The Lord said, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,' Matthew 4:4.

Welcome to our study of passion for Bible study. We want to think about how wonderful it is to study the Bible and why Christians ought to study that to have a closer relationship with almighty God.

We hope you'll get your Bible handy as we're going to study this great subject together.

Throughout the Bible, there are great examples of people who were passionate about a study of the scriptures. One of the best examples is that of Hilkiah, the scribe, and Shaphan and Josiah, the king. For a long time, the Word of God had been missing. It hadn't been a part of Israel's life, and then in 2 Kings 22:8-11, they find the Word of God. He says, 'I found the book of the law of the Lord in the temple', and from the king down they read it, they changed their hearts and lives and they got right in the sight of God, but with those words: 'I have found the book of the law of the Lord.' Can't you hear the passion? Can't you see how excited those people are for studying the Word of God?

Can you imagine this? Can you imagine living in a land where you couldn't access the Bible very well? Can you imagine living somewhere where every home didn't have a copy of the Bible, where maybe the Bible wasn't as readily available? Imagine how excited we'd be if we didn't have

access to it and we found the Word of God. The Word of God is likely in every one of our homes. Do we have that same passion for Bible study?

Another great example of someone who was passionate about God's Word and Bible study is that of Job. Job said these words in Job 23:12, Job said, 'I have not departed from the commandment of His lips'. He said of God, 'Your word is more important than my necessary food.' How passionate was Job about Bible study and the word of God? Think about it this way, Job said, 'The Bible is more necessary, more important, than our necessary food.' What happens if you don't eat? If you don't eat, you eventually die. The body can't live without food. You've got to have food taken in, calories taken in. You've got to have energy. Job said, 'God's word is more important than our necessary food.' It's necessary even on a higher level spiritually.

Another great example is that of the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah said in Jeremiah chapter 15, 'Your words were found and I did eat them and they were to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart.' How did Jeremiah feel about it? God's Word was something he found and it was a great joy and something that caused rejoicing in his life.

Then probably one of the clearest examples is that of Jesus Christ. Luke chapter two. Jesus is found in the temple, and He's sitting there listening to the scribes. He's asking questions, and He is very concerned about God and His Word.

Friend, let's think about our own lives now. These are examples of great men of the Bible who were passionate about God's word. What about us? Do we have that passion, that zeal, that excitement and joy for studying the Word of God as we ought to? Let's think about why we ought to do that today. Why is it that every child of God, every person, needs to study the scriptures? Why do we need to have a passion for Bible study?

Friend, I can't be approved in the sight of God without having Bible study as a part of my life. Listen to the words of Paul in 2 Timothy 2:15. The Bible says, 'Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.' How do I know I'm right with God? How do I know that I'm doing what God wants me to? How do I know that I'm living right? How do I know that I have obeyed the Gospel? How do I know that I'm following the truth? ‘Study to show

yourself approved unto God.’ We study so that we can know the Word from God's very mouth. We study to know how we ought to live, what God's plan of salvation is. Friend, that ought to give us a great sense of confidence when we do that.

John said in 1 John 5:13-16, 'These things I've written to you, who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know you have eternal life.' We want to, as a newborn babe, we want to desire the pure milk of the Word that we may grow thereby. 1 Peter 2:2 as Peter later said, 'We want to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior.' Jesus himself said, 'If you love me, keep my commandments.' But how do I know I love God? How do I know His commandments and know that I love Him if I don't study his Word? Let's not be like those people in Hosea 4:6, who were destroyed for a lack of knowledge, let's be good students. Let's be passionate.

Friend, think about it this way: Let's see the Word of God as it is. Do we realize that this book, the Bible, is the very Word of the mouth of God who created me, who one day I'm going to stand before as judge and who one day we have the hope of living with forever? That's what the Bible is. Every scripture, all scripture is God breathed and profitable, 2 Timothy 3:16. This is the very word from the mouth of God.

We also need to study the Bible because of the mass amount of religious confusion in our world today. Would you say that we've got a lot of confusion in the world today? Wouldn't you say there are a lot of people teaching a lot of different things about Christ, about salvation, about how to live, about moral things? How can I know what's right and wrong? Jesus said, 'You can know the truth, and the truth will make you free.' John 8:32. Jesus also said, 'God's Word is truth,' John 17:17. The Bible says, 'Do not be ignorant, but understand the will of the Lord.' How do we do that? By going to the Bible, to let it answer man's questions.

In Jeremiah 37:17, a wonderful question is asked there. 'Is there any word from the Lord?' Paul would later say in Romans 4:3, 'What does the scripture say?' Friend, with all the confusion about salvation, all the confusion about the church, all the confusion today that exists over moral ideas. Let's go to the Bible and let's ask, 'Is there any word from God on this subject? What does the scripture say?' That's the only way to really deal with the mass confusion that exists.

