9/19/22

The Sovereign is dead ( but lives ) by Gary Rose


Queen Elizabeth ii


The Funeral procession


Scotland The Brave with bagpipes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnG1oUkWBa8&t=145s


Scotland The Brave: Sung with lyrics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5fy3vIpf10


The Queen of England died recently and today her funeral procession was THE NEWS. Queen Elizabeth ii was Queen of England for my entire life and I have had respect for her because of her devotion to her people and sensible rule of the country. She will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the absolute greatest figures of the 20th and 21st centuries. Today, she is mourned by millions upon millions of people and that’s as it should be.


As I viewed the procession I thought of the Scottish bagpipe song, Scotland the Brave and as I listened to it on You-tube, I realized that I had never heard the words, so I included links for both bagpipes and vocal ( with the lyrics as well ).


Queen Elizabeth ii was a great Queen as any sensible person will acknowledge, but there is one greater. My thoughts turned to the book of Revelation, chapter 19, which says….


Revelation 19 ( World English Bible )

1 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God:

2 for true and righteous are his judgments. For he has judged the great prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.”

3 A second said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.”

4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!”

5 A voice came forth from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small and the great!”

6 I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of mighty thunders, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns!

7 Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.”

8 It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

9 He said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” He said to me, “These are true words of God.”

10 I fell down before his feet to worship him. He said to me, “Look! Don’t do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.”

11 I saw the heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it is called Faithful and True. In righteousness he judges and makes war.

12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself.

13 He is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood. His name is called “The Word of God.”

14 The armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in white, pure, fine linen.

15 Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp, double-edged sword, that with it he should strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He treads the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty.

16 He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”


The Sovereign of England has died and will live forever in our memories because of her genuine greatness. Jesus Christ died and rose again; he also lives in our hearts, but in fact he lives in reality as well. Jesus will return someday and every human being will acknowledge his true status as KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS! I pray that every one who reads these words will submit to his LORDSHIP AND OBEY HIS GOSPEL. Regrettably, For some of us, the memory of today’s funeral procession will fade from memory, but we will never forget Jesus because some day in our future we all will see him again. Be prepared for that event – you will be eternally blessed if you are!

Does God Occupy the First Place in Our Lives? by Roy Davison

 











http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/firstpla.html

Does God Occupy the First Place in Our Lives?

We need to ask ourselves this crucial question: Does God occupy the first place in my life?

As Creator, Sustainer and Source of all good, God deserves the first place in our lives.

Many are willing to serve God as long as it doesn’t cost them too much time or effort. They give God the crumbs of their lives, and - as far as they are concerned - He’ll just have to be satisfied with that. But He isn’t.

God never asks for more than we can give, but He does ask for the best we can give.

Under the old covenant, when people brought sacrifices to God, they were to offer Him only the very best. God did not accept a sacrifice that was second-rate or had flaws.

“When you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably? ... You also say, ‘Oh, what a weariness!’ ... And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?” (Malachi 1:8, 13). They kept the best for themselves and gave God what they wanted to be rid of anyway!

It was bad enough that they brought inferior offers, but they also complained: “What a drudgery!”

If serving God is a “weariness” to you, maybe you are just giving God the crumbs of your life, possibly from a sense of obligation or fear. But God is not pleased with scraps any more than you are. Giving God the plate-scrapings of your life can never bring the “joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

We must put God first in our hearts!

Jesus tells us: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:37, 38).

When we give God the place of highest honor in our hearts, we will also put Him first in our lives. We will offer Him the very best we have. And we will find joy in serving the Lord, instead of experiencing it as drudgery.

We must love God even more than family and friends.

Jesus said: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37).

Sometimes we are forced to choose between Christ and others. What if relatives or friends drop in as we are preparing to go to the assembly? Do we say: “We are going to worship God now. You are welcome to come along, or if you do not wish to do so, make yourself at home. We will be back in an hour or so.” Or do we think, “Too bad. Now I can’t go.”

How we react in such situations, shows who ranks highest in our hearts.

We must love God rather than the world.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

To love the world does not necessarily mean that we love bad things. It can simply be that we love the things of this world, that “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches” are choking the word (Matthew 13:22).

Among other things, this means that our love for God must be greater than our love for ourselves and our own enjoyment.

What if there is an exceptional opportunity to serve the Lord on a day we were planning to do something for our own enjoyment? Do we say: “I’m thankful for this great opportunity to serve the Lord.” Or do we say: “You know, I really feel bad about it, but I have a previous appointment.”

Is our free time so filled with “enjoying ourselves” that we have little time left for the Lord? If so, we are just giving God the crumbs. We love ourselves with all our heart, not God. And God is not pleased.

What if someone we know is in the hospital, but visiting hours are the same time as one of our favorite TV programs? Do we say: “I’m going to visit him this evening. He might need cheering up.” Or do we think: “What a shame that visiting hours are at such an inconvenient time! I’ll try to visit him tomorrow, or maybe next week.”

How does our Bible study time compare with our entertainment time?

Once when visiting a congregation, a brother took me to meet another brother in the Lord. After we knocked, he came nervously to the door and said: “Come on in. We’re watching such and such on TV.”

So we sat for about an hour watching TV. Finally, the brother I was with said: “Well, it’s getting late. I guess we need to be going.” Our “host” looked away from the TV just long enough to say: “Glad you dropped in. Come back anytime.” He didn’t even go with us to the door.

