> Transcripts of Ray's Audio's and More Teachings
Mobile Conference 2009 - all audios
Kat:
http://bible-truths.com/audio/INHERITTHEKINGDOM.mp3
Audio 9
WILL YOU INHERIT GOD’S KINGDOM
1John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true, and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Is that talking about God the Father anywhere in there? It’s talking about Jesus who is in us, right? This is the “true God.”
‘Yeah, but that’s only one verse.’ Well here’s another one and here’s a few more… “here’s a couple of isolated ones…” here’s a whole handful… ‘Yeah, but you only find that in 1John 1:1…’ It’s nonsense, right? If it says it… twice or five times or twelve times, you’d better start believing it.
Here’s another point… I mean you can’t say the scripture proves this in the way that I’m saying, but nonetheless… Let’s look at this, who or what is God?
If I say to you, ‘the Creator of the universe,’ who do you think of? [Attendee: Jesus] Now, go with me on this, you’d think of ‘God.’
If I say, ‘the possessor of all power in heaven and in earth,’ who would that be? [God.]
If I said, ‘this individual has the power to give humanity everlasting or incorruptible, immortal life,’ who would be able to do that? [God.]
‘Who’s going to judge the world?’ [God.] All right.
So, the creator of the world… the judge of the world… the power of the universe… the ability to impart immortal life… those are all attributes of God. Am I right? It’s someone who possesses the ability to impart immortal life… create the universe… and possess all the power in heaven and earth that there is… who would that be? GOD. Who do we read has all that? Jesus Christ!
How can you possess all power in heaven and in earth, be the judge of the world and the creator of the universe and not be able to have the title ‘God?’ The gyrations that these people go through to try and disprove what the scriptures say. It takes a miracle to be that stubborn and close-minded. It takes a miracle.
Colossians 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father…
Now, we know who that is, that’s Jesus’ Father.
v. 12 ...which has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
v. 13 Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son:
v. 14 In whom (who is the “whom”? Jesus) we have redemption through His blood (the son’s, Jesus’), even the forgiveness of sins:
v. 15 Who is the image of the invisible God…
Who is the image of the invisible God? [Jesus.] Jesus.
v. 15 …the Firstborn of every creature:
Who is that? [Jesus.]
v. 16 For by Him were all things created…
Who is that? [Jesus.]
v. 16 …that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him…
Some say, ‘oh it means in Him, or something else.’ You are not going to change the meaning of this whole chapter by changing the words “by Him” to in Him. That is not going to change the whole meaning of this chapter. It will not. That is nonsense [They tried to.]. They tried, yeah. Let’s say “all things were created through or in Him.”
v. 16 …and for Him:
v. 17 And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.
v. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the pre-eminence.
v. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him…
Jesus… the Creator of the invisible and the visible, and the principalities and the powers, and by which everything consists and holds together… that’s Jesus.
Now how can this ‘person,’ Jesus (who is not a man, we could call Him a person, see, but He’s not a man, because He lowered Himself to that.), how could, let’s say this ‘individual’ (I want to get away from that ‘person.’ You sure can’t apply it to God the Father.), how can He be the creator, the sustainer and the Savior of the universe and the human race and be anything less than God?
I’m telling you we demean and blaspheme Jesus Christ when we do like the Rock Opera ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ shall I bring Him down, should I fornicate with Him and prove that He’s just a man. That’s blasphemy, those movies you know, ‘The Passion of Christ.’ They make Him out to be a homosexual… just evil stuff.
Jesus Christ has a name that is above every name. God (Jesus) did not consider it robbery or pillaging to be equal to God. Why? Because He possesses everything that God has. It’s not like, well yeah God gave Him some power and He said, okay I’ll let you pass on a little immortal life here and yeah You can create some stuff too.
So, let’s think for a moment on who or what is God the Father, okay. He’s the brains behind everything. I’m I right? He’s the Supreme Deity of the universe, God the Father. He’s all powerful, all knowing, all wise, omnipotent, right? All loving, all caring, all those things. Is there anything else that you can think of that God is? You might say, ‘well, He’s a father and Jesus isn’t a father.‘ Oh yeah? Read Isaiah.
Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, You art our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and we all are the work of Your hand.
Now listen to these verses and for crying out loud, believe it.
John 16:13 Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come.
v. 14 He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you.
Now listen…..
v. 15 ALL THINGS that the Father has are Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you.
Who is the paraklete, the Spirit, the Comforter that’s coming? Jesus. Jesus is the paraklete (you have proof of that back in 1 John 2:1 “…we have an advocate (paraklete) with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”), when Jesus Christ possesses.
He said to Philip, let Me show you the Father, if you have seen ME you have seen the Father.
John 14:9 Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast you not known Me, Philip? he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how say you then, show us the Father?
Everything that the Father is and has and possesses is Mine. What does that make Him? ‘Just a man, that we can bring him down?’ I mean come on, we have to show some reverence here. Jesus Christ is the creator of the universe… He is the creator of the human race… He is the Savior of the world… He is the one that is going to be giving immortal life… He possesses all power in heaven and earth. That’s Jesus, that’s our Lord and Savior.
I could go into that aspect of, there’s only one Lord and Savior, back in Isaiah.
Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no Savior.
Yeah and who’s that? JESUS.
God is a Savior, but so is Jesus. How is He a Savior? It’s one of those many things that God possesses that He gave to the Son. Everything that God has He gave to the Son. That’s how Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Him and they are ONE. One person? No. One what? One God? YES!
Mr. Buzzard says, “they’re one unified spirit; they’re one in spirit.” Excuse me, what is God? SPIRIT. I and My Father are one spirit? “God IS spirit” (John 4:24). I and My Father are ONE GOD. Can two individuals be one individual? No. Can two individuals be one God? Yes. Yes, they can. He (Buzzard) has not one scripture that proves anything to the contrary, not one.
I could go on, I mean I have a lot of stuff. I may write this up in an article, if I get time and I’ll cover some more stuff. There’s more stuff in here and I can shoot it down, trust me. I can and I do it with the Scriptures, not with clever arguments, WITH the Scriptures.
We talked about maybe a dozen places where He said, I came out from the Father… I came from heaven… the only one that is going to heaven is the one who came down from heaven. Jesus Christ was in heaven before He was born to the virgin Mary and we have many scriptures that say that.
John 6:33 For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven…
John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven:
John 6:58 This is that bread which came down from heaven:
John 6:62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before?
And He is “coming AGAIN” from heaven.
John 14:2 …I go to prepare a place for you.
v. 3 And if I go…
He hadn’t gone yet, had He. He was still in human form, they hadn’t killed Him yet. But He said, “if I go…”
v. 3 …I will come again…
You can’t “come again” if you never came at all. Now this is just a simple meaning of words and language.
Will you inherit the kingdom of God?
(Notes) Are you sometimes overwhelmed by all the seemingly negative and what seem as almost impossible statements in the Scriptures regarding the requirements for entering God’s Kingdom? How about this statement: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Whoa, I wonder if I’ve done that?’
Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved.
Oh I don’t know, can I endure to the end? How much is that? How much will that involve?
Luke 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple.
And remember the warning to the Seven Churches. It is only “…to him that OVERCOMES…” Seven times we are told to overcome. That entrance into the Kingdom is promised, (Rev. 2 & 3).
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
v. 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
v. 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame.
Acts 14:22 …that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Maybe some of you think you’re not going through much tribulation and wonder, ‘gosh I wonder if God’s even concerned, He’s not putting me through much tribulation.’
1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Do you obey the gospel of God? How do you obey it? A subject for a lecture.
Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.
Matthew 7:19 Every tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, you workers of iniquity.
Matthew 10:38 And he that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Matthew 12:37 For by thy words thou shall be justified, and by thy words thou shall be condemned.
Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
This is getting pretty tough, isn’t it?
Revelation 3:16 So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
2 Peter 3:17 You therefore, beloved, seeing you know these things before, beware lest you also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2 Peter 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.
Ever been guilty of that? You know to do good, but you don’t do it, that’s a sin. The wages of sin? [Death.]
Luke 12:47 And that servant, which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to His will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
Now we even have to figure out who are the heretics among us.
Mat 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.
Had enough? Do you ever read your Bible and say, ‘this is a pretty hard row to hoe.’
Kat:
[Attendee: I notice what you said “heresies among ye.”] He’s talking to the Corinthians there. He said there are splits, divisions among you and He says it’s not good.
Well, there are a lot of scriptures saying, if you don’t do this, if you don’t do it right, if you don’t keep on doing, if you don’t overcome, if you don’t endure, you’re not fit for the kingdom of God. Except you forsake husband, wife, family (Luke 14:26 ), everything you have and follow Me, you cannot be My disciple… that’s tough.
(Notes)
How many are sometimes bothered by such Scriptures and think that maybe we just won’t make it? We just won’t be acceptable to God? We fold every time a severe trial comes our way? You want to live godly, but you just can’t conquer some sins and then all these many Scriptures condemn you. Am I talking to anyone in this room?
It’s not a very peaceful or rewarding life living like this with so many uncertainties, is it? Never ever being quite certain as to where you stand with God. We see too many areas where we know we fall short and then we condemn ourselves.
It’s not very soothing to live a life like that, living in kind of fear and trepidation as to whether or not you are ever going to make it into this kingdom of God.
Maybe when He says “few,” what He really means is hardly any.
Well I want you all to leave this conference with a confidence from God that will enable you to live in peace with himself/herself. A feeling like you learned some stuff, some important stuff and I want you to leave the confidence with, that if God has begun a work in you, He will finish it. To be assured that you will be in the Kingdom of God and receive a reward. God did not call us to a life of uncertainty, doubt and frustration. Ninety-nine percent of those in Christendom ‘know’ for a fact that when they die they are going to heaven, when in reality and according to the Scriptures they know NO SUCH THING. Is your assurance that you will be in the Kingdom of God built on any more solid ground than these? Even if you fall, God is able to make you stand up.
So I gave you kind of the negative side. But there is a real positive side, isn’t there? The positive side is this; yes, you can’t fall away... you can’t look back… you can’t refuse to continue on… you can’t refuse to overcome the trials that are put before you. But if God is truly calling you, He won’t let you! That’s the good news. But even if He lets you fall, it will teach you a lesson, that we don’t have the strength to rely on ourselves.
You know, the longer you live a godly life and you overcome your pulls of the flesh and you try to be more loving and kind and all the things that Jesus is… If you’re not careful, you get kind of spiritually cocky and think you’re a pretty good person and ‘I’ve got this thing pretty much in tow.’ Just about then, you could fall flat on your face. That’s why it says, beware when you think you stand lest you fall (1Cor. 10:12).
What Paul has to say about QUALIFYING:
Paul said I bring anything that is sinful or wrong under “subjection” in my body, unless I speak to you on how to do all this stuff and “I myself should be a castaway.”
1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
So yes, he was aware of that and he kept that prod on himself, but was he negative about it? Did he said, ‘Boy, I hope I make it. But He put me through some stuff. I don’t know if I’ll make it to the end. I don’t know if I can endure all this stuff God put me through. I got this demon smacking me up side the head (spiritually speaking), every day of my life. I’m in hunger and thirst, nakedness and problems, troubles, threats of robbers and killers and shipwrecked, in the swamp… I don’t know if I can make it.’ No!
He says, I KNOW there’s a wreath of righteousness waiting for me (2 Timothy 4:08). “I KNOW.” So what do we learn from that? We can KNOW!
Paul talks about qualifying. It doesn’t use ‘qualifying’ but one time in the King James, it uses the word ‘approved.’
2 Tim. 2:15 Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (KJV)
The Concordant uses the word “qualified,” that’s a little closer to the Greek.
2 Tim. 2:15 Endeavor to present yourself to God qualified, an unashamed worker, correctly cutting the word of truth. (CLV)
1 Corinthians 11:19 …that those also who are qualified may become apparent among you.
James 1:12 happy is the man that is enduring trial: for becoming qualified, he will be obtaining the wreath of life, which the Lord promises those loving Him.
[attendee: do trials and tribulations help you to become qualified?] Why, yeah, but it all has to do with attitude. There are old people who are supposed to be mellow, on their deathbeds who curse God.
You know that poem…
Rage, rage, against the dying of the light
Do not enter softly into that sweet night
Rage, rage against the dying of the light
In other words, don’t let God take your life without putting up a fight.
THE KEY TO ACCOMPLISHING MISSION IMPOSSIBLE:
Jesus told the disciples, when He talked about the rich man… “Peter said, who then can be saved?”
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Peter said, but what about us… we have forsaken homes, families and livelihoods.
v. 28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Or in another parable, over ten cities or five cities or two cities.
v. 29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
But, we have to ask ourselves, have we forsaken all those things? We have the sure promise, but have we forsaken or are we willing to forsake all those things?
Write down three things that you have done or are doing that should qualify you to be in God’s kingdom. Things that you have done or are now doing that you would consider some kind of a qualification that you will be in God’s kingdom.
(Notes)
How are you to know whether you are doing all required to enter God’s Kingdom? Just what is it that you have sacrificed so that God will take you into His Kingdom? What? Now if I ask you to come up one by one, would you read that off to us.
[Attendees: I didn’t write nothing down]. Well, you’ve got a long way to go. Well, that’s a tough one, isn’t it?
I’m sure some of you wrote down things like; you love God, you try to do unto others what’s always right, you thank God and appreciate everything you have in this life and those are all admirable and those would be to your credit. That’s on your credit side. Now Jesus Christ said;
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.
You have to believe. Jesus Christ said;
Pro 23:7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he:
So what is it that you think about most of the time? Because that’s what you are.
If you think about materialism, pretty girls or power, fame or fortune then that’s what you are. That’s not what the Bible says is good.
1 Timothy 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
There’s kind of the ideal. “Charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.“ Loving people, so that you want to give and share and you want the best for them. Like on one occasion, Paul said, counting those surrounding you as superior to yourself. And having a good conscience.
I kind of have a custom at the end of every conference session, I tell everybody have a clean conscience. Whatever you do today, tomorrow or until we come back and meet again, don’t let anything pollute or pervert your conscience. You can’t live a good life - a godly life - a faithful life if you have a guilty conscience. It just ain’t worth it.
You know, I used to have my pet sins of youth. You say, ‘I just can’t help it, you know.’ So you commit these sins and then you feel guilty. I got tired of feeling guilty… it ain’t worth it. There’s no sin or pleasure that you can lust after that’s worth a guilty conscience. It just ain’t worth it.
How many times have you done something and you say, ‘I’d give anything to take it back, so I wouldn’t have this heaviness weighing on me that I did this thing. I wish I could take it back.’ Well, you can’t take it back. You can’t unring a bell. But you can stop ringing the bell, you see.
I get a lot of emails and I really sympathize and empathize with the people. They say, ‘Ray I can’t stop watching pornography.’ Or ‘I married a woman, but I think I’m a homosexual.‘ I get so many pathetic emails like that, ‘what can I do?’ I say, well probably just feel dirty about it, until you get so sick of it that you’d sooner have a clean conscience than satisfy that stupid lust.
I don’t commit a lot of sins, because I’m too greedy, I want a clean conscience.
Boy I tell you, I’m emphasizing this for you. HAVE A CLEAN CONSCIENCE! Don’t say anything, don’t do anything, don’t go anywhere, don’t think anything that’s going to make you feel bad or guilty about what you said or did or where you went or whatever.
I used to worry that people would find out what I did or where I went or what I said. Boy that was horrible to think that some of my friends would find out what I am really like sometimes. But I’ll tell you it’s a great feeling to know that although I am a sinner and I’m weak and have a lot of shortcomings, that for years and years now I haven’t done anything really that I am so ashamed of that I would just die if you all found out about it. I’ve done some things I’m ashamed of, but I’m not so ashamed that I want to die. Because all of you would probably say, I had similar things myself.
But what a great feeling to know that you don’t have to cover up or keep making up lies of somewhere you were or somewhere you went or something you said or did. To know that I haven’t done anything like that for years and I don’t need to worry that somebody will say, ‘Mrs. Smith, do you know where I saw Ray last week?’ I don’t worry about that stuff. Why Because I don’t go anywhere that I wouldn’t tell my wife. That’s why and that’s a nice thing. It’s a nice thing to wake up every morning and not have to cover your tracks or lie or wonder how you‘re going to get away with the next sin without anybody knowing. Just get rid of it.
You might say, ‘I tried and I can’t.’ When you get sick and tired of it enough, you will, God will come to your rescue. God will give you victory over your sins, eventually. Just keep begging Him.
(Notes)
2Tim 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Have you fled all your youthful lusts? Do you follow “righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart?” Are you becoming PERFECT as your heavenly Father is perfect?
Is there ANYTHING that is more important for you to know right now sitting here in this room at this conference? We all want God’s approval. We all want to hear God say: “WELL DONE.”
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
v. 18 For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
v. 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
How well do you read and study God Word?
2 Timothy 2:15 Study (that means put forth effort, to be prompt, to be earnest, to be diligent, to endeavor to study, to labor) to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Therefore, we should be doing right, not just to avoid wrath or to receive a reward, but rather because doing good to others IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
Read the entire chapter of Matthew 25. You will see what Jesus says, He’s going to separate the sheep from the goats, the called from the chosen and some of you are going to say, ‘wait a minute, when did we ever not visit You in prison or when did we not…’
Matthew 25:45 Then shall He answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to Me.
And likewise with the good things. The Golden Rule is a great place to start your Christian walk.
Matt 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:
Luke 6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
A conference like this is a great place to start a new beginning. So that you can say next week, next year… when I left that Bible conference in Mobile, I made some changes in my life and I haven’t been the same since. I feel better about what God’s doing in my life now. I don’t have a guilty conscience any more. I’m not perfect, but I try to be. I work hard at doing what’s right. There’s more satisfaction in that than in any sinful pleasure you could ever conceive of.
