Thursday 021325
You and I together, let’s open and study the Word that we have ALL been given. Use me to help you study the Bible and allow me to be used to help you search what God wants for us to hear.
Let’s only follow what we find that pertains to us and realize that it’s only from our own effort in studying His Word that is going to let us take anything away that we can use in our lives by ourselves and with those that we love.
The verses we are going to study tonight:
Matthew 24:35; 2 Timothy 2:14-16; Ephesians 6:17, :13; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
Again this morning, we’re going to tackle another difficult subject.
Everyone has an opinion today.
This is right and that’s wrong. It’s all you hear all day.
Whatever is said today, may very well be changed tomorrow BUT, you’re going to hear what has to be said today.
There is one thing we can guarantee will not change, ever, and that is the Word of God.
Man’s churches change their bylaws every day. New devotionals are passed out. Weekly church bulletins are given out as you walk inside. There are people that believe one thing one day and the next day, it’s totally something different.
Maybe they’re afraid someone might catch on to what has been changed. Maybe they think there are those that will read ahead and find a flaw. Who knows why there are so many changes?
With God, it’s been the same book for generations. Centuries after centuries have all had the same words.
Matthew 24:35
‘…Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
A more elegant version:
‘…Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away…’ NIV (New International Version)
Just in our previous study, there had to have been a thousand different opinions on whether or not FAITH and BELIEVE meant the same thing.
Church sermons are available online that a pastor can find the words he wants to say. Whatever it is that he’s trying to emphasize at any given moment.
But what’s funny, God’s Word will remain the same. It never changes.
This has to be the reason why a person should open up their own Bibles and read them for themselves. What does the Word tell you. It is all up to what YOU believe in the future, why trust what someone else tells you what the Word is saying. READ IT FOR YOURSELF!!!
2 Timothy 2
vs14 ‘…Keep reminding God’s people of these things. While God is watching, warn them not to argue about words. That doesn’t have any value. It only destroys those who listen…’
vs15 ‘…Do your best to please God. Be a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed. Teach the message of truth correctly…’
vs16 ‘…Stay away from godless chatter. Those who take part in it will become more and more ungodly…’ NIRV (New International Reader’s Version)
What better way to teach than to have people READ it for themselves. Be there to help and to assist with any question but allow a person to have the first move themselves.
The plain truth is that there is no evidence, found in Scripture, that says we have been ‘commanded’ by God to read His Word every day.
If we were to impose such commands on people, as if that command was self-evident, we would risk making the Christian faith seem like a personal choice by us for you to obey.
We want you to choose for yourself to read the Word so you will prepare yourself for this world that we live in when you’re alone.
Let’s say, there are ten (10) of us in a group and we’re reading the Word together one evening. There is the (1) person, verbally reading the words, there are four other Bibles being shared by couples (8) and there is one (1) person in the group, sitting back and listening to what is being read aloud.
The next day, the group splits up to all run different errands. Nine (9) of the ten (10) followed the Word, letter by letter, the previous night, but there was one (1) that only listened to the words with their ears. That person didn’t see the words in front of them that had been written.
Which one might fail?
God gave us the Word to protect us. In fact, it is part of the Armor that God supplied us with.
Ephesians 6:17 ‘…And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
The SWORD.
Do you know, out of ALL the items in the Armor, the SWORD is the ONLY OFFENSIVE and DEFENSIVE piece of equipment that we have been given.
1-belt of truth
2-breastplate of righteousness
3-sandals of the gospel of peace
4-shield of faith
5-helmet of salvation
6-sword of the Spirit (the Holy Bible, the WORD)
7-prayer
You may ask, what is the value in us having any armor?
Ephesians 6:13 ‘…Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm…’ NLT (New Living Translation)
God knows the problems that we’re going to face in this life we are living.
He knows the struggles we’re going to face.
God gave us this armor to protect ourselves from this evil.