What do you think of the spiritual condition of someone like that?

That rest and recreation are needed, is not being denied. We are discussing priorities and the difference between self-love and love for God and fellow man.

Once when Jesus’ disciples had just returned from a preaching trip, He told them: “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31).

Although they needed rest, as it turned out, something else became more important. “So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves. But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:32-34).

Notice that Jesus was moved with compassion. He had intended to have some time alone with His disciples for rest. But because He loved His fellow men, He put their welfare above His own comfort. He is, of course, the perfect example of how a man ought to put God first in his life.

There is only one first place.

We cannot give God, plus something else, first place in our lives. That is not possible. Jesus said: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).

If we think we can have two things in first place, we are deceiving ourselves. One or the other ultimately takes precedence in our lives.

Mammon is the god of money. We can’t serve God and money. Is serving God more important to you than earning money? The headache, or the fatigue, that keeps you from the assembly, would it also keep you from going to work? What if you are offered a job that pays much more money, but one that would keep you so busy you would have little time to serve the Lord?

How you make such decisions shows what is most important in your heart.

Are we like the little girl who received two coins, one for herself and one for the collection. After she accidentally dropped one of the coins down the storm drain, she said: “Oh no, there goes the Lord’s money!”

For God, lukewarm is not warm enough!

“These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness the Beginning of the creation of God: ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth’” (Revelation 3:14-16).

The danger of being lukewarm is that it is easy to believe you are all right. A lukewarm person thinks: “Well, at least I’m not cold.” But lukewarm isn’t warm enough for God. He will spew us out of His mouth unless we repent.

A Christian must be dedicated.

Being dedicated means to be fully committed.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

Christianity is not certain things you do, it is a way of doing everything. The Christian gives himself fully in service to God and his fellow man. God occupies the first place in his heart and in his actions.

Does this mean that we should be fanatics?

No. In Ecclesiastes 7:16 we are warned: “Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise: why should you destroy yourself?”

There is a great difference between being fanatical and being dedicated. You want your family doctor to be dedicated, but not fanatical!

A fanatic is someone who has a blind, unreasoning and exaggerated zeal for something, accompanied by intolerance of others. Fanaticism is a form of arrogance. A fanatic exalts his own ideas, and will not even listen to the ideas of others.

A Christian must be patient, humble and caring. A fanatic is none of these. He is impatient, haughty and self-centered.

We must be dedicated, but not fanatical.

Christ expects us to be zealous in good works.

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).

Christ came to save us from sin. But it is not enough to avoid evil. We must be zealous in doing good.

Jesus said: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

How do we put God first in our lives?

Because of our devotion, we are steadfast in Christian activities: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Steadfast means resolute and unwavering.

To continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine we must both know the Scriptures and put them into practice. To continue steadfastly in fellowship we must attend the services of the church and seek fellowship with other Christians. Each Sunday we must feast at the table of the Lord. We must continue steadfastly in prayer. All these activities are involved in putting the Lord first in our lives.

We put God first by serving others. Jesus came to serve, not to be served (Matthew 20:28). We want to be like Him. Jesus told His disciples: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).

The church is one body with each member’s function contributing to the well-being of the whole. Depending on our ability, we can visit the sick, help the poor, teach the gospel, help maintain the meeting place, or through other good works exalt God by serving others.

Does God occupy the first place in our lives? Do we give Him our best? Do we put Him first in our heart? Is our love for Him greater than our love for any other person or any thing? Is our love for Him greater than our love for ourselves and our own enjoyment? Are we dedicated, and zealous in good works? Do we give ourselves fully in service to God and man? Let us give God the highest position in our lives. Amen.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982,
Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers unless indicated otherwise.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

There is good news for fallen humanity by Roy Davison

 











http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/goodnews.html

There is good news for fallen humanity

What is this good news? God is willing to forgive our sins! The Scriptures reveal what God has done so He can forgive sinful people without compromising His own righteousness.

“God made man upright” (Ecclesiastes 7:29); He “created man in His own image” (Genesis 1:27). But “sin entered the world” through Adam (Romans 5:12) and now: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin separates man from God (Isaiah 59:2). “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

God remedies this sad situation by assigning His righteousness to people on the basis of their faith, and by allowing His sinless Son to suffer the penalty for the sins of mankind in their stead.

None of God’s servants in the Old Testament were without sin. But they trusted and obeyed God. This is called living by faith. “The just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4).

This has a twofold meaning. A servant of God lives his life on the basis of his faith (he does not draw back but “believes to the saving of the soul” - Hebrews 10:37-39) and God gives him life on the basis of his faith (not on the basis of his own righteousness - Galatians 3:11). He lives by his faith and he lives by his faith! God enhances and upgrades his faith to righteousness.

Paul refers to this double meaning when he states that in the gospel “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:17).

For example: “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. ... Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:8, 9). “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did” (Genesis 6:22). Although Noah lived an exemplary life based on his faith, he was not without sin. He needed the grace of God and God was gracious to him because of his faith.

“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Hebrews 11:7). Because Noah based his life on faith, he became an heir of the righteousness God gives to believers.

In the tenth generation after Noah, a man lived whose name was Abraham. “He believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). God promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed by one of his descendants (Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16). Paul says that the gospel (the good news) was preached to Abraham when God gave him this promise (Galatians 3:8). Jesus said, “Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56).

