Episodes
Sunday Jan 31, 2021
Sunday Jan 31, 2021
The Blessing of Our Faith, as Followers of Jesus, Is the Presence of Jesus In Our Lives, Irrespective of Our Life’s Circumstances
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Introduction to the Bible’s Letter to the Hebrews and “Hope”: Today, the Pandemic, civil disobedience, and cultural dissonance a context for our need to learn about “Living in Difficult Circumstances”. We can both learn a great deal and gain “Hope”, in our current situation, from the situation faced by Christians in Rome who were “Living in Difficult Circumstances”. Our context for learning is described in the Bible’s book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrew’s writer wanted to give “Hope” to the persecuted Christians in Rome by pointing out the superiority of Jesus the Christ over all the problems that they were facing from their persecution by the Emperor Nero. The writer did not want Christians to deviate and leave their Faith in Jesus because the times were bleak and the difficult circumstances, they were facing appeared hopeless. In Hebrew’s, the writer wanted Roman Christians to understand that if they turned away from Jesus there was no one else with whom they could face their difficult circumstances. The message to us, in these times, is that without Jesus in our lives and in the life of our country there is no one or no institution, to whom we can turn, for help in “facing our difficult circumstances”. To this end, in Hebrews 1:10-11, we find the culmination of Jesus Divinity along with His humanity that positions His superiority for us: “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”.
Today’s Message – Jesus Who Is Seated at the Right Hand of the Father: The writer of Hebrews encourages the persecuted Christians, living in Rome, to look to Jesus in so many ways. Today, in Hebrews 10:11-14, the Writer focuses, again on Jesus “superiority” and the Christian faith by pointing out that, after Jesus Ascension, Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of God, the Father: “And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.". The Writer refers to the “right hand” because it is a position of power and authority for Jesus in the Universe. As Stephen, the first Deacon, is being stoned to death, he cries out in Acts 7:55-56: “But he {Stephen}, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”.
In Jeremiah 31:31, God speaks of His “new covenant” that is coming: “But this is the {new} covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.". This “new covenant” is intellectual, effectual, and perpetual. Therefore, through this “new covenant”, we can, from Hebrews 10:22-24: “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,". Because of whom Jesus is, the Writer of Hebrews is continuing to encourage the Christians of Rome, in their difficult circumstances, to “hold fast to their faith” just as we are, in our difficult circumstances” encouraged to hold fast to our faith”. For Followers of Jesus, loosing their faith invites spiritual disaster in their lives.
The Writer of Hebrews encourages us, because who Jesus is, to look to Jesus in our life’s difficult circumstances and to not give up in the face of fears and uncertainties. The blessing of our faith, as Followers of Jesus, is the presence of Jesus in our lives, irrespective of our life’s circumstances. Jesus wants our focus to be on Him and not our circumstances. Remember Jesus is faithful, and He will never leave you.
Today, Followers of Jesus live in a time of turmoil and uncertainty with issues like Covid-19, cultural dissonance, and civil discourse providing an overarching context that can lead us to fear, doubt in our faith, and feelings of “hopelessness”. These issues of today, which drive our uncertainties and fears, have impacted Followers of Jesus and America profoundly. However, as Followers of Jesus, we know that none of these circumstances are taking God by surprise. Yet so many of us are discouraged, downcast, depressed, and fearful. Too many of us have lost “Hope”. Proverbs 13:12 tells us: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,". Without “Hope”, we are like ships sailing without a harbor. God wants us to have “Hope” in our everchanging world! “Hope” is the anticipation of a good future; “Hope” is having faith and believing that God is working out His purposes in the World and in my life.
