Ephesians 1 Part 9 (5-22-05)

Ephesians 1 Part 9
(Bible Study Time 5-22-05)

According to Ephesians, Chapter 1, the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance in Jesus Christ. When we witness the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, we have assurance that our inheritance is secure. However, we must realize that the changes we see here and now are but a glimpse of the total glory which we will someday experience.

When Christ who is our life appears, then we also will appear with Him in glory. But even now, our citizenship is in heaven from whence we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that is may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself.

Because this inheritance is guaranteed, we can say with full assurance that we have eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 3:16 (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The Holy Spirit is God’s seal of acceptance upon our lives. Manufacturers in our country often work hard to earn the seal of approval which independent researchers offer. The American Dental Association has a seal of acceptance which is placed upon certain products which have been tested and approved. Only those products which have passed the test are given their seal of approval.

Well, God has placed His seal of approval upon us. We are accepted in the beloved. He was tested in every way. According to the book of Hebrews, Jesus Christ can sympathize with our weaknesses because He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Christ was tested in the wilderness by the devil. He had had no food for forty days and forty nights when the devil came to him and said, "If thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Jesus quoted the scriptures and said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

The devil took Jesus up to the top of the temple and said, "Cast yourself down, and angels will lift you up." Jesus passed the test and said, "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

When the devil offered Jesus all of the kingdoms of this world if He would but bow down and worship the devil, the Lord Jesus remained faithful to the word of God and said, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve."

Later, the Lord Jesus was repeatedly tested by the scribes and the Pharisees. The Bible says that the Pharisees plotted to entangle Jesus in His words. They asked, "Is it lawful to pay taxes?" Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar those things which are Caesar’s."

They asked, "If a woman is married to seven brothers, whose wife will she be in the resurrection?" Jesus said, "In the resurrection there is neither marrying nor giving in marriage."

They asked, "Which is the greatest commandment of the law?" Jesus answered plainly, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all your heart, soul and mind, and the second greatest commandment is, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself’."

Jesus Christ was the spotless Lamb of God, who came to take away the sin of the world. He was tested and tried in all points such as we are, yet without sin.

God placed His seal of approval upon the Lord Jesus. At the time of Jesus’ baptism and on the Mount of Transfiguration, God spoke from heaven and said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

While Jesus was dying upon the cross, He cried out, "My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?" But this time the heavens were silent. There was no voice from heaven to comfort and console, for God had turned His back on His only begotten Son. The Bible says that Jesus cried out again, with a loud voice, but again the heavens were silent, and Jesus yielded up His spirit.

They took his body and laid it in a grave, but the grave could not hold Him. On the third day Jesus came back from the dead and was taken up into heaven where He was glorified and exalted. He was given a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. And we who believe are accepted in Him and sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

There is no indication that God would ever, under any circumstance, take away the Holy Spirit from those who believe. There is no indication that God would take away the salvation which He has given to us. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.

God knows the end from the beginning, and there is nothing that takes Him by surprise. He planned our salvation in consultation with all the members of the Godhead before the foundation of the world. Therefore, it is inconceivable that God would grant salvation one day only to take it away the next.

In Galatians, Chapter 3, Paul answers those who theorize that salvation must be maintained by good works even after we are saved by faith. In verse 2 we read:

Galatians 3:2-3 (NKJ)
2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

Paul was reminding the Jewish believers that they had kept the law for years and years, but they did not receive salvation until they put their faith in Jesus Christ. They kept the law faithfully, but they were lost in their sins until they experienced the power of faith in Christ.

Then Paul reminded them that when they got saved, the Holy Spirit gave evidence of that salvation by means of miracles, wonders and signs. People spoke in tongues. People were healed of their diseases. Demons were cast out. Paul asked, "Did these things ever happen to you as a result of keeping the law? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?" Paul said in Galatians 2:

Galatians 2:18-20 (NKJ)
18 "For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
19 "For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God.

Galatians 2:21 (NKJ)
21 "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."

If God were to take away our salvation as a result of sin, then our salvation would be dependent upon our own good works, and we would find ourselves under the same curse as those who were under the law, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

If keeping my salvation depends upon my own goods works, then I will either live in doubt and fear of losing my salvation, or I will learn to disregard my sin as a spirit of self righteousness grows within my heart.

Since living in constant doubt and fear is too painful to endure, many learn that self righteousness is more tolerable. They may convince themselves that they are good enough as they compare themselves to others by the standards of society. But God does not think the way society thinks. He said:

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJ)
8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," . . .
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

The essence of self righteousness is pride. Therefore, as self righteousness grows, pride also grows. What a paradox! The better we think we are the worse we really are. Proverbs 6 lists even a proud look as one of the seven things that God hates.

The Pharisees stand as the supreme example of those who were self righteous. They wrongfully accused an innocent man. They paid for perjured testimony in the trial, and on the basis of that testimony they executed the man. But, somehow, they thought they were innocent before God. Jesus knew their hearts and said, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."

Our only hope of living a life that is pleasing to God is to humble ourselves before the Lord and ask for His help. If we seek we will find. Psalm 34 says:

Psalm 34:18 (NKJ)
18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Psalm 51 says:

Psalm 51:15-17 (NKJ)
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart__ these, O God, You will not despise.

Isaiah said:

Isaiah 66:1-2 (NKJ)
1 Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool . . .
2 "But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.

The Lord Jesus had harsh words for the Pharisees. He said:

Matthew 23:13-15 (NKJ)
13 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
14 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

Jesus told the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector who both went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee said, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men-- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.

The tax collector, on the other hand, would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but he said, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!"

Then Jesus said of the tax collector, "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

We are saved by God’s grace and accepted in the Beloved. We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, and by God’s grace He will keep us safe and secure in Jesus Christ until the day when God catches us up to be with Him in the glory of heaven.

If you are listening today, and you find yourself plagued with fears and doubts about where you will spend eternity, you can trust what God has said in His word. Jesus Christ died for your sins, and those who put their faith in Him are given eternal life.

You do not have to worry that God will take your salvation away. Jesus said:

John 10:27-29 (NKJ)
27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
29 "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

If you are listening today, and you find yourself thinking that God will accept you because you live a pretty good life, I would ask you to seriously consider your relationship with God. If you have never accepted Christ, humble yourself before the Lord and accept Christ as your Savior. Jesus Christ will enter into your life and fill your life with blessings.

If you have already trusted Christ but have continued to live with a determination to do good deeds so that you will be guaranteed a place in heaven, that is the sin of pride. Humble yourself before the Lord, confess your sin and God will give you the assurance that you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit until the redemption of the purchased possession at the rapture of the Church.

Psalm 34:18 (NKJ)
18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/

Ephesians 1 Part 8 (5-15-05)

Ephesians 1:14
(Bible Study Time 5-15-05)

The book of Ephesians, Chapter 1, reveals some of the spiritual blessings that believers of our present age experience in Jesus Christ. In fact, Paul says that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings, and he says that we who first trusted in Christ have obtained this inheritance, that we should be to the praise of God’s glory.

As members of the Church which is the Body of Christ, we are among those who first trusted in Christ. This description sets us apart from those who will put their trust in Christ during the tribulation period. The entire nation of Israel and many others as well will be saved during the tribulation period.

But during that time of tribulation, God will send strong delusion upon the majority of mankind so that they will believe the lie of Satan. The antichrist will proclaim himself to be God as he sits in the temple of God.

However, in spite of all this evil that will take place during the tribulation period, God is already working out His glorious plan to reconcile all things to Christ, whether things in heaven or things on earth. But we are among those who first trusted in Christ. We today have been set apart from those who will be reconciled to God in the ages to come.

Paul says that believers today have redemption though the blood of Christ, even the forgiveness of sins. However, he is very clear that our redemption will not be complete until we receive our new immortal bodies from God. Colossians 3 says:

Colossians 3:4 (NKJ)
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Philippians 3 says:

Philippians 3:20-21 (NKJ)
20 . . . our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

We have assurance that this will take place before the tribulation period because when Paul told Timothy about the perilous last days of our present age, he said nothing about the antichrist, the abomination of desolation, or anything else that relates to the tribulation period. He said only that:

2 Timothy 3:13 (NKJ)
13 . . . evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

And this gives us a clear signal that the evils of the tribulation period will not take place until after the members of the Church, the Body of Christ, are taken up to be with Christ in the glory of heaven.

In Ephesians 1, Paul uses a beautiful expression as he speaks of the rapture if the Church. In verse 14, he refers to the rapture as the redemption of the purchased possession. Paul told the Corinthians in I Corinthians 6:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJ)
19 . . . do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

We were slaves to sin and slaves of Satan, himself, but Jesus Christ paid the price for our freedom. He bought us for Himself, and then He set us free. He gave us the Holy Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.