“By faith Abraham obeyed” (Hebrews 11:8). When God passed this promise on to Abraham’s son, Isaac, He explained: “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws” (Genesis 26:4, 5). Although Abraham lived a life of faithful obedience, he was not without sin. But “faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness” (Romans 4:9). God booked Abraham’s faith as righteousness.

Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, had twelve sons whose descendants became the twelve tribes of Israel. Four hundred years after the time of Abraham, the Israelites had become a numerous people as foreigners in Egypt, but also an enslaved people.

They prayed for help and God sent Moses to rescue them from slavery. Moses was the liberator and law-giver of Israel. He said God would send them another Prophet, a (liberator and law-giver) like himself, and that only those who listened to that Prophet would be God’s people (Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Acts 3:22, 23; Acts 7:37).

About 500 years after the exodus from Egypt, David became the second king of Israel. Because of David’s faith, God promised that he would have a descendent who would establish an eternal kingdom of peace and righteousness (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Isaiah 9:6; Daniel 2:44).

Through the centuries God sent prophets who predicted the coming of this King, referred to as the Messiah or the Christ, which means the Anointed One.

Successive powerful kingdoms were established by the Babylonians, by the Medes and Persians, by the Greeks and by the Romans. About 1000 years after the death of King David, when Augustus was emperor of Rome, a baby boy was born to a virgin by the power of God’s Spirit. His name was Jesus. On the day of His birth an angel declared that He was the promised King: “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

About 30 years later John the Baptist began to preach that the great King was coming. To get ready, people were to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4).

When Jesus was baptized by John, the Holy Spirit came upon Him and God testified from heaven: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16, 17). John the Baptist testified: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

During three years Jesus performed miracles and preached the good news that the kingdom of God soon would come with power (Mark 9:1). His powerful teachings and His miracles confirmed that He was the promised King.

The prophets had foretold that the Christ would suffer, that He would be rejected by His own people, and that He would be killed. These prophecies were fulfilled in the life of Jesus.

The Jewish leaders were jealous because Jesus was popular with the people. They imprisoned Him and turned Him over to Pilate, the Roman governor, to be crucified. Pilate wanted to release Jesus because he knew that He was innocent. But under pressure he gave in to the cries of the mob, and had Him crucified.

Jesus was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). Thus, He did not have to die as punishment for sins of His own. He said, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (John 10:17, 18).

As the sinless Son of God, Jesus could have called more than twelve thousand angels to rescue Him (Matthew 26:53). But He allowed himself to be crucified to endure the punishment for the sins of mankind, He “bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).

Jesus died to free us from the grasp of sin and death. His sacrifice enables God to forgive our sins without compromising His righteousness. God’s justice demands that sin be punished. He sent His own Son to meet this requirement in our stead.

When Jesus died, His followers thought He had failed. They had not understood the predictions of the prophets and of Jesus himself. Not only would Christ die, He would also rise from the grave! (Psalm 16:8-11).

“The Lord is risen indeed!” (Luke 24:34). To the apostles He “presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:2, 3). “He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once” (1 Corinthians 15:6).

After His resurrection, Jesus went back to heaven and took His place at the right hand of His Father. Before He ascended into heaven, He commanded His followers: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:15, 16). They were to tell the whole world that God is willing to forgive sinful people if they believe in Jesus, turn away from a life of sin, and become His disciples.

Jesus said, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46, 47).

Ten days after Jesus went back to His Father, the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles at Jerusalem. They proclaimed that Jesus is the Christ. When the hearers realized that they had crucified the promised King, “they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:37, 38). “Those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41). God’s salvation had come. There was good news for fallen man.

The believers went everywhere preaching the good news of salvation by the blood of Christ. They proclaimed that God “commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). Those who believed were baptized to wash away their sins (Acts 22:16).

Baptism is an immersion in water as a participation in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3, 4).

Now, two thousand years later, millions call themselves Christians, but are they real followers of Christ? Jesus said: “Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many” (Matthew 24:11). Paul said it is not good news when people accept “a different gospel,” when people “pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-9).

In our time, most of those who claim to be Christians, follow traditions and dogmas of men rather than the gospel of Christ. They are like people God described in earlier times: “In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7). Such people reject God’s good news of salvation and replace it with a man-made imitation.

Baptism of believers by immersion for the forgiveness of sins is replaced by rituals that are worthless because they are different from the baptism Jesus commanded. A valid baptism must be based on personal faith and a personal decision to turn away from sin and follow Christ. It must be based on the same good news preached by Christ and His apostles.

Although apostate people have perverted many aspects of the original faith, God’s word does not change. The good news of salvation by the blood of Christ is just as powerful today as it was in the first century.

People who believe in Jesus and repent of their sins, who confess their faith in Christ, who are baptized for the forgiveness of sins, are saved by the grace of God. Their faith is imputed to them by God as righteousness (Romans 4:11, 24).

Jesus is “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). The promise is for all. “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved’” (Romans 10:13).

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

This is good news for sinful people like us!

Do you want to be forgiven by God and to inherit eternal life? Turn away from sin! Believe in Jesus! Confess your faith and be baptized in His name for the forgiveness of your sins! Then you will be sanctified, made holy, and dedicated to God. You will be a citizen of God’s kingdom, a member of His church. Amen.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982,
Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers unless indicated otherwise.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

Lead us not into temptation by Roy Davison

 










 

 

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/tempt.html

Lead us not into temptation

Jesus taught His followers to pray: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13 KJV).