Kat:
http://bible-truths.com/audio/THEONEGODPT1.mp3
Audio 10
QUALIFYING FOR RULER-SHIP
WITH NO LEADERSHIP, MONEY OR TALENTS
I have several titles that I’m doing here and I said yesterday that I could take almost all of these eight or nine lectures that I have and I could switch all the titles around, doesn’t matter, it’s all the same thing. My message is one, I have one message. Even though I talk about different aspects of different things, it’s all one message. It’s all about the one God, the unified God. Jesus and His Father are unified. Their teaching, their instruction, their example and so on. That’s what it’s all about. We’re just approaching it from different perspectives.
This one is entitled Qualifying for Ruler-ship with no leadership or no money or no talents. I know a lot of people fit in that category. People say, ‘oh Mr. Smith, you teach and preach and you’ve got this site and you give Bible studies and you will probably be over 125 cities. I can’t do all that, I don’t have any talents… oh woe is me.’
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world (comment: that’s me) to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things (comment: that’s me) of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world (comment: that’s me), and things which are despised (comment: yeah and do they ever), hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not (comment: yeah that’s me, I’m a nobody), to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence.
You say yep that’s me all right, don’t see how I’m going to rule over five cities, or whatever. But it says…
Revelation 2:26 And he that overcomes, and keeps My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
You say, ‘how am I going to do all that? I have no education… I don’t have any money… I don’t have any place to entertain people… I don’t have a car to visit the sick, I’m sick myself. I’m old, I just learned these truths a year ago, I was already 75 or 80, what can I do? I’m an old man… I’m an old woman, how am I going to qualify for this, to rule the world… to rule the nations… to judge angels? How am I going to do that, come on.’
Well, how is he (she) going to do that? I’m here to tell you, whether you believe it or not, it’s possible to develop talents, abilities and character without having those qualities and talents inherently within you. They can be developed without natural abilities, without leadership, without education, without money, etc. But they can be developed!
Here’s how and why they can be developed. I don’t care if you’re a paraplegic on your back in bed, if that’s how you live, you can do this. Here’s why. Because of two principles.
1.) Proverbs 23:7--
(KJV) For as he (or she) thinks in his (or her) heart, so is he (she):
(ASV) For as he thinketh within himself, so is he:
(CLV) For as one who calculates within his soul, so is he;
(Rotherham) For, just as he hath thought in his own mind, so, he is:
And the second principle is this.
2.) Romans 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
On those two principles, you can be flat on your back a paraplegic and you can develop character traits, virtues, fruits of the spirit, wisdom and knowledge so that you can rule nations. (Notes) Likewise, one can meditate (think) and what he thinks then becomes what he IS. Not having money, education, talents, or possessions is no excuse for not being able to produce the kind of character and leadership necessary to “have power over the nation.”
It is in SPIRIT that we accomplish the things of the spirit:
No matter what your condition is, you can keep the law of God. Why? Because it is spiritual. It is in SPIRIT that we accomplish the things of the spirit:
We can pray in the spirit:
Ephesians 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…
Anybody can do that, “Praying always.” I pray always, that is continuously. I don’t think; oops, I thought of something I got to pray to God about and I got to find a room or a closet. Oh shoot, I’m in the car, I’ll pull off to the side of the road or I’ll use a public rest room, because I got to go and pray. I pray wherever I am!
I told you how I found my house, driving down the street. I was the only one in the car and I said, God if you want me to move to Mobile, find me a decent house. It was about a four second prayer. Within minutes, minutes, I had me a house!
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance (self control): against such there is no law.
Is there any one of those that you need an education to acquire? Is there any one of those that you need money to acquire? Is there any one of those that you need special talents or an education, where you have to go someplace different to acquire it? No.
The mind, “as you think…”
Romans 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
It’s in the heart - in the mind - in the spirit.
Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, (comment: how so?) which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
It’s what’s inside that counts!
I enjoy and appreciate nice things. I tell one on my wife… sometimes there’ll be something laying around and I’ll pick it up and my wife will say, ‘just leave it or whatever, nobody’s coming.’ I’ll say, I’m not worried about that. It’s not somebody else I’m worried about, it’s me, I don’t like that laying there. I’m picking that up for me, because I don’t want this junk laying around. We are admonished…
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
WHAT DO YOU THINK ALL DAY LONG?
So you become what you think about all day. If you think about God and His ways and His law, you can accomplish things, you can build things and you can acquire fruits of the spirit and so on. Because the law is spiritual.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true…
You know I just pray all the time that God will show me the truth and that what I teach will be the truth. You know we have opened each day (with prayer), but I already prayed before I got here… prayed on the way over…. prayed last night… prayed when I was putting the notes together. But we pray as kind of a public type thing, a corporate prayer I guess and maybe for your benefit.
But that’s not the first time I asked God to show me some truth to give you. When I read books like this, I don’t assume I have all understanding. So if I’m going to waste hundreds of hours studying the subject then show me, show me the truth. I’m open to the truth God. I don’t want to protect some pet philosophy of mine, I want to know the truth, show me.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true (we want to stick with the truth), whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS.
v. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, DO: and the God of peace shall be with you.
So, when Paul tells me that Jesus Christ created everything, visible and the invisible, I think on those things and I believe them and I do them and I teach them. I don’t say, oh that’s just John and Paul talking about that nonsense, nobody else.
If it’s true… it’s true. If it’s the word of God, don’t demean it. If it’s something that is totally foreign and heretical as far as God is concerned, don’t teach it and don’t believe it.
So, if you read Romans through to Philemon, those are Paul’s 13 writings, there’s a lot to read and heed, isn’t there? Probably a couple of hundred things.
Let’s go to a little book that nobody hardly bothers about. It’s a great book, it’s two pages… Titus.
I have underscored in my Bible everything in Titus that Paul says we should do or think. In two pages I think it’s 72 things he says we should do or think or be. Seventy two things in two pages. Now don’t quote me on that, because I’m not sure, but it seems like it is something like that, seventy two, but it is a huge number of things.
So when he says, “those things, which you have both learned and received and heard in me, DO.” Then I have the last book, we’ll start with Romans.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice…
Now there’s something to do!
In Philemon and that is not even a whole page in the Bible. He says something in there that is very profound.
Phm 1:18 If he hath wronged you, PUT IT ON MY ACCOUNT… I will repay it.
He comes to the rescue of Onesimus, a runaway slave and he tells Philemon that if he is taken from you or has short-changed you in any way, put it on my account. Can we learn from stuff like that? You bet we can, you bet we learn a lot.
If you follow these instructions and you do what it says and believe what it says is true and you do them year after year, you are going to become like that, you know. That’s what you will become!
(Notes)
If you read your Bible daily and study them thoroughly and follow and do what it admonishes… think on these things… meditate on God’s laws… God’s ways… forgive everyone and love everyone. Follow and do these instructions everyday for the rest of your lives and you will BECOME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT! You will be ready to take on responsibilities in God’s Kingdom.
Isaiah 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Who is going to teach them righteousness and execute these “judgments in the earth?” WE ARE.
1 Corinthians 6:2 Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
V. 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels?
You can’t judge anybody, if we haven’t first judged ourselves and learned to do everything that the scriptures tell us.
I CAN’T STOP SINNING
Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Well there it is, there’s your answer! What do you mean, you can’t stop sinning? “Let us lay aside [throw off, rid ourselves] every weight, and the SIN which doth so easily beset [entangles, naturally entraps, hinders] us.” There’s your answer! Who now knows how to stop sinning? Do you think it will work?
Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
v. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Well now, now we’ve got it. How do we stop sinning? “Don’t let sin reign in your mortal body.” Don’t let it!
Now, do you know how to conquer all your sins? Think it will work? Do you think you’ll go out armed to the teeth, with the spiritual knowledge of how to conquer your sins? Or maybe you’re not too sure that works and it’s ‘I guess you can do it.’ You just do it or rather when it comes to sin, don’t do it. So, there are some instruction on what we must do. So what else can I tell you? Do it!
(Notes)
So we have: lay aside sin. Don’t let sin reign in you, don’t yield yourself as an instrument of unrighteousness and sin. There are the instruments as to what we must do. Just do it, lay it aside, throw it off, rid yourself of sin, don’t let it reign over you, or as Jesus told the young woman caught in adultery; “Go and SIN NO MORE!”
Some of you are saying, ‘I’ve tried and it didn’t work.’ That’s why I keep getting these emails. ‘I can’t stop watching pornography, I just can’t stop… I can’t stop drugs… I can’t stop masturbating… I can’t stop getting drunk… I can’t… I can’t…. I can’t’
Well, aren’t you glad you came to this meeting? I’m going to try to give you some encouragement. Trust me, there’s hope for all of us. Now, here’s some of the hope.
Kat:
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation [Gk: adverse sentence, condemnation (regardless of what these detractors try to say, that not only does God pour out His indignation and wrath upon His elect, but He poured it out on His son all the days of His life, they say… nonsense )] to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Oh shoot, here’s something we have to do again. ‘Oh, I tried to walk after the spirit, not after the flesh, but I come up short.’ Some of you are shaking your head in agreement with that, you know what I’m talking about.
But here is another encouraging thought, “there’s no condemnation.” If you love Jesus and you love God and this is what you want, you’re on the right track.You might still be sinning, but you’re on the right track.
Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Who wants to explain that to me, anybody? “Not to doubtful disputations.” They might as well have left it untranslated, they might as well left it in the Greek. It would make about as much sense, wouldn’t it?
Romans 14:1 He that is weak in the faith receive you, but not for decision of scruples. (ASV)
Oh, now I get it? What in the world does that mean?
Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive not to judgments of disputing. (Bishop’s)
There’s a little glimmer there.
Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not for disputing opinions. (Rotherham)
Well, that’s opening up a little bit.
Romans 14:1 And him who is weak in the faith receive ye--not to determinations of reasonings; (YLT)
Nah, befuddled again.
Sometimes we can be thankful that somebody wrote the Living Bible. Now I have heard people speak very disparagingly about this paraphrased Scripture, ‘most unscriptural in the world.’ It’s not too good of a literal translation, but it’s pretty good at a lot of places.
I have found any number of scriptures that I have wrestled with, just because of the difficult wording in the King James and other translations. I love to read that one Scripture from the Concordant Version, a very good translation, one of the best… Concordant, Rotherham, Emphatic Diaglott
1 Thessalonians 2:14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the ecclesias (or the church) of God, which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus. For ye suffered the same, even by your own fellow tribesmen, according as they also by the Jews,
v. 15 who killed the Lord Jesus, as well as the prophets and banish us, who are not pleasing to God and are contrary to all men,
v. 16 forbidding us to speak to the nations that they may be saved, to fill up their sins always, yet the indignation outstrips to them to a consummation.
WHAT? Might as well have left that untranslated. I think I understand that better in the Greek. “Yet the indignation outstrips to them to a consummation”? I said to several people already, they’re too accurate. You can be too accurate and too literal. When you do that, it starts to get stupid.
Like the Concordant people has the disciples sitting down and “masticating” with Jesus. Come on, they were eating. Maybe the Greek did mean to masticate food, but in English we say, they were eating. Let’s translate it.
“Yet the indignation outstrips to them to a consummation.” That’s nonsense. I’m not even going to tell you what it should be. Play with that one for a while. But anyway, we can be thankful for the Living Bible. Let me give it to you from the Living Bible.
We have “determinations of reasonings,” “disputing opinions,” “discrimination of reasonings,” “judgments of disputing,” and “decisions of scruples.”