We’ve been given the Word, so we’ll be able to know when we’re being lied to.
When we’re at man’s church and they begin spewing about how we’re to be tithing every week, we’ll know those words aren’t written in the word.
When we’re told stories in man’s church about how we need to ‘DO’ something extra to be saved, we’ll know we’re being lied to by the pastor or whoever is speaking.
The more we know about what’s inside our Bibles, the more we’ll be prepared for the evil that we can guarantee is going to be circling around us. Hunting us down like hawks.
The more we know what has been written in the Word, the easier it is going to be for us to walk freely among the evil that is lying all around just waiting for the unprotected.
Over the years I have suggested several times how such a resource our search engines found online can be to us, but with that being said, also remember that evil is out there lurking right around the corner.
Don’t ask a question on your search engine and then take the first response as if its gospel. We have been blessed with a little bit of common sense, use yours a little. Read a few responses. Evaluate what you’ve just read and then compare your reading to what’s in the Word and then you will be able to feel confident that you have made the proper choice.
Always remember that Satan is out there wanting us to fail. If he could get us to spread false words or improper logic, he, in a way, could set back and declare that he won that battle. But don’t let him think he’s one over on you. If you’re going to speak, study what you are about to let others know how you’re thinking. Search different materials and make a wise conclusion that you won’t fear after you’ve voiced it to others that it might be wrong.
Check everything out before you open your mouth.
That last piece of armor is prayer. Say a short prayer to God and ask that His guidance would protect those about to hear your message.
People, God is not stupid. God didn’t make any mistakes when He created us. He created us all male and female. He created us with the purpose that He wanted, not what we want to tell others to believe.
We don’t know how much longer we will be here on this planet before that ‘trump’ is sounded and this earth, as we know it, it is going to be gone.
At the sound of the ‘trump,’ those believers that have died will rise first and then those that are alive and remain, they will all rise up into the clouds and meet Jesus where we will all follow Jesus and remain with Him, FOREVER. This is the promise found in the Rapture.
1 Thessalonians 4
vs13 ‘…Our Christian friends, we want you to understand properly about your friends who have died. Then you will not continue to be sad about them. People who do not hope for any life after death are sad when their friends die. But you should not be upset like those other people…’
vs14 ‘…We believe that Jesus died, and he rose again after death. So, we also believe that people who have died as Christians will rise again. When God brings Jesus back, he will take the Christians to go with Jesus…’
vs15 ‘…We are telling you the message that the Lord has given to us. This is what will happen when the Lord returns. Those of us who are still alive will not go to meet the Lord first. We will not go before those people who have already died…’
vs16 ‘…On that day, the Lord himself will come down from heaven. He will shout with authority. People will hear the voice of the leader of God’s angels. They will hear the sound of God’s trumpet. Then those people who have died as Christians will become alive again. They will be the first people to rise up…’
vs17 ‘…After that, those of us who are still alive will join together with them. God will suddenly take us up into the clouds. In that way, we will all meet the Lord in the sky. So, we will all be with the Lord forever…’
vs18 ‘…Because this message is true, tell it to each other. Help one another to be strong, not sad…’ EASY (Easy English Bible)
How many times have scoffers read the previous words and dismissed them.
The Pharisees and the Sadducees, both leaders of the Jewish nation, they knew the writing forward and backward. They read the Word throughout every day of their lives. They forgot to pray and ask God to open their ears so they could hear the words that had been written.
We can see the same problem today, there are those that claim the only version of the
Bible that can be used in the English language is the AV1611 … where is it that these words of wisdom are written anywhere?
These people that make these ridiculous claims, they too have forgot to ask for their ears to be opened so they could ‘HEAR’ the words God has spoken through His Word.
Keep your Bibles open and continue to study His Word. Say your prayers and ask that your ears be opened so you can hear the words He has given to us.
I love ALL of y’all.
Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen
InHIM. ><)))o>