In Ephesians 1, Paul says that the Holy Spirit within us is the guarantee that someday God will complete the redemption that was purchased at the cross. When you purchase a house, you usually put some earnest money down as the guarantee that you will at a later time complete the transaction.

Well, God already has our reward, our inheritance, waiting for us, and He has given us the Holy Spirit as the guarantee that the transaction will be completed someday. When Jesus Christ catches us up to be with Him in glory, then He will have redeemed His purchased possession.

When you buy a house and you put down your earnest money, the seller is going to want something substantial, something real, to show the validity of your intentions, and when God gave us the Holy Spirit to live within us, He gave us verifiable, internal proof that He will someday complete the redemption that He has already begun in our lives.

When Jesus Christ comes into our hearts, the old man is crucified with Christ, and the new man is generated by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul draws a sharp contrast between the old man and the new man in Ephesians 4. Beginning at verse 17 we read:

Ephesians 4:17-32 (NKJ)
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,
18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But you have not so learned Christ,
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another.
26 "Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,
27 nor give place to the devil.
28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

The new man is a beautiful creation of Jesus Christ, and we are going to look at each of these aspects of the new man in detail in a few weeks, but for now I think we can see the tremendous transformation that takes place in the heart of the believer when the Holy Spirit has the freedom to work.

God has given each person freedom of choice, and as a result, the Holy Spirit will not enter into a person’s life until He is invited to enter. He can draw people to Christ. He can convict people of their sin. But he will not dwell within the heart of a person unless He is invited in.

If you are listening today and have never invited Christ into your life to teach you, direct you and to protect you, won’t you invited Him in today? Salvation is just that simple. Ask and ye shall receive.

However, even after we receive the Holy Spirit, we still have the temptations of the flesh to deal with because we still have a body of flesh. We must guard against anything that would hinder our fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

Ananias tried to lie to the Holy Spirit in Acts, Chapter 5, and he was struck dead. Stephen told the members of the Sanhedrin in Acts, Chapter 7, that they were resisting the Holy Spirit even as their fathers had done. As we read a few moments ago, Paul tells us in Ephesians 4 not to grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

God has given us the Bible as the very word of God to strengthen us in the Holy Spirit. Paul said:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJ)
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Holy Spirit wrote the Bible, and the Holy Spirit uses the Bible to provide all that we need to live a victorious life in Jesus Christ. When we see the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts, this is the guarantee that our inheritance in Jesus Christ is certain. Paul calls the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit of promise, and the promise of our inheritance is that someday we will no longer have to deal with a body of flesh. We are going to be given a glorious body like that of the Lord Jesus when He redeems His purchased possession.

Notice that the Holy Spirit is not only the guarantee of the promise, but the Holy Spirit sets His seal upon our lives. When the President of the United States puts his seal upon a document, that seal gives the words of that document authority. The seal is the proof that the words are the words of the president.

The Church which is the Body of Christ is the purchased possession of God, and God sets His seal upon us to show that we belong to Him and to bestow upon us the power and the authority that we need to carry out the work that God has given us to do. In Luke 24, just before the Lord Jesus ascended up into heaven, He told His disciples:

Luke 24:49 (NKJ)
49 "Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."

The Holy Spirit gave the disciples the ability to speak with authority on God’s behalf. When the disciples spoke in tongues on the Day of Pentecost, Peter spoke boldly and said, "This is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel." Then Peter went on to quote verse after verse from Joel, Chapter 2 as well as from the Psalms.

When God sets His seal upon us, He gives us the power and the authority to speak for Him. The power and authority of the disciples was made evident by miracles, wonders and signs. Today, however, grace is the mark of the Holy Spirit. As we saw in Ephesians 4, Paul said:

Ephesians 4:29 (NKJ)
29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

Colossians 4 says:

Colossians 4:6 (NKJ)
6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

When we speak with the authority of the Holy Spirit, we should not speak so much with a dogmatic tone, but our speech should reveal the grace of God. We speak the truth, but we speak it in love. Our speech shows the tenderness and true concern of Christ. II Corinthians 2 puts it this way:

2 Corinthians 2:14-17 (NKJ)
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

What a privilege it is to represent Christ and bear the fragrance of Christ as we speak the truth in love.

Well, I see our time is gone. Thank you for listening to Bible Study Time this morning, and be sure to tune in again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:
http://www.peacechurch_ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch_fw.com/

Ephesians 1 Mother's Day (5-8-05)

Mother’s Day
(Bible Study Time 5-8-05)

We have been studying the book of Ephesians where we find the Apostle Paul describing the blessings that belong to the believers of our present age. When we are saved by faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, we are added to the Church which is the Body of Christ, and we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places.

