Tag: Acts 2:38
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The Heart of the Gospel
Categories
The Power to Become
John 1:1-14, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 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: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Categories
What Shall We Do?
Acts 2:37-39
(37) Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
(38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(39) For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
Three Responses to Conviction:
- Ignore it
- Kill the messenger
- What shall we do?
The Ark of the Covenant, where the Glory of God was manifest:
- Had become a legend of mythical status by 63 BC when the Roman general Pompey the Great conquered Jerusalem.
- It is said that he entered the Temple, looked around, entered the Holy of Holies, touched nothing and left.
- History records that he said he didn’t understand what the big deal was, it was just an empty room.
- The Ark was gone.
- It disappeared about the time the Babylonians conquered the Jews in 586 BC.
- Perhaps, Jeremiah hid it in Mt. Nebo. Nevertheless, it was gone.
Empty ritual, dead formalism, right doctrine, BUT…
No Power! – No Presence! – No Glory!
Without the Holy Spirit we are helpless
We need to learn to get back to waiting – “wait in Jerusalem until”
Turn your face to God
Receive His Power – Linger in Presence – Seek His Glory
Are you curious and hungry?
John 3:1-8
(1) There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
(2) The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
(3) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
(4) Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
(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.
(6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
(7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
(8) The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Luke 24:45-49
(45) Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
(46) And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
(47) And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
(48) And ye are witnesses of these things.
(49) And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Acts 2:1-4
(1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
(2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
(3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
(4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Two responses:
- Go on as usual with ritual, habit and going through the motions
- Fall on your face and seek God’s Presence, Glory and Power
Categories
The Joyful Sound
Apostolic Life Cathedral | July 28, 2024 | 6:30 PM
Text: Psalms 89:15-17, “(15) Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. (16) In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. (17) For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.”
Psalms 1:1-6, “(1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (4) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. (5) Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. (6) For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
Blessed = “Happy”[1] is the condition.[2]
Go deeper = “to be straight, level, right, to go forward, be honest, prosper.”[3]
The joyful sound is the call to celebrate, to rejoice, to continually delight in:
- The Name of the Lord
- The Righteousness of the Lord
Tonight, the Holy Ghost is calling you to respond with a joyful sound for all that Jesus did for you and all that His name brings to bear in your life.
Rejoice in all that God did for you to walk a straight, level, righteousness path of prosperity and purpose.
The Samaritans knew about that joy: “(5) Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. (6) And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. (7) For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. (8) And there was great joy in that city.”
“There was great joy in that city.”
How many here tonight want to see that same great joy in Huntington and the Tri-State Region?
It is God’s Will for the The Joyful Sound to echo along the riverbanks, valleys, and hillsides of our community:
We have heard the joyful sound:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Spread the tidings all around:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Bear the news to ev’ry land,
Climb the steeps and cross the waves;
Onward! ’tis our Lord’s command;
Jesus saves! Jesus saves![4]
The Joyful Sound – Jesus Saves!
Every day, Jesus Saves!
God is calling for repentance…to be part of the joyful sound.
Paul was in Athens on Mars’ hill when he saw the altar written TO THE UNKNOWN GOD and he began to tell them of the one that they, in their superstition, were ignorantly worshipping.
Saying, “that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:”
Repentance, led by true godly sorrow, will bring the joyful sound.
The fruit of mercy is restoration. The fruit of grace is maturity.
Unfortunately, life has a way of causing you to lose sight of what originally created the happy condition…the joyful sound.
What was once exciting and revealing, full of life and rewarding, has now become mundane and lost its vitality.
The daily life is at war with the joyful sound: “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah” (Psalms 68:19).
We should come daily to His storehouse of blessing.
The problem is we have become so busy doing the work we forget the relationship with the God of the work.
Oftentimes, people fail because they have their spiritual life, their prayer life, their relationship with Jesus on autopilot.
Like a pilot in a plane, or a driver in a car, you are content to sit disengaged and apathetic.
What once drove your passion has now become drudgery.
The work that inspired is now nothing more than perspiration.
The hope that enlarged your heart and gave you faith is now a vague memory, like the beauty of nature you miss will cruising by unbothered by what is just outside your window.
You have become trapped with the thought that you just need to get the job done.
You have stopped hearing the joyful sound.
This is why you are to become renewed daily in the spirit of your mind.
Turn off the of auto pilot, disengage the cruise control,
Look around you and see all the beauty, blessing, and opportunity!
The need and possibility around you
Paul wrote, “I have fought a good fight…I have kept the faith,” but he did not stop fighting.
It is time to recapture that joy that originally caught you:
- Is. 12:3, “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”
- Is. 55:12, “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”
- 1 Peter 1:7-9, “(7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (8) Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (9) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
- Is. 9:3, “…they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.”
- Acts2:1-4
You are going to have to press into it. To reach for it. To recapture the joyful sound: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
To press means you will have to disengage the cruise control.
Revelation 19:6-7, “(6) And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (7) Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.”
[1] Strong’s. H835.