What is temptation?

Temptation is an allurement or enticement to do wrong to obtain pleasure, ease or advantage.


What is the source of temptation?

Satan is the tempter. Paul was concerned about the Thessalonians: “For this reason, when I could no longer endure it, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor might be in vain” (1 Thessalonians 3:5).

Satan tries to manipulate us by appealing to our desires: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:13-15).

Notice that temptation itself is not sin. Sin occurs only when we give in to temptation.

Everyone is tempted. Jesus was tempted by Satan for forty days in the wilderness (Mark 1:13), yet He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15).


The Scriptures show various reactions to temptation.

Having believed the devil’s lies, when Eve “saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate” (Genesis 3:6).

In anger, Cain murdered his brother even after being warned by God that sin was “crouching at the door” (Genesis 4:4-8).

Many examples are given of people who yielded to temptation.

Joseph was a commendable exception. When his master’s wife “cast longing eyes on Joseph” and said, “Lie with me,” he replied “How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” Later, when she tried to grab him, he fled from the house (Genesis 39:7-12).


Prayer is essential to resist temptation.

Jesus tells us to pray for God’s help. He told Peter, James and John in the garden: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Instead of praying, they fell asleep. They wanted to do what was right, but later that night all the disciples except John fled and Peter denied Christ.

Jesus had warned Peter, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31, 32). But Peter was overconfident. He declared, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble” (Matthew 26:33).

It is dangerous to be overconfident and underestimate temptations. To the extent possible, we ought to avoid situations and activities that involve a high level of temptation.

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:12, 13). This is a great promise. God limits temptation and provides a way of escape. “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations” (2 Peter 2:9).

God helps us, but we must be on guard. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:8, 9). “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).


We must be spiritually minded to resist temptation.

We must understand that eternal spiritual values are more important than temporary earthly pleasure or gain. Moses chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25).

“And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:8-10). Notice that the promise of satisfaction in worldly riches is a false promise. They who love money get sorrow.

The promises of temptation - the enticing promises of pleasure or gain - are always deceitful promises. True pleasure and true gain come only from doing what is right.


Jesus shows us how to resist temptations.

Each time Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He responded with ‘It is written’. If we know, understand and apply the Scriptures we are armed to resist temptation.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”’” (Matthew 4:1-4).

“Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: “He shall give His angels charge concerning you,” and, “In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone”’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God.”’” (Matthew 4:5-7).

In this second temptation, the devil quoted Scripture, misapplying it of course. Jesus replied by saying ‘It is also written’! We must know the Scriptures well to resist temptation. We need to know all the Bible says about something to avoid being deceived by a Scripture-quoting devil.

“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.”’ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him” (Matthew 4:8-11).

The temptations in the wilderness illustrate the meaning of the word ‘temptation’. The devil enticed Jesus to do wrong by promising Him things that sounded inviting: bread when He was hungry, God’s providential care, and rulership over the whole world. Notice that none of these goals were wrong for Jesus. He needed food like we do. God had promised to care for Him. And He came to earth to be King of kings and Lord of lords. But the devil was enticing Him to seek these goals by doing things that would be wrong.


Jesus will help us resist temptation.

He was tempted like we are. He understands what it is like to be tempted. “In all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:17, 18). “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but [one who] was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15, 16).

Jesus forgave Peter after he yielded to temptation and denied Him. He is also willing to forgive us when we, like Peter, are sorry for our sins.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been proved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12). Amen.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982,
Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers unless indicated otherwise.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

“Fear God!” (1 Peter 2:17) by Roy Davison

 










 

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/feargod.html

“Fear God!”
(1 Peter 2:17)

True worshipers are God-fearing people.

Job “was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1).

God told Abraham, “Now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son” (Genesis 22:12).

Cornelius “feared God with all his household” (Acts 10:2).

What does it mean to fear God?

To be God-fearing is to have an overwhelming feeling of profound respect for God that causes us to be highly conscious of our own inadequacy and dependence. God is so great and we are so small, that it is scary! Ezekiel fell on his face when he saw the glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 1:28). Fear is the reasonable response of mortal man in the presence of almighty God. Fear of God is the sober realization that our eternal destiny depends on His judgment.

The word fear is used in connection with God more than 300 times in the Scriptures.

Fear of God is a healthy fear, like fear of fire or fear of falling. Its effects are positive. Whom do you trust more, a God-fearing person, or someone who does not fear God?

Every person on earth is commanded to fear God.

“Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him” (Psalm 33:8).

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth - to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people - saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water’” (Revelation 14:6, 7).

We learn to fear God by reading the Scriptures.

“And Moses commanded them, saying: ‘At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God’” (Deuteronomy 31:10-13).

By reading the Scriptures or by hearing them read aloud, adults and children learn to fear God.

Leaders ought to fear God.

The king of Israel was to read the Scriptures to learn to fear the Lord: “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel” (Deuteronomy 17:18-20).

King David wrote: “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God’” (2 Samuel 23:3, 4).

When King Jehoshaphat appointed judges, he charged them: “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment. Now therefore, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes. ... Thus you shall act in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart” (2 Chronicles 19:6, 7, 9).

