Christ: Our Example of Humility [Reading: Philippians 2:1-11] Introduction: There are so many reasons to love this passage. We talk quite frequently in regards to apostasy or a falling away and I look at this passage and compare it to my experience of church in times past and the message I see promoted in modern churches in particular. It is one of:  Self-esteem [which is pride] Self-entitlement [which is covetousness] Self-importance [which is idolatry]   Under this premise there is the belief that as believers  (a)we should not suffer  (b)that prosperity [financial] is a matter of fact.  (c)Every disease and sickness should be healed and if it isn’t then it is because you don’t have enough faith. This passage turns this notion on its head!!!!  The message contained in this passage is very much the opposite of what the modern church teaches. It presents a message of unity through humility and esteeming others before ourselves. And it presents a message of consolation in our suffering and not the avoidance thereof.  That doesn’t mean that as believers we are not blessed; on the contrary: when you realize that God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ your perspective  automaticallychanges because you realize that the blessings we seek are spiritual ones and not material ones.  SADLY: AS APOSTASY DEEPENS INSTEAD OF HUMILITY AND HOLINESS  WE SHALL SEE AN INCREASE IN PRIDE AND THE PURSUIT OF PLEASURE.  There is no delight in exposing this error; the reason I do so because God’s word tells us that we are living in perilous times. I know this because my own testimony affirms this.  I struggled for many years as a believer under this system: thinking that the Lord had passed me by and was so far from me [rather I was far from him which is more to the point]. There tends to be this expectation in many modern churches that as a believer you must attain to some level of “super-spirituality”; this usually meant believing God for things that he never promised AND the need to experience “signs and wonders” and other EXPERIENCESon a daily basis.  This was constantly being confirmed by outrageous stories: e.g. God told me this, God told me that.  NOT TO MENTION THE PERCEIVED FINANCIAL BLESSINGS THAT PEOPLE WERE RECEIVING  IN RETURN FOR EXTRAVAGANT GIVING.  Spiritual growth, it seemed was handed out in a prayer line and the only way to experience God was through contemporary worship music. The music itself has the ability to evoke emotions: both elation and depression [which you are taught to believe ushers in the Spirit of God and touching your heart].  In reality this kind of music appeals to the flesh and not your spirit.  For me, all this resulted in low self-esteem of the worstkind; since as an unbeliever I had come to hate my life and this was the impetus for coming to Christ. The joy and peace that I  had first experienced when I came to Christ was gone. I knew that I couldn’t get it from the world [and yet at the same time I wasn’t receiving any benefit from my faith in Christ]  Rather than being given the keys to a victorious Christian life, the counsel which is often given is this: “just keep your eyes on Jesus”. In the end this becomes a vacuous or empty cliché because our natural tendency when you are distant from God is to commune with our own heart, rather than looking to his word:  AND THIS IS THE KEY: if we are to look to the Lord is must be through his word.  Clearly the focus of the gospel is Christ.  When the gospel is preached and his word is faithfully taught and his word diligently read: our natural concern will be for others and NOT ourselves. Furthermore: the state of our heart will tend toward humility and NOT pride. We will be constantly reminded that we have nothing in which to boast [as the hymn writer so rightly says] save in the death of Christ our God.  The truth is that my main strugg

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The Seven Letters: Sardis

Pr Edi Giudetti

02-12-2018

 

Reputation For Life

Rev 3:1

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Sardis, an ancient city that existed for over 1200 years before Christ. It was a Great city of ancient times. Perched like an Eagle upon a high rock ledge, this City was almost undefeatable against its foes.

 

There was only one way an enemy could capture it and it stood undefeated and strong for almost 700 years until Cyrus the great, King of Persia conquered it in the mid sixth century BC.

Yes, the same Cyrus who the Lord wrote about in Isaiah some 150 years before his birth (Isa 44:28) .

The same Cyrus whom the Lord had levelled nations before him that he may rule the known world and come against Babylon to set the nation of Israel free. Free to return to rebuild its City, its walls and its Temple 70 years after it was taken captive to Babylon by the Chaldeans.

Isa 45:1

“Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut”

This is the type of King that it took to subdue the city of Sardis, a King with Gods help.