Our blessings stand in contrast to the blessings of those who lived under the Law of Moses. Those who lived under the Law were promised all physical blessings on the earth, if they would but live by the law. They were promised a public health system, a national security system and a nation economic system that would have been the envy of the world.

The Apostle John said that the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ, and this statement shows clearly the superiority of Christ over Moses. However, this does not mean that somehow Moses was not a great man. His greatness did not compare to that Jesus Christ, but the book of Hebrews says that:

Hebrews 3:5 (NKJ)
5 . . . Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,

But since today is Mother’s Day, I wanted to spend some time talking not only about Moses, but about Moses’ mother. In the little we know about Moses’ mother, many great lessons are there for our learning. In Exodus, Chapter 2, we read:

Exodus 2:1-10 (NKJ)
1 And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi.
2 So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months.
3 But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river's bank.
4 And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
5 Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river. And her maidens walked along the riverside; and when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it.
6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept. So she had compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children."
7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for you?"
8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Go." So the maiden went and called the child's mother.
9 Then Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages." So the woman took the child and nursed him.
10 And the child grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, "Because I drew him out of the water."

What a blessing it is to have a godly mother! As we look to Moses’ mother for characteristics of a godly mother, we find, first of all, that Moses’ mother was a godly wife. Verse 1 says that a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi.

Many young ladies have a great desire to be a mother because they love the idea of tending for and caring for a baby. But they would do well to prepare themselves first to be a godly wife. According to Exodus, Chapter 6, Moses’ mother was named Jochebed, which is derived from the word Jehovah, and I think we can safely assume that Jochebed was well taught in the things of the Lord and was well prepared to be a godly wife. A godly wife needs to know God, know about God, and have a desire to please God.

The role of the wife is so important in a home that is pleasing to God. Sometimes even when the marriage is not a particularly happy marriage, a godly wife can be the glue that holds everything together. God has great rewards for those who remain faithful to Him in difficult situations. God said through Peter:

1 Peter 3:1-4 (NKJ)
1 Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,
2 when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.
3 Do not let your adornment be merely outward -- arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel --
4 rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

From this we are reminded of the fact that a young lady who wants to be a godly mother, needs not only to prepare herself to be a godly wife, but she needs to seek a godly husband. As a daughter in a priestly family, Jochebed married a son from a priestly family. She was not meant to married just any old boy that came along. She was meant to be a special blessing to a godly man, and she was willing to wait for just the right man.

It is a blessing to see families that are established in the love of Jesus Christ. In such families the blessings flow from God to the parents, to the children, to the extended family, and to society. But as Psalm 127 says:

Psalm 127:1 (NKJ)
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it . . .

In verse 2 of Exodus 2, we find that God blessed Jochebed with a son whom we know today as Moses. The Bible says that Jochebed saw, as soon as Moses was born, that he was a beautiful child.

Isn’t that beautiful? Mothers have a way of seeing the beauty in their own children, maybe even when others can’t. Mothers, you should never be ashamed to think that your children are the most beautiful children in the world for every child is a beautiful gift from God.

Then we read that when Jochebed saw how beautiful Moses was, she hid him for three months. She knew that Pharaoh had given the orders for all male children born to the Jews to be killed. A godly mother will be keenly aware of the dangers that lie ahead for her children.

This world is not always a kind and loving place. Satan, himself, is the god of this world, and according Peter, the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Children need to be protected and sheltered. They don’t even need to know about all of the dangers that surround them. Moses did not need to know that the king of Egypt was trying to kill him because he had a godly mother who was willing to hide him and protect him from all the dangers.

In verse 3, when Moses grew too big to hide, Jochebed made an ark of bulrushes and daubed it with pitch. She put Moses in the ark and placed the ark in the river where Pharoah’s daughter could find him. Jochebed was desperate to save her son, and as we know, desperate times call for desperate measures. Jochebed was anticipating future problems and was planning ahead.

Good parents look to the future, anticipate problems and begin solving them early. It is much harder to solve problems after you’re in a crisis mode. We need to start solving problems before they become a crisis.

In verse 4, Moses’ sister, Miriam, stood off to the side while Moses was floating in the river in his little basket. When Pharoah’s daughter discovered Moses, Miriam did not hesitate. She stepped right up and offered assistance. From this we see that a godly mother is able and willing to accept help from others when help is needed.

Many mothers need to realize that mommies can not do everything. Mommies are so good at what they do, they might try to do it all, but they can’t. And dads, you know what I’m going to say, you also need to realize that mom can’t do it all. Look for ways to help and try to learn from mom’s expertise. You can learn a lot if you watch, listen and learn.

When Pharoah’s daughter discovered Moses in the river, Miriam stepped out from her hiding place and said in effect, "If you would like for me to find a Hebrew nurse for the child, I think I know of someone who would be just perfect."

That took a lot of courage on Miriam’s part. We all need that extra measure of courage to do the things that God has called us to do. Miriam was not the type to shrink back. She stepped out and spoke right up. She must have loved Moses, almost as much as Jochebed did.

Mothers, if it’s true that you need help from time to time, be sure that those who help you love your child almost as much as you do. It is probably true that no one can love your child as much as you do, but there are probably people around who love them almost as much. Chose people like that to help you, and make sure that they have the courage to step up to the plate and do the right thing when tough decisions have to be made. Jochebed was wise to trust Miriam as her helper.

Next we see that when mothers are faithful to God, God is faithful to them. Pharoah’s daughter decided to allow Jochebed to be Moses’ nurse, and she even paid Jochebed to do it. We have to marvel at the goodness of the Lord. Who would have ever thought that God would provide for Moses in such a marvelous way? God is trustworthy. God is faithful. And godly mothers know Him and trust Him.

As I mentioned earlier, Jochebed’s name is derived from the word Jehovah which, among other things, means provider or savior. Jochebed knew of the dangers that faced her son, and she used her courage, her creativity, her family. She used every resource available to her to save her son’s life. And God, who is Jehovah, blessed her efforts. Moses’ life was spared.

Jochebed was paid to nurse Moses as a young child, and again I think we can safely assume that she took every opportunity to teach her son from the word of God the things that he would need to know to do what God had called Him to do.

Moses needed to know God. He needed to know the promises of God. He needed to know the faithfulness of God. She probably knew that she would not have much time so she took advantage of every opportunity to teach her son.

Godly mothers will realize that time is precious and fleeting. They won’t say, "I’ll teach my children tomorrow. There will be plenty of time tomorrow." No. They will teach today, and they will teach tomorrow. From the time that they first hold them in their arms, they will be singing, "Jesus Loves Me" and "Jesus Loves the Little Children." They will read them books that tell the Bible stories. They will tell them that Jesus died for their sins.

How precious it is to lead your own children to the Lord. I really appreciated Heather’s testimony a few minutes ago. Her mother was able to sit down and pray with her, and she accepted Christ when she was only 5 years old. Your children may not learn about Jesus unless you tell them about Jesus. Godly mothers teach their children about Jesus.

Then there is just one final point we need to see here in Exodus 2 and that is that Jochebed brought Moses to Pharaoh daughter, and Moses became Pharoah’s son. This must have been the hardest thing that Jochebed ever had to do, but in order to save his life, she had to realize that she had done all she could do. The time had come for her to let go of her son and trust God.

Like I said, some mothers want to wait until another day to teach their children about the things of the Lord, but the time for teaching has its limits. The day will come when your effectiveness as a teacher will be limited. If you do a good job of teaching when the children are young, you will be able to let go and trust God when they are older.

We don’t know how much contact Moses had with his mother after he moved into the palace. Probably not much. If she ever saw him at all, she probably had to chose her words carefully. I can just hear her whispering, "Moses, remember the God of Israel." And then she would pray. I think we can paraphrase James 5:16 and say that the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous woman availeth much.

Jochebed must have known that God had something very special planned for Moses, but she could never have imagined the extent to which God would use him. God later said:

Numbers 12:8 (NKJ)
8 I speak with Moses face to face, and he sees the form of the LORD . . . "

God spoke to Moses, and God spoke through Moses. God used Moses to part the Red Sea. God used Moses to bring water out of a rock. God gave through Moses His perfect law. John said:

John 1:17 (NKJ)
17 . . . the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Moses indeed was faithful in all of his house, and all that he did, all that he accomplished came about because God saw to it that Moses had a godly mother.

To all of you godly mothers who are listening this morning. I want to say thank you, and I hope you have a Mother’s Day that is full of blessings from the Lord.

Thank you for listening to Bible Study Time. The Lord willing, we will be with you again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:
http://www.peacechurch-ok.org/
http://www.eleventhavenuechurch.com/
http://gracebiblechurch-fw.com/