Fear of God is a prerequisite for wisdom.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments” (Psalm 111:10). “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7). “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).

We fear God because He is our judge.

Jesus said: “My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:4, 5).

Although we fear God as our judge, genuine love can dispel fear of punishment. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).

John refers to fear of punishment, not fear of God. People who love God do not fear condemnation because they “serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Hebrews 12:28).

Those who fear God are comforted: “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10). When Daniel saw the Son of Man [compare Daniel 10:5, 6 with Revelation 1:12-15] he “stood trembling” but was told, “Do not fear, Daniel. ... O man greatly beloved, fear not!” (Daniel 10:10, 12, 19).

Christians are commanded: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).

Although perfect love casts out fear, lack of fear does not prove love! Someone who does not fear God, does not fear judgment. And many who are confident that they are saved will be lost because they did not build on the Rock by obeying Christ (Matthew 7:22, 23). If they had truly loved God and feared Him as judge, they would have obeyed Christ.

A God-fearing person wants to please God.

Of Hezekiah, king of Judah, it is said: “Did he not fear the LORD and seek the LORD’s favor?” (Jeremiah 26:19).

They who fear God want to be faithful and true. Joshua told Israel, “Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth” (Joshua 24:14). Later, Samuel reminded them: “Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you” (1 Samuel 12:24).

God has promised that we can be His sons and daughters if we separate ourselves from the uncleanness of the world (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Paul continues in the next chapter: “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

A God-fearing person wants to obey God.

“Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him” (Deuteronomy 8:6). “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul?” (Deuteronomy 10:12). “You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him” (Deuteronomy 13:4).

A God-fearing person wants to avoid evil.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:7). “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13).

God takes care of those who fear Him.

“The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. ... Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him” (Psalm 34:7, 9).

“The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them” (Psalm 145:18, 19).

“Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. But it will not be well with the wicked; nor will he prolong his days, which are as a shadow, because he does not fear before God” (Ecclesiastes 8:11-13).

“Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name. ‘They shall be Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him’” (Malachi 3:16, 17).

God extends grace to those who fear Him.

“His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation” (Luke 1:50). “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy” (Psalm 33:18). “The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy” (Psalm 147:11).

“He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them” (Psalm 103:10-18).

Let us walk in the fear of the Lord.

“Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied” (Acts 9:31).

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

“You who fear the LORD, praise Him!” (Psalm 22:23).

“Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” (Revelation 19:5). Fear God! Amen.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc.,
Publishers unless indicated otherwise.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

"FAITH IS THE VICTORY!" In Overcoming Loneliness by Mark Copeland

 








https://executableoutlines.com/topical_series/faith-is-the-victory/fv_10.html

"FAITH IS THE VICTORY!"

In Overcoming Loneliness

INTRODUCTION
  1. To the persecuted church in Smyrna, Jesus had His servant John write these words:
    "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." (Re 2:10)
  2. This promise certainly demonstrates the importance of believing in Jesus...
    1. For the "crown of life" is a figure for the gift of eternal life that Jesus offers
    2. And if we wish to receive this "crown", we must remain faithful!
  3. But the rewards of faith in Jesus are not limited to "the afterlife"...
    1. There can be victories to be enjoyed even in this life - 1Jn 5:4-5
    2. In this series we have noticed how faith in Jesus helps us to overcome such things as:
      1. Sin
      2. Anxiety
      3. Boredom
      4. Depression
      5. Despair
      6. Discontent
      7. Fear
      8. Grief
  4. As we conclude this series, I wish to provide one more example of how faith in Jesus helps us in overcoming the world with its many ills...
    1. I am referring to the problem of "loneliness"
    2. It is has been said that "Loneliness and the feeling of being uncared for and unwanted are the greatest poverty" (Teresa of Calcutta)
    3. A Jewish proverb states that "Loneliness eats into the soul"; it can also have an adverse effect on the body

[As we shall see, faith in Jesus can help us overcome the problem of loneliness; but let's begin as before by seeking to better understand the problem we face...]