As we live, today, “in these last days” of difficult circumstances, we should look only to Jesus rather than to any person, institution, force, government entity, or nation. Jesus is our only source of protection and the way out of our difficult circumstances which are manifested by the Pandemic, civil disobedience, and cultural dissonance. Once again, Jesus is the only “way, and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Hebrews 1:10-18; Hebrews 10:11-25; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 7:1-4; Psalms 110:1; Jeremiah 31:31-35; John 15:3.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Jesus the Christ Is Our Hope In Life and Death and He Is “Hope” for the Wave of Loneliness and Uncertainty Sweeping Our World Today”: www.AWFTL.org/watch
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Jan 31, 2021
Sunday Jan 31, 2021
The Blessing of Our Faith, as Followers of Jesus, Is the Presence of Jesus In Our Lives, Irrespective of Our Life’s Circumstances
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Introduction to the Bible’s Letter to the Hebrews and “Hope”: Today, the Pandemic, civil disobedience, and cultural dissonance a context for our need to learn about “Living in Difficult Circumstances”. We can both learn a great deal and gain “Hope”, in our current situation, from the situation faced by Christians in Rome who were “Living in Difficult Circumstances”. Our context for learning is described in the Bible’s book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrew’s writer wanted to give “Hope” to the persecuted Christians in Rome by pointing out the superiority of Jesus the Christ over all the problems that they were facing from their persecution by the Emperor Nero. The writer did not want Christians to deviate and leave their Faith in Jesus because the times were bleak and the difficult circumstances, they were facing appeared hopeless. In Hebrew’s, the writer wanted Roman Christians to understand that if they turned away from Jesus there was no one else with whom they could face their difficult circumstances. The message to us, in these times, is that without Jesus in our lives and in the life of our country there is no one or no institution, to whom we can turn, for help in “facing our difficult circumstances”. To this end, in Hebrews 1:10-11, we find the culmination of Jesus Divinity along with His humanity that positions His superiority for us: “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”.
Today’s Message – Jesus Who Is Seated at the Right Hand of the Father: The writer of Hebrews encourages the persecuted Christians, living in Rome, to look to Jesus in so many ways. Today, in Hebrews 10:11-14, the Writer focuses, again on Jesus “superiority” and the Christian faith by pointing out that, after Jesus Ascension, Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of God, the Father: “And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.". The Writer refers to the “right hand” because it is a position of power and authority for Jesus in the Universe. As Stephen, the first Deacon, is being stoned to death, he cries out in Acts 7:55-56: “But he {Stephen}, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”.
In Jeremiah 31:31, God speaks of His “new covenant” that is coming: “But this is the {new} covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.". This “new covenant” is intellectual, effectual, and perpetual. Therefore, through this “new covenant”, we can, from Hebrews 10:22-24: “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,". Because of whom Jesus is, the Writer of Hebrews is continuing to encourage the Christians of Rome, in their difficult circumstances, to “hold fast to their faith” just as we are, in our difficult circumstances” encouraged to hold fast to our faith”. For Followers of Jesus, loosing their faith invites spiritual disaster in their lives.
The Writer of Hebrews encourages us, because who Jesus is, to look to Jesus in our life’s difficult circumstances and to not give up in the face of fears and uncertainties. The blessing of our faith, as Followers of Jesus, is the presence of Jesus in our lives, irrespective of our life’s circumstances. Jesus wants our focus to be on Him and not our circumstances. Remember Jesus is faithful, and He will never leave you.
Today, Followers of Jesus live in a time of turmoil and uncertainty with issues like Covid-19, cultural dissonance, and civil discourse providing an overarching context that can lead us to fear, doubt in our faith, and feelings of “hopelessness”. These issues of today, which drive our uncertainties and fears, have impacted Followers of Jesus and America profoundly. However, as Followers of Jesus, we know that none of these circumstances are taking God by surprise. Yet so many of us are discouraged, downcast, depressed, and fearful. Too many of us have lost “Hope”. Proverbs 13:12 tells us: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,". Without “Hope”, we are like ships sailing without a harbor. God wants us to have “Hope” in our everchanging world! “Hope” is the anticipation of a good future; “Hope” is having faith and believing that God is working out His purposes in the World and in my life.
As we live, today, “in these last days” of difficult circumstances, we should look only to Jesus rather than to any person, institution, force, government entity, or nation. Jesus is our only source of protection and the way out of our difficult circumstances which are manifested by the Pandemic, civil disobedience, and cultural dissonance. Once again, Jesus is the only “way, and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Hebrews 1:10-18; Hebrews 10:11-25; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 7:1-4; Psalms 110:1; Jeremiah 31:31-35; John 15:3.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Jesus the Christ Is Our Hope In Life and Death and He Is “Hope” for the Wave of Loneliness and Uncertainty Sweeping Our World Today”: www.AWFTL.org/watch
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Jan 24, 2021
Sunday Jan 24, 2021
Why Do We Not Go to the Lord when We, as Individual Followers of Jesus and We as a Nation, Face Difficult Circumstances, Especially with Jesus as Our Great High Priest?