Now another king approaches the Church of that City with a letter. It is he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars.

The Seven Stars we know he held in his right hand, Revelation 1:20 gives the interpretation as “the seven angels…of the seven Churches”.

Difficult perhaps to comprehend, but to have someone in your right hand speaks of both the power and authority commanded. “The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand…are the angels of the seven Churches” (Rev 1:20).

That was also spoken of by he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars.

We should humbly acknowledge that there are things about God that are incomprehensible to us. The Seven spirits of God is certainly one that we cannot have full comprehension of.

Turn to Isaiah 11:1 as we see a unique consideration of Isaiah’s description of the Rod of Jesse, the Branch, the messiah that shall come forth from the family of David.

1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.

Not only is the Holy spirit HOLY, but here we have six more characteristics, of him;

The Spirit of Wisdom,

Understanding,

Counsel,

Might, Knowledge and ‘fear of the Lord’.

Nevertheless, it is The Seven Spirits of God that may manifest themselves in Christ this way. And it is he who dictates a letter to this fifth of the Cities addressed in the Seven Letters of Revelation.

The Balance of the verse says simply;

I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

The City itself certainly had a name that it lived.

We know it’s reputation was that of ancient times and perhaps its reputation extended even to this date even though it no longer applies to that city, it is essentially dead and its Church was dead at the Time of This Apocalypse.

One commentator recalls that, depending on the distance from Earth, the light from stars can take many, many years to get to us. According to the speed in which light travels in a year, a star could have actually died long ago but the light from it continues to shine as if it still lived.

This may be a good description of Sardis the City and may well represent the Church of Sardis.

Sardis was conquered first in the middle of the 6th century BC, but brought to its knees by a Great Earthquake during the Life of our Lord in 17AD.

It’s high perch ensured that its fall was great and left great rubble at its base.

Its location

Seven Letters: Thyatira

Pr Edi Giudetti

25-11-2018

 

A Little Leven

 

 

 

The Judge of Thyatira

18And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feetarelike fine brass;

 

This forth letter to the Church of Thyatira now begins as each of the others with an introduction of the author of the letter.

 

These things saith the Son of God

 

Other than those who are identified as being direct descendants, being referred to as “the Son of” or “the Child of” characteristically identifies that person in the likeness of who he is identified with.

 

The Jews knew this when they asked the Lord to identify himself saying;

 

Mark 14:61b-64

 

…the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

 

They knew that “the Christ” is the Saviour, coming from God as God, to save them who are separated from God by their sin. God is “The Blessed”, and they asked him a direct question, to which Jesus answers;

 

62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

 

Do not let Jesus secondary response confuse you, the high priest himself knew exactly the claim that Christ was making;

 

63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

 

Those who foolishly claim Jesus never said he was God forget the very reason he was charged by the Jews and consequently set on the Cross.

These things saith the Son of God,

 

The letter to those in Thyatira was authored by God directly to them that they may hear, that they may know who it is that addresses them, that they may consider the words in which he writes them.

 

who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire,

 

A terrible sight is to consider the Son of God with flaming eyes. What we have here is a picture of righteous judgement; eyes as a furnace through which all the works done may be revealed by fire.

 

Consider 1 Cor 3:12-15

 

Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; 13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

 

These are the eyes that see the works of the Church and tries the motives of every man. These are those same eyes in which he, that walks among the seven Golden candlesticks, sees.

and his feet are like fine brass;

 

The term “Fine Brass”, denoting the nature of that upon which the Son of God stands, is unique in the scriptures. It only appears here and in chapter 1:15.

 

It is unique in the original language from which this is translated also. What makes it difficult is that the phrase also rarely appears in the contemporary language of the age in which it was written. But, it must have been understood by the original recipients of the letter addressed to them.

 

THE CITY OF THYATIRA

 

Little is known of the City of Thyatira, we are greatly limited in the knowledge of its history, unlike the history of Ephesus, Smyrna or Pergamos. The history of Thyatira is very limited.

George Barton, in his book, “Archeology and the Bible” simply wrote

““Nothing has been discovered at Thyatira that throws light on the message to its church in Rev. 2:18–29.”[1]

 

And the question concerning the nature of Fine Brass is just as limited, but also enticing. Nothing Jesus says to any of these Churches is insignificant concerning them.