  1. UNDERSTANDING LONELINESS
    1. LONELINESS IS NOT THE SAME AS SOLITUDE...
      1. Solitude describes a situation where one is alone by CHOICE
        1. To reflect, meditate, or simply enjoy solitary activites such as writing, drawing, reading, etc.
        2. Every one needs some solitude from time to time
      2. Loneliness is a feeling of dissatisfaction with the quality and/or quantity of one's relationships with other people; it can be broken down into two types
        1. Social loneliness - as when a person goes to college or takes a job in a new town and are isolated from friends and family
        2. Emotional loneliness - when we feel that we have no one to talk to, no one who understands our deepest concerns and needs
      3. Other comparisons between loneliness and solitude:
        1. Where solitude enriches and energizes, loneliness detracts and debilitates
        2. Solitude can build a desire to involve one's self with society, whereas...
          1. Loneliness often robs one of any such motivation
          2. Loneliness can provoke a vicious cycle of despair so that the sufferer shys away from social contact and support needed to overcome
        3. Perhaps this why it has been said: "Loneliness and solitude are quite different. One is defeat--the other victory."
        -- The above notes were taken mostly from the General Loneliness FAQ of the soc.support.loneliness newsgroup
    2. HOW PEOPLE REACT TO LONELINESS...
      1. Active solitude
        1. Becoming engrossed in some activity that we enjoy and which enriches our lives
        2. Such as listening to music, reading, exercising
        3. This is a postive reaction to loneliness
      2. Social action
        1. Such as calling or visiting a friend or relative; helping someone less fortunate
        2. It is a deliberate action that breaks the isolation and involves us with others
        3. This too is a positive reaction to loneliness
      3. Distraction
        1. Doing something to take our minds off our sense of loneliness
        2. Such as going for a drive, or going shopping
        3. This is a more neutral reaction, and really only a temporary solution
      4. Sad passivity
        1. This is where one continues to feel badly and does nothing to positively impact the problem
        2. This can lead to a downward spiral of depression, and often includes sleeping too much, overeating and self-medicating
        3. This, of course, is a negative reaction to loneliness
        -- The notes in this section come from an article by Rona Subotnik, M.F.C.C., who refers to a book called "In Search of Intimacy", by Rubenstein and Shaver
    3. CHRISTIANS NEED TO RESPOND POSITIVELY TO LONELINESS...
      1. For being lonely may be a sympton of a more serious problem
        1. "Loneliness is being unaware of the One who is with us everywhere."
        2. "Many Christians suffer from loneliness because they are sitting instead of serving."
        -- Croft M. Pentz, The Complete Book of Zingers
      2. When one walks with God, they are never truly alone - cf. Jn 16:32
        1. "The soul that has been enriched by communion with God will not be dismayed by isolation but will welcome solitude. He will seek not the crowd but the closet, and emerging will never walk alone, for he has unseen companionship." (Frances J. Roberts)
        2. "The soul that is growing in holiness is the least lonely when it is most alone." (F. Andrew)
        -- Edythe Draper, Draper's Book of Quotations for the Christian World

      [When one suffers from loneliness, it is an indication that their relationship with God and others may need some work. There is no one better qualified to help us in that regard than Jesus Christ...]

  2. HOW FAITH IN JESUS OVERCOMES LONELINESS
    1. JESUS RECONCILES US BACK TO GOD...
      1. Paul explained that Jesus' ministry was one of reconciliation - 2Co 5:18-20
      2. Jesus offered Himself as the only way to God - Jn 14:6
      3. When we keep Jesus' commandments, we are assured of the abiding presence of both the Father and the Son - Jn 14:21,23
      -- Through faith in Jesus, we can be reconciled to God and thereby never truly be alone!
    2. JESUS ADDS US TO HIS FAMILY...
      1. We read where Jesus added people to the church - Ac 2:47 (KJV, NKJV)
      2. This "church" is also described as God's house, or family - 1Ti 3:15; cf. 5:1-2
      3. Indeed, Jesus told Peter what His disciples would enjoy in this lifetime, which I understand to be a reference to His church - cf. Mk 10:28-30
      -- Through faith in Jesus, we are born into a spiritual family where we should never be alone
    3. JESUS' WOULD HAVE US RESPOND POSITIVELY TO LONELINESS...
      1. He teaches us to pray, which builds companionship with God
        1. To pray always, and never lose heart - Lk 18:1
        2. To pray to our Father in secret, where you are one on one with Him - Mt 6:5-6
      2. He teaches us to serve, which builds companionship with others - Mt 20:25-28
        1. One cannot be alone when they are busy serving others!
        2. Remember, "Many Christians suffer from loneliness because they are sitting instead of serving."
        -- Through faithful obedience to Jesus, we will establish and nourish relationships whereby we will never be alone!
CONCLUSION
  1. Just as Jesus knew He was never alone (Jn 16:32), so Paul experienced the reassuring presence of God...
    1. At a time when others had forsaken him - 2Ti 4:16-17
    2. Which gave him hope for the future - 2Ti 4:18
  2. As Christians, we are promised never to be left alone...
    1. "...and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." - Mt 28:20
    2. "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'" - He 13:5-6

Add to such wonderful promises the blessings of being a part of God's family, the church, and truly we should be able to say to overcoming loneliness, and to overcoming any problem we face:

"Faith Is The Victory!"

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2022

"FAITH IS THE VICTORY!" In Overcoming Grief by Mark Copeland

 








https://executableoutlines.com/topical_series/faith-is-the-victory/fv_09.html

"FAITH IS THE VICTORY!"

In Overcoming Grief

INTRODUCTION
  1. Jesus promised to provide an "abundant life" when He said:
    "...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." (Jn 10:10)
  2. We have already seen how Jesus provides that abundant life by helping us to overcome many things we face in this world, such as:
    1. Sin, anxiety, boredom, and depression
    2. Despair, discontent, and fear
    -- That is why I am persuaded that "Faith Is The Victory!", as expressed in 1Jn 5:4-5
  3. Before we conclude this series, I wish to illustrate the victory of faith in Jesus in dealing with two more problems we often face: grief and loneliness

[In this lesson we shall consider the subject of "grief", beginning with...]