[2] Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible. Psalm 89:15.
[3] Strong’s. H833.
[4] Priscilla J. Owens. (1882). We Have Heard the Joyful Sound.
Categories
Two Gardens -Melvin Kuntzman
Categories
A Bottle In the Smoke
Text: Psalms 119:83
(83) For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.
Job 32:19-20
(19) Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.
(20) I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
Bottles in that day were made of sheep or goat skins.
Jesus told us that you don’t put new wine into old wineskins.
So, they would put the new wine in the fresh new skins to ferment the wine on the inside.
Many homes in that day didn’t have chimneys and so the smoke would fill the air above their heads
The bottle was hung high and there the soot from the smoke and fire would cover it…even begin to dry out the skin and make it tough at times.
In addition, the smoke mellowed the wine.
As the wine fermented on the inside it would stretch the bottle of skin.
It the skin dried too quickly the bottle would burst and its contents would be spilled.
So, every so often, the bottle would be opened to allow the gases created by the chemical reaction of the fermentation process to escape and make room for the wine to continue to ferment.
Additionally, some of the wine inside would be spilled and rubbed onto the outside of the drying skin to keep it flexible enough to stretch appropriately.[1]
You have faced a similar situation and some of what God is bringing to perfection inside of you needs to be relieved and allowed to vent and spill out onto the outside.
Daily pressures and spiritual warfare can sometimes ferment inside you to the point where you are about to burst because you are becoming hardened like an old eastern wine bottle and need to be renewed in the power of the Holy Ghost.
It is a process, the psalmist wrote, “I am become like a bottle in the smoke.”
Your growth and maturity in God doesn’t just happen. Knowing Him isn’t a passive thing.
You must remain pliable and workable in the Hand of the wine skin master. Let Him renew you and allow the healing touch of the Spirit to soften your rough places.
It takes both the inner and outer experiences, the internal and external pressures of life, to perfect you. Otherwise, you will crack and break under stress, heat, and pressure.
It takes what is on the inside being released and rubbed onto the outside that brings balance and enables you to mature.
The new wine that is inside must also be allowed to saturate the outside in order for you to be perfected
I’ve come to tell you that God is not just in the fire…He is also in the smoke.
“He [Jesus] shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.”
Exodus 19:18, “And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.”
Fire represents the power of God.
Smoke represents the glory of God.
Revelation 15:8, “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.”
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 6:4, “And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”
It is the weight of Gory that I now address:
The sufferings, the pressures, the trials, the turbulent battle in your spirit, soul and body,
The attempt of satan – your adversary the devil – to try to get you to burst and explode and come to ruin because you have allowed present circumstances to DISTRACT you from eternal reward.
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17-18).
Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings…”
Power of His resurrection = Holy Ghost fire
Fellowship of His sufferings (plural) = The glory of God.
Why plural? “…In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33).
You may feel like David of old today. His was a pressure cooker of life’s troubles, but he knew how to get relief.
He would enter the presence of the Lord in praise and worship.
He would sing a song, pray a prayer, write a psalm, and then the sweet balm of the Lord’s Spirit would come to him.
That was why he could cry out with such passion:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit” (Psalms 51:10-12)
Saint of God, if you need that relief tonight then you simply need to be renewed in the Holy Ghost:
- Acts 3:19, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”
- Let’s all repent together.
- Ephesians 4:23, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;”
Perhaps you are here tonight and you want that Holy Ghost. You have repented and are now a new wine skin ready to be filled and made …A Bottle In the Smoke:
- Close your eyes and think about Jesus and how much He loves you. Right now all that matters is talking to Jesus. This is time just for Jesus. Just think about Him and begin to talk to Him like you would talk to your best friend. Use simple words that tell Him how much you love Him.
- Pray out loud, because Jesus likes to hear your voice.
- Now, lift your hands and reach to Jesus. Show Him you want Him to fill your heart by raising your hands to Him and showing Him you are open to Him.
- Keep talking to Jesus and telling Him what you want. If you want the Holy Ghost, ask Him for it. It’s like asking someone for a gift. Jesus wants to give you His gift.
- Talk to Jesus in your outside voice. As you talk to Him, you may feel something very special start to happen. You may begin to feel like you are saying words you can’t understand. That is OK, because those words are Jesus talking with your voice. Just let those words pour out of your mouth as you let Jesus come live in your heart.
[1] SOURCE (paraphrased Dr. Fred Childs. http://www.wordshare.us/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35157. Accessed: 1-13-10
Categories
God’s Extraction Plan
Jesus has an initial extraction plan to “seek and to save that which was lost,” and then to extract those He initially extracted (called out) from the sinful world to rise up and be with Him in Heaven.
Text: Acts 2:46-47
(46) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
(47) Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
The word “Church” (ekklesia) means “a calling out.”
The Church then is an assembly of people who have been called out of the sinful world.
We have in this assembly tonight men and women who were responded to the call of Jesus and were extracted and brought into a place of safety – the Church.
