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Sunday, February 05, 2012
Greetings Little Flock,
I pray that your Sunday and day of worshipping Our Lord is one which
will bring enlightenment and joy to your soul as we grow in
understanding and knowledge of what our Bible has for us. Yesterday
I received a phone call from, Nathan, a young man in Pennsylvania
who had planned to go into the army but as it turned out he was
offered the position of manager at McDonalds after a short period of
training time. He was, as I am, so happy that God has answered
prayer and worked His way in Nathan’s life. I just wanted to share
some good news taking place for one of God’s children...
Before we move along
with our message for today, and since we aren’t able to
congregationally sing as those in church, I’ll ask that you go to
this page and we’ll sing our song of praise together. “I
Won’t have to Worry” I just felt this might set the mood for our
message today. Just a little something different for you today.
(smile) I hope you enjoy doing this.
And now for our Bible lesson and thought for today… As I was reading
these scriptures today, they became so alive and vivid that I just
had to share them with you all. I will just pray that the Lord will
touch your hearts with His understanding as we read today’s message
and that you will be blessed as we grow together in God Holy Word.
Amen
II Corinthians 5: 1, 11 --17
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1 |
For we know that if our earthly house of
this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of
God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens. |
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2 |
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring
to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: |
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3 |
If so be that being clothed we
shall not be found naked.
clothed
Matt
22:11,
Eph
4:24,
Col
3:9,
Rev
3:4,
Rev
16:15,
Rev 19:8
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4 |
For we that are in this tabernacle do
groan, being burdened: not for that we would be
unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be
swallowed up of life. |
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5 |
Now he that hath wrought us for the
selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the
earnest of the Spirit. |
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6 |
Therefore we are always confident,
knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are
absent from the Lord: |
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7 |
(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
sight
1st
Cor 13:12,
2nd Cor 3:18
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8 |
We are confident, I say, and willing
rather to be absent from the body, and to be present
with the Lord. |
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9 |
Wherefore we labour, that, whether
present or absent, we may be accepted of him. |
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10 |
For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive
the things done in his body, according to that he hath
done, whether it be good or bad.
before
Matt
25:32,
Rom
14:10,
Rev
20:12
receive
Job
34:11,
Psa
62:12,
Prov
24:12,
Jer
17:10,
Matt
16:27,
Rom
2:6,
1st
Pet 1:17,
Rev
2:23,
Rev 22:12
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11 |
Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord,
we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and
I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. |
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17 |
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is
a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.
new
Matt 19:28
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In our lesson today we find the believer not only is well assured by
faith that there is yet another and a happy life after this one is
ended, but we have good hope, through grace, of heaven as a
dwelling-place, a resting-place, a hiding-place. In our Father's
house there are many mansions, whose Builder and Maker is God. The
happiness of the future state is what God has prepared for those
that love him: everlasting habitations, not like the earthly
tabernacles, the poor cottages of clay, in which our souls now
dwell; that are moldering and decaying, whose foundations are in the
dust.
The body of flesh is a heavy burden; the calamities of life are a
heavy load. But believers groan, being burdened with a body of sin,
and because of the many corruptions remaining and raging within
them. Death will strip us of the clothing of flesh, and all the
comforts of life, as well as end all our troubles here below. But
believing souls shall be clothed with garments of praise, with robes
of righteousness and glory. The present graces and comforts of the
Spirit are earnests of everlasting grace and comfort. And though God
is with us here, by his Spirit, and in his ordinances, yet we are
not with him as we hope to be one day.
Faith is for this world, and sight is for the other world. It is our
duty, and it will be our interest, to walk by faith, till we live by
sight. This shows clearly the happiness to be enjoyed by the souls
of believers when absent from the body, and where Jesus makes known
his glorious presence.
We are related to the body and to the Lord; each claims a part in
us. But how much more powerfully the Lord pleads for having the soul
of the believer closely united with himself! Thou art one of the
souls I have loved and chosen; one of those given to me. What is
death, as an object of fear, compared with being absent from the
Lord!
The apostle quickens himself and others to acts of duty.
Well-grounded hopes of heaven will not encourage sloth and sinful
security. Let all consider the judgment to come, which is called,
The terror of the Lord.
The renewed man acts upon new principles, by new rules, with new
ends, and in new company. The believer is created anew; his heart is
not merely set right, but a new heart is given him. He is the
workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Though
the same as a man, he is changed in his character and conduct. These
words must and do mean more than an outward reformation. The man who
formerly saw no beauty in the Saviour that he should desire him, now
loves him above all things.
As we realize these awesome verses and more understand their truth,
we must conclude that, of a fact, it truly is and will be more
wonderful than words are able to describe, when we lay down this
body of flesh, you and I as God’s children will be in His presence.
Our deeds after becoming His children will be placed at the judgment
seat of Christ (known as the Bema Seat) and our rewards will be
given us. And this I ask, as you examine yourself and your deeds for
Christ; How will you stand and kneel before God? Will your rewards
be few, a little more than few, or many? Or will you stand Naked
before God without any good deeds for your account or rewards to
receive? Being found naked in the flesh is embarrassing but how much
more so when found naked in the spirit. I pray that you will be: Not
Found Naked!!! But rather, that you will rejoice over the many
jewels placed into your crown as you lay that crown before the feet
of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ… Well glory!
May you not be found naked in spirit but full of the Holy Ghost,
Until we meet again,
May you always be as close to
the Lord as The Lord is to you,
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