Romans 14:1 Give a warm welcome to any brother who wants to join you, even though his faith is weak. Don’t criticize him for having different ideas from yours about what was right or wrong. For instance, don’t argue with him about whether or not to eat meat that has been offered to idols. (Living Bible)
Now do you understand it? Don’t be afraid to use another translation sometimes. But there’s a point in that scripture. If we are told to not criticize people for different opinions about what is right and wrong, if we are not to do that, then what makes us think that God does that? The truth of the matter is, He doesn’t. Not only doesn’t He pour out His vengeance and wrath and indignation upon us, He doesn’t have any condemnation toward us. You say, ‘I don’t think He appreciates my sins.’ Well, I don’t doubt that. But that doesn’t turn Him into a wrathful, hate filled God.
Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
v. 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.
v. 34 who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again; who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
v. 35 Who will separate us from the love of the Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
v. 36 as it is written, For whose sake we are put to death all the day long, we were reckoned as sheep of slaughter,
v. 37 nay, in all these things we more than conquerors, through him who loved us;
v. 38 for I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
v. 39 nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Now that should be encouraging to us. Does that then do away with, if you look back you are not fit for the kingdom of God? If you are not willing to sacrifice all and follow Me, does that do away with those Scriptures? No. But it let’s us know what God’s goal is with us.
Luke 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Are those things going to separate us from God, if God is determined to call us for a purpose and see us through to the end? No. We’re going to make it through to the end. ‘Well what if we stumble and fall?’ We may stumble and fall, but the word says He is able to pick us up again.
Romans 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he stands or falls. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Proverbs 24:16 For a just man falls seven times, and rises up again…
That doesn’t mean he’s finished, all washed up. You have to understand that God is for you. If God is for you, who or what can be against you? Get that in your head and make that part of your thinking. Think that for the rest of your life. If God is for you… ‘well I don’t know if He is?’ He calls people who are weak and have such stupid ideas as to question God and His motives, as that ‘He didn’t know what He was doing when He called me.’ God says, I did that to confound the mighty, I need your ignorance and weakness, so I can confound the mighty with you. You might say, ‘I’m not wise enough to confound my cat.’ Well, yes… not yet.
WRATH IS: PUNISHMENT & JUDGMENT
Psa 78:49 He castH7971 upon them (these are those that turn their back on Him and don’t want to walk after the spirit) the fiercenessH2740 of his anger,H639 wrath,H5678 and indignation,H2195 and trouble,H6869 by sendingH4917 evilH7451 angelsH4397 among them.
(Notes)
Fierceness: H2740 chevron - a burning of anger: - sore displeasure, fierce (-ness), fury, (fierce) wrath (-ful).
Anger: H639 'aph - anger, wrath.
Wrath: H5678 ‛ebrâh - an outburst of passion: - anger, rage, wrath.
Indignation: H2195 za‛am - strictly froth at the mouth, that is, (figuratively) fury (especially of God’s displeasure with sin): - angry, indignation, rage.
Trouble: H6869 tsârâh - adversary, adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble.
Evil: H7451 ra‛ râ‛âh - bad or evil. adversity, affliction, distress, evil, grief, harm, heavy, hurt (-ful), ill (favored, mischief, misery, naught, noisome, sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked, wretchedness, wrong.
So God does pour out His wrath and it’s pretty bad. Why? Because of their great sin.
Psa 78:17 And they sinned…
And they refused to “walk” in God’s law.
Psa 78:10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in His law;
Wow, that’s pretty bad. But, not on His elect. “There is no condemnation” (Rom. 8:1). Believe me, the wrath and fierceness and fury and evil and vengeance that God’s going to send on this world is not a pretty picture. But not on His elect! “There is no condemnation.”
You know that scripture, but you just don’t think about it, you don’t completely believe it, that’s the problem. Well, think about it and believe it. ’Well I guess if God was for me…’ Not if, He is for you! That’s why you are sitting here. Why would you spend hundreds of dollars and travel thousands of miles to come here if you didn’t want to obey God? If you didn’t want to fellowship with people of like minds? If you didn’t want to be instructed out of the word of God? Why would you do that? Of course God is for you.
Well, then who’s against you? Nobody. There’s no power you can put up against God. That’s a mismatch.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
But God has appointed us to tribulation.
1Th 3:3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
v. 4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
God’s Elect are God’s favorites, the chosen are favorites. He favors us and that’s why “there’s no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus and walk not after the flesh but after the spirit.” (Notes) God’s Elect are God’s favorites upon whom He is now showing great favor. He does not hate us, neither is He anger with us.
1 Cor. 10:1-11 …We are NOT to do as those upon whom God poured out His WRATH!
SO JUST HOW IS IT THAT WE STOP SINNING?
The answer is we can’t. But God can and does and He does it BY GRACE through faith.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
That is why: “There is now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1)
Now we sometimes chastise our children, just like God chastises us. Do we chastise our children because they always know what’s right and wrong and do it anyway? No, they’re young and foolish and sometimes they just don’t know what they’re doing or how wrong it is. But we chastise them so they’ll learn.
God uses anger and wrath to TEACH humanity that what they ARE doing is wrong. But He does not use anger and wrath on His very Elect. Nowhere does God pour out wrath upon His chosen saints. So don’t think that God is angry with you because you have a lot of trails and tribulations. It is part of your training to become SONS OF GOD.
If we are “saved by grace through faith and that not of our own,” (Eph. 2:08) then why are we still sinning and often times it just seems apparent that we’re unable to conquer, at least, certain sins? It sounds like God takes the responsibility to get you to stop sinning and He does take that responsibility. If He takes that responsibility, does it mean you don’t have enough responsibility to do it yourself? That’s exactly what it means.
So there’s a process and it’s all according to God’s timing, not ours. I wanted to stop all my major sins and minor ones too, but especially the major ones, long before I ever stopped. I wanted to quit smoking long before I quit. Why didn’t I?
How many of you were smokers? Wow, God bless you all. My lungs are probably pink again, unless they are eaten up with cancer, but that’s a hard one. Smoking is one of the hardest thing to quit, very hard. They say nicotine is more addictive than heroin and I know. I actually quit a couple of times and started again. I quit smoking for 25 years and then started smoking again. When my wife left, she fell in love with the world and all the glitz and glamour, I wouldn’t date another girl who smoked. But one time in Atlanta I dated a girl who smoked… before you knew it, I was having a cigarette with her. Then I smoked for years. Then I quit again.
But it takes a while for motivation, even though we can say God is the One who determines when you are actually going to put that last cigarette out. Nonetheless, you have to suffer through it. You say, ‘no I put forth the effort.’ God made you put forth the effort. He made you choose and it was probably a hard choice.
But there’s a process to quitting smoking. You try, you fail and one thing and another. But that’s one that a lot of people do and they take credit for it. Most people who quit smoking don’t give God credit for it. Some do and rightly so, but not all.
So, there’s a process. First we are called of God;
1 Corinthians 1:26 For ye see your CALLING, brethren…
This will bring about wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption.
1 Corinthians 1:28-29 …to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence.
v. 30 But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
v.31 That, according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord.
So, God calls you, He calls the weak nothings of this world and then He makes us in Christ Jesus - wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. That’s God’s work, God does that.
But there are other processes necessary to reach that goal. We must first “repent and believe the Gospel.”
Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
v.15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
When Jesus Christ began His ministry, did everybody repent? No. Now at John’s preaching, a lot of them got baptized. Did they understand the spiritual ramification of being baptized? Did they understand that they were being baptized into Christ’s death? No, they were just going under then water. Water is a sign of cleansing, washing off the dirt. They wanted to wash off the dirt, wash off their sins.
How many people were baptized? I guess, thousands and thousands. For years John baptized. Did it take? Well I like to tell people to go to the first chapter of Acts. Jesus Christ told His disciples to get everybody together, I’m going to come and visit you. When Pentecost comes, you all be in one place I’m going to come.
Acts 1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, (waiting for this coming of the Comforter, the power of the Holy Spirit) with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
v. 15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
John baptized people by the thousands… Jesus Christ healed people by the thousands.
One time I went through a study and just showed what Jesus Christ did all day every day of His ministry. He healed the sick, all day long by the thousands and thousands. At the end of His ministry, He was crucified and raised from the dead and He told His disciples get out the word I want you to meet and you’re going to receive power and the Holy Spirit is going to come upon all of you. They all got together in one place… less than twice the amount of people we have in this room.
He healed thousands, remember one time that there were continually more being added. These people that were healed a lot of them they didn’t just go home, they were going to follow Jesus. These droves of people were going to see if He was going to heal anybody else, it was exciting stuff. But come Pentecost, there were 120 people. That’s really pathetic.
Kat:
http://bible-truths.com/audio/THEONEGODPT2.mp3
Audio 11
Jesus Christ said you have to repent and believe the gospel. But how do you do that?
John said to the Pharisees, what are you doing out here, you have to bring forth some proof of your repentance, before you can be baptized.
Romans 2:3 And think you this, O man, that judges them which do such things, and do the same, that you shall escape the judgment of God?
What did we read where we needed the Living Bible to get us straighten out? Those that want to join you, let them join you. But don’t be judging them because they have some differences about what they think is right or wrong.
We were over at Logan’s Roadhouse Grill yesterday, I ate my ‘Jimmy’s Salad.’ One of the men here, he was sitting back in the other corner, I said, why don’t ya’ll come over and join us we’ve got a room reserved over here, you know. He said, ‘I’ve got a beer.‘ I said, I don’t care, bring it with you. Do you think you’re going to offend me with your beer? I don’t judge people according to what we think is right or wrong. I was tempted to have one with you.
Actually once in a great while I have had a beer, not many, but a couple in the last year. But I’m not supposed to have alcohol, because it’s very acid.
Romans 2:4 Or despise you the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
Oh, so God calls us and God is going to make us righteous and give us redemption and all that. It is God, through His goodness He brings us to repentance.
Well if you have been unable to repent of your sins, and keep them out of your life, maybe God had you come here today to learn a lesson. God will take care of it. You say, ’well I wish He’d hurry up.’ God has His own timing. I just want you to have the confidence that it will happen. Why? Because you’re sitting here, you’ve proved to me that you love God. You don’t travel thousands of miles and spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars to come here, because you don’t love God and you don’t want to know God’s truth, of course you do. So what do you think that He’s going to turn His back on you? Of course not.
(Notes)
So if you just can’t understand how this sinful world can do the evils that they do and you shake your head at them, then you are “despising the riches of His goodness… not knowing that the goodness of God (not your own wise choice to follow God) leads you to repentance.” So if you are going to stop judging (condemning) the sinful world, you are going to have to “HUMBLE yourself.”
James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.
So, you have to accept these things, accept these truths, accept these promises and so on. Because if you don’t, you’re kind of despising the word of God. You’ve got to believe the scriptures. Live by them.
So we’re told many times, in many ways, not to speak evil of a brother.
James 4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother…
Now maybe you condemn yourself, because you’ve a problem with gossip, which you shouldn’t have. But let me have you understand something here, I get accused all the time, ‘Ray, you name names. You not only criticize people, you name names.’ I say, well, so did John, so did Jesus, so did Paul. Then they say, ‘well, you’re not Jesus.’ No, but we are supposed to be.
But these people that do these horrible thing, I don’t consider them my brothers, no. I’ve had some people, just like Paul said, Alexander the coppersmith has done me a lot of dirt, a lot of harm, okay? Well, should he have said that? ’I can’t talk about a brother like that. Tell people how dirty they did you. How could you get away with that?’ Well first of all, I don’t think he considered Alexander the coppersmith to be his brother. Who are your spiritual brothers? Here’s the answer….
Matthew 12:47 Then one said unto Him, Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee.
v. 48 But He answered and said unto him that told Him, Who is My mother? and who are My brethren?
v. 49 And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren!
v. 50 For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.
