I heard about a group of people who were travelling through a small village in Europe. When they encounter an older gentleman sitting under a tree in the park, one of the tourists asked if any great men were ever born in his village. To this the man replied, no, just babies.
How simple, yet profound. All of us have to start somewhere in our walk with the Lord, and that happens to be as babies. The Apostle Peter said: Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Peter 2:1-3 NKJV).
On the other hand, the writer to the Hebrews challenges us with these words: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14 NKJV).
May we cherish the milk of the word while at the same time digging into the solid food that allows for genuine growth.
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
Friday, September 23, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Bible Study Time Introduction (10-9-11) (Introduction to a radio Bible study.)
Welcome to Bible Study Time. We come to you each Sunday morning on behalf of the Peace Church, and we want to invite you to join us for any of our services. We’re located 8 miles south and a half a mile west of Indiahoma, and we’re just 12 miles east of Manitou right on the Baseline Road. If you’d like more information about the Peace Church, you can find that on our website, which is www.ok-peacechurch.org
After the nation of Israel crossed over the Jordan River, God told Joshua to have the males circumcised so that they could observe the Passover and then go on to conquer the land of Canaan. At once, we find ourselves asking, why? Why did the Jews in the wilderness not submit to circumcision, and why did they not observe the Passover? The only explanation we find is in Joshua, Chapter 5, where we read that the Jews who came up out of Egypt were circumcised, but they perished in the wilderness because they did not obey the voice of the Lord. Then we are told that the boys who were born after the Exodus were not circumcised. (Joshua 5:4-7 NKJV).
This is somewhat shocking that the Jews did not practice circumcision or the Passover while they were traveling in the wilderness. God had told Abraham that any male who was not circumcised would be cut off from the people of God because he had broken the covenant of God. (Genesis 17:6-14 NKJV). At Mt. Sinai, God made circumcision a part of the Mosaic Law, saying that every male child was to be circumcised on the eight day after his birth. (Leviticus 12:1-3 NKJV).
So, it is very puzzling that the Jews not practice circumcision or the Passover during their 40 years in the wilderness? And frankly, we just don't know why that was, but if we allow ourselves the luxury of speculation, we might say that it was just too difficult to do in the wilderness. But that's not very satisfying because they were still in a wilderness environment when Joshua ordered them to be circumcised at Gilgal.
We might conclude that circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, and during their wilderness journey, they were not God's covenant people. Joshua, Chapter 5, says that the children of Israel had to journey through the wilderness until all of those who came up out of Egypt were consumed because they did not obey the voice of the Lord. But the problem with that is that those who came up out of Egypt and were consumed were the ones who were circumcised, while those who were uncircumcised were the ones who ultimately entered into the land of Canaan by faith.
And I think that this is a critical part of the puzzle. Namely, that God is more concerned about the condition of a person's heart than He is with any outward ritual or ceremony. The fact is that the Jews who traveled in the wilderness were the one who learned how to be truly circumcised in their hearts.
Physical circumcision was simply an outward sign of the spiritual circumcision that God requires of all those who follow Him. It is an outward sign of one's willingness to forsake the things of this world and the things of the flesh in order to enjoy the blessings of God.
When Moses gave his final address to the children of Israel, he spoke to a nation of uncircumcised Jews and said that they should fear the Lord and walk in His ways, that they should love and serve the Lord with all of their hearts and souls, and that they should circumcise the foreskin of their hearts. (Deuteronomy 10:12-16 NKJV).
As we study the history of the nation of Israel we find that those who traveled through the wilderness for 40 years were among the few who learned to be circumcised in their hearts. God actually forced these particular Jews into a situation where they were separated from the things of the world and the things of the flesh. While traveling through the wilderness, they lost their appetite for the garlic, the leeks and the onions of Egypt, and they learned to depend upon the Lord for their daily bread. They learned that the blessings of God are far more valuable than the things of this world.
As a result, this particular group of uncircumcised Jews was one of the most highly favored groups in all of Jewish history for they were the ones who were given the privilege of going into the promised land by faith to witness the mighty power of God as God helped them conquer the giants of the land.