  1. UNDERSTANDING GRIEF
    1. GRIEF DEFINED...
      1. According to the American Heritage dictionary: "Deep mental anguish, as that arising from bereavement"
      2. Synonyms include: sorrow, sadness, mournfulness, gloom
      3. The feeling of grief can often be like the feeling of fear, as observed by C. S. Lewis: "No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear." (A Grief Observed)
    2. NOT ALL GRIEF IS WRONG...
      1. Jesus manifested grief when He saw how others were grieved over the loss of a loved one - Jn 11:32-35
      2. Paul wrote of "a continual grief" that he had in his heart - Ro 9:1-2; cf. Ro 10:1
      3. Having grief and expressing it is an important part of overcoming traumatic experiences such as the loss of a loved one
      4. Paul and the Ephesian elders expressed their grief as they bid him a sad farewell - Ac 20:36-38
    3. GRIEF CAN BECOME A PROBLEM...
      1. When it makes one useless for any service
        1. E.g., when one's grief sends them into extended isolation
        2. E.g., when one's grief makes them unable to comfort others in their grief
      2. When it begins to produce a psychosomatic illness
        1. Many physical illnesses are either caused or made worse by emotional distress
        2. Grief is certainly one kind of emotional distress that can take its toll on the body

        [So while there is a place for grief in the life and heart of a Christian, it is imperative that grief not take control of our lives.

        With the help of faith in Jesus, that need not happen...]

  2. FAITH IN JESUS HELPS US TO OVERCOME GRIEF
    1. JESUS PROVIDES COMFORT TO THE GRIEVING SOUL...
      1. As previously noted, Jesus certainly understands our grief
        1. While in the flesh, He experienced grief - Jn 11:35
        2. Indeed, He became flesh to be better suited to come to our aid - He 2:17-18
      2. He therefore taught His disciples how to find comfort when troubled
        1. To believe in Him - Jn 14:1-3
        2. To keep His commandments, that we might abide in His love - Jn 15:10-11
        3. To pray, that we may have joy and peace - Jn 16:24,33; cf. Php 4:6-7
      3. He also provides comfort with the promise of our resurrection - cf. 1Th 4:13-17
    2. JESUS PROVIDES A FAMILY TO HELP BEAR OUR GRIEF...
      1. Those who believe in Jesus and do His will are part of a family - cf. Mt 12:46-50
        1. That family is the family of God, the church - 1Ti 3:15; cf. 1Ti 5:1-2
        2. In which we have "a hundredfold" brothers, sisters, mothers, etc. - Mk 10:29-30
        3. In which we are to
      2. As a family, we can bear one another's grief
        1. By weeping with those who weep - Ro 12:15
        2. By sharing in each other's sufferings - 1Co 12:25-26
        3. By comforting one another with the comfort we each receive from God - 2Co 1:3-5
      3. Sadly, many do not take advantage of this blessing of a family
        1. E.g., those who think they can get what they need watching religious programs
        2. E.g., those who may "belong to a church", but never become involved
        -- And so when their grief comes, they must often bear it alone
CONCLUSION
  1. Jesus certainly did not intend for us to bear our grief alone...
    1. He taught us how to have lasting joy and peace, even in the midst of grief
    2. He died and rose from the dead, that our grief even in death might be temporary
    3. He now intercedes as our High Priest, to comfort us in our times of grief
    4. He built His church to be a family, so we can receive comfort in times of grief
  2. For one to enjoy such blessings, it requires faith in Jesus...
    1. Faith in Jesus to believe what He taught
    2. Faith in Jesus to believe what He did
    3. Faith in Jesus to obey what He commanded that we might abide in His love
    4. Faith in Jesus to become an integral part of His "church family"

So if we wish to overcome grief through Jesus Christ, then "Faith Is The Victory!"

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2022

"FAITH IS THE VICTORY!" In Overcoming Fear by Mark Copeland

 









https://executableoutlines.com/topical_series/faith-is-the-victory/fv_08.html

"FAITH IS THE VICTORY!"

In Overcoming Fear

INTRODUCTION
  1. In preparing His disciples for His imminent arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Jesus sought to reassure them by expressing His own confidence:
    "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. (Jn 16:32)
  2. Though troubling days were ahead, Jesus offered them hope that in Him they too could have peace, for He had overcome the world:
    "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (Jn 16:33)
  3. Jesus demonstrated through His death and resurrection that He had indeed overcome the world, and now such victory is offered to His disciples...
    1. To those who believe, their faith can be the victory to overcome the world! - 1Jn 5:4-5
    2. As we have already seen, faith in Jesus helps us in overcoming sin, anxiety, boredom, depression, despair and discontent
    -- Through His actions, past and present, and through His teachings, Jesus helps those who believe in Him to overcome the world!
  4. Such victory also includes overcoming "fear"...
    1. Whether real or imagined
    2. Which like some forms of anxiety (e.g., panic disorders), can have a debilitating effect on peoples' lives
  5. Not all fear is harmful, however; there is to be a place in the heart of the Christian for the right kind of fear...
    1. Jesus taught us whom to fear - Mt 10:28
    2. Paul wrote of the need for a "fear and trembling" - Php 2:12; cf. 2Co 7:1

[When we properly understand Whom to fear, and how faith in Jesus dispels the wrong kind of fear, then we can overcome any fear or phobia that would rob us of the peace Jesus offers. With that in mind, let's examine the subject of fear...]