But when people preach heresy and blaspheme the name of God, I don‘t consider them my brother. Secondly, there’s a giant difference between acknowledging somebody’s sins and shortcomings and condemning them to some evil fate, because of it. I’ve never condemned people that teach heresy, you know I hope they burn in hell or something, like they tell me.
But it’s not wrong (to name names). I get a lot of people, that say, ’how can you do that, you name names, that they are teaching falsely? God will judge them.’ I say didn‘t you read the top of my home site? Why we expose those who contradict? That’s a commandment from God to Paul and he’s passing it on to us, that you should expose those who contradict the word of God. I have no problem doing that.
Jesus said to the Pharisees, “they be blind leaders of the blind.” (Mat. 15:14) and you hypocrites, you false prophets, you whitened septic tanks, you generation of snakes. ‘Ooh, I thought He taught us not to talk like that.’ It needed to be said, we needed to understand that’s what they were and we need to understand that nothing has changed. He would say the same thing of today’s religious leaders, yes He would. The only difference is, they’ve gotten worse.
I mean, as bad as the Pharisees and the scribes and all those were, as bad as they were, you won’t read any place where they consigned people to an eternal hell of terrorism and torture of twelve thousand degrees of fire. Have you ever read where they did anything like that? Do you think today’s clergy are saints compared to those horrible Pharisees? I don’t think that the Pharisees even come close to the blasphemy of today’s theologians.
Mat 23:39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
How about that? So, He was calling them snakes, hypocrites, blind guides and whitened sepulchers and a generation of snakes, but notice it, did He say to hell with all of you rot in hell? No, after He said all those things, He said “I say unto you,” in addition to all those bad things that you are, “Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till you shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Jesus is saying, one day, you’ll say that and then we’ll communicate, we’ll be friends, we’ll be brothers. And they will be blessed, because “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” They will be coming in the name of the Lord.
So, you are called and God imparts wisdom and knowledge to you and He leads you to repentance and all that, then you come and accept Jesus Christ as your savior. And well you have to have faith, He said “believe the gospel,” that’s faith.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that (that faith) not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
How do we come to Christ?
John 6:44 No man can come to Me (Jesus), except the Father which has sent Me draw (Greek means drag) him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
So, God does all these things, don’t feel frustrated if you’ve not conquered all your sins. You can feel bad and you should feel bad, you can feel guilty and you should feel guilty, but don’t become discouraged, for this too shall pass, in God’s time.
God is calling you, God is choosing you and you know in your heart if you want to obey God and live right and do right and walk in the spirit, you know that. Well, then it’s going to happen. There is no condemnation on God’s part. So have that assurance.
Ephesians 2:10 For we (God’s chosen Elect) are HIS (God’s) workmanship (Concordant translates this achievement), created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are God’s achievement, we don’t achieve it by ourselves. We’re God’s workmanship, “we’re God’s achievement, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” So God intends for us to do good works. If you’re not doing very many good works, God’s not through with you yet. He’s working with you, work-manship speaks of a process, achievement speaks more of reaching the goal. You will reach the goal.
So when you read all of this stuff, it appears like “all is of God”……well duh.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
I guess we can all say amen to that.
Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
v. 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (that is a covering, a shelter) through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
v. 26 To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus.
Now, it says you have to believe in Jesus, that’s faith. Where are you going to get that faith? It’s a gift of God too. Just rely on God, accept Him at His word. Pray, say ‘God, Ray has shown me all this stuff, is that true, are You going to do all that in my life?’
Well, if He is calling you, of course He will. Why are you fretting so? Why do you really worry, that maybe you won’t be in the kingdom of God? You will be, unless you’re sitting here faking it. Unless you really don’t love God and you would really prefer a worldly life of lust and sin and all of that. But if you’re here because you do love God, you love decency, and goodness and purity and virtue and all the things that Paul said to “think on these things.” If that’s how you are and how you want to be, then that’s how it’s going to happen. In God’s time it will happen in your life.
ALL IS OF GOD
Romans 3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
v. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
v. 29 Is He the God of the Jews only? is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:
v. 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
v. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? No, God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
But now we don’t go about trying to justify our own righteousness by works of the law. We know that unless God is doing it in us and through us, it’s of little or no value. So, these are things to pray about, think about, meditate about and so on. Don’t be discouraged. Is God calling you? Of course He’s calling you… always remember that.
One person was really going to get his family turned off at him, to come here, because he was supposed to attend a family member’s wedding. He was thinking, ‘I’m going to go and listen to Ray teach.’ That didn’t settle too well with the family! Now it turns out that he had an accident and he has to be operated on the day after tomorrow. He was willing to do what it took to get here even if it meant losing respect with his own family members.
If God’s calling you, you’re going to have such trials. Maybe some of you could tell me such stories, where it was rather difficult for you to come, because some didn’t want you to come, you didn’t have the money to come. Moses, he’s back there. Moses got on a bus three days ago. He’s been riding day and night coming up here from Central Mexico for crying out loud. With only a few dollars in his pocket. Why did he do that? He wants to know about God. God will take care of him.
Yet, it’s all of God… the Concordant Version translates
Romans 11:36 Seeing that out of him, and through him, and for him, is all: to Him be the glory for the eons! Amen! (CLV)
(Notes)
1Cor 11:12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
2Cor 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
God will see us through. God is no failure. We are God’s achievement. Yes, Paul worked on himself so as to not be a castaway.
1Co 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
But he had complete confidence that “a crown of righteousness” was already waiting for him.
2Tim 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.
Waiting for Paul and ALL OF US at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Do any of you have any questions about sin? Are you frustrated, you can’t overcome certain things or are you just not happy, not content?
[Attendee: Our weaknesses, does God uses that to humbled us?] Absolutely it will humble you. I mean when you try to do some things ten, twenty, fifty times for five or ten years and can’t do it, that’s humbling.
Ecclesiastes 1:13 God gives the children of humanity an experience of evil to humble him thereby.
This is humbling. The very fact that we grow old, get diseased and die, that’s humbling. You don’t think about that when you are twenty or thirty years old. I was forced to think about it and boy it will set you back on your heels.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version