PRAYER!
SCRIPTURE : 1 Peter 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"
MY PECULIAR FAITH!
When we thinkof the word "peculiar", we conjure up an image of :
>oddball
>strange
>fanatic or extreme
But the Bible definition is totally different than the worldly one!
"Peculiar" "one's own,
special
set apart
1 Peter 2:11 "Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;"
Christians are to remain WITHOUT "spot or blemish" in the midst of a morally degnerative world.
Jesus tells us these words found in Ephesians 5: 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary: " All true Christians are a chosen generation; they make One Family, a people distinct from the world: of another spirit, principle, and practice; which they could never be, if they were not chosen in Christ to be such, and sanctified by his Spirit."
Song: THE FAMILY OF GOD
Chorus:
I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God-
I've been washed in the fountain,
Cleansed by His blood! Joint-heirs with Jesus,
As we travel this sod,For I'm part of the family, The family of God!
1.
You will notice we say "Brother" and "Sister" 'round here-
It's because we're a family, and these folks are so near;
When one has a heartache, we all shed the tears,
And rejoice in each victory, In this family so dear.
Chorus
2.
From the door of an orphange tot he house of the King
No longer an outcast, a new song I sing
From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong,
I'm not worthy to be here, but praise God, I belong!
Chorus
Tell me Friends! do you belong to God's family?
If not, wouldn't you like to know more about HOW to belong?
This gospel...what is it?
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Notice "The gospel of Jesus Christ IS the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth!
How is a person saved?
The Bible says: Ephesians 2;8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God; Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
And the "workmanship" talked about here is having the "Fruit of the Holy Spirit "working in our lives!
When People accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, they become "pilgrims and stangers". They stand "apart from the world's degrading pleasures. Instead Christians devote themselves to things of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-25" But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."
The Bible says (in Rom.3:23) "That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The Bible also says in Romans 6:23 "The wages of sin is death: But the gift of God is eternal life thru Jesus Christ our Lord."
All of us need a Saviour!
And all of us need to see our unsaved condition!
Song:
HE WASHED MY EYES WITH TEARS
1.
He washed my eyes with tears that I might see:
The broken heart I had was good for me.
He tore it all apart, and looked inside,
He found it full of fear, and foolish pride.
He swept away the things that made me blind,
And then I saw the clouds were silver lined;
and now I understand 'twas best for me-
He washed my eyes with tears that I might see.
2.
He washed my eyes with tears that I might see
The glory of Himself revealed to me;
I did not know that He had wounded hands,
I saw the blood He spilt upon the sands.
I saw the marks of shame and wept and cried,
He was my substitute- For me He died;
And now I'm glad He came so tenderly,
He washed my eyes with tears that I might see.
What does this gospel involve?
The recognition that Jesus died for YOU and ME!
Romans 5:8 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
WHO did Jesus die for? Just the GOOD folk?
Romans 5:6 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us how to be His disciples:
John 8:31-32
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Friends! Jesus tells us that IF we KNOW the TRUTH, the Truth shall make us free!
WHAT IS TRUTH?
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
John 17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."
John 1:1-3 tells us"
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
The Bible further tells us in 1 Peter 2:21 "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:"
Tell me , Friends! If Jesus is MY Example...IF Jesus is YOUR Example, shouldn't we follow His steps?
Did Jesus keep His Father's commandments?
John 15:10" If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."
Did Jesus keep the 7th day Sabbath?
Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read."
How do we show our LOYALTY to Jesus?
John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
PECULIAR?
YES! I believe I am!
"Peculiar", being out of step with the world?
Song: LOVE DIVINE
1.
It was love that sent the Saviour
To this world of sin and woe;
It was love that left heav'n's portals
And came down to dwell below.
It was love that stilled the waters
On the stormy Galilee;
It was love that paid sin's ransom,
One dark day on Calvary.
REFRAIN:
Love so divine, love so sublime
Love that is deeper than any sea;
Love for us all, O how can it be!
2.
It was love that heard my pleadings
When I cried out in my sin;
It was love that gave me comfort,
It was love that took me in.
It was love that whispered softly
"I will never cast you out".
It was love that eased my heartache
It was love removed my doubt.
3.
It IS love that still is knocking
At the hearts of sinful men;
It was love that never tires,
But that knocks and knocks again.
It is love that solves all problems
In this world of care and strife;
It IS love, the love of Jesus
That gives hope and peace and life.
You know , Friends, God has had to use various means to "GET THE ATTENTION of some folk" to work with them, so THEY can work for God!
In the Old Testament, I'm reminded of Balaam and the "talking Donkey". Even that didn't work for God's prophet. In the end, Balaam lost his life and died A LOST MAN. The Holy Spirit left Balaanm.