80 times “Church” is mentioned in the New Testament
The Church is universal – international. In fact, the last 7 times “Church” is mentioned in the New Testament Jesus is speaking to multiple churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea (Rev. 2-3).
Then we read this passage from John in Revelation 4:1, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”
“Come up hither” is when the church is called out the second time to be with Jesus in Heaven.
Called out to be called up!
1 Corinthians 15:50-58
(50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
(51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
(52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
(53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
(54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
(55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
(56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
(57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Called out and called up!
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
(13) 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.
(14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
(15) 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.
(16) 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:
(17) 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.
(18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Called out of the sinful world
Jude 1:21-23, “(21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (22) And of some have compassion, making a difference: (23) And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
- Some have questions and need to be convinced by the Spirit and the Word.
- Others we snatch from Hell’s flames as God delivers them from sin.
- There are those to whom we show compassion and in a less aggressive manner we see them call out to God and they are saved from Hell as well.
- You don’t have to be stained by sin to love a sinner to Jesus.
- Just be intentional in God’s Extraction Plan.
God is intentional in His daily work to save people: “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
- Intentionality of daily life – don’t become a robot
- Hebrews 12:1-2, “(1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- 1 Jn. 3:8b, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
- Out intentionality is necessary:
- Psalms 100:1-5, “(1) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. (2) Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. (3) Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (5) For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
- Isaiah 12:2-3, “(2) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. (3) Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
God’s Extraction Plan involves ALL of member of the CHURCH working together:
Kelly Doss:
- Homeless man in need of a place to sleep last night.
- Ebony let him stay with her.
- Anita picked up Ebony and Kelly this morning for Sunday School.
- He wept in the car saying he needed a change and family.
- Anita told him, “We (ALC) can be your family.”
- Bro. Robbins read a verse about being free. Kelly related to it because of his own run-ins with the law.
- Bro. Daniel sang a song about being free.
- Before she went to teach her class she told him, “Jesus wants to do something for you today. Be willing to lean into that.”
- He came to the front and Gary Keesee prayed with him as he repented.
- Gary then went to his pew and talked with him about baptism, then took him to the baptistery.
- Bishop Harper prayed over Kelly.
- I baptized Kelly in the name of the Jesus Christ.
- Kelly came out of the water speaking in tongues as he was filled with the Holy Ghost.
- Everyone had a separate but necessary part to play in God’s Extraction Plan.
Are you ready?
Luke 12:40, “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”
John 14:18, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”
Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Categories
Jesus Is Alive Today
John 4:1-43
(1) When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
(2) (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
(3) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.
(4) And he must needs go through Samaria.
(5) Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
(6) Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
(7) There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
(8) (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
(9) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
(10) Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
(11) The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
(12) Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
(13) Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
(14) But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
(15) The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
(16) Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
(17) The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
(18) For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
(19) The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
(20) Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
(21) Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
(22) Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
(23) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
(24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
(25) The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
(26) Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
(27) And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
(28) The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
(29) Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
(30) Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.
(31) In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
(32) But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
(33) Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
(34) Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
(35) Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
(36) And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
(37) And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.
(38) I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.
(39) And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.
(40) So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.
(41) And many more believed because of his own word;
(42) And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
(43) Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
Categories
Faith’s Report
Text: Hebrews 10:35-11:2
“(35) Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. (36) For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (37) For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. (38) Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. (39) But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. (11:1) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (2) For by it the elders obtained a good report.”
There is a repayment of the faith invested in the things of God.
Patience is faith waiting in the hallway of the hospital to hear the good report that the promised child has been born.
A great amount of faith is tested in the waiting room of life. A promise is given and now we watch and pray, but that is sometimes a mistake.
You see, while we wait for the promise to come, we are also preparing our home and ourselves for the due date.
This is why Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Target, and Amazon sell so much baby items.
People are not just waiting around twiddling their thumbs:
• They are painting the nursery room either blue or pink – male or female
• They are shopping for rockers, baby beds, basinets, diaper bags, bottles, car seats, etc.
• They are deciding if they should breast feed the promise, or feed it a bottle
• They are worrying about cost and hoping two nickels can somehow make 50 cents.
• But, most importantly, they are preparing for the day when the promise arrives.
It time to make a plan for arrival time.
Faith’s Report is that everyone who lives by faith will receive a good report.
Good Report = “to be a witness, that is, testify (literally or figuratively): – charge, give [evidence], bear record, have (obtain, of) good (honest) report, be well reported of, testify, give (have) testimony, (be, bear, give, obtain) witness.”
The just who live by faith overcome the accuser by:
Revelation 12:10-11, “(10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
There is much power in faith. In fact, faith is involved in our justification:
Romans 5:1-2, “(1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (2) By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Peace with God starts with faith in God.
Jeff Arnold said, “Faith is focus on God, fear is focus on your problems.”
Faith’s Report is the the obtaining of a good report through trust in God’s promise that propels an action on our part…an active faith. If observed from that point-of-view, trust can be seen as a step beyond faith.
Hebrews 11:39-12:2, “(39) And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: (40) God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (12:1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The Pillar and Ground of Truth 