Thursday 030625
Ephesians 2:8 ‘…For by GRACE you have been SAVED through FAITH; and this is not of yourselves, it is a GIFT of God…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
Let’s together, open the Word of God this morning, and study what we have been given. Allow me to help you in your study and search the Bible what God has intended for us to hear.
The verses we are going to study tonight:
2 Corinthians 4:18; Acts 13:46; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8; Psalm 37:28; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Galatians 6:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Isaiah 40:8; 1 Timothy 6:18.
The Bible describes ETERNITY as being forever. To be honest, the word eternity, in itself, is part of the MYSTERY that is spoken about in the Word.
2 Corinthians 4:18 ‘…So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever…’ NLT (New Living Translation)
Maybe an example for us, Jesus knew He was going to be crucified on a cross for us human beings.
He knew beforehand how long the spikes were going to be that would hold him to the wooden cross.
Jesus knew as he was getting onto that donkey colt, what was waiting for Him in that town just ahead.
Jesus knew.
Maybe before we spend the remainder of our lives studying the word eternity, we should just keep the FAITH we have in Jesus Christ and know that when He tells us its forever, even though we cannot fathom what is all involved, we simply TRUST and BELIEVE Him.
Acts 13:46
‘…Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, it was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you repudiate it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…But Paul and Barnabas spoke out even more boldly: it was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we will leave you and go to the Gentiles…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…But Paul and Barnabas were not afraid of them. They said to them, it was right that we first tell you who are Jews the message from God. But now you say that God’s message is not true. You have shown that you do not deserve true life with God. So, we will leave you now. We will go and tell this message to the Gentiles…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
We should be a GENTILE and BELIEVE instead of acting like the Jews in the above verse and not believe what Paul was trying to teach them.
This is that part of the Bible that we should use as a roadmap and make sure we don’t go down the same path as those Jews did back in the day of Paul.
Romans 6:23
‘…For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…For sin pays its wage—death; but God’s free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…If you serve sin as your master, it will pay you with death. But if you belong to our Lord Jesus Christ, God gives you a gift! That gift is life with God for ever…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
The verse above reminds me of my favorite verse in the Bible:
Ephesians 2:8
‘…For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…For it is by God’s grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God’s gift…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…When you believed in Jesus, God saved you because he is very kind. You could not save yourselves, but that is God’s gift to you…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
This verse in Ephesians is our ticket to LIFE.
All we have to do is have FAITH and BELIEVE.
Here is a verse from way back out of the OT.
Psalm 37:28
‘…For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…For the Lord loves justice and does not abandon His godly ones; they are protected forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be eliminated…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…for the Lord loves what is right and does not abandon his faithful people. He protects them forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…The Lord loves justice. He will never leave those who serve him. He will take care of them forever, but he will remove the children of wicked people…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
We all realize that we’re getting older, our friends are dying, our parents might already be gone. But it is that little piece of FAITH that keeps me in Jesus and allows me to hang on tight.
We could all bail, but there is so much we’d lose.
2 Corinthians 4
vs16 ‘…That is why we are not afraid to continue our work. Yes, our bodies are getting older and weaker. But our spirits are becoming stronger every day…’
vs17 ‘…We have these little troubles that continue for a short time. But as a result, we will receive the great things that God has prepared for us. Those great things are much more important than our little troubles. And God’s great things will continue forever…’
vs18 ‘…So we do not look at the things that we can see in this world. Instead, we look at the things that people cannot see. The things that we can see are only here for a short time. But the things that we cannot see will continue forever…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
All we must realize is we need to keep the FAITH and BELIEVE in God. We need to keep our TRUST and FAITH in Him.
Galatians 6:8
‘…For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…If you plant in the field of your natural desires, from it you will gather the harvest of death; if you plant in the field of the Spirit, from the Spirit you will gather the harvest of eternal life…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…A person may do things only to make himself happy. That person’s harvest will be God’s punishment and death. Or a person may do the things that God’s Spirit wants. That person will receive a harvest from God’s Spirit. The harvest will be life with God for ever…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
Don’t allow yourself to be sucked in by Satan’s lies that so many of his man-made churches lie to you about every week and that is when they tell you that you must tithe 10% of your income every week.
This is the major reason so many people in the twenty first century have left the church.
Open your Bibles and find out for yourself, those words are NOT in the Word.
This is a man-made lie by Satan.
There are so many that don’t want to believe in God, and they decide ETERNAL LIFE is not for them.
They give up before they’ve even tried to start.
Let me speak directly to these people, YOU are, in essence then, choosing ETERNAL DESTRUCTION. It’s the choice you’re making.
2 Thessalonians 1:9
‘…who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence of the Lord and from his glorious might…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…Their punishment will continue forever, as God destroys them. He will keep them away from the Lord. They will never see the Lord, or his great power…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
These same people will then sarcastically claim, how can a loving God punish us with death.
The answer is even easier than they really know, God isn’t punishing you with eternal death, torment and destruction … YOU ARE … the people who have given in.
If we keep the FAITH and BELIEVE He is there for us.
The way that God’s Word will remain forever, we can rely on what is said in His Word ‘FOREVER.’
Isaiah 40:8
‘…The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…Yes, grass withers and flowers fade, but the word of our God endures forever…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…Grass quickly dies, and flowers fall to the ground. But God’s promise will be true for ever…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
Eventually one time you must have to take notice.
1 Timothy 6:12
‘…Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…Run your best in the race of faith, and win eternal life for yourself; for it was to this life that God called you when you firmly professed your faith before many witnesses…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…Continue to believe God’s true message. Be like someone who fights well to keep it safe. God has chosen you to live with him forever. You stood in front of many people and said clearly that you believed in Jesus Christ. So, live in a way that shows that you belong to him…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
There is so much on this one word that we could stay for an entire study. The thing is, there are those that are not going to BELIEVE from one study just as most of those same people wouldn’t believe if it was a multi-year study.
There are those that are going to miss out on LIFE.
So be it.
Jesus, I pray for those lost souls out there that need You Jesus. Allow them the opportunity to just get a brief view of what they are going to miss out on.
Keep your Bibles open and continue to keep your eyes in His Word.
Study so you are sure you will know when it’s going to matter.
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>