From this we see that God has always been more concerned with the true devotion of a man's heart than He is with a man's outward rituals and ceremonies which merely give an outward appearance of devotion. If a person's heart is right with God, outward rituals can be meaningful even if they are unnecessary, but if a person's heart is not right with God, the outward rituals are certainly meaningless and actually would appear to be disgusting in the sight of God.
Now let's continue our Journey Through the Scripture with Pastor James Roberts.
After the nation of Israel crossed over the Jordan River, God told Joshua to have the males circumcised so that they could observe the Passover and then go on to conquer the land of Canaan. At once, we find ourselves asking, why? Why did the Jews in the wilderness not submit to circumcision, and why did they not observe the Passover? The only explanation we find is in Joshua, Chapter 5, where we read that the Jews who came up out of Egypt were circumcised, but they perished in the wilderness because they did not obey the voice of the Lord. Then we are told that the boys who were born after the Exodus were not circumcised. (Joshua 5:4-7 NKJV).
This is somewhat shocking that the Jews did not practice circumcision or the Passover while they were traveling in the wilderness. God had told Abraham that any male who was not circumcised would be cut off from the people of God because he had broken the covenant of God. (Genesis 17:6-14 NKJV). At Mt. Sinai, God made circumcision a part of the Mosaic Law, saying that every male child was to be circumcised on the eight day after his birth. (Leviticus 12:1-3 NKJV).
So, it is very puzzling that the Jews not practice circumcision or the Passover during their 40 years in the wilderness? And frankly, we just don't know why that was, but if we allow ourselves the luxury of speculation, we might say that it was just too difficult to do in the wilderness. But that's not very satisfying because they were still in a wilderness environment when Joshua ordered them to be circumcised at Gilgal.
We might conclude that circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and Israel, and during their wilderness journey, they were not God's covenant people. Joshua, Chapter 5, says that the children of Israel had to journey through the wilderness until all of those who came up out of Egypt were consumed because they did not obey the voice of the Lord. But the problem with that is that those who came up out of Egypt and were consumed were the ones who were circumcised, while those who were uncircumcised were the ones who ultimately entered into the land of Canaan by faith.
And I think that this is a critical part of the puzzle. Namely, that God is more concerned about the condition of a person's heart than He is with any outward ritual or ceremony. The fact is that the Jews who traveled in the wilderness were the one who learned how to be truly circumcised in their hearts.
Physical circumcision was simply an outward sign of the spiritual circumcision that God requires of all those who follow Him. It is an outward sign of one's willingness to forsake the things of this world and the things of the flesh in order to enjoy the blessings of God.
When Moses gave his final address to the children of Israel, he spoke to a nation of uncircumcised Jews and said that they should fear the Lord and walk in His ways, that they should love and serve the Lord with all of their hearts and souls, and that they should circumcise the foreskin of their hearts. (Deuteronomy 10:12-16 NKJV).
As we study the history of the nation of Israel we find that those who traveled through the wilderness for 40 years were among the few who learned to be circumcised in their hearts. God actually forced these particular Jews into a situation where they were separated from the things of the world and the things of the flesh. While traveling through the wilderness, they lost their appetite for the garlic, the leeks and the onions of Egypt, and they learned to depend upon the Lord for their daily bread. They learned that the blessings of God are far more valuable than the things of this world.
As a result, this particular group of uncircumcised Jews was one of the most highly favored groups in all of Jewish history for they were the ones who were given the privilege of going into the promised land by faith to witness the mighty power of God as God helped them conquer the giants of the land.
From this we see that God has always been more concerned with the true devotion of a man's heart than He is with a man's outward rituals and ceremonies which merely give an outward appearance of devotion. If a person's heart is right with God, outward rituals can be meaningful even if they are unnecessary, but if a person's heart is not right with God, the outward rituals are certainly meaningless and actually would appear to be disgusting in the sight of God.
Now let's continue our Journey Through the Scripture with Pastor James Roberts.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Why Ask Why?
When I was a kid, it made me wince when I heard parents say, do it because I said so. That just didn't seem right to me and maybe that was because my parents were for the most part willing to explain the reasoning behind the rules.
When we look at the Bible, we see that God does not get upset with those who sincerely ask why. In fact, we see just the opposite. God really wants us to seek an understanding of His will. In the Old Testament, God said: Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV). In the New Testament, Jesus said: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV).
Even when it comes to an understanding of why God would permit this or that in our individual lives, God may give us a sense of why things are the way they are. The Apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh that really bothered him. He ask the Lord three times to remove it, but each time the Lord said no. Finally, the Lord told Paul that his thorn in the flesh was given to him so that he would not be lifted up with pride as result of the abundance of revelations that God had given him. This understanding was of great comfort to Paul because it helped him realize that his affliction brought him closer to Christ and made him stronger in the Lord.
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
When we look at the Bible, we see that God does not get upset with those who sincerely ask why. In fact, we see just the opposite. God really wants us to seek an understanding of His will. In the Old Testament, God said: Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV). In the New Testament, Jesus said: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8 NKJV).
Even when it comes to an understanding of why God would permit this or that in our individual lives, God may give us a sense of why things are the way they are. The Apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh that really bothered him. He ask the Lord three times to remove it, but each time the Lord said no. Finally, the Lord told Paul that his thorn in the flesh was given to him so that he would not be lifted up with pride as result of the abundance of revelations that God had given him. This understanding was of great comfort to Paul because it helped him realize that his affliction brought him closer to Christ and made him stronger in the Lord.
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
Sunday, September 04, 2011
Walking in the Spirit
All humans struggle to some extent with the destructive tendencies of the heart and mind. When jobs are lost, homes are broken, and lives are torn apart, we often ask why, but the Apostle Paul teaches that these things happen because of a powerful, spiritual struggle between the flesh and the Spirit of God. He said: I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. (Galatians 5:16-17 NKJV).
Paul describes the flesh as that which relates to sexual sins, murder and witchcraft, but also to hatred, envy, drunkenness, and so forth. However, the things of the Spirit of God are quite the opposite. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:19-23 NKJV).
Victorious living is available to us through faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1 NKJV). And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:30-32 NKJV).
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
Paul describes the flesh as that which relates to sexual sins, murder and witchcraft, but also to hatred, envy, drunkenness, and so forth. However, the things of the Spirit of God are quite the opposite. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:19-23 NKJV).
Victorious living is available to us through faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1 NKJV). And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:30-32 NKJV).
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Direction from God
The Bible indicates that God has a plan and purpose for each person's life, and there can be no real joy apart from that plan. The good news is that God really wants to reveal His plan to us. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. This direction comes about as the Holy Spirit of God conveys, convicts and confirms God's plan.
As we study God's word and communicate with God in prayer, the Holy Spirit first conveys a vision regarding our mission. This vision is critical because without a vision, the people perish. (Proverbs 29:18).
Second, the Holy Spirit convicts us of the importance of our mission so that we develop a passion for the work. When Jeremiah got discouraged, he was tempted to stop talking to people about God, but then he said: God's word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not. (Jeremiah 20:8-9).
Ultimately, the Holy Spirit confirms the vision. According to the Law, a thing is established on the basis of two or three witness. Therefore, God is more than willing to confirm our vision on multiple occasions by the word of God, by the words and actions of other people and by unusual circumstances.
If we trust in the Lord, He will direct our paths!
As we study God's word and communicate with God in prayer, the Holy Spirit first conveys a vision regarding our mission. This vision is critical because without a vision, the people perish. (Proverbs 29:18).
Second, the Holy Spirit convicts us of the importance of our mission so that we develop a passion for the work. When Jeremiah got discouraged, he was tempted to stop talking to people about God, but then he said: God's word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not. (Jeremiah 20:8-9).
Ultimately, the Holy Spirit confirms the vision. According to the Law, a thing is established on the basis of two or three witness. Therefore, God is more than willing to confirm our vision on multiple occasions by the word of God, by the words and actions of other people and by unusual circumstances.
If we trust in the Lord, He will direct our paths!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Be Content
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians and said, I have learned in whatsoever state I am, to be content. (Philippians 4:11). Any way you look at it, this is a powerful statement. As we read the account of Paul's life in the book of Acts, we can see that Paul was not just sermonizing when he said this; he was stating a fact, and the people of Philippi knew it.
When Paul and Silas first traveled to Philippi, Paul cast out a demon from a fortune-telling slave girl. Her masters had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown in jail because their slave girl was no longer profitable to them. The Bible says that at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. (Acts 16:25 NKJV).
As I talk with people and as I observe my own attitudes, I cannot help but notice that we not only get distressed and upset about the way things are, but we worry about the things that might happen. When we start stressing out about the things that could happen tomorrow, our minds quickly turn into the devil's playground.
That's why Jesus said: Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' . . . But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:31-34 NKJV).
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
When Paul and Silas first traveled to Philippi, Paul cast out a demon from a fortune-telling slave girl. Her masters had Paul and Silas beaten and thrown in jail because their slave girl was no longer profitable to them. The Bible says that at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. (Acts 16:25 NKJV).
As I talk with people and as I observe my own attitudes, I cannot help but notice that we not only get distressed and upset about the way things are, but we worry about the things that might happen. When we start stressing out about the things that could happen tomorrow, our minds quickly turn into the devil's playground.
That's why Jesus said: Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' . . . But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:31-34 NKJV).
Jim Roberts
Peace Church
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
www.ok-peacechurch.org
Bible Study Time Introduction (8-14-11) (Introduction to a radio Bible study.)
Welcome to Bible Study Time. We come to you each Sunday morning on behalf of the Peace Church, and we want to invite you to join us for any of our services. We’re located 8 miles south and a half a mile west of Indiahoma, and we’re just 12 miles east of Manitou right on the Baseline Road. If you’d like more information about the Peace Church, you can find that on our website, which is www.ok-peacechurch.org
Joshua came up out of Egypt with Moses. He loved Moses and he understood that God was directing Moses. Joshua lived the first half of his life in submission to Moses because Joshua was in submission to God.
In Numbers, Chapter 11, we read that there was a time when Moses gathered the seventy elders of the tribes of Israel around the tabernacle of the Lord. The Lord came down in a cloud and took the Spirit of the Lord that was in Moses and shared it with the seventy elders. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, they began to prophesy, and all of the people knew that the Spirit of the Lord was with them even as it was with Moses.
But two of the seventy men remained in their tent and did not show up at the tabernacle. However, the Spirit of the Lord came upon them also, and they began to prophesy. This did not set well with Joshua because they had failed to show up at the tabernacle, so he urged Moses to make them stop prophesying. But Moses said, Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them! (Numbers 11:29 NKJV). Once Moses spoke, that was the end of the matter for Joshua. He trusted Moses because Moses had proven Himself to be a leader who was led by the Spirit of God.
After the death of Moses, when Joshua became the leader of the nation, God came to Joshua and said, No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. (Joshua 1:5 NKJV). Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7 NKJV).
Notice that God did not tell Joshua that if he was faithful to keep the Law, he would gain eternal life. Eternal life was never promised in connection with the keeping of the Law for anyone at any time. God told Joshua that if he kept the Law, he would prosper wherever he went. And that was precisely the promise of the Law. God promised physical blessings for the nation of Israel if they would conduct their national affairs in accordance with the dictates of the Law.
As we read the Law today, we see that most of it was simply a criminal justice system. God knew that there are always those who steal and kill and bear false witness, and so forth, but God told Moses and Joshua that they were responsible for enforcing the precepts of the Law so that the nation of Israel would prosper with physical blessings.
Now it's important to note that some people who lived under the Law did receive eternal life. God has always offered eternal life to people, but it was never been offered on the basis of their ability to do good works.
Even after Adam and Eve sinned, God accepted them and clothed them in His righteousness simply because they were willing to come to Jesus Christ by faith. After they sinned, Jesus Christ came to them in His preincarnate form. He called out Adam and Eve, and by faith they came to Him, confessing their sin. After that, Jesus Christ sacrificed an animal to provide animal skin clothing for them, and this symbolized the fact that He had covered them in His righteousness.
When the Law was given, it promised the physical blessings which symbolize the spiritual blessings that flow through Jesus Christ to all those who put their faith in Christ. Today, we'll talk a little bit about the two and a half tribes who elected to settle on the east side of the Jordan River. They agreed to go into the promised land to fight for the land, but then they returned to their homes outside the land. These tribes symbolize the small remnant of Jewish people who did have true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though they never actually received the kingdom that was promised to Abraham, they will someday be resurrected from the grave, like Abraham, to receive that eternal kingdom.
Now, let's continue our Journey Through the Scripture with Pastor James Roberts.
Joshua came up out of Egypt with Moses. He loved Moses and he understood that God was directing Moses. Joshua lived the first half of his life in submission to Moses because Joshua was in submission to God.
In Numbers, Chapter 11, we read that there was a time when Moses gathered the seventy elders of the tribes of Israel around the tabernacle of the Lord. The Lord came down in a cloud and took the Spirit of the Lord that was in Moses and shared it with the seventy elders. When the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, they began to prophesy, and all of the people knew that the Spirit of the Lord was with them even as it was with Moses.
But two of the seventy men remained in their tent and did not show up at the tabernacle. However, the Spirit of the Lord came upon them also, and they began to prophesy. This did not set well with Joshua because they had failed to show up at the tabernacle, so he urged Moses to make them stop prophesying. But Moses said, Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them! (Numbers 11:29 NKJV). Once Moses spoke, that was the end of the matter for Joshua. He trusted Moses because Moses had proven Himself to be a leader who was led by the Spirit of God.
After the death of Moses, when Joshua became the leader of the nation, God came to Joshua and said, No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. (Joshua 1:5 NKJV). Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7 NKJV).
Notice that God did not tell Joshua that if he was faithful to keep the Law, he would gain eternal life. Eternal life was never promised in connection with the keeping of the Law for anyone at any time. God told Joshua that if he kept the Law, he would prosper wherever he went. And that was precisely the promise of the Law. God promised physical blessings for the nation of Israel if they would conduct their national affairs in accordance with the dictates of the Law.
As we read the Law today, we see that most of it was simply a criminal justice system. God knew that there are always those who steal and kill and bear false witness, and so forth, but God told Moses and Joshua that they were responsible for enforcing the precepts of the Law so that the nation of Israel would prosper with physical blessings.
Now it's important to note that some people who lived under the Law did receive eternal life. God has always offered eternal life to people, but it was never been offered on the basis of their ability to do good works.
Even after Adam and Eve sinned, God accepted them and clothed them in His righteousness simply because they were willing to come to Jesus Christ by faith. After they sinned, Jesus Christ came to them in His preincarnate form. He called out Adam and Eve, and by faith they came to Him, confessing their sin. After that, Jesus Christ sacrificed an animal to provide animal skin clothing for them, and this symbolized the fact that He had covered them in His righteousness.
When the Law was given, it promised the physical blessings which symbolize the spiritual blessings that flow through Jesus Christ to all those who put their faith in Christ. Today, we'll talk a little bit about the two and a half tribes who elected to settle on the east side of the Jordan River. They agreed to go into the promised land to fight for the land, but then they returned to their homes outside the land. These tribes symbolize the small remnant of Jewish people who did have true faith in Jesus Christ. Even though they never actually received the kingdom that was promised to Abraham, they will someday be resurrected from the grave, like Abraham, to receive that eternal kingdom.
Now, let's continue our Journey Through the Scripture with Pastor James Roberts.
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Bible Study Time Introduction (8-7-11) (Introduction to a radio Bible study.)
Welcome to Bible Study Time. We come to you each Sunday morning on behalf of the Peace Church, and we want to invite you to join us for any of our services. We’re located 8 miles south and a half a mile west of Indiahoma, and we’re just 12 miles east of Manitou right on the Baseline Road. If you’d like more information about the Peace Church, you can find that on our website, which is www.ok-peacechurch.org
In Deuteronomy, Chapter 31, the Lord spoke through Moses as Moses pronounced God's blessing upon Joshua as the next leader of the nation of Israel. God said: Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you. (Deuteronomy 31:23NKJV).
Now, it's very interesting and comforting to see that after Moses died, the Lord Himself came to Joshua and personally confirmed that message. In fact, that's what God really meant when He said, I will be with you. He really meant that He would be available to Joshua to talk to him and encourage him and give him specific instructions. The older I get and the more I grow in the Lord, the more I love the word confirmation, because it is more and more obvious to me that God loves to confirm the things that are true.
When Peter spoke to the children of Israel after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus, he was able to speak to them about the fact that God had confirmed to them over and over again that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Peter said: Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know — Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24 NKJV).
So God was more than willing to confirm the fact that Jesus was the Messiah, and this confirmation came through the miracles, wonders and signs that Jesus did. Have you ever thought about the fact that nobody ever questioned the miracles of the Lord Jesus? Even the religious leaders who hated Jesus, they would investigate the miracles, trying to find some evidence that Jesus was a fraud, but they found instead that the miracles were real. When they said that Jesus did the miracles through the power of Satan, they were confirming that the miracles were real. God loves to confirm the things that are true.
When I ask older people if they know any atheists, most of us don't, but when I ask teenagers, they all know at least one. Our society is growing farther and farther from God every day, and I used to think that we have no room for discussion with atheists. I mean, if they don’t believe that God exists, and if they don't believe the Bible, what basis is there for a conversation?
But today, I know better. Praise the Lord, we still believe in a God who is more than willing to prove to people that He exists and that His love is real, and that He is the only one who has the power to straighten out our lives. That He is the only one who can make our lives meaningful, and significant and blessed with love and peace and joy. God is still in the business of confirming the truth about Himself, every day, to people all over the world.
I hear a lot of talk on the radio and TV about the power of God, but you know, you can hear lots of things in the media. But I personally talk to lots of people every day who have fantastic testimonies about how God became real to them. And do you know what? One of the things that confirms the fact that these testimonies are true is that every testimony is different. God doesn't follow any prescribed formula. One person will say, it happened when I got baptized. Another will say, it happened while I was driving down the road. Another person will say, it happened just as I was about to blow my brains out in a hotel room. Every person has a different story because God is real, and He works in His own way in His own time.
But there is one thing that I know and that is that prayer is the key. Jesus said, if you ask, you will receive. James said, you have not because you ask not. You see, God doesn't force Himself on anyone. He's just standing at the door knocking, and if anyone opens the door even just a little bit, the power of the Holy Spirit will come pouring in, like a mighty rushing wind. And that person will know beyond any shadow of a doubt that God is real. That God's love is real, and that Jesus Christ is the one person who is able to give us access to our heavenly Father.
We'll see more about God confirmation to Joshua in this morning's Journey Through the Scripture. Now here's Pastor James Roberts.
In Deuteronomy, Chapter 31, the Lord spoke through Moses as Moses pronounced God's blessing upon Joshua as the next leader of the nation of Israel. God said: Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you. (Deuteronomy 31:23NKJV).
Now, it's very interesting and comforting to see that after Moses died, the Lord Himself came to Joshua and personally confirmed that message. In fact, that's what God really meant when He said, I will be with you. He really meant that He would be available to Joshua to talk to him and encourage him and give him specific instructions. The older I get and the more I grow in the Lord, the more I love the word confirmation, because it is more and more obvious to me that God loves to confirm the things that are true.
When Peter spoke to the children of Israel after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus, he was able to speak to them about the fact that God had confirmed to them over and over again that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Peter said: Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know — Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24 NKJV).
So God was more than willing to confirm the fact that Jesus was the Messiah, and this confirmation came through the miracles, wonders and signs that Jesus did. Have you ever thought about the fact that nobody ever questioned the miracles of the Lord Jesus? Even the religious leaders who hated Jesus, they would investigate the miracles, trying to find some evidence that Jesus was a fraud, but they found instead that the miracles were real. When they said that Jesus did the miracles through the power of Satan, they were confirming that the miracles were real. God loves to confirm the things that are true.
When I ask older people if they know any atheists, most of us don't, but when I ask teenagers, they all know at least one. Our society is growing farther and farther from God every day, and I used to think that we have no room for discussion with atheists. I mean, if they don’t believe that God exists, and if they don't believe the Bible, what basis is there for a conversation?
But today, I know better. Praise the Lord, we still believe in a God who is more than willing to prove to people that He exists and that His love is real, and that He is the only one who has the power to straighten out our lives. That He is the only one who can make our lives meaningful, and significant and blessed with love and peace and joy. God is still in the business of confirming the truth about Himself, every day, to people all over the world.
I hear a lot of talk on the radio and TV about the power of God, but you know, you can hear lots of things in the media. But I personally talk to lots of people every day who have fantastic testimonies about how God became real to them. And do you know what? One of the things that confirms the fact that these testimonies are true is that every testimony is different. God doesn't follow any prescribed formula. One person will say, it happened when I got baptized. Another will say, it happened while I was driving down the road. Another person will say, it happened just as I was about to blow my brains out in a hotel room. Every person has a different story because God is real, and He works in His own way in His own time.
But there is one thing that I know and that is that prayer is the key. Jesus said, if you ask, you will receive. James said, you have not because you ask not. You see, God doesn't force Himself on anyone. He's just standing at the door knocking, and if anyone opens the door even just a little bit, the power of the Holy Spirit will come pouring in, like a mighty rushing wind. And that person will know beyond any shadow of a doubt that God is real. That God's love is real, and that Jesus Christ is the one person who is able to give us access to our heavenly Father.
We'll see more about God confirmation to Joshua in this morning's Journey Through the Scripture. Now here's Pastor James Roberts.
Friday, July 08, 2011
Bible Study Time Introduction (7-17-11) (Introduction to a radio Bible study.)
Welcome to Bible Study Time. We come to you each Sunday morning on behalf of the Peace Church, and we want to invite you to join us for any of our services. We’re located 8 miles south and a half a mile west of Indiahoma, and we’re just 12 miles east of Manitou right on the Baseline Road. If you’d like more information about the Peace Church, you can find that on our website, which is www.ok-peacechurch.org
Today in our Journey Through the Scripture, we will see Moses coming to the end of his life. Moses was a great servant of God. Hebrews, Chapter 3, says: Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, (even) as Moses also was faithful in all His house. (Hebrews 3:1-2 NKJV).
When it says that Moses was faithful in all His house, the writer was not talking about the house of Moses. He was talking about the house of God. So Moses was faithful in all the house of God, and his faithfulness was even mentioned in comparison with the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle John said: For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17 NKJV). Here again we see Moses mentioned in comparison to the Lord Jesus. What a tremendous commendation by the Holy Spirit of God!
Of course, what the Holy Spirit said was absolutely true. Everything that is written in the word of God is absolutely true. However, if we meditate upon the words and think about the circumstances of the Jewish people, we can also see why the Holy Spirit might want to emphasize the importance of Moses and his ministry.
All of the Jews valued Moses. They all knew that Moses had been used by God to part the Red Sea, bring water out of a rock in the wilderness, and bring victory in battle by simply raising his arms in the air. They knew that God had spoken to Moses face to face, and that God had given the Law through Moses at Mt. Sinai. The Jewish people loved every thing they had ever been taught about Moses.
So the Holy Spirit was able to use that to make a beautiful point about Jesus Christ. He did not say, you think Moses is so great, but really Moses was nothing compared to Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is full of grace and truth. He is full of compassion and empathy. He understands our tendency to love and adore human beings even more than we love and adore our Savior, who died on the cross for our sins.
In the past, Christians have argued with one another over the scriptures, and because we know that Christians aren't suppose to fight, we may try to claim that those who disagree with us are not Christians. But you see, when John and the writer to the Hebrews were making their appeals to the Jewish people, they were kind and gracious. They knew that many of the Jewish people had rejected the claims of Christ, but we see them trying to make a connection with the Jewish people on the basis of common ground.
They said, yes, you are right. Moses was a great servant of God. Moses was faithful in all the house of God. But now, let's talk about Jesus. If you like Moses, you're really going to like Jesus because Jesus too was faithful over the house of God. But Jesus was even more so because the house of God was His house. As the Son of God, Jesus was the rightful heir of the house of God.
When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians about their testimony among unbelievers, he said: Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. (Colossians 4:5-6 NKJV).
When Paul spoke with the pagan Gentiles in Athens, he saw that one of the altars was dedicated To the Unknown God. Well, he could have chastised them, saying, don't you people know any better. There is no unknown God. If you knew the first thing about the Bible, you'd know who God is. But no, Paul spoke with love and compassion and said that the God who made the world doesn't dwell in temples made with human hands. Then he said, God is not far from any of us, but He is in fact calling out to us to repent for the day of judgment is coming. What gracious speech, seasoned with the salt of compassion and love.
Well, we can learn a lot by looking at the life of Moses and comparing those things to the things that we learn in the New Testament. So now, let's return once again to our Journey Through the Scripture with Pastor James Roberts.
Today in our Journey Through the Scripture, we will see Moses coming to the end of his life. Moses was a great servant of God. Hebrews, Chapter 3, says: Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, (even) as Moses also was faithful in all His house. (Hebrews 3:1-2 NKJV).
When it says that Moses was faithful in all His house, the writer was not talking about the house of Moses. He was talking about the house of God. So Moses was faithful in all the house of God, and his faithfulness was even mentioned in comparison with the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.
The Apostle John said: For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17 NKJV). Here again we see Moses mentioned in comparison to the Lord Jesus. What a tremendous commendation by the Holy Spirit of God!
Of course, what the Holy Spirit said was absolutely true. Everything that is written in the word of God is absolutely true. However, if we meditate upon the words and think about the circumstances of the Jewish people, we can also see why the Holy Spirit might want to emphasize the importance of Moses and his ministry.
All of the Jews valued Moses. They all knew that Moses had been used by God to part the Red Sea, bring water out of a rock in the wilderness, and bring victory in battle by simply raising his arms in the air. They knew that God had spoken to Moses face to face, and that God had given the Law through Moses at Mt. Sinai. The Jewish people loved every thing they had ever been taught about Moses.
So the Holy Spirit was able to use that to make a beautiful point about Jesus Christ. He did not say, you think Moses is so great, but really Moses was nothing compared to Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is full of grace and truth. He is full of compassion and empathy. He understands our tendency to love and adore human beings even more than we love and adore our Savior, who died on the cross for our sins.
In the past, Christians have argued with one another over the scriptures, and because we know that Christians aren't suppose to fight, we may try to claim that those who disagree with us are not Christians. But you see, when John and the writer to the Hebrews were making their appeals to the Jewish people, they were kind and gracious. They knew that many of the Jewish people had rejected the claims of Christ, but we see them trying to make a connection with the Jewish people on the basis of common ground.
They said, yes, you are right. Moses was a great servant of God. Moses was faithful in all the house of God. But now, let's talk about Jesus. If you like Moses, you're really going to like Jesus because Jesus too was faithful over the house of God. But Jesus was even more so because the house of God was His house. As the Son of God, Jesus was the rightful heir of the house of God.
When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians about their testimony among unbelievers, he said: Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. (Colossians 4:5-6 NKJV).
When Paul spoke with the pagan Gentiles in Athens, he saw that one of the altars was dedicated To the Unknown God. Well, he could have chastised them, saying, don't you people know any better. There is no unknown God. If you knew the first thing about the Bible, you'd know who God is. But no, Paul spoke with love and compassion and said that the God who made the world doesn't dwell in temples made with human hands. Then he said, God is not far from any of us, but He is in fact calling out to us to repent for the day of judgment is coming. What gracious speech, seasoned with the salt of compassion and love.
Well, we can learn a lot by looking at the life of Moses and comparing those things to the things that we learn in the New Testament. So now, let's return once again to our Journey Through the Scripture with Pastor James Roberts.
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
The Good Shepherd
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." Thus begins the 23rd Psalm, one of the most beloved passages in all the Bible. These words were written by King David, who was a mighty warrior, a prophet and a man after God's own heart. As a warrior, David killed the mighty Goliath and subdued all of the enemies of Israel. As a prophet, David spoke of the coming Messiah and even gave specific details regarding the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But David's secret to success was his personal relationship with God. David viewed the Lord as his shepherd because he knew that God would always be there to love him, guide him, correct him and provide for him.
Today, we know that David's relationship with God was based on his relationship with the preincarnate Christ. Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God and was God (John 1:1-2). We know that David came to God through Jesus Christ because no one can come to the Father except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man (I Timothy 2:5), and today He is speaking to all people everywhere, saying: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:11,27-28 NKJV).
Jim Roberts, Peace Church, Indiahoma, OK
http://www.ok-peacechurch.org
Today, we know that David's relationship with God was based on his relationship with the preincarnate Christ. Jesus Christ was in the beginning with God and was God (John 1:1-2). We know that David came to God through Jesus Christ because no one can come to the Father except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man (I Timothy 2:5), and today He is speaking to all people everywhere, saying: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:11,27-28 NKJV).
Jim Roberts, Peace Church, Indiahoma, OK
http://www.ok-peacechurch.org
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