(2 Peter 2:15) " Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;" Balaam insisted on doing things his way, and ultimately rejected God's righteousness, perferring instead his own!
Another man whom the Lord used unusual means was "Nebuchadnezzar"-King of Babylon,-Daniel 4:24 "This [is] the interpretation, O king, and this [is] the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."
v33 "the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' [feathers], and his nails like birds' [claws].
How would YOU like to be the greatest king on earth,a nd end up with your subjects watching YOU eat grass for 7 years?
Did Nebuchadnezzar learn a lesson from this experience?
verses 34,37 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [is] from generation to generation:
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works [are] truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
In the New Testament, we read about the experience of Saul the persecutor, who became Paul the Apostle!
Acts 8: As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and hailing men and women committed [them] to prison.
Acts 9:1-4 " And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Was Saul the Persecutor, a changed man, after MEETING JESUS on the road to Damascus?
In Acts 9 :15, we read that God told Ananias about Paul.."15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:"
WHAT ABOUT YOU? Has God revealed Himself to you in the way which you should go?
********************
The year was 1984!
The place ...Pugwash, Nova Scotia!
The occasion? Well....
It started off in the xray department of Pugwash Hospital...For nearly 3 months I was suffering from a "Perpetual Flu"..with no cure in sight!
Finally, I couldn't take any more.
Bev took me to Pugwash Hospital, and tests were run on me
I lost 28 pounds in 10 days before my admission to the hospital.And usually with such a drastic weight loss, it's either Diabetes or Cancer!
And everything I ate,came back up!
..Dr. Forshner arranged for my transfer to Amherst Highland View Hospital.
After having numerous blood tests, ranging from symptoms of Liver Disease, Hepatitis B, and Mononucleosis - these 3 tests ALL proved Negative, the Doctors determined that I had 1 of 5 types of Cancer:
Bone, Leukemia , Hodgkins, Lymphatic, or Liver Cancer -
Normal liver enzyme is between 65-100, whereas my Liver enzymes were 398!
I had a Bone Marow test performed, and an operation- 2 tumors removed from my neck( lymph nodes)
Tell me friends,......
What do you suppose I was thinking when lying in bed with no prognosis for survival.
One day as I was reading my Bible (I was still able to read), I was reading Joel 2:28,
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Tell me Friends!
How OLD do you have to be to see a vision?
I was 39...was I still a YOUNG MAN?
----------
And THEN when the room lit up, and a "Ticker-Tape PRINTOUT " began to move across the top of the wall, in foot-high letters, I "SAT UP and noticed!"
"LAURIE, YOU WILL MAKE IT THROUGH TO THE END"
"But Lord, but the end could be TONIGHT!"
AGAIN, the letters appeared:
"LAURIE, YOU WILL MAKE IT THROUGH TO THE END OF THE WORLD!"
Friends, that was 16 years ago. Whether I had cancer, I don't know. But within 3 days of that vision, I was discharged home..It was several weeks before I could regain my strength and work, but for me I had a purpose to... PREACH THE WORD.
And like the 3ABN motto...
Preach the "Undiluted 3 Angels' Messages".
No it isn't a popular message, but it is the right message.
Galatians 1:8-9
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
JESUS AND ME
1. I travelled alone upon this lonesome way,
My burdens were heavy and dark was my day;
I looked for a friend not knowing that He
Had all of the time been looking for me.
Chorus:
Now it is Jesus and me for each tomorrow
For every heartache and every sorrow,
I know that I can depend upon my newfound Friend,
And so til the end, it's Jesus and me.
2. The road may be long to heaven's pearly gate
I know that it's narrow, I know that it's straight
But Jesus is there through eternity
We'll travel along- just Jesus and me.
Chorus!
3. Forever I'll sing of His great love to me
Forever I'll tell it on land and on sea;
I'll stay by His side, contended I'll be
For all of my life, it's Jesus and me.
Chorus!
Friends! Jesus is Coming Again!
AND this time there will be no disappointment!
Jesus wants YOU to be ready too.
When we look around us and see the sadness and sickness in this world...we see the immorality and crime, and we need to "get right with the Lord, what do you say?
HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN?
1.
How long has it been since you talked with the Lord
And told Him your heart's hidden secrets?
How long since you prayed? How long since you stayed
On your knees till the light shone through?
How long has it been since your mind felt at ease?
How long since your heart knew no burden?
Can you call Him your friend?
How long has it been since you knew that He cared for you?
2.
How long has it been since you knelt by your bed
And prayed to the Lord up in heaven?
How long since you knew that he'd answer you,
And would keep you the whole night through?
How long has it been since you woke with the dawn,
And felt that the days worth the living?
Can you call Him your friend?
How long has it been since you knew that He cared for you?
My prayer for each one today is that WE WILL BE READY.
Benediction!
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
