Dr. Barclay's Bible Study - The Book of Romans Part 16

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - CANNOT

 CANNOT

Bill Gates is apparently credited with saying: “Life’s not fair. Get used to it.” But society, at least in theory, continues to state that equality and fairness is what is strived for. However, we continue to have multiple problems with multiple aspects of life: race, gender orientation, wealth distribution, wages, religion, politics, you name it. As time passes, it seems that we just may have to accept the fact that: “Life just isn’t fair.”

A number of these divisive factors which plague us on earth are summarized, and apparently resolved, with this scripture from Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” What this is saying, essentially, is that many of the things that divide us disappear when we are in Christ. At the same time, many other factors aren’t even mentioned.

There is, however, one dividing factor mentioned in the Bible: that being what divides those who have accepted Christ from those who have not. It is clearly stated that those who have accepted Christ have certain experiences which those who have not yielded to Him cannot have.

  When Nicodemus met with Jesus, he asked about the second birth. Jesus answered saying ‘…unless one is born again [born of the spirit], he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3) and that “…unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). John seems to be clearly saying that unless there is a spiritual rebirth, heaven is not attainable.

But why does this spiritual change not appear to take place for many people? Perhaps it’s due to a question Jesus asks further in John - “Why do [you] not understand My speech? even because [you] cannot hear My word” (John 8:43, KJV) He was speaking to the Pharisees who were so religious in nature, and yet so spiritually void in understanding, that they rejected what Christ was saying. Christ went further on and talked about sending another Helper, who would be “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees nor knows Him…” (John 14:17). This, however, also fell on the ears that cannot hear because of man’s trespasses and sin.

So if one is so out of tune with God that they cannot see, cannot hear, and cannot receive His Spirit, then it follows that: “…those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8). This is because “…the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

So most of the features that divide us here come from either one person demanding more power or one group wanting more rights or one nation just trying to obtain more. And none of this seems fair. The Bible, however, makes really only one distinction: between those who have the Spirit and those who do not. It makes it quite clear that there is a definite dividing line because “No servant can serve two masters…You cannot serve both God and mammon” (Luke 16:13).

In order to serve God, one must believe in Him and accept His promises “…which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…” (Titus 1:2). Only by believing Him, and thereby having the faith to do so, can one ever receive those promises. This is because “…without faith it is impossible to [cannot] please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). 

  Being part of the cannot group is not the best place to be for then you “cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). It’s much better to belong to the “can” group and receive the promises God has available.

Just something to think about.

 

Pastor Caroline - Our Good Deeds - His Glory

Pastor Caroline - A Prayer for Safety

 

A Prayer for Safety

 

In the Good News Bible Psalm 59 is entitled, A Prayer for Safety. The Psalmist David wrote it when Saul was arranging to kill him. David cried out to the Lord in verse one and asked the Lord to protect him from those who attack him. He proclaims to the Lord these men are murderers and are waiting to kill him. He is desperate for protection.

 

Then in verse 16 we read;

(16) But I will sing about your strength; every morning I will sing aloud of your constant love. You have been a refuge for me, a shelter in my time of trouble.

 

In his desperation what does David do? He sings!!!

He worships God the Father. He knows that God loves to hear our worship especially when we have struggles because it is easy to worship in the good times, the times of safety.  But, ( and this is a big but) it is difficult to calm ourselves enough to come to a place of worship when we are hard up against the tough times. Let God be the only One you worship. In our struggles the first and best thing we can do; is worship!!

 

Worship in spite of the hardships you are going through. David knew what was before him, but; he sang – of the strength of the Lord. He knew God could and would take down the enemy. He even asked God not to kill them because people may forget that God can scatter them by his strength and defeat them. (Verse 11).  He asked God to strike them down so that everyone knows God rules in Israel and that his rule extends over all the earth. (Verse13)

 

As David prayed for safety he had confidence in God‘s strength, (Verse 9) and he knew God loved him and would show him that his enemies were defeated. (Verse 10)

Praise the Lord. How was it David had this confidence? It was because God had proven himself faithful to David in the past; and David even called the Lord, “my defender “. (Verse 16)

 

When we come to God for protection and safety He hears the cry of our heart. We must learn to trust Him, defeating our doubt; and praising God in our belief. We must learn to worship first, giving our praise to God who loves us. We then can stand in the assurance of the power of the Lord to fight our battles. Then we can rest in the safety of His arms as David did.

 

Thank God in advance before you see the answer to prayer or the solution to your problem. Do as David did and sing – sing about the strength of the Lord, morning and night; sing of the constant love of the Lord.

 

Let God be the only One you worship!!

Dr. Barclay's Bible Study - The Book of Romans Part 15

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - THE LAMB

 THE LAMB

In the Bible, the lamb has always been a symbolized of a type of relationship and contact with God. At the same time, it’s important to see how this symbolism and relationship changed and progressed with time.

The lamb was first recorded in the Bible as a sacrifice for only one person. It states in Genesis that “…Abel was a keeper of sheep…” (4:2) and that he “…brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat [to the Lord]…” (4:4). The Lord was apparently pleased with this offering and “respected Abel” (Genesis 4:4). This was the first recorded sacrifice of a lamb in the Bible and was on behalf of one person, Abel.

In Exodus, God told the Hebrew people to take “…a lamb for a household…[or] if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next to his house take it…according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb” (12:3-4). Exodus goes on to explain Passover, where the lamb is sacrificed and the blood is placed on the lintel and doorposts, and the flesh of the lamb consumed. This description of the Passover sacrifice is more detailed than that in Genesis and encompasses an entire family instead just one person. More detailed and greater impact.

God also states in Exodus 12:5 that: “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.” As is evident, a lamb can also be a young goat without blemish and so in Leviticus the instruction is given to sacrifice a lamb or a goat or even a bull to cover the sins not only of a family but of the entire nation. The details of this are spread out over a number of chapters but I want to bring attention to Leviticus 16 in particular. Here, the High Priest makes “…atonement for himself, and for his household, and for the congregation of Israel.” (Leviticus 16:17, KJV)

“This shall be a statute forever for you: 

In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month,…

the priest shall make atonement for you, to cleanse you, 

that you may be clean from all your sins before the Lord.

It is a sabbath of solemn rest for you, 

and you shall afflict your souls, 

It is a statute forever.

And the priest…shall make atonement…

[and] then he shall make atonement for the Holy Sanctuary, 

and he shall make atonement for the tabernacle of meeting 

and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests 

and for all the people of the assembly.” 

(Leviticus 16:29-33)

   

All of this to cover the sin of mankind. It has become more simplified since Christ, the last lamb of sacrifice, came because His death not only covered our sins (like the sacrificial lamb of the past) but also took them away as per the scapegoat in the book of Leviticus. This is just as John said when he saw Jesus coming toward him: “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (1:29)

Unlike the previous sacrifices which were for a person or a family or even a national congregation, this sacrifice was for the entire world and “…was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you”(1 Peter 1:20). The process, instituted by God in the beginning for one man, has now come to encompass all of mankind and the lamb sacrificed to cover the sin of Abel has become “…the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19).

“…The Lord respected Abel and his offering…” (Genesis 4:4) and He likewise accepts the offering made by Christ on our behalf. It’s comforting to know that this was planned from the beginning as a free gift and that God respects us through Christ’s offering. All we have to do is receive and utilize the gift that God has put forth. 

It really is something to think about.

Pastor Caroline - Good Managers of God's Gifts