A Question of Life
Reading 1. 2 Timothy Chapter 4
1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
John Chapter 3
1There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2The 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. 3Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4Nicodemus 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? 5Jesus 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. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8The 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. 9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God
Let us look at these points in the scripture
John 3 Nicodemus an influential person - a Pharisee high up in the Jewish faith and a teacher of the Law.
John 3:3 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.
John 3:4 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?
John 3:8 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.
John 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? .
John 3:16 16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jesus was not sent to condemn us but to SAVE us.
It was written in the scriptures but man had his own evil ways. Pride, Power, Greed, Lust and Ego but a few.
What of Today`s Preachers, Ministers, Priests and Teachers???
Are they more knowledgeable in the truth or just in Doctrine or as with Nicodemus the doctrine, The Word of God, mans desires for all things spattered with a touch of truth and personalized stories.
I beg of you not to judge of the many full of the love of God, but be wary of the false prophets.
Many of our teachers fall by the wayside - Why??
Is it your fault because you do not want to hear God`s message to you.
Do we treat these people with the dignity and respect that their place in our Church should demand as teachers of God`s word
OR
as is described in 2 Timothy 4:3-4
3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Have we reached this time.
There are many blessings in God`s Word and why should we be deprived of them see Revelation Chapter One
1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. 3Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
But do our Teachers let us hear these words or do they avoid them, going as far as to say that Revelation is not relevant.
OR
have they been warned off by their trusted parishioners and seniors of the Church.
May I remind you all that the buildings can be simple or truly grand but that is all they are buildings.
May I also Say that The Church is not the building, the doctrine, the hierarchy but despite these things not because of these things the Church only ever was and ever will be the people. As the buildings are emptying and those in high places fear for their jobs they would do far better to FEAR GOD and help us all to know and love the Lord.
Praise the Lord that he works in your lives.
What Can WE Do
We can do what we like - we can do nothing.
It is WHAT WE MUST DO -- THINK what we say when we say and how we say it
Matthew 12:33-37
33Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Also I would remind you of
James 1:22-27
22But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 24For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Obey God`s message
Religion must be pure and spotless
And also let us look at
Matthew 5:44
44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
WOW That is a really big ask. Nobody said Religion and Faith in God was easy.
But Jesus teachings are about Forgiveness
Matthew 18:21-22
21Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
How many of us Really Forgive.
Love- Forgiveness
Yep Love me mum yep sure thing I forgive me mate
But that is EASY.
Today there are much deeper?? Maybe!! Issues and to love and to forgive is difficult if not seemingly impossible
The unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:22-35 sought to be forgiven his debt but was not willing to forgive his debtors.
Jesus selected simple people as his disciples and to preach his word, maybe Luke was the most skilled as a doctor, but who better to validate healing.
Does a university degree or a simple faith and belief in the word of God most important.
At least I guess with a University degree I would learn how to pick it to pieces and not necessarily be any more a believer or born again Christian.
Revelation is written by Christ for all his believers so that they may easily interpret it he ordered as in Revelation 22
10And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.
The Bible is a book inspired by God.
How many people even those among us today, only partly believe the Bible because it suits us to.
Might we look at 2 Timothy 3:16
16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
ALL means ALL - NOT part of or lets take the middle ground, take it literally.
Remember John 20:26 The story of doubting Thomas.
If you are offered a cake and told to take it all or a cup of coffee to drink and told to drink it all, we understand the meaning. So where does the meaning change with scripture - it doesn`t.
Use the Bible to help in translation of the Bible, it offers many reference points.
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Let us prove God`s Word, His Book is TRUE.
Time around 2000 - 1000 BC
Man - Book of Job 38:31
31Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?
Pleiades is the Saucepan which is a fixed Cluster and always look like a saucepan.
Orion - the Horse head Nebulae which consists of many stars moving each in their own way, eventually to disappear and this is called a loose cluster.
Not bad for around 1000 years before Christ, with no telescopes, nothing but the naked eye, and our scientists have only over the last 30 years reached this assumption.
Isaiah 40:22
22It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
2943. adv. from the same as 2945; from the circle, i.e. all around:- (round) about.
2944. from the same as 2945; to encircle, i.e. surround:- compass (about), come (stand) round about.
2945. as if dat. of kuvklo" kukloás (a ring, "cycle"; akin to 2947); i.e. in a circle (by impl. of 1722), i.e. (adv.) all around:- round about
Job 38:14
22It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
A Canaanite Cylinder Seal and impression from Hazor 14th Century BC.
The seal rotates on its axis.
Isaiah 40:22
22It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:Protective effect of atmosphere
Job 14:18,19
18And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place. 19The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.
Rock Erosion
2 Peter 3:10
10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Atomic Disintegration
Job 38:35
35Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are?
Radio Waves
Job 26:7
7He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.
God Got it Right
Exodus 20:11
11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Earth Created in six days.
Now let us look at another simple belief that we are not to know the future.
Why Not?
Where can we find out.
No one knows the day or the hour.
Matthew 24:36-37 Mark 13:32-37 Luke 13:26-30; 34-36
Nor should we
But we do know the future.
The older teachers in our churches look to Ezekiel.
But if it is in the old testament that we need to look I would suggest that they are ignoring one of the most important books in the Bible, the prophecy from God, given to Jesus to give to His followers, and which were to be open and plain to see.
Ezekiel may be a help to interpret Revelation.
BUT
Revelation can be interpreted by Christ`s followers as it says in
Revelation 1:1
1The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Note - God gave Him to show His servants
This Book is Christ`s gift to his followers
3Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it
Why is their not greater emphasis in all Churches.
Teachers
ARE
You like Nicodemus.
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