THYATIRA was originally built as a Garrison City to house Macedonian troops. Expanded further under the reign of, Seleucid 1st, the Head of the Seleucid Kingdom.

  It was not coastal

It was not set up on a hill with an acropolis

It was not significant

It did become part of the trade route

It was located on a plain about 70 km from Pergamos (See your Newsletter)  

It essentiall

The Seven Letters: Pergamos

Pr Edi Giudetti

18-11-2018

 

 

Holding Fast in the World

 

12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest,evenwhere Satan’s seatis: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipaswasmy faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

 

Now here we have the voice of the one who John had heard that sounded to him like the voice of many waters, and he speaks to him yet again and yet again for the purpose of the dictation of a letter to one of the seven Churches.

 

This third Church is the Church of Pergamon, or Pergamos. This is no insignificant city in Asia minor.

 

In fact, what we will find out about this city is that it was indeed the Chief of all the Cities in the province of Asia Minor,evenwhere Satan’s seatis:it was Chief both in Politics and Religion to Rome in the province.

 

This voice again speaks, and again identifies himself at the beginning of the letter to this Church in Pergamos, that those who have an ear may hear what the spirit saith unto the churches.

 

Without such an introduction of the author there is no doubt even those who have an ear will turn it away.

 

These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

 

Nations ruled by the sword, it was a picture of their strength.

 

The value of such an instrument was inestimable. The Romans dispossessed nations with its short two-edged sword, they took pride in their skill and close combat from which the longer sword simply could not defend itself.

 

Those with the long sword were use to fighting from a distance, but who can defend himself when the insistence of the soldier is for close personal combatwith a short, sharp two edged sword?

 

The Romans dominated the Greeks with such an instrument and came to rule the world, not only politically but religiously.

 

Now a challenger to that political and religious government which hath the sharp sword with two edges dictates a letter to the Pergamon Church.

 

The phrase, just like each of the introductory phrases we have read in the first two churches, is taken directly from the 1stChapter of the vision of the apocalypse of John.

 

It is the one who he “turned to see” in verse 12 whom he describes in Rev 1:16

 

16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenancewasas the sun shineth in his strength.

 

It’s interesting that this all-conquering weapon is not slung from the side but comes out of his mouth.

 

Hebrews 4:12

 

For the word of Godisquick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, andisa discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

Scripture seems to draw a parallel between that which comes out of the mouth and a two-edged sword.

 

What we find incredible in the Bible and especially when we look as such a book as the Book of Revelation, is that the symbolism that is found contained is explained in the same book.

 

God does use similes and metaphors, but he uses them in conjunction with synonyms and parablesto ensure we can learn what it is he is referring to.

 

Now the deep symbolism that we find in Revelation is not found in all the 66 books of the Bible, but it is found often enough and in context enough to help us learn.

 

WARNING: YOU ARE NOT TO COME UP WITH YOUR OWN PRIVATE INTERPRETATION!!!

 

God always explains what he means in the scriptures, to know it, you must read the scriptures!

 

God is always testing our faithfulness, always giving opportunity for us to trust him.

 

 

Turn to Psalm 55:21

 

21 The wordsof his mouthwere smoother than butter, but warwasin his heart: his words were softer than oil, yetwerethey drawn swords.

 

 

Again, here we see “his words” that is “Gods words” used synonymously as “Drawn swords”.

 

…

To Smyrna

Pr Edi Giudetti

11-11-2018

 

Promise in Persecution

 

 

 

The Promise From Immortality

8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

 

For any letter or any book or any writing for that matter, the first consideration we have is almost always the question of the author.

 

Who is it?

 

In the New Testament Epistles and letters, we are never left in suspense because the author always reveals himself to the reader, or at the very least he is without question recognised by the recipient of his letter. Whether it be Paul, or James, or Peter, John, Jude, Jesus or God, we have the identity of the author given to us in the letters of the New Testament. This letter to the Church in Smyrna is no exception.

These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; is the one who is dictating this letter to John that he may write it for the benefit of the recipient.

 

These things saith the first and the last;

 

Beloved I must tell you that before I write any given article if I address myself as The first and the last would be a little dishonest at best, blasphemy at worst. Who can be ever introduced and personified as both first and last?

 

There is only one who was there in the beginning and can be thought of as there in the end.

 

The entire concept of beginning and end has built within it the framework of TIME. Time itself can have a beginning and an end but to be there from the first and remain there at the end would  demonstrate a being that precedes TIME, and extends beyond it.

 

In Chapter one of Revelation we come to a knowledge of who this person is that is dictating these letters.

 

The first verse says;

 

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 signifieditby his angel unto his servant John:

 

Verse 8 begin the words of Jesus Christ as he says;

8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

 

In this beginning of his words he introduces himself as both the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, (Greek words transliterated into the English for us).

 

And after John testifies of his location and the state in which he was seeing these visions, in verses 9-10, he tells of hearing behind himself a great voice, as of a trumpet. The words he first hears are these, read with me verse 11;

 

Saying,I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

 

Then he turns to see who it was speaking and we have a description of that great voice given us together with the effect it has on the aged apostle from verse 12-17.

 

Turn in your bibles to the book of Isaiah.

 

Isaiah 41:4,

Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

 

 

Isaiah 43:10,

Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

 

Isaiah 44:6

Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

 

Isaiah 48:12

Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

 

In Revelation 2:8 what we have written to the Angle of the Church of Smyrna comes from the mouth of one who identifies himself as the first and the last, …..which was dead, and is alive; ….?

 

But how can God have been dead?

 

Friedrich Nietzsche’s god is dead; indeed, his god never lived, as per most of the gods made up in the place of the God of the Bible.

 

T

SEVEN LETTERS: EPHESus

 

Pr Edi Giudetti

 

 

 

Introduction.

 

What we have before us is one of the most incredible portions of the Bible.

 

It is found in the last book of the Bible and, it is placed historically in two ways; It is both at the end of the Apostle Johns life, who lived during the time of the physical presence of the seven Churches referred to in chapters one to three;

But it is also yet future to John the apostle and indeed looks forward deep into the future to a time we would refer to as The End of the Church age.  

This all should be borne out as we go through what is called, The Seven Letters to The Seven Churches of Revelation.

 

The number seven we see in scripture is the number of completion, the number of that which is whole, complete, sometimes perfect. It is used by the Lord extensively throughout the scriptures and we note its use contextually.

 

This is not the only number, many uses of numbers appear in the Bible, each of them is not without significance, but what has become known as The Heptadic Structure of Scripturehas been well documented throughout the years.

 

In fact, I have a book in my Library called The Heptadic Structure of Scripture where the author outlines specifically the details throughout the Bible of the use of the number Seven. He also finds these same links in Nature.

 

His studies followed on from the Biblical Numeric’s work of the Late Scholar and Author DrIvan Nicolaye Panin early last century.

 

Nevertheless here, in the first few chapters of Revelation, no more and no less than Seven Churches are given a report card; a letter to Reprove, Rebuke and Exhort with all long-suffering.

 

The Churches, their respective orders given to us twice, once in Revelation chapter one and then again in chapter two, are;

 

Ephesus,

Smyrna,

Pergamos,

Thyatira,

Sardis,

Philadelphia,

Laodicea.

 

What we will discover is that each of these Churches are real Churches in real history that existed in a real geographical location; all of them in Asia Minor, specifically located in modern Turkey’s western section.

 

But we are going to discover something else as we go through this Study.

  We are going to find that the Churches, in their respective order, also represent periods of Church history.  

What I mean to say is that each Church noted, in their order, describe the type of Churchthat rose to greater prominence in its peculiar time; and had done so in the specific consecutive order of that noted in Revelation 1-3.

 

Please understand that this was not known to those living at the time and it is not something you will get directly out the passage itself.

 

Yes, indeed the recognition of it is somewhat ‘Extra Biblical’ and would likely never have been known had we not been able to identify the types of Churches each of these Churches represent.

 

This will be made plainer as we go through each of the Churches in the coming weeks.

  Lastly we will discover that each of the Churches represent the types of Christians and their respective faiths throughout Church history. Yes, it is likely you may see elements of yourself in these Churches, both in that which is recognised as faithful; that which is reported as unfaithful; and finally that which they have endured in life.  

 

As I am attending to each of these Churches in each week I cannot commit myself to an outlinethat is representative of each letter. Each of these Churches are different and therefore each outline may differ.

 

That’s not to say that there are no patterns in the writing of these letters, there is certainly a structure each letter represents, some are typical, but one is curious and that is the last one, the Church of Laodicea; We will speak more of it when we get there.

 

 

 

Lets Pray

 

 

Revelation 2:1

 

The Judgement Of The Writer

 

1Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

 

The comm

YES Wisdom

 

Pr Edi Giudetti

28-10-2018

 

 

Introduction

 

Such a vast and wonderful topic is the topic of wisdom. We search for a definition of it in the scriptures and we find, to our astonishment, that the value of wisdom is better than rubies, and more, thatall the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it(Pr 8:11).

 

In fact that very passage tells us that the words of Gods mouth are they which speak truth, that seeking for the knowledge of it is greater than even the “choice Gold and silver” (Pr 8:6-10).

 

The bible tells us that if there is anything worth pursuing on earth, wisdom is the principal thing, the singular most valuable thing!

 

Prov 4:7 says

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

 

Nothing can take the place of wisdom for a life lived in genuine blessing and hope.

 

If you are searching for wisdom, you are in fact already attaining it, for only the wise seek after wisdom! (Prov 9:8, 13:1).

 

We think that’s strange, but it’s the recognition that you don’t have wisdom that is the seed of wisdom. Beloved, how much can you teach someone who knows it all?

 

For the secular world, the wisest man who ever lived is thought to be Socrates, yet he said scio me nescire, (I know that I Know nothing)

 

(They say if you can quote Latin it makes you look like you know something)

 

Our passage in James 1:5 begins “if any of you lack wisdom let him ask”, clearly only those who know they lack wisdom will ask for wisdom. If you don’t know that you don’t know, you won’t ever learn to know.

Its only when you know that you don’t know that you will ever come to know.  

The Bible speaks of it as the source of wealth and provision (Prov 10:5).

The Bible speaks of it as the source of understanding, in fact, Wisdom and Understanding are written of so often together, one would get the impression that they are synonymous terms.

 

The Bible speaks of wisdom as that gift beneficial to those without it. (Prov 25:12)

 

Exodus speaks of it as that source provided to certain men for a diverse amount of works such as;

 

The consecrated garments of the priests of the Lord (Exo 28:3)

The workmanship of cunning works made of Gold and silver and Brass, cutting of stones, the carving of timber and the making of diverse furniture (Exo 31:1-7)

 

Job notes a form of ‘Wisdom’as that which is identified as ‘instinct’ in animals. A wisdom that is naturally (ie God given) ingrained in some, but interestingly withheld by God in others.

 

Turn to Job 39:13-17

 

13Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich? 14 Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, 15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them. 16 She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear; 17 Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

 

We marvel at times how animals can do an achieve certain things having never learned them, its not because they are human like, it is because they have the wisdom of God built into to them to perform such tasks.

 

People often ask what is one key distinction between Animals and Man, there is certainly a distinction, one that is known by the word “Displacement”, they do not have the ability to communicate yesterday nor speak of tomorrow. All animals are “in the now”, the decisions they make are present based.

 

THE GREATEST DISTINCTION

 

But probably the greatest distinction we have in scripture respecting wisdom is that which is of God and that which is of the world.

 

It is this difference that needs to be understood carefully, it is this difference which determines that which is beneficial and that which is harmful.

 

There is WISDOM that benefits, and there is a WISDOM that harms.

 

Turn to Genesis 3:1-6

 

The first place in the Bible where, the wisdom sought by the world, has led to th

Look unto me

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and

there is none else.” Isa 45:22

Introduction:

Today’s reading and in fact the whole of chapter 45 of Isaiah is quite remarkable.

For one thing it demonstrates God’s sovereign plan for Israel. In verse 1, we see

king Cyrus mentioned here in scripture some 200 years or more before the event

foretold.

“Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have

holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to

open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;” Isa 45:1

I think it is significant that the Lord makes this plea (to look unto him); especially

in view of what would happen through Cyrus and in particular at the end of the

captivity in Babylon. That is to say: through the decree of Cyrus the people of God

would return to the land and rebuild the temple. Obviously those hearing Isaiah’s

prophecy would have had no idea as to the fulfillment of these words.

As we see in verse 4, what makes this prophecy even more profound is that the

Lord addresses Cyrus personally referring to him in the 2nd person pronoun (you

or thou):

“For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by

thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.” Isa 45:4

Sure to God’s plan, we read in Ezra [and also 2 Chronicles] at the conclusion of

the 70 years spoken of by Jeremiah:

“Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the

kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at

Jerusalem, which is in Judah.” Ezra 1:2

Right throughout scripture we see that despite apostasy, the Lord has always kept

a remnant. Through the preaching of Isaiah, [despite many turning from the

truth] the Lord was able to maintain a godly seed and so when the Israelites

finally went into captivity a remnant was preserved and returned to the land.

The particular focus of our message today is verse 22 which reads:

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and

there is none else.” Isa 45:22

I have no desire to take this verse out of context; nevertheless it is one of those

stand alone verses and emphasizes man’s need of a saviour. This is God’s

constant plea; that all would look to him and be saved.

What we have in this verse and the entire chapter [for that matter] is something

of an outline for the Christian apologetic. In it we see many of God’s attributes:

The Lord declares himself as Creator (vv 7-12)

We see his omniscience and foreknowledge regarding Cyrus

We see his omnipresence in his appeal to all the ends of the earth

We see his immortality in that he transcends time

The area of apologetics is something all believers should have a reasonable grasp

on, since we are commanded to be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in

us.

I have 4 points today:

1. The entreatment of his promise

2. The essence of his promise

3. The extent of his promise

4. The endorsement of his promise

 

 

1 The entreatment of his promise

“Look unto me…..”

In our bible verse this morning we see the Lord entreat or plea with his people

(and in fact all people) to look unto him.

It is no secret as we read our bibles we see that Israel had constantly falling away

from the Lord and eventually they would find themselves taken away captive into

Babylon for 70 years. Throughout the book of Isaiah we see stern rebukes as well

as reminders of the Lord’s tender mercies which are new every morning for those

that do look to him. And right throughout the book of Isaiah and particularly in

chapter 45, the Lord declares who he is and reminds his people that he alone is

worthy to be praised and that every knee shall bow to him (whether willingly or

not).

The problem for Israel was that their attention and vision was often directed

toward everything other than the Lord; this is despite the fact that he had proved

himself over and over. And yet over a

YES Peace

Pr Edi Giudetti

 

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway:and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Phil 4:4-13)

  Is Yes Articulated…..

Is Yes Accomplishable

Is Yes Anticipatedis there a purpose in God for which we could be confident to anticipate a YES answer to our prayer?

Is There a Cost In other words, is the subject of our prayer contingent or conditional on something from ourselves before the Lord would affirm our request? Anything we need to contribute?

 

 

Is YES Articulated For Peace?

 

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway:andagain I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lordisat hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplicationwith thanksgivinglet your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

 

Simply put the answer is YES, our prayer for peace is answered affirmatively in scripture. When,   by prayer and supplicationwith thanksgivingour requests aremade known unto God, it is then that the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep ourhearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

What a joy it is to know this to be true!

There are many things that trouble us in life, even each day, day by day, we have troubles and tribulations. Trials which may come to afflict us from time to time, worries and concerns or what the Bible refers to as “Carefulness” that is, being full of care.

 

Take a look at the beginning of verse 6, 6 Be careful for nothing;

 

Sounds strange to our ears but the Bible uses words that are both plain and compound, simple words that can be understood when considered in their intended simplicity. Here we have two words joined together, Careand Full.

 

We know what it is to have care, to take careand to simply care, we also know what is to have something full, to be full or to have something filled.

 

We can be ‘filled with anger’

God is known to be “full of compassion” (Ps 78:38)

The Ephesians were “full of wrath” against Paul and his company in Acts 19:28.

 

People can also be full of care, in other words worries and troubles.

 

Turn to Luke 10:40

 

We recall that our Lord ministered in a certain village where he was welcomed into the house of two sisters named Martha and Mary and we recall that as Jesus taught, it was Mary who sat at his feet while Marth labored about them.

 

40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.