Ephesians 3:4 promises this, 'When you read', Paul said, 'You can understand my knowledge and the mystery of Christ.' We can know God's will and we can understand, but because of all the confusion, it's necessary that we don't just believe. Somebody says, 'this is what the Bible teaches and what you need to believe.' Another person over here says, 'No, the Bible teaches this and this is what you need to believe.' How do I determine what I need to believe? I don't listen to this person and I don't necessarily listen to this person. I listen to this book. I read for myself. I study for myself. I see what the Bible says and I believe and do what it says because God said so, not because of man.

We also need to study the scriptures to make sure that we're right in the sight of God. I want you to look at this passage with me in Acts chapter 17. This emphasizes the personal responsibility of studying the scripture to make sure that I'm right, that I'm in a right spiritual condition with almighty God. Acts 17:11 Paul says, 'These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readiness and searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.' The apostle Paul comes to the region of Berea. He takes the Gospel to these people. They open the door. Paul is there, and they don't shut the door in his face. They receive that with readiness of mind. They're ready to listen to Paul. They sit down. Paul tells them about the Gospel, about Jesus, about the prophecies, about the scriptures that proved that, and what do they do? They search the scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Friend, listen very carefully, just because somebody tells you, 'This is what you need to do to be saved', or just because you've heard all your life, 'This is what you need to do to be saved', don't believe it for those reasons. That's why God gave us the Bible. We need to study for ourselves to make sure we're right with God. Listen very carefully. There have been millions of people who have been taught ways of error about salvation.

Oftentimes people are told, 'To be saved here's what you need to do. You need to say the Sinner's Prayer.' They'll say something, some prayer like this, 'Dear Jesus, I recognize as you as Savior. I ask you to come to my life and heart and save me right now. In Jesus' name, Amen.' Friend, here's what's interesting about that. You can study your own Bible from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, you don't find the Sinner's Prayer one time. So many people have been told that's what they need to do to be saved and that's not even in the Bible one time! Search it for yourself and see.

What does that illustrate? There are people teaching false ways of salvation. There's a whole multitude following that to the road that leads to destruction. Friend, I need to study my Bible myself to make sure that I am right in the sight of God. Isn't that what Timothy says? 'Study', Paul said to Timothy, 'Study to show yourself approved unto God,' 2 Timothy 2:15.

Why do I need to study my Bible? I need to study so that I can answer the skeptic and teach the lost. 1 Peter 3:15 says, 'Be ready always to give an answer to anyone asking you for the reason of the hope that is within you with meekness and fear.' I need to study to be able to give an answer. To who, the skeptic who says there is no God? The skeptic who says Christ is not real? Someone who says, 'How can we trust the Bible.'? I need to study to say, 'Okay, here's the evidence. Here's what the scripture says. Here's the proof of these things.'

We also need to teach the lost. I want to give an answer of the hope that is within me. Why do we live with hope? Why are we Christians this happy all the time? Why do we have the joy that passes and the peace that passes all understanding? What is it that makes Christians unique? I need to be able to share that hope, the Good News of Jesus. That He gives meaning, purpose, freedom from sin, and that joy that surpasses all understanding is a part of the Christian life.

Jesus asked of me and you that we go into all nations, that we go into all the world and that we preach the Gospel unto every creature, Matthew 28:18, Mark 16:15. 'Those who have been called out of darkness have been called to proclaim the praises of us who are called out of darkness.' God has called me and you as Christians to study the Word of God so that we can share with others that great message.

Friend, there's another practical reason as to why we need to be passionate about Bible Study. We need to be good students and passionate about Bible study so that we can avoid sin in our life.

Let me give you a couple of examples. In Matthew four, Jesus is going to be tempted by Satan. Satan pretty much throws the whole gambit at him. He throws everything he can at Jesus: Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. He tries every way possible. At one point, he knows Jesus is hungry. He knows that he's been without food and been in the wilderness 40 days. He's hungry, so he says to Jesus, 'If you're the Son

of God, prove it. Turn these stones to bread.' How did Jesus deal with that temptation? 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' The three ways Satan tempted Jesus, how did he overcome those? Every time, he said this, 'It is written, it is written, it is written.' Jesus saw the value and was passionate about Bible study because that was a way to avoid sin in his life. Listen to Psalm 119:11. The Psalmist said it so beautifully, 'Your Word I've hidden in my heart', why, 'That I may not sin against You.'

Friend, there's a multitude of people going down the path to destruction, Matthew 7:13-14. Satan is going to do his best to get us to live wrong and do wrong. It was said to Cain, who murdered his brother Abel in Genesis 4:7, 'Sin lies at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must master it.' How do