  1. UNDERSTANDING FEAR
    1. FEAR DEFINED...
      1. According to the American Heritage dictionary:
        1. A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger
        2. Extreme reverence or awe, as toward a supreme power
      2. As the above definition suggests, there are two different kinds of fear...
        1. One is wrong, which we are addressing in this lesson
        2. The other is necessary, as stressed in the Book of Proverbs
          1. The "fear of the Lord" is the beginning of knowledge - Pr 1:7
          2. The "fear of the Lord" will cause one to hate evil - Pr 8:13
          3. The "fear of the Lord" will prolong life - Pr 10:27
          4. The "fear of the Lord" provides strong confidence and is a fountain of life - Pr 14:26-27
          5. The "fear of the Lord" prompts one to depart from evil - Pr 16:6
          6. The "fear of the Lord" leads to a satisfying life, and spares one from much evil - Pr 19:23
          7. The "fear of the Lord" is the way to riches, honor, and life! - Pr 22:4
        3. The value of fearing God, as expressed by others:
          1. "The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else." (Oswald Chambers)
          2. "The right fear is the fear of losing God." (Meister Eckhart)
    2. THE WRONG KIND OF FEAR...
      1. Fear which is groundless
        1. Many social and specific phobias fall into this category
        2. Here is a list of the most common fears, and the percentage of people which fear them...
          Top 12 FearsScientific Name
          Speaking before a group (40%)Topophobia
          Heights (30%)Acrophobia
          Insects and bugs (20%)Entomophobia
          Financial problems (20%)Atephobia
          Deep Water (20%)Bathophobia
          Disease (20%)Phathophobia
          Death (20%)Thanatophobia
          Flying (20%)Aerophobia
          Loneliness (15%)Monophobia
          Dogs (10%)Cynophobia
          Driving/riding in a car (10%)Ochophobia
          Dark (10%)Nyctophobia
          -- Charles J. Givens, Super-Self (Simon & Schuster, 1993), p. 288.
        3. Such fears are often the result of misinformation
        4. "FEAR is False Education Appearing Real" (Denis Waitley)
      2. Fear that makes problems seem greater than they really are
        1. "Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is." (German proverb)
        2. "Fear makes man believe the worst" (unknown)
        3. With exaggerated fears of the problems we face, we think them overwhelming
      3. Fear that prevents us from enjoying the blessings we have
        1. "He who fears death cannot enjoy life." (Spanish proverb)
        2. "Who lives in fear will never be a free man." (Horace, 65-8 B.C.)
        3. Certainly one who fears cannot be at peace and know true joy
      4. Fear that hinders our ability to be of service to God
        1. "Fear is the sand in the machinery of life." (E. Stanley Jones)
        2. Fear of people, fear of failure, often hinder Christians in their service; e.g., personal evangelism
      5. Fear that motivates us to disobey God
        1. Certain fears often prompt us to do things which are displeasing to God
        2. For example, in a poll of teenagers, among other things they feared:
          1. Failing in School - 44%
          2. Loneliness - 33%
          3. Not Having a Boyfriend/Girlfriend - 30%
          4. Rejection - 28%
        3. Such fears have often led young people to cheat, get in with the wrong crowd, give in to improper sexual advances
        4. Similar fears have prompted many adults to lie, cheat on the job, commit adultery, enter unscriptural marriages, etc.
        5. Fear of rejection, fear of persecution, etc., has led some Christians to denounce their faith in God

        [Unless we can overcome the wrong kind of fear, the devil will have many weapons in his arsenal to use against us. If we are going to be victorious over him and also overcome the world, then we will have to understand how...]

  2. FAITH IN JESUS HELPS US TO OVERCOME FEAR
    1. JESUS TAUGHT THAT FEAR IS INDICATIVE OF LITTLE FAITH...
      1. When His disciples were fearful of the storm at sea - Mt 8:23-27
      2. When Peter faltered as he went to Jesus walking on the water - Mt 14:25-33
      3. As Jesus taught them not to have fearful anxiety concerning the necessities of life - Lk 12:27-32
      -- As someone put it: "Fear is simply unbelief parading in disguise."
    2. JESUS ADDRESSED OUR WORST FEARS...
      1. The fear of what we might face in this life
        1. Jesus promised, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age." - Mt 28:20
        2. With such a promise, we can take courage, as Joshua was encouraged to do - cf. Josh 1:9
        3. With the Lord at our side, what can man do? - cf. He 13:5-6
        4. The worst that can happen is death, and Jesus addressed that...
      2. The fear of death
        1. His own victory over death frees us from the fear of death - cf. He 2:14-15
        2. Thus Paul could face death with great confidence, even anticipation - Php 1:21-23
      3. The fear of what comes after death
        1. Jesus comforted His disciples with the promise of lies ahead - cf. Jn 14:1-3
        2. Thus Paul could look forward to what he would receive - 2Ti 4:6-8 (note that it was because he had "kept the faith"!)
        -- When we've overcome these fears through faith in Jesus, other fears will seem petty!
CONCLUSION
  1. Where there is faith, fear cannot abide...
    1. "Feed your faith, and your fears will starve to death."
    2. "Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there."
    3. "Fear and faith cannot keep house together; when one enters, the other departs."
    -- Vern McLellan, The Complete Book of Practical Proverbs and Wacky Wit (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1996)
  2. Here is how Harry Emerson Fosdick contrasted fear and faith:
    "Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable_and, most of all, fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in its God."
  3. If anyone gives us reason to have faith in God, it is Jesus...
    1. Through His signs and wonders, which God worked in Him
    2. Through His own resurrection from the dead, proclaiming Him to be the Son of God
    3. Through the words of His inspired apostles, whose overwhelming testimony gives us reasons to believe in who Jesus was and what Jesus taught

So if we wish to overcome fear, faith in Jesus Christ is the victory!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2022