GOD
The Bible is God’s revelation to us, and it states very plainly…
“In the beginning God…”
And all our beginnings must be traced back to God.
Our beginning of life….when we were born…to whom….and how….and from then on.
Our beginning of our new life…or when we were born again….and the influence of the Holy Spirit within.
Certainly we believe God is over all….in power and majesty. Isaiah 40:21-22, 25-26, 28-29 “Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? It 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: To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? Saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one faileth. Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.”
Have we not known? Certainly, as His servants, we should become aware of how powerful and mighty He is, for us.
But every man has a knowledge of God….”…the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” (John 1:9)
As Romans 1:19-20 says:
“Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of Him front he creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”
“The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth HIs handiwork…” (Psalm 19)
All mankind is without excuse to know of God’s existence and to seek Him.
(Man is incurably religious. He will worship and exalt something….GOD, the devil, or self.
For he was made to worship and glorify GOD….and if he won’t….then he will turn his attention to himself, and the wiles of the devil will certainly offer many things to “replace” God in his life.)
But for the Christian,…the one who is born again of God….we are to serve and glorify the Lord.
Our souls are the repository of every experience we’ve ever had. All that has been pasted on to us from our ancestors….
….all that we have become through the experiences we have passed through.
This is basically who we are…..till we become born again. Then we become, becoming “new”….under the banner of the Lord of glory. (2 Cor.5:18-21)
When I say “new”….I mean we are changed into the character of the Lord Jesus. (It is not just becoming kind and charitable ….no, it is a deep dive into our self character, and “denying ourself”.)
And this is where our “cross” comes into play:
Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
If I, as His new creature, would be restored to a right and real relationship with the Creator and Lord….I must deny myself, take up my cross (those things which cut across my will)…and bear it to the place I no longer resist His Will in anything.
It is final obedience….no matter what, I will obey.
Matthew 16:25 “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life
for my sake shall find it.”
We save our life, when we will not let the Holy Spirit and His Word guide us, or correct us, but like children, pull away.
We lose our life, when we….deliberately, willfully choose to obey Him and His Word….subjecting ourselves to all that comes by it….
(And here is the important part of losing our life, to find our Christ life!)…..
….For His Sake.
Not for the sake of the experience….not for the sake of the outcome….but for Christ’s sake.
We do all this for Jesus sake,….not to make us something, or for a little glory for ourselves…but for His sake…
…as Paul states so plainly:
“…so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.”(Phil. 1:20)
“…I die daily..” (1 Cor. 15:31)
“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” (2 Cor. 4:10)
When we have made “His sake” our life….then we are truly living for Christ.
Our life opens up to the wideness and depth of His love….for we have been conquered by it.
GOD is Alpha and Omega…the beginning and the ending! (Revelation 1:8)
And Praise Him that He is!
He saw us in eternity past and made full provision for us….saving us and dealing with us…and through us!
He will continue throughout eternity, in endless power,….leading us….and giving us Purpose in His everlasting love. Forever with Him!
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 