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Introduction to Hebrews and “Hope”: Today, followers of Jesus live in a time of both turmoil and uncertainty with issues like Covid-19, cultural dissonance, and civil discourse providing an overarching context that can lead us to fear, doubt in our faith, and feelings of “hopelessness”. These issues of today, that drive our uncertainties and fears, have impacted America profoundly, including Followers of Jesus. However, as Followers of Jesus, we know that none of these issues are taking God by surprise. Yet so many of us are discouraged, downcast, depressed, and fearful. Too many of us have lost “Hope”. Proverbs 13:12 tells us: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,". Without “Hope”, we are like ships sailing without a harbor. God wants us to have “Hope” in our everchanging world! “Hope” is the anticipation of a good future; “Hope” is having faith and believing that God is working out His purposes in the World and in my life.
Today, the Pandemic, civil disobedience, and cultural dissonance a context for our need to learn about “Living in Difficult Circumstances”. We can both learn a great deal and gain “Hope”, in our current situation, from the situation faced by Christians in Rome who were “Living in Difficult Circumstances”. Our context for learning is described in the Bible’s book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrew’s writer wanted to give “Hope” to the persecuted Christians in Rome by pointing out the superiority of Jesus the Christ over all the problems they were facing from their persecution by the Emperor Nero. The writer did not want Christians to deviate and leave their Faith in Jesus because the times were bleak and the difficult circumstances they were facing appeared hopeless. In Hebrew’s, the writer wanted Roman Christians to understand that if they turned away from Jesus there was no one else with whom they could face their difficult circumstances. The message to us, in these times, is that without Jesus in our lives and in the life of our country there is no one or no institution, to whom we can turn, for help in “facing our difficult circumstances”. To this end, in Hebrews 1:10-11, we find the culmination of Jesus Divinity along with His humanity that positions His superiority for us: “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”.
Today’s Message – Jesus as Our Great High Priest: The writer of Hebrews introduces a comparison of Jesus to the Jewish High Priest in terms of their roles, deity, and humanity beginning with Hebrews 5:1: “For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.". In Hebrews 5:5-6, the Writer begins a comparison of Jesus to the High Priest: “So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’; 6as he says also in another place, ‘You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.’”. In Hebrews 5, the Writer points out that Jesus, even though He is in the linage of David rather than Aron, which in the past was a requirement for priesthood, was a superior priest through Melchizedek and being called and begotten by God, Additionally, Jesus was superior to any human High Priest as we see in Hebrews 5:20-22.25: “And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: ‘The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, You are a priest forever.’ This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant . . . Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost [2] those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.". A key role and responsibility for the Jewish Great High Priest was to offer sacrifices for the people that were calendar and/or event driven; however, Jesus sacrifice was “once offered” and was a “perfect” sacrifice for all sins and for all accepting, believing, and repentant sinners over all time and space.
Therefore, the Writer tells us in Hebrews 4:14-16 tells us: “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.". Today, we can see the Writer’s admonition to the Christians of Rome and us that God is still with them and us in difficult circumstances and that they should hold fast to their faith , in spite of suffering, fear, uncertainties, and perceived silence from their prayers because Jesus is our personal High Priest.
This passage from Hebrews 4:14-16 brings to the forefront the question: “Why do we not go to the Lord when we, as individual Followers of Jesus and we as a Nation, face difficult circumstances, especially with Jesus as our Great High Priest?”. Therefore, why don’t you bring your difficult circumstances to the Lord and watch Him respond with His Grace?
As we live, today, “in these last days”, we should not look to any other person, institution, force, government entity, or nation, other than Jesus. Jesus is our only source of protection and the way out of our “difficult circumstances” which are manifested by the Pandemic, civil disobedience, and cultural dissonance. Once again, Jesus is the only “way, and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Hebrews 1:10-18; Hebrews 2:1-3; John 14:6; Hebrews 2:5-10; Hebrews 5:1-10; Psalms 2:7; Psalms 110:4; Hebrews 7:1-10; Romans 8:35; Hebrews 4:14-16.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Jesus the Christ Is Our Hope In Life and Death and He Is “Hope” for the Wave of Loneliness and Uncertainty Sweeping Our World Today”: www.AWFTL.org/watch
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Jan 17, 2021
Sunday Jan 17, 2021
As You “Face Difficult Circumstances” of Pandemic and Civil Discourse, You Are Admonished “that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin”
MESSAGE SUMMARY: Today, followers of Jesus live in a time of both turmoil and uncertainty with issues like Covid-19, cultural dissonance, and civil discourse providing an overarching context that can lead us to fear, doubt in our faith, and feelings of “hopelessness”. These issues of today, that drive our uncertainties and fears, have impacted America profoundly, including Followers of Jesus. However, as Followers of Jesus, we know that none of these issues are taking God by surprise. Yet so many of us are discouraged, downcast, depressed, and fearful. Too many of us have lost “Hope”. Proverbs 13:12 tells us: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,". Without “Hope”, we are like ships sailing without a harbor. God wants us to have “Hope” in our everchanging world! “Hope” is the anticipation of a good future; “Hope” is having faith and believing that God is working out His purposes in the World and in my life.
Today, the Pandemic, civil disobedience, and cultural dissonance a context for our need to learn about “Living in Difficult Circumstances”. We can both learn a great deal and gain “Hope”, in our current situation, from the situation faced by Christians in Rome who were “Living in Difficult Circumstances”. Our context for learning is described in the Bible’s book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrew’s writer wanted to give “Hope” to the persecuted Christians in Rome by pointing out the superiority of Jesus the Christ over all the problems they were facing from their persecution by the Emperor Nero. The writer did not want Christians to deviate and leave their Faith in Jesus because the times were bleak and the difficult circumstances they were facing appeared hopeless. In Hebrew’s, the writer wanted Roman Christians to understand that if they turned away from Jesus there was no one else with whom they could face their difficult circumstances. The message to us, in these times, is that without Jesus in our lives and in the life of our country there is no one or no institution, to whom we can turn, for help in “facing our difficult circumstances”. To this end, in Hebrews 1:10-11, we find the culmination of Jesus Divinity along with His humanity that positions His superiority for us: “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”.
Also, the writer of Hebrews, in Hebrews 1:2-4, speaks of “in these last days”, to reference the times after Jesus’ birth, death and Resurrection in which God has “acted and spoken” on Earth. God’s actions on Earth were in fulfilment, through Jesus, of those promises He made through the Old Testament Prophets. Now, “in these last days”, is the time, in the First Century and today, in which Jesus and God’s power and superiority on Earth and in the Universe, are unassailable by any person, institution, force, government entity, or nation: “in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”. This text from Hebrews 1:2-4 points to Jesus as Lord over all creation and humanity.
In Hebrews 2:1-3, Followers of Jesus are warned not to let their faith in Jesus drift away: “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,".
The writer of Hebrews points out both Jesus’ superiority in His Deity and Jesus oneness with the Christians of Rome in His humanity – the Incarnate God-Man. Jesus entered into our world as a human, and He entered into our death as we see in Hebrews 2:9: “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”. Today, many people live terrified of death. Jesus, by entering into our death, made it possible for us not to face the emptiness and isolation of death. Rather, Jesus made it possible for us to experience death as a doorway to an eternal and fuller life with God. Also, in Hebrews 2:10, the writer points out that Jesus entered into our suffering: “For it was fitting that, he for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.”. Jesus was perfected in His Incarnate humanity by His suffering like we perfect our humanity in our suffering, especially by “facing difficult circumstances”. Suffering transforms and strengthens us; but, because of Jesus, suffering never has the last word for Followers of Jesus. Because Jesus entered into our death and suffering, we have a Messiah and Lord who faced what we face.
Followers of Jesus are made Brothers and Sisters of Jesus and part of God’s family. Jesus entered into our humanity to destroy the works of the Devil (i.e. Jesus death on the cross) and to set free those who are held captive by their fear of death. Additionally, Jesus entered into our temptations, as we see in Hebrews 2:18: “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”. In Hebrews 3:1-3, the writer says: “Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.”. Therefore, we can fix our focus on Jesus while “facing difficult circumstances”.
When the life difficulties come and life is hard: “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:12-13).
As we live, today, “in these last days”, we should not look to any other person, institution, force, government entity, or nation, other than Jesus. Jesus is our only source of protection and the way out of our “difficult circumstances” which are manifested by the Pandemic, civil disobedience, and cultural dissonance. Once again, Jesus is the only “way, and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Hebrews 1:10-18; Hebrews 2:1-3; John 14:6; Hebrews 2:5-10; Psalms 8:4-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:10; Psalms 22:22; Isiah 8:17-18; John 1:12-14; Hebrews 4:15; Revelation 5:1-10: Hebrews 3:1-3,12-13.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Jesus the Christ Is Our Hope In Life and Death and He Is “Hope” for the Wave of Loneliness and Uncertainty Sweeping Our World Today”: www.AWFTL.org/watch
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Jan 10, 2021
Sunday Jan 10, 2021
Without Jesus In Our Lives and the Life of Our Country There Is No Person or Institution to “Face Our Difficult Circumstances” With Us
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Introduction From: “God Wants Us to Live In His “Hope” and His Word, through Bible Scripture, which Gives us so Much “Hope”: In Psalms 42:5-6a, 43:5, we are told that, in all circumstances, God is our “Hope”: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God .". Today, followers of Jesus live in a time of both turmoil and uncertainty with issues like Covid-19, cultural dissonance, and civil discourse providing an overarching context that can lead us to fear, doubt in our faith, and feelings of “hopelessness”.
These issues of today, that drive our uncertainties and fears, have impacted America profoundly, including Followers of Jesus. However, as Followers of Jesus, we know that none of these issues are taking God by surprise. Yet so many of us are discouraged, downcast, depressed, and fearful. Too many of us have lost “Hope”. Proverbs 13:12 tells us: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,". Without “Hope”, we are like ships sailing without a harbor. God wants us to have “Hope” in our everchanging world! “Hope” is the anticipation of a good future; “Hope” is having faith and believing that God is working out His purposes in the World and in my life. Here are some of the things we can say about “God’s Hope” for us through His: 1) promise of Eternal Life; 2) abiding presence with us; 3) answering of our prayers; and 4) His unchanging promises in His Word.
God’s Word is powerful when we put it into action in our lives, as we are told in Romans 8:24-25: “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.". In the times in which we live today, God wants the Followers of Jesus to Have all the “Hope” that He provides. Also, God provides His Peace and Love that solidify our “Hope” in Him: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me”? Hope in God”!
Today’s Message: “Facing Difficult Circumstances – Hope for the Suffering and Persecuted Christians in First Century Rome Christians Today”: In our times, today, of Pandemic, civil disobedience, and cultural dissonance, we can both learn a great deal and gain “Hope” in our current situation from the Bible’s book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrew’s writer wanted to give “Hope” to the persecuted Christians in Rome by pointing out the superiority of Jesus the Christ over all the problems they were facing from their persecution by the Emperor Nero. The writer did not want Christians to deviate and leave their Faith in Jesus because the times were bleak and the difficult circumstances they were facing appeared hopeless. `
In Hebrew’s, the writer wanted Roman Christians to understand that if they turned away from Jesus there was no one else with whom they could face their difficult circumstances. The message to us, in these times, is that without Jesus in our lives and in the life of our country there is no one or no institution, to whom we can turn, for help in “facing our difficult circumstances”. To this end, the first two chapters of Hebrews provide a clear picture of who Jesus is in terms of His humanity and Divinity – Jesus is eternal when nothing else is eternal. In Hebrews 1:10-11, we find the culmination of Jesus Divinity along with His humanity that positions His superiority for us: “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”.
Also, the writer of Hebrews, in Hebrews 1:2-4, speaks of “in these last days”, to reference the times after Jesus’ birth, death and Resurrection in which God has “acted and spoken” on Earth. God’s actions on Earth were in fulfilment, through Jesus, of those promises He made through the Old Testament Prophets. Now, “in these last days”, is the time, in the First Century and today, in which Jesus and God’s power and superiority on Earth and in the Universe, are unassailable by any person, institution, force, government entity, or nation: “in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”. This text from Hebrews 1:2-4 points to Jesus as Lord over all creation and humanity. Additionally, Hebrews 1:2-3 points to Jesus as the Son of God the Father and the exact representation of God’s Being. Jesus is, also, the Savior of sinners who brought Salvation to Earth and humanity. We see that Jesus is worshiped by the Angels. Hebrews tells us that Jesus speaks with the authority of God. Also, beginning in Hebrews 1:10, the writer points out that that Jesus is superior in eternal attributes.
In Hebrews 2:1-3, Followers of Jesus are warned not to let their faith in Jesus drift away: “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,".
Today, we “live in difficult circumstances”; and we should draw both strength and caution from Hebrews in that we live “in the last days” like the persecuted Roman Christians. Therefore, we should live our lives pointing to Jesus and not letting the ”difficult circumstances” cause our faith in Jesus drift away – Jesus’ eternal superiority, as the Son of God, makes Him the only real way that we can “live in difficult circumstances”. God is our Sovereign Lord, and Jesus is God’s final answer. Therefore, we can draw confidence from Hebrews 13:5b-6: “for he {Jesus} has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’”. Remember, Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness as we “live in difficult circumstances”.
As we live, today, “in these last days”, we should not look to any other person, institution, force, government entity, or nation, other than Jesus. Jesus is our only source of protection and the way out of our “difficult circumstances” which are manifested by the Pandemic, civil disobedience, and cultural dissonance. Once again, Jesus is the only “way, and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Hebrews 1:10-14; Hebrews 1:2-7; John 14:6;Psalms 2:8; John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-16; Colossians 2:9; John 10:30; John 14:9; Psalms 2:7; 2 Samuel 7:14; Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalms 104:4; Psalms 45:6-7; Psalms 8:1-9; Isiah 34:1-17; Psalms 110:1; Hebrews 2:1-3; Hebrews 4:16; Hebrews 13:6.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Jesus the Christ Is Our Hope In Life and Death and He Is “Hope” for the Wave of Loneliness and Uncertainty Sweeping Our World Today”: www.AWFTL.org/watch
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Jan 03, 2021
What Is God’s Will for You in the New Year, 2021?
Sunday Jan 03, 2021
Sunday Jan 03, 2021
What Is God’s Will for You in the New Year, 2021?
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
1/3/2021 Introduction By Archbishop Foley Beach: This Sermon, “What Is God’s Will for You in the New Year?”, is just as relevant for you in January 2021 as it was in January 2018.
Message: In 2017 {2020}, have you accomplished God’s will for your life? The will of God to us humans is both “active” and “passive” at the same time. God’s will to us is “passive” because God is going to accomplish His will on earth – God’s Sovereignty is universal. However, God’s will to us can be very “active”. We can know God’s will for us, but knowing His will requires our willingness and participation. The will of God is a choice for us. In John 7:17, the Apostille John quotes Jesus regarding God’s will: “If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.". Therefore, we can choose whether we will do God’s will. Too many of us make and execute our own plans from our own will and then we ask God to bless our actions.
What is God’s will for your life in 2018 {2021}? God has several things that “He wills” for our lives, but we must cooperate: 1) to have a growing personal relationship with Him; 2) to be a disciple of Jesus the Christ; 3) to be an ambassador and vessel of God’s love; 4) to have minds that are constantly renewed so that we are transformed – we renew our minds by the Word of God, “we are what we think”; 5) not to be controlled by anything other than the Spirit of God; and 6) to become Sanctified – becoming God-centered in our lives.
Why “specific things in our lives” constitute God’s will for us? To answer this question regarding the specifics of God’s will in our lives, we: 1) should ask if we even should know the answer to this question regarding our knowing the specifics of God’s will in our lives – based on Romans 13, the answer is “yes” 2) we can discern God’s will for us through praying, meditating, and fasting on the Word of God; 3) the Lord will speak His will through dreams, visions, and words of knowledge and wisdom; 4) God speaks His will to us by putting “desires” in our hearts; and 5) God makes His will known to us by our personal reflection.
Questions we should ask and reflect upon in discerning God’s will for our lives include: 1) what have been my prevailing feelings in the past and what are these feelings now -- have my feelings been mostly of sadness or of joy; 2) what have been the blessings of God in my life – can I express praise and appreciation for these blessings; 3) have things happened for which I need to accept responsibility and why did they happen; 4) is here a possibility that I am living in denial of certain realities; 5) is there ill will or resentments that remain unaddressed or unforgiven; 6) in the company of others, am I a pleasant person; 7) what is God trying to say into my life today; 8) what can I do or say in my life that will make others feel more loved and appreciated; 9) am I mindful of the socially awkward, poor, and suffering – how do I respond to current events through a Biblical world view; 10) how am I spending my time and money – do I see them as God’s time and money that has been loaned to me; 11) how is my prayer life; 12) am I growing and maturing as a follower of Jesus; and 13) am I prepared to meet Jesus face-to-face today?
In the words of the Psalmist in Psalms 143:10: “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!”.
Today’s Affirmation: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12f).
Scripture Reference (ESV): Matthew 7:21; Matthew 6:7-15; John 7:17; 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Matthew 28:19; John 13:31; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:17; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Matthew 2:13-15; 1 Corinthians 12:7-8; Psalms 37:4; Psalms 139:23-24; Psalms 143:10-11.
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Jesus the Christ Is Our Hope In Life and Death and He Is “Hope” for the Wave of Loneliness and Uncertainty Sweeping Our World Today”: www.AWFTL.org/watch
A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB