Text: Matthew 6:19-21

God as the rewarder has been the theme of Matthew 6. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is expressed as investment.  Matthew 6 is explaining what diligently seek him looks like.  In charity they are looking to the Lord for reward, not for recognition by men.  In prayer they are looking to the Lord for reward, not for recognition by men. In fasting they are looking to the Lord for reward, not for recognition by men.  These are practical aspects of the faith of someone diligently seeking out the Lord.

Warning

* Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth…

* Pursuit of value: Everyone is after what they consider valuable.  Nobody has to tell you to pursue what you find valuable. You do that.  Your life is the expression of what you find valuable and it is equally the expression of what you don’t find value in.  But all of our thoughts on value are irrelevant because the Lord has to shine light on what APPEARS to be valuable versus what is actually valuable.

* Treasure:

* Wealth accumulated; particularly, a stock or store of money in reserve.

* A great quantity of any thing collected for future use.

* Something very much valued.

* Treasure is anything valuable to you.  And the truth is it is of such value to you that you wouldn’t give it up for the Lord.  Or it’s something you don’t have that is of such value to you that you pursue it at the cost of your soul.

* Matthew 16:24-28

* Matthew 19:16-22 possessions actually do come between the Lord and sinners.

* Luke 12:13-34 – Parable of wealthy man.  Died very successfully. Nothing committed to the Lord.  The Lord has to constantly remind man of what is actually valuable.

* Revelation 3:14-21 again the reminder of what is actually valuable versus what a congregation perceives as valuable.

* where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.

* When you read something like this people think the preacher is getting ready to go after their money.  According to the scripture it’s the thief that wants your treasure.

* James 5:1-5

Instruction

* Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…

* Matthew 19:27-29

* Luke 6:20-26

* 1 Corinthians 3:8, 11-13

* 1 Timothy 6:17-19

* Principle is that where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

* The Lord is after your heart.  He knows the treasure is where the heart is.

* The more a soul will commit to the Lord, the more the Lord will have that heart.

* 2 Timothy 1:12

Text: Colossians 1:3

Recipient of the gratitude

* “Thank you” is directed to someone.  Directed to God the Father.

* Paul says we give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Father is the gift giver

* James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

* Father’s generosity.  Notice the gift giving of the Father in these verses.

* Genesis 28:4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

* 1 Kings 4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

* Daniel 1:17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

* Daniel 5:18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

* John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

* John 6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

* John 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

* Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

* Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

* 1 Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

* Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:(Gift is grace: Ephesians 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.)

* John 14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

* 1 John 4:14-15 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

* Revelation 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

God the Father’s will is that people would enter his courts with thanksgiving

* 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

* Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

* So this is the will of God that he would produce a grateful people because of what He’s done for them

* Gifts can be neglected

* 1 Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

* Hebrews 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation…

* Psalm 69:30-31 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.

Text: Job 4-5

After the devil is done with Job, Eliphaz picks up the devil’s mantle and begins to accuse Job.  For two chapters Eliphaz accuses Job without any evidence. His arguments sound reasonable. There is a rationale to what he says and most of it sounds good.

Eliphaz says he just can’t hold it in.  He has to tell Job what’s on his mind. He just can’t keep his mouth shut.

Tells Job to save himself (4:3-6)

Verse 5 is the most unreasonable expectation.

How exactly does Eliphaz think Job is supposed to react to losing all ten of his children, everything he owns, his wife completely emotionally exhausted, and him being covered in boils from head to toe?

Eliphaz says Job can’t handle his own instruction.  He accuses Job of talking the talk, but not walking the walk.

By the devil’s design, people who are serving God and trying to apply God’s word to their own lives, these folks are an irritation to people who will not serve God.  And when you who are not serving God get irritated with those that do, you’ll pick up the devil’s mantle and find ways to accuse the servant of God.

Physician, heal thyself…

Implied in the accusation is that Job has helped people.

At least Job has helped people, what did you ever do with your life? Who are you to bring this stupid accusation?  Maybe you ought to try serving God so you’ll stop being a critic of God’s servant.

Job 26:2-4

This is the accusation against Jesus Christ.

Luke 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself…

Matthew 27:41-43 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. 43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

Mark 15:29-32 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe…

Accuser has no specific charge (4:7-11)

Eliphaz says Job is suffering for his own sin, but has nothing to accuse him of.

The accuser walks by sight; even as I have seen…

Eliphaz presumptuously assumes that Job, the great man, has fallen in verses 8-11.

This is how you know you’re closer to the devil than you are to the Lord.  When something bad happens to you, you’re a victim. When something bad happens to someone your envious of, your first response is to accuse them.

Trial of faith is precious to the Lord, but to the devil’s children it is evidence against God’s servant.

Philippians 1:28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

This baseless accusation is what Jesus Christ endured

John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

John 18:38 …he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.

John 19:4, Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. … 6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

Pretends to have secret knowledge (4:12-21)

Text: Matthew 6:16-18

Fasting is a hard thing to do.  So you would think if someone is going to go through the trouble to fast they would at least do it right.

…when ye fast… (vs 16)

Fasting is a private, voluntary, abstinence from food to firmly fix yourself to a purpose for which you need help from the Lord.  The word fast is the same root as fasten like fix or firmly set such as stand fast or hold fast.

Fasting is an act of contrition toward God.

1 Samuel 7:5-6 When the ark returned to Israel under Samuel

2 Samuel 12:21-23 David fasts for the life of the baby between he and Bathsheba.

2 Chronicles 20:1-4 Jehoshaphat is facing a fierce enemy and proclaims a fast

Jonah 3:5 Ninevites fast in sackcloth and ashes hoping to avoid God’s judgment

…that they may appear unto men to fast. (vs 16)

Remember this part of the Sermon on the Mount deals with the appearance of righteousness versus actual righteousness.

Remember the format

…do not your alms before men… Verses 1-4 dealt with alms and hypocrites who do it publicly to be seen of men. They have their reward

…thou shalt not be as the hypocrites… Verses 5-15 dealt with prayer and hypocrites who do it publicly to be seen of men. They have their reward

…be not as the hypocrites… Now the Lord is dealing with fasting and a public appearance of righteousness versus being seen of God. They have their reward

Matthew 23:27-28 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

…disfigure their faces…

Ash Wednesday

Idolatry camouflages disobedience to God by clothing it in an act of devotion.

…when thou fastest… (vs 17-18)

Don’t advertise your sacrifice, or contrition, or charity and that is the point.  If you’re going to fast it’s because you are desperate to get a hold of God.

How long do I fast?

The Lord doesn’t say how long you should fast; remember there is no law about these things.

Generally speaking, you will be fasting for a purpose, so, you’ll probably fast as long as it takes to get peace from the Lord on the thing.

Daniel fasted three weeks in Daniel 10:2-3 for an answer about Israel’s judgment. He restricted his diet to bland food and drink.

Esther and the Jews in Esther 4:16 fasted from all food and drink three nights and three days.

Others have just skipped a meal or a day’s worth of meals as in Acts 10:30

When do I fast?

The Lord doesn’t say when to fast; again, this is not a law.

Any time you desire.  However, there are some times that the scriptures tell us we should fast.

Certain devils apparently latch onto the flesh and won’t leave unless the flesh is weakened and the grip of the flesh is weakened in Matthew 17:21.

In Acts 13:3 the church fasted and prayed before sending out missionaries.

In Acts 14:23 the church fasted and prayed before ordaining  elders.

In 1 Corinthians 7:5 in dealing with marital problems.

What are the benefits of fasting?

Isaiah 58:3-12

Verses 3-4 they were fasting to manipulate God and burden others

Verse 5 – acceptance from the Lord

Verse 6

loose the bands of wickedness (contrary to increasing bands of wickedness)

undo the heavy burdens (contrary to binding heavy burdens on people)

let the oppressed go free (contrary to imprisoning the people)

break every yoke (contrary to build more yokes)

Verse 7 describes how the fast will serve to make verse happen

Text: Colossians 1:2

We’re going to look at what the Bible says about God as a Father.  God is a father to some, but not all. Because you were born doesn’t mean you have God for a father.  Because you go to church doesn’t mean you have God as a father. Paul addresses the hearers and doers of this Colossian letter as having God as their father: God our father.  Obviously he’s not addressing someone who is not reading this.

Image of the Invisible

* Colossians 1:15, 18 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: … 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

* Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

* 1 John is the book that deals with the image of God manifest in the flesh, the firstborn among many brethren.  And 1 John describes the many brethren.

Father and Son 1 John 1:2, 2:22-24, 4:14

Son of God 1 John 3:8, 4:15, 5:5, 10, 12-13, 20

children of God 1 John 3:10, 5:2

Promise versus Pleasure

* Corruptible seed is produced in the pleasure of the flesh versus Incorruptible seed that is produced by promise of God.

* John 8:42-44 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

* Soul would hit a crossroads of God’s promise and the devil’s pleasures.  That soul choosing lust becomes a child of the devil through the pleasure of the flesh.

* If it feels good, do it.

* Live for the moment.

* Let’s party

* Follow your heart.

* Do what feels right.

* Devil is a father based on feelings (as opposed to faith).  And as a person is guided by their feelings they participate with the devil in his work in this world.

* James 3:13-18 wisdoms

* 1 Peter 1:22-25 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

* 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty

* James 1:17-23

From Abraham to the Almighty God

* Genesis 12 God’s blessings are put into Abraham

* Genesis 15 God promises a seed to inherit the world

* Genesis 18:9-14 God will produce a child by promise and by faith of two people who...

We usually look to the heroes, the great ones to gain inspiration.  But I think that can sometimes work against us. I want to look at a normal mother who is no hero, faces trouble, loses hope, meets the redeemer, and prospers afterwards.

Chapter 1

Three tombs in Moab (1:1-5)

Stedfastly minded (1:6-18)

Bitterness (1:19-22)

Not Naomi, call me Mara (Ruth 1:20)

Naomi went with her husband to avoid a famine, left her inheritance, lost everything, and returned home empty (1:21)

Chapter 2

Provision of grace (2:1-3)

Gospel according to Boaz (2:4-17)

Good news of Boaz (2:18-23)

Chapter 3

Preparing to hear the redeemer (3:1-5)

Surrender (3:6-7)

Redeemer’s willingness to redeem (3:8-13)

Veil turned into a vessel of promise (3:14-18)

Chapter 4

Redemption means land, marriage, and children (4:1-5)

Next of kin rejects the offer (4:6-8)

Boaz buys the land and marries Ruth for the benefit of Naomi (4:9-12)

Naomi is restored (4:13-17)

Successor to the king (4:18-22)

Text: Mark 7:24-30

A desperate mother has exhausted herself trying to help her daughter.  She hears about the Lord Jesus Christ and determines that she is going to find him.  She does. When she airs out her problem before the Lord and the disciples looking on she is turned down by them all.  But she persists. And the Lord explains His specific ministry is to the house of Israel and it’s not right to take bread off the table to give it to Gentile dogs.  She agrees that she is a Gentile dog, nevertheless even the dogs eat crumbs off the floor from the table. At that point Jesus is impressed and heals her daughter.

Persistence pays off

* …and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid.  For a certain woman… (vss 24-25)

* She hunts down the Lord in desperation.

* Then gets turned down by the disciples.

* Then gets turned down by the Lord.

Some people are too dignified to get a prayer answered

She came and aired out her dirty laundry.

She’s humble and humiliated and that doesn’t matter at this point.

Her daughter means more than her own dignity.

Some of you are too dignified to get an answer to prayer.

It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.  And she answered, Yes Lord…

There are so many reasons why God should not answer my prayers the first of which is because of who I am and because of who He is.

Prayer answered because I am exactly who He said I am and He is exactly who He said He is.

The Lord is willing to change His plans

None of what we’re reading was in the Lord’s plans.

He was trying to hide from the crowd.  He was not planning on dealing with anyone for a while.  He had no intentions of dealing with Gentiles at this point.

Change in plans is not a change in character.  In fact, it is the Lord who is very responsive to man.

The Lord responds to faith

For this saying go thy way… (vs 29)

Breaking through all the dispensational barriers and responds to faith in a Gentile when He is ministering to the Jews.

Accepting

A crumb goes a long way when the Lord is in it

And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out… (vs 30)

She went home and her daughter was sitting up and I imagine she said, Momma, you won’t believe what happened!  My headache went away and all the bad thoughts went away and I feel happy. And I imagine she grabbed her daughter and embraced her with tears streaming down her face.

That crumb went a long way.  It fed my daughter and it fed me.

Sarah is a great woman of the Bible who you could say is the quintessential mother.  Everything the Holy Spirit records about Sarah’s life is in relationship to her son. Sarah’s faith is very much like a believer’s faith for salvation.

Sarah’s faith justified her

(Genesis 11:30) You’re introduced to Sarai in Genesis 11 by being told she is not a mother.  Not only is it said once, but twice. Sarai was barren; she had no child.

Some failures are indiscretions.

Some failures are indecision.

Some failures are inabilities.

Faithlessness (Genesis 16:1-2,15)

Abraham and Sarai have come back from Egypt with more than what they went in with.

Sarai has an Egyptian handmaid now.

They may even have some Egyptian culture that rubbed off on them.

Sarai suggests to Abram that Hagar be the surrogate mother for their heir.

Sarah went to work trying to figure out how to make a promise of God work.

Like religion says I’ll help God out in His plan.  Instead of believing and yielding to what God has already said, religion says let me try to accomplish in the flesh what only God’s Spirit can do.

Foolishness (Genesis 18:9-15)

Sarah’s thought that God could not bring forth a miraculous birth.

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

Laughter when the Lord calls her out in Genesis 18 then her perspective changes.  Nay, but thou didst laugh.  The Lord revealing He knows everything about her.

Fearfulness (Genesis 20:1-3)

This was done before in Egypt.  Old habits die hard.

God’s protection on Sarah’s promised son.  God protects His promises.

But none of these failures are recorded in Hebrews.  By faith justified.

Sarah’s faith caused God to work (Genesis 21:1-3 & Hebrews 11:11)

* Through faith…

* Believed God for a supernatural birth

Sarah could not produce what God wanted to produce in her.

So a sinner cannot make himself a child of God.  That power is with God and given to them that believe, like Sarah.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Believed God for a supernatural deliverance

The deliverance would wipe away the past struggle.

Deliverance for Christian from this old body into a new that will wipe away past struggle.

Romans 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Sarah’s fruitfulness

Believing God yielded fruitfulness she never dreamed of (Hebrews 11:12)

Sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many…

Stars – heavenly descendents

Sand – earthly descendents

Something she could not produce in herself was produced multiplied millions of times over.

Text: Colossians 1:2

Peace is a word people like to use.  To the world peace is the eradication of the scriptures in every form.  The most important peace is really ignored and that is peace with God. I notice in this greeting that peace is not man extending his hand to make things right, it is peace FROM God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Peace with God the Father is in Christ Jesus

* Ephesians 2:13-15 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

* Your flesh is what stands between you and God.

* Colossians 1:20-22 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

* Matthew 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

* 1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

* Jesus Christ is peace – the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)

Peace is now the message from heaven

The Jews in Jesus day were able to physically see the veil in the temple torn from top to bottom.  So they were able to see a physical representation of something that went on in heaven before God Almighty at the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  But if they didn’t believe the testimony of the scriptures, they would not understand how to interpret that event.

Now, nobody since that time has seen any physical evidence of peace with God.

Ephesians 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

Ephesians 6:15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Luke 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace

Romans 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Romans 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

The work of the Godhead (Trinity) in peace

Peace comes from God the Father to men

That peace comes in the form of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Prince of Peace

What about the Holy Spirit?  The Holy Spirit is sent to multiply and empower the gospel of peace.

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

John 20:19-23 describes the gospel of peace

Jesus Christ made peace with God possible (John 20:19, 21)

Peace with God resulted from a man living out holiness in flesh and blood.  And thus representing all mankind before God. (John 20:20)

God’s people are commissioned with gospel shoes.  Share the same message Jesus Christ brought from heaven. (John 20:21)

Equipped with the Holy Ghost (John 20:22)  So this is a spiritual work, not a personality trait.  Let me ask you, did the disciples have different personalities?  Sure. Some talked more than others. Some were more observant than others.  Some were quieter than others.

Text: Psalm 44

God’s presence is His help (vss 1-8)

* Drive out, planted,  afflict, cast out (vs 2)

* Light of thy countenance (vs 3)

* Deliverance (vs 4)

* Exodus 33:15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

* New Testament Holy Spirit

God distances Himself (vss 9-16)

* …goest not forth with our armies. (vs 9)

* My confusion… (vs 15)

* 40 years after Israel rejected Jesus Christ, God abandoned the temple in Jerusalem as seen by it destruction by Emperor Titus in 70 A.D.  Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Desire for God’s presence (vss 17-22)

Don’t forget God.  Out of sight, out of mind is the devil’s philosophy of God for you.  The world wants God’s people to forget God, to remove His presence from their minds.

Back to verse 1

The world hates God’s presence (vs 22).