hebrews ch12 The ENDURING Kingdom

The Preacher 1 Comment

OUTLINE of HEBREWS.

ENDURE. Heb 12.

  1. ENDURANCE of Jesus on the cross for us. 1-2
    1. A RACE.
  2. NOT YET RESISTED to bloodshed. 3-4
    1. BOXING metaphor
    1. Martyrdom like Stephen, or Paul, or James.
    1. See 1Cor 9:24-27
  3. DISCIPLINE as sons. 5-11
    1. Father training a Son.
      1. Love, Perfect (non erring) Father, for highest good.
    1. Training. See James 1:2-4
    1. Love not punitive
    1. HOW
  4. UNHOLY unrighteous Esau. 12-17
  5. REGISTERED in Heaven. 18-24
  6. No ESCAPE if we refuse. 25-29

Overview of Hebrews.

Hebrews ch11; FAITH

The Preacher 1 Comment

FAITH is used in multiple senses in Scripture. It is a much deeper concept than just “belief & trust.”

FAITH is used in these ways.

The FULL Body of information from God. Heb 11:1-3; Jude 3; Rom 10:17

To ACT upon hearing. Jas 2:14-26.

It INSISTS in being loyal to the One in whom we have faith. Heb 11:35

To TRUST fully in the One we believe. Heb 11:17-19

Is to HOPE in the One we have heard. Heb 11:13

Here is a link to the overview of Hebrews.

Do you love your enemies?

The Preacher Leave a comment

you LOVE your ENEMY?

“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”    (Luke 6:27-36).

All this month we’ve been talking about LOVE. Here’s a recap.

Love the LORD week 1;

First, GOD IS LOVE. (1John 4:8)

Second, GOD LOVES. (1John 4:9)

Third, HE LOVED US FIRST. (1John 4:19)

Last, GOD DIED FOR US. (1John 3:16)

Love OTHERS week 2:

Love The Brethren. (John 13:34)

Love Others. (1Thess 3:12)

Love to Visit the needy. (Jas 1:27)

Love our Enemies. (Luke 6:27)

Love His Appearing week 3:

We Look for His return. (Luke 12:37)

We Obey Him. (Luke 6:46)

We add Virtue, etc. (2Pet 1:5-11)

We Endure this life. (Matt 10:24)

This week we’ll look at the Lord’s command to Love our Enemy.

It’s unambiguous that we are to love our enemies. Who our enemies are varies. As much as it lies within us, we try to live at peace with all men (Rom 12:18), but there are some that just don’t like us, are rude, mean, or antagonistic to the church. It matters not why; Jesus taught us to LOVE our ENEMIES.

How are we to LOVE an ENEMY?

First, with EMPATHY. We need to have empathy for we were once enemies to the Lord.

“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Romans 5:10).

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1Cor 6:9-11).

No matter what a person may say to provoke us, we must remain NICE. The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God (Jas 1:20)

“And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same” (Luke 6:33).

This teaching doesn’t mean we put ourselves in harm’s way. Paul avoided many attacks on his life by the Jews, but he still desired they be saved.

“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Rom 10:1).

This next one is difficult, but we need to have a heart to EVANGELIZE.

Some will, some wont, but you’ll never know until you try. We seldom think about, nor even desire to teach an enemy the truth of the gospel.

I ask myself this question whenever interacting with an “enemy;” Could I invite them to worship despite our conflict? Look at this example:

Jesus sent Ananias to Saul of Tarsus to teach him the gospel. “Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem” (Acts 9:10-16).

Within the command to love our enemy is to be Merciful.

“Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:36).

Merciful means… compassionate, experiencing deep pity (lamentation) as God has for people who look to Him for help in their difficult situations. Consider the example of the stolen servant girl who told Naaman of a cure for leprosy. (2Kings 5:1-3). “Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.”

Finally, and very importantly, YOUR forgiveness depends on it. Let’s read from our passage in Luke:

“For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil” (Luke 6:32-35). To love only those that love us is no better than the enemies themselves. Look at what Jesus taught:

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”

(Matt 6:14-15; Mt 18:35; Mr 11:25-26; Eph 4:32; Col 3:13).

People mistake these concepts as having to take abuse, pain, etc. That’s a mistake. We have authority to avoid our enemies attacks, if we do it without sin, and without denying the Lord.

Think about the Apostle Paul in Acts 23:12-31. Some of the very people he was trying to reach with the Gospel had sworn to lie in wait for him so they would have occasion to ambush and kill him. He loved those in Judaism who were persecuting him (Rom 10:1-3), but that didn’t mean he had to be killed if it could be avoided (see, Acts 9:25; 2Cor 11:33).

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good”

(Rom 12:19-21).

–Spencer

2Peter chp2 DESTRUCTIVE nature of False Teachers

The Preacher 1 Comment

DOCTRINE of FALSE TEACHERS 1-4.

2Pe 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

False Teachers w/ FEIGNED words.

DOOM of False Teachers 4-11

2Pe 2:5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;

DEPRAVITY of False Teachers 12-16

2Pe 2:12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,

DESTINY of False Teachers 17-22

2Pe 2:22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

Hebrews ch10 He TAKES away the first

The Preacher 1 Comment

HEBREWS 10 He TAKES away the 1st.

TAKES away. 1-18

  1. Impossible for blood of bulls to TAKE away sins. 1-4
    1. Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
  2. He takes AWAY the first to establish the second. 5-10
    1. Heb 10:9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second.
  3. He sat down on His throne as KING.… 11-14.
    1. 1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.,
  4. He will EDUCATE them. 15-18
  5. The Holy SPIRIT witnesses. 15-18
    1. Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us:
    1. See Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

HEBREWS 10:19-39 LET US…

DRAW NEAR. 22

HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION. 23

CONSIDER ONE ANOTHER TO STIR. 24

ASSEMBLE TOGETHER. 25

DRAW BACK. 26-39

  1. A fearful EXPECTATION of judgment. 26-31
    1. Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
    1. Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
    1. How shall we ESCAPE, Heb 2:3
  2. SHALL… 32-39
    1. Heb 10:37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
    1. Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
    1. Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Overview of Hebrews.

Hebrews ch9 – Christ ENTERED Heaven for us

The Preacher 1 Comment

Hebrews 9 chapter overview.

The Earthly TABERNACLE. 9:1-10

Heb 9:2 For there was a TABERNACLE made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

Christ ENTERED heaven, the real tent, with his own blood. 11-14

Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he ENTERED in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

The NEW covenant established by the blood. 15-22

Heb 9:5 And for this cause he is the mediator of the NEW testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

He entered the TRUE things, to God himself for us. 23-28

Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the TRUE; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Loving the LORD pt4 DELIVERANCE

The Preacher Leave a comment

4 Things about Loving the LORD

4/4

The LORD DELIVERS those that Love Him.

Psalm 145:20 The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.

Psalm 31:23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

Psalm 18:1 <<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: And he said,>> I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

2Cor 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

2Tim 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: