God Himself

Realize the greatness of how much the Father and Jesus Christ is involved in our lives

Fred R. Coulter—July 6, 2019

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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to Sabbath services! Out here in California we've had a little excitement with the ground moving under our feet. Apparently, most of it happened in the desert rather than in a large city. But it may hit in a large city in the not too far distant future.

For all of those of you trying to get rid of dandelions, listen up! New evidence shows that dandelion root causes cancer cells to destroy themselves. So, what you need to do is dig up the dandelion roots rather than using Roundup to kill them. There are several other things that kill cancer, too. One of them is ginger.

We're having quite a bit of problem with crops because of the floods and the rain, and it seems like the Midwest is being inundated with deluge from the north and from the south. Here's a very interesting article that was sent to me:

(no source was found for this article)

One of the most interesting bank clients is a lifelong farmer/rancher who nearing the century mark. He's over 97-years-old and is still active and participating in seeding, harvest and caving.

Most unique is that since his teens he has kept a meticulous diary of seeding dates, crops planted, harvest dates, weather and commodity prices.

The diary is a handwritten almanac of over 80 years of food production in Southern Alberta. According to him, weather patterns revolve around seven and nineteen years,

Have you ever heard of that? Nineteen year cycles; seven years! It doesn't say that he knew anything about the Bible, but this is just his observation.

Droughts, locust, heat, floods, frost, hail, winds, he experienced much. He has seeded as early as mid-March and as late as June. He has harvested as early as mid-August and as late as early December.

This year is a strange year, part of it's strangeness the world doesn't know anything about, that it is a leap year. Of course, all the times and all the seasons run by God are revealed to us in the Calculated Hebrew Calendar.

Some people get all upset about adjustments. But think about the adjustments. Do you think that the earth is turning perfectly on its axis? No, there's a wobble this way and that way, a little north, a little south, a little east and a little west! The moon is doing the same thing. It's a little closer to the earth, and it's a little further from the earth. The sun is doing the same thing. Right now it is in what is called 'the solar minimum' where the sun does not have the solar flares bursting out from it.

This being a leap year, everyone is saying that crop failures, food shortages, and there's going to be riots. Since it's leap year, those who are able to plant their crops, planted a month late. So, they will probably grow and have a harvest a month late. That's according to the Calculated Hebrew Calendar.

Ron Cary lives out in the country, and right back of him and over on the other side of him are corn fields. I call him every day and we keep track on how the corn is doing. It's growing fine. The soybeans are growing fine. There are some years that they can get two crops of soybeans. Where it wasn't all flooded out and too much rain, it's possible to get two crops of soybeans this year.

So, there may or may not be food shortages. But we'll just have to see. I saw a picture of one man in Indiana who planted his corn and it was only up to his knees, and he had his hands up in the air and it showed a picture of last year that when he raised his hands up it was up near the top of the corn. But if it being late this year with the 13th month, thirty days later I would like to see him standing in the cornfield and see how high the corn is. That's quite interesting what this man wrote here when you read about the crops.

He has seeded as early as mid-March and as late as June. He has harvested as early as mid-August and as late as early December.

That's three-plus months difference! The article says nothing of the Bible, but just an observation of it.

We're going to talk about what God says about Himself, and where He refers to things that He does as Myself.

Gen. 22—the reason to begin here is because this is the promise given to Abraham, which can be proved in history. We have a book that proves in history that that is true, which is America and Britain: Two Nations that Changed the World, Their Biblical Origin & Prophetic Destiny by Philip Neal

If you take away America and Britain out of the world, think of what it would be like. Granted, these are the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and they are God's people from the point of view that they belong and have come from Abraham. Then we have contained here a promise of spiritual seed that will shine like the stars of heaven.

That's the Church! That's us! So, here we are living proof that the Word of God is absolutely true. There is no lie in it! All lies that have been injected into the Bible are known! Whenever we send out a Bible…

By the way, we advertised recently in Archeology Review: The Most Extraordinary Bible is The Holy Bible in Its Original Order. Every timewe run an ad we move a lot of Bibles. When we send out the Bible we also send the booklet by Joseph Ackermann—New Testament Scripture Comparisons—that shows all of the additions and subtractions that men have added to and taken from the New Testament. That amounts to over 2500 words, in the N.T. alone.

The Truth of the Bible has been known and documented for so many centuries that now when you have the translating committees wanting to get rid of gender, sexual morays, sexual laws, it's known. So, we send that booklet out with every Bible.

Very soon we are going to send out a pack of ten CDs with the Bible, which is the whole Bible audio book. We should get that sometime in September. It's taking us a lot longer to get done than originally supposed.

What men like to do is either add to what God says, take away from what God says, or reject that there is a God, or be completely neutral in everything. It doesn't work!

Here in Gen. 22 you know the account: God asked Abraham to take out Isaac and offer him for a burnt sacrifice on one of the mountains of Moriah. After they got there:

Genesis 22:5: "And Abraham said to his young men… [there were a couple of young men that went with him; you need to notice the phraseology here] …'You stay here with the donkey, and I and the boy… [Isaac had to be less than 20, so we can deduce that he was about 15] …will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.' And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it upon Isaac his son…. [a type of laying the cross on Christ] …And he took the fire pot in his hand…" (vs 5-6).

The King James says that he took the fire in his hands. Well, nobody is going to take fire in their hand. They carried a fire pot of coals.
"…and a knife. And they both went together. And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, 'My father.' And he said, 'Here I am, my son.' And he said, 'Behold the fire and the wood. But where is the lamb for a burnt offering?'" (vs 6-7).

This is one of the most perfect cases of works with faith. If you don't have faith, you have works that opposes faith. Everybody has works. That's what James said: you show me your faith by your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works. If you have no faith, you're no better than the demons, because they believe and tremble because they know what their fate is.

Verse 8: "And Abraham said, 'My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering.'….

God never told him anything about what He would do. When did God provide it? We'll see in just a minute!

"…So, they both went on together. And they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. And he bound his son Isaac and laid him on the wood, upon the altar" (vs 7-9). That's getting really close to going ahead with it!

Verse 10: "And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son."

Why would Abraham do that? The answer is not found until Heb. 11, that he counted God worthy to raise him from the dead! What does that do to the Jews who reject the New Testament? It leaves them, without the answer as to why Abraham did it!

Verse 11: "And the angel of the LORD called to him from the heavens and said, 'Abraham! Abraham!' And he said, 'Here I am.' And He said, 'Do not lay your hand upon the lad, nor do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God…'"

This was at the end of 40 years. How long is our testing? As long as we are living! Abraham didn't die after this, but we have shorter life spans. So, it's as long as we are living. We don't start out and have faith and then just sort of dwindle down to nothing and expect God to give us eternal life.

"…seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me" (v 12). Remember that he and Sarah all their married life had been trying to have children and couldn't have them. Sarah thought, 'Well, come into Hagar and we'll have children from her.' God said, 'No, I reject Ishmael.' They had to go until Abraham was 100-years-old,

Why did God wait that long? Because this was an impossible situation to have children! And for a woman 90-years-old to nurse an infant! So, that was quite a thing.
Verse 13: "And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram was entangled in a thicket by its horns…."

God maybe made that ram come up there and entangle him in the thicket, or He created the ram for the specific purpose of the sacrifice, right there. Could God do that? Yes, indeed!

"…And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide; so that it is said until this day, 'In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.' And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, 'By Myself…" (vs 13-16).

That's the greatest assurance that what God is going to tell Abraham is going to happen! "By Myself…" is greater than heaven and earth, though Jesus used heaven and earth, that's by His very existence! Since God lives forever and doesn't die, that's absolutely sure that it's going to happen.

"…'By Myself have I sworn,' says the LORD, 'because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son; that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens, and as the sand, which is upon the seashore….'" (vs 16-17). Two things:

• physical Israel
• the Church

Both of those in our time are still here! So, when God says, 'By Myself' that He's going to do something, it's going to be!

Let's see what Jesus said, and there are several verses that say virtually the same thing, but it shows that Jesus said it because it is absolutely true and it won't change. It will not be violated!

• How can the Protestants ever say that Jesus did away with the Law?
• What does that make Him?
• a minister of sin
• lawless like Satan the devil

So, the message that He did away with the Law comes directly from Satan the devil, because that's what Satan did!

Matthew 5:17—Jesus says: "Do not think… [don't let it enter into your mind] …that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you… [in truth] …until the heaven and the earth shall pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no way pass from the Law until everything has been fulfilled" (vs 17-18).
Someone will say, 'That says the Law, but it doesn't say prophecy.

Matthew 24:34: "Truly I say to you, this generation…" How are you going identify "…this generation…"? I had a book written by a man who said that every is done. Jesus said, "…this generation…" and that's the generation in which He was living.

How do we know that it's not the generation in which Jesus was in th flesh? Heaven and earth is still here, and the abomination of desolation has not yet occurred. So, in that generation is what He's talking about.

"…shall in no wise pass away until all these things have taken place" (v 34). Not some of them, not 90%, not 50%, but ALL! Then He says:

First Witness:

Verse 35: "The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away."

• What happens when it's verified a number of times?
• What does God require of a witness?
• How many? Two or three!
• How many Gospels do we have that verify it? Three!

Second Witness:

Mark 13:30—the parallel account: "Truly I say to you, this generation shall in no way pass away until all these things have taken place. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away" (vs 30-31).

Here's the trick, v 32: "But concerning that day and the hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son… [at that time] …but the Father only."

Third Witness:

In the mouth of two or three witnesses everything shall be established!

Luke 21:32: "Truly I say to you, there is no way that this generation shall pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away" (vs 32-33).

When God is laying out the framework of His plan and what He's going to do, and how involved He is in it, He Himself is doing it! That's the key that we need to understand.

The reason that many of the prophecies are guaranteed by God Himself is because some of them do not take place until hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of years later. Here in the book of Isaiah we will see that it will go along and talk about current events, future events, then it will talk about something to happen right the near future, then something to happen when you get into the Millennium.

But you read the book of Isaiah and you would never know how many Scriptures apply to the Millennium if you didn't have the book of Revelation. How would you know?

Now, tie this—Isa 43—in with the promise of Abraham, spiritual seed and physical seed.

Isaiah 43:21: "This people that I formed for Myself… [He's talking about Israel, but it can also apply to the New Testament; that's called duality of prophecy] …they shall declare My praise. Yet, you have not called upon Me, O Jacob; much less have you troubled yourself about Me, O Israel. You have not brought Me the lamb of your burnt offerings; nor have you honored Me with your sacrifices. I have not caused you to serve with a grain offering, nor wearied you with incense. You have bought Me no sweet cane with money, nor have you filled Me with the fat of your sacrifices; but you have made Me serve with your sins; you have wearied Me with your iniquities" (vs 21-24).

Is that not a perfect description of Protestantism and the people when they have the sacrificial system, because they think that if they do certain things that that's acceptable with God, but it isn't!

Verse 25: "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake…"

In other words, because of the promise to Abraham. Let's think, as we go through this, how much of the rest of the Bible hinges on the promises to Abraham.

"…and will not remember your sins. Put Me in remembrance; let us plead together; declare yourself, that you may be justified. Your first father has sinned, and your teachers have transgressed against Me. And I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and will give Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches" (vs 25-28).

Isaiah 44:21: "'Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for you are My servant; I have formed you; you are My servant; O Israel, you shall not be forgotten by Me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, your transgressions, and, as a cloud, your sins; return to Me; for I have redeemed you.' Sing, O heavens; for the LORD has done it. Shout, O lower parts of the earth. Break out into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified Himself in Israel" (vs 21-23).

When they come out of captivity at the beginning of the Millennium. Without the understanding of the Holy Days and the fact that we're living in the last days, we would not understand this.

What we want to understand with this, there is nothing that takes place in world events that God is not involved in:

• whether for redemption
• whether for peace
• whether for war

God is involved in it! I think we need to realize that the third heaven is not that far removed from the earth.

Isaiah 45:15: "Truly You are a God Who hides Yourself…" The world can't find Him!

• Why?
• What are the keys to finding God?
  • repentance is the first step
  • baptism
  • keeping the commandments of God
  • How much—even when you're not able to come to Church—are you reading the Bible at home and BINGO! it's like a light goes on, 'I never knew that!'?
  • Who gave that to you? God did, because God is working in our lives!

We just finished doing some Church at Home, about the most important chapter in the entire Bible. Anybody recall what that is? John 14! That also shows how much Christ and the Father are involved.

Verse 17: "But Israel shall be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation…." This Israel is referring to the Church first, because we're referring to the firstfruits and then those of Israel through the Millennium.

"…You shall not be ashamed nor disgraced even into the ages of eternity" (v 17). We understand that because we have the book of Revelation!

• Where are we going to be for the ages of eternity?
• Where are we going to live? New Jerusalem!

Nothing like that said here!

Verse 18: "For thus says the LORD the Creator of the heavens, He Himself is God…"

When God emphasizes it Myself or inspires it to be written Himself that shows that God is actively involved. When you get to John 14 you see how involved He really, really is.

"…Who formed the earth and made it; He has established it. He created it not in vain, but formed it to be inhabited. 'I am the LORD, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth. I did not say to the seed of Jacob, "Seek me in vain." I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right'" (vs 18-19).

But men come along and we said in the sermon The Progression of Evil Through Philosophy they like to say that one of the greatest gifts that God has given man is reason, and 'reason then is how we come to the knowledge of the truth.'

NO! The Spirit of God and the Word of God is how you come to the knowledge of the Truth!

I've been reading more of that report and they are uplifting wisdom, and wisdom discovered by philosophy, and the end result is that Mary is the one who is full of wisdom derived through the process of philosophy! It's an amazing thing!

Verse 22: "Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth…" This was written in 800B.C. and here we are about 2700 years later!

• Are all the ends of the earth saved?
• How would you understand that at any time, even down to now, if you didn't have the knowledge of the Holy Days and the Millennium? You couldn't!

"…for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not turn back, that unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear" (vs 22-23).

Once you understand some things in the New Testament, you can go back and find that it was already brought out in the Old Testament, and that helps you understand how the apostles preached the Gospel from the O.T.

I cover Ezek. 38 for the Feast of Tabernacles, but this is the last battle. What I want to emphasize is the direct involvement of God.

Ezekiel 38:23: "Thus I will magnify Myself…"—with the final battle after the Millennium has begun against Gog and Magog and all that come up against Israel.

"…and sanctify Myself. And I will have Myself known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD" (v 23).

That's something! Do they do that today. You look back and what was a type of this invasion from the East? Genghis Khan! The people in the Church of God at that time thought that the end was near. 'Look, the Mongolians are coming! The Crusades are taking place!'

Let's see something else that is true in everything that is in the Bible. Here's the sum of the whole matter:

Revelation 21:5: "And He Who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' Then He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.'"

Revelation 22:6: "And he said to me, 'These words are faithful and true…'"

Revelation 19:9: "And he said to me, 'Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' And he said to me, 'These are the true words of God.'

There are so many people who say that the Bible is full of lies. Why do they say that? Because if you're blinded, how can you understand? If you don't repent and at least start keeping the Sabbath, you'll never understand. It's quite an amazing thing!

Unfortunately, there are so many people in the Protestant world who when they start getting involved the preachers lead them to the most difficult Scriptures to understand and convince them that the Law has been done away. Rom. 10 (KJV) says that 'Christ is the end of the law,' and it is 'telos' but it is:

Romans 10:4: "For Christ is the end of works of law…" What law? They don't ask that question. Rom. 9 says that Israel sought their justification by works of law. That's what Christ ended! Not the Ten Commandments. You can't end the Ten Commandment!

Galatians 1:1: "Paul, an apostle, not sent from men nor made by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, Who raised Him from the dead."

Therefore, in any, any, any of the introductions of Paul's epistles do you find 'and the Holy Spirit' as a person. You do not! So, if the Holy Spirit were a person—which it is not, it's the power of God—then Paul would actually be blaspheming God, because he never mentioned the Holy Spirit.

Verse 2: "And all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: Grace and peace be to you from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins… [no other way, not ritual, nothing you can do except repent and believe] …for our sins, in order that He might deliver us from the present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father; to Whom be the glory into the ages of eternity. Amen" (vs 2-5).

John 10:11: "I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep…. [that's us] …But the one who is a hireling, and who is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep, and flees. And the wolf seizes the sheep and scatters them" (vs 11-12).

Has the Church been scattered because the wolves came in? Yes!

Verse 13: "Now, the hireling flees because he is a hireling and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good Shepherd, and I know those who are Mine, and am known of those who are Mine. Just as the Father knows Me, I also know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep" (vs 13-15)—He Himself as the Creator of mankind!

It's a tremendous thing, as we will see. What did He judge on Adam and Eve? For their sins He judged them, and from that time forward the law of sin and death was in them, which passed into all of mankind!

What did He do as God to make it right? He took it upon Himself to become a human being, and had to have the law of sin and death in Him, yet, never sinned in order to redeem all of mankind!

Can there be anymore perfect justice than that? None! But it's an amazing thing that God has done!

(go to the next track)

It's interesting how Jesus said that He laid down His life on His own! He had this commandment from the Father that if He laid down His life, the Father would raise Him back.

Let's see how the sacrifice of Christ is applied.

John 1:29: "On the next day, John sees Jesus coming to him, and he says, 'Behold the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world.'" Not sins, but sin! There's one major sin that causes all to sin and that is the law of sin and death!

Let's see how Paul applied this in Gal. 2, and her we have a combination of things from Rom. 6 that when we're baptized, we're conjoined to His death. Even though Christ came to die for the sin of the world, and that means very human being who repents. You have to add that in there, because if you don't repent your sins are not forgiven.

Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ…" Rom. 6 says that we're conjoined to His death! Paul writes in another place that we are to crucify the flesh daily. In other words, repent of your sins.

"…yet, I live. Indeed, it is no longer I; but Christ lives in me…." (v 20). This will be expanded when we get to John 14!

"…For the life that I am now living in the flesh, I live by faith—that very faith of the Son of God…" (v 20)—because it is God's faith, or the Son of God's faith! What is one of the fruits of the Spirit? Faith!

"…Who loved me and gave Himself for me" (v 20). That's quite something to think about, how God applies it, and how we can apply it to ourselves.

That shows the severity of sin, the consequences of sin! Yet, He did this willingly!

Verse 21: "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness is through works of law, then Christ died in vain."

This righteousness here is the righteousness when you are justified from your sins. That's quite a thing the way that Paul put it there.

1-Pet. 5—here we want to emphasize how God Himself is involved in these things, and how it's not some ethereal belief out there. It is a living faith and living belief, because it is through the power of God's Holy Spirit living in us.

1-Peter 5:1: "The elders who are among you I exhort, even as a fellow elder…" That's quite interesting. Was Paul an apostle? Yes, he was! But he was also an elder and, in this case, getting older as a person.

"…and an eyewitness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker of the glory that is about to be revealed" (v 1)—referring to the transfiguration!

When Paul was writing this, all the apostles were expecting the return of Christ during their lifetime. They didn't understand it until right to the ends of their lives. That's another study in itself.

Verse 2: "Feed the flock of God that is among you…" that's what it is! Too many times Church involves: condemnation, ruling and unnecessary counseling. The elders are to teach. How can you help people to overcome? Teach them to overcome by applying the Word of God to themselves, and through study and prayer!

That eliminates a lot of counseling. When we were in Worldwide Church of God, we had to counsel everybody all the time about everything. That just took up a lot of time. What if you made a mistake because you're human? You know what happens? He did it! We are to teach them! Feed the flock!

"…exercising oversight… [not dominion] …not by compulsion, but willingly; not in fondness of dishonest gain, but with an eager attitude; not as exercising lordship over your possessions… [they belong to God and Christ] …but by being examples to the flock of God" (2-4).

"…And when the Chief Shepherd is manifested, you shall receive an unfading, eternal crown of glory. In the same manner, you younger men be subject to the older men; and all of you be subject to one another, being clothed with humility because God sets Himself against the proud, but He gives grace to the humble" (vs 4-5). That tells you how actively involved God is!

Verse 6: "Be humbled, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that He may exalt you in due time; casting all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you" (vs 6-7).

• here is where we need our greatest vigilance
• here is where we need the greatest amount of spiritual strength

Verse 8: Be sober! Be vigilant! For your adversary the devil is prowling about as a roaring lion, seeking anyone he may devour. Whom resist, steadfast in the faith…" (vs 8-9).

Don't go against the things of the Word of God. Always in faith, truth and belief.

"…knowing that the same afflictions are being fulfilled among your brethren who are in the world…. [here's the whole reason for it; tie all these verses together] …Now, may the God of all grace, Who has called us unto His eternal glory… [always keep that in mind] …in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, Himself perfect you, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the power into the ages of eternity. Amen" (vs 9-11). That says an awful lot!

• God is with us
• God is for us
• God is going to help us in all of these things

John 4:23: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth…"—the Truth of the Word of God!

Steve was telling me about an interesting program that he was watching. There was this minister who was obviously a minister for years and he was explaining about the Sabbath. He said that the Sabbath didn't exist until Exo. 20. To prove his point he went back to Gen. 2. Steve told me how he read it. There is no lie of the Truth if you use all the Truth, but you can make a lie of the Truth if you leave out some of the Truth. This is how this preacher read it:

Genesis 2:1: "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And by the beginning of the seventh day God finished His work, which He had made. And He rested on the seventh [Sabbath] day from all His work, which He had made" (vs 1-2).

God rested! Who had He just created on the sixth day? Adam! So the very first thing that Adam learned was the Sabbath Day. Remember, He was created with a full-fledged language. He could converse back and forth like we do.

This preacher left out v 3: "And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because on it He rested from all His work, which God had created and made."

Let's get the truth of the whole matter. This is how if you come to the Bible with blinders on, you'll never understand it. Steve just corrected me; the preacher ended with God rested (middle of v 3). So, it was even worse than I depicted.

The very thing that God says to remember, is the very thing that people want to forget:

Exodus 20:8: "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy." How can you keep it Holy if you forget it, or you replace it with another day?

What I've been doing on Church at Home is I'm not just condemning 'Christianity' as such, I'm talking about fake Christianity. I said, 'You've heard of fake news, well there's fake Christianity.' What we're discovering with what Steve brought up is fake Christianity!

Verse 9: "Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall not do any work, you, nor your son, nor your daughter; your manservant, nor your maidservant, nor your livestock, nor the stranger within your gates; for in six days the LORD made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore… [a mighty powerful word] …the LORD blessed the Sabbath Day and sanctified it" (vs 9-11).

Since God did that, how can any man come and say that 'at this council of the church we decided that everyone is going to keep Sunday at the behest of the command of a pagan Roman Emperor Constantine.' It's incongruous! Has a man ever told God what to do? No!

John 4:23: "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth; for the Father is indeed seeking those who worship Him in this manner."

Seeking, actively always going on. The seven eyes of God are going out and looking for those who are seeking Him, because He's seeking them. The same with us:

• Are His eyes on us all the time?
• Is He with us all the time?
• On the Sabbath?
• In everything that we do?
• Yes!

Verse 24: "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must… [obligated] …worship in Spirit and in Truth."

That's why the very key to growing and overcoming is study and prayer! I can tell you from experience that the longer that you have the Spirit of God and the longer you keep up your prayer and study, you're going to realize more and more of the greatness of God. In making everything that there is from the finite that we can't even see to the most magnificent universe that we could ever look at. God made it all!

You have to look at it this way: Who are we that God would call us to such a great thing? Paul brought this out. God is doing it specifically this way to show that the best of the world can never produce what God is going to produce! Look at how everything that men do and try starts out really good.

Just witness America. The Constitution is good; not perfect, there are flaws in it. But what happens when you start changing it by judicial judgment? That's why God gave His word in Truth! There's nothing that needs to be changed. And in righteousness, and it's perfect for us. That's part of our being perfected in God. But notice what Paul says:

1-Corinthians 1:26: "For you see your calling, brethren, that there are not many who are wise…" Most of us would acknowledge that we're very foolish by ourselves.

"…according to the flesh, not many who are powerful…" (v 26). No senators, not even a city councilman! Maybe we might get a garbage driver, who knows?

"…not many who are highborn among you" (v 26). No princes or princesses! What is your pedigree? I couldn't even find my genealogy!

Verse 27: "Rather, God has chosen the foolish things of the world, so that He might put to shame those who are wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world so that He might put to shame the strong things. And the lowborn of the world, and the despised has God chosen—even the things that are counted as nothing…" (vs 27-28).

Think about that! What are we counted as in the world? Nothing! Look at how many people going down through the Middle Ages, they did not have the difficulties of overcoming that we have, because they had no television, no radio, no telephone… They didn't have people coming in to disturb them; once in a while they did. Later they had a lot of persecution. But even though persecutors who came in to investigate them came back and told the Catholic officials that 'we have never seen people more Christian than these.'

Their battle was entirely different. Ours today is multiple and greatly difficult. Just to give you and example that happened to me:

I watched the 4th of July celebration and everything that was there. I thought it was well done and so forth. But those songs of the military services—the Navy, Army, etc.—were going through my head this morning. I couldn't get it out of my head.

Those in the Middle Ages didn't have any of that. They didn't have nightclubs, drug dealers, so in a way living here with everything that we have that can spoil us absolutely rotten, we have a harder thing to overcome because there are so many things pressing in all the time.

So, we're the lowborn, v 29: "So that no flesh might glory in His presence."

What do you think would have happened to Job if God hadn't put him through what He put him through. He would have said, 'God, I knew You had to resurrect me, because I was so good.'

Verse 30: "But you are of Him [the Father] in Christ Jesus, Who was made to us wisdom from God, even righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption; so that, as it is written, 'The one who glories, let him glory in the Lord'" (vs 30-31).

When you understand in your life how much more God has done and is doing, you will give Him all the glory!

Left by yourself, and if you're not praying and studying every day and coming to Sabbath services, guess what's going to happen? Satan is going to come along with a nice benefit for you! You won't be able to detect it as sin, because you will have become lukewarm.

Let's see how powerfully that Jesus is involved. We need to realize that in everything that we do. All of that helps us to glorify God and not ourselves. Even if we do something good and right: Who has given us the ability to do it? God!

Hebrews 1:1: "God Who spoke to the fathers at different times in the past and in many ways by the prophets, has spoken to us in these last days by His Son."

So, the last days are from Christ's first coming to His second coming! What else can you conclude? Since a day in God's sight is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is as a day, 2,000 years is only two days.

Verse 2: "Whom He has appointed heir of all things, by Whom also He made the ages… [the ages on the earth] …Who, being the brightness of His glory and the exact image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His own power, when He had by Himself purged our sins…" (vs 2-3).

Nothing else could do it; no other man, nothing else, only Christ and obedience to the Father can purge our sins! That's an amazing thing!

"…sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having been made so much greater than any of the angels, inasmuch as He has inherited a name exceedingly superior to them. For to which of the angels did He ever say, 'You are My Son; this day I have begotten You'?…. [tie in Psa. 2] …And again, 'I will be a Father to Him, and He will be a Son to Me'?" (vs 3-5).

Hebrews 9:24: "For Christ has not entered into the Holy places made by human hands, which are mere copies of the true; rather, He has entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Not that He should offer Himself many times…" (vs 24-25).

He did it once so that we can be close to God in everything. Let's see the finality of that:

Hebrews 10:14: "For by one offering He has obtained eternal perfection for those who are sanctified"—but not perfection in the flesh!

But perfection in the spirit of our mind, because all of the flesh is going to disappear at death, and when we're resurrected we'll have none of that of human nature to carry us and hold us back. If you are faithful you will be resurrected, so that is eternal perfection!

Verse 15: "And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after He had previously said, '"This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days," says the Lord, "I will give My Laws into their hearts, and I will inscribe them in their minds"'" (vs 15-16).

That's interesting, because everything we ever do is recorded in our mind and etched on the spirit of man. Everything you ever do! That's why when you get older you remember things you did when you were a kid. It's there! That's why we need forgiveness and have them erased through:

• the power of God
• the grace of God
• the mercy of God

Verse 17: "And their sins and lawlessness I will not remember ever again."

The whole point is how much God Himself is actually involved in our lives. The major things God says, 'I swear by Myself! My words shall never pass away.' Fantastic, all of those things!

Hebrews 13:5: "Do not allow the love of money to influence your behavior, but be satisfied with what you have…"

We can add there: look to the promises in Revelation as to what God is going to give us: eternal life and New Jerusalem!

"…for He has said…" This first person by Christ Himself!

• He loves us
• He's called us
• the Father loves us Himself

Who draws us? The Father!

"…'In no way will I ever leave you… [sometimes you may feel abandoned, but you're not] …no—I will never forsake you in any way'" (v 5). It's not going to happen!

Just turn to God in your trouble and ask God for wisdom and understanding. Repent and draw close to God.

Verse 6: "So then, let us boldly say, 'The Lord is my Helper, and I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'"

Living in this world it's so easy to get discourage because of things going on. Well, things always go on, so don't get discouraged. If you get discouraged, pray:

• ask God to help you
• ask God to comfort you
• ask God to give you peace from anxiety

Let's read another important Scripture to show you how active God is, and we will see that in both the Son and the Father.

John 16:23: "And in that day… [after you have received the Holy Spirit] …you shall ask Me nothing. Truly, truly I tell you, whatever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give you."

That's why in Matt. 6 at the beginning of the Gospel He was talking about prayer. What did He say? Here's how you are to pray:

Our Father Who is in heaven, Hallowed in Your name. Your will be done in heaven and on earth.

That means in our lives!

Verse 24: "Until this day, you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full. These things I have spoken to you in allegories; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in allegories, but I will plainly disclose to you the things of the Father" (vs 24-25). That's what we have through the Epistles of Paul!

Verse 26: "In that day, you shall ask in My name; and I do not tell you that I will beseech the Father for you."

Stop and thing about blasphemous it is for the Catholics to say that you pray to Mary and she will intercede to the Father. Think of that!

Verse 27: "For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father" (vs 27-28).

Let's look at this most important section here in John 14. We won't cover the whole chapter, but this really shows you that beginning in v 15 that if you do not keep the commandments of God you will not receive the Holy Spirit. Can you think of another verse that talks about that? Acts 5 32 where Peter told the whole Sanhedrin that God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him! What Peter was saying to them is that 'you don't obey God.'

John 14:14: "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me…" (vs 14-15)—it's conditional! That's the thing the world doesn't understand.

They're told that God's love is unconditional, and they can do anything they want to and God still loves them. God says that He 'hates the workers of iniquity.' How can that be the love of God? It's not!

Verse 15: "If you love Me, keep the commandments—namely, My commandments." Tie that in with what we've already covered that 'My words shall never fail, heaven and earth can pass away, but not My words'!

Verse 16: "And I will ask the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter…" IF you don't keep His commandments, you won't receive the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit.

"…that it may be with you throughout the age: Even the Spirit of the Truth…" (vs 16-17).

How do you overcome a carnal mind that is deceitful above all things? By eliminating it with the Truth of God! Like we read: written in our heart and mind!

"…which the world cannot receive because it perceives it not, nor knows it; but you know it because it dwells with you, and shall be within you" (v 17). That's the key!

There are probably a lot of people who have the seven spirits of God with them, but not the Holy Spirit within them! Therefore, as long as they're doing things that are right according to God there's going to be certain blessings come because God is no respecter of persons. That doesn't mean that they're converted. There's a difference.

All the time that the apostles were with Jesus, the Holy Spirit was with them, but not in them. They weren't converted.

Verse 18: "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. Yet, a little while and the world shall see Me no longer; but you shall see Me. Because I live, you shall live, also" (vs 18-19).

The very fact that they saw Jesus after the resurrection was a fantastic thing. Imagine what that was in that assembly over on the Holy Mountain, wherever it was in Galilee where 5,000 brethren were there at once and saw Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead!

That must have been a fantastic meeting! As I've said many times, the authorities were scouring everywhere looking for His body.

Verse 20: "In that day, you shall know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. The one who has My commandments… [notice this conditional statement]: …and is keeping them, that is the one who loves Me, and the one who loves Me shall be loved by My Father…" (vs 20-21).

That's why it says it's the Father Who draws; the Father is more actively involved in the things with His people than many people give Him credit for.

"'…and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him.' Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, 'Lord, what has happened that You are about to manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?'" (vs 21-22).

How did He do it? He started with Pentecost and the power of the Holy Spirit! Then by teaching, written word, and that's how God manifests Himself to us. His Spirit—one of the seven Spirits—leads us and draws us. When we repent and are baptized then we receive the Holy Spirit. Did the world ever see that? No!

Verse 23: "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word… [think about where we started: will never pass away] …and My Father will love him, and We… [the Father and the Son] …will come to him and make Our abode with him." That means the Holy Spirit of God has two factors:

• from the Father as a begettal to become a son or daughter of God
• the Spirit of Christ so we can develop the mind of Christ

Together in us working jointly at the same time! That's quite a thing!

This is what we really need to focus on and understand that God is:

• actively involved in our lives
• actively involved in teaching us His Word

This is the whole motivating factor that needs to be with every elder in teaching the brethren, so that we can all come into the unity of the faith and attain to the resurrection!

Notice what Jesus says here in v 24, because this is very disqualifying; Verse 24: "The one who does not love Me does not keep My words…"

What did Jesus say of the Sabbath? He's Lord of the Sabbath! There was that preacher saying that he is a preacher of Jesus Christ, and 'the Lord has done away with the Law.' Not so! He doesn't love Jesus. I'll bet if you asked him, 'Do you love Jesus?' Oh, yes, I love Jesus!

Verse 24: "The one who does not love Me does not keep My words, and the Word that you hear is not Mine, but the Father's, Who sent Me." Right from the Father, the Most High, Who is Sovereign of the whole universe!

Think about that; just little ole us in the little ole town of Hollister, here we are and the world doesn't know us. Hardly anybody in Hollister would know that we're here. Maybe if someone passed by they could hear us, but they don't know what we're doing. We're learning of God what He wants of us! That's the greatest thing that there is!

Here in the middle of summer, don't get discourage, don't get worn out, don't get taken over by the world, but draw close to God!

Scriptural References:

• Genesis 22:5-17
• Matthew 5:17-18
• Matthew 24:34-35
• Mark 13:30-31
• Luke 21:32-33
• Isaiah 43:21-28
• Isaiah 44:21-23
• Isaiah 45:15, 17-19, 22-23
• Ezekiel 38:23
• Revelation 21:5
• Revelation 22:6
• Revelation 19:9
• Romans 10:4
• Galatians 1:1-5
• John 10:11-15
• John 1:29
• Galatians 2:20-21
• 1 Peter 5:1-11
• John 4:23
• Genesis 2:1-3
• Exodus 20:8-11
• John 4:23-24
• 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
• Hebrews 1:1-5
• Hebrews 9:24-25
• Hebrews 10:14-17
• Hebrews 13:5-6
• John 16:23-28
• John 14:14-24

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Hebrews 11
• Romans 9; 6
• Psalm 2
• Matthew 6
• Acts 5:32

Also referenced:

Book: America and Britain: Two Nations that Changed the World, Their Biblical Origin & Prophetic Destiny by Philip Neal

Booklet: New Testament Scripture Comparisons by Joseph Ackermann

Sermon: The Progression of Evil Through Philosophy

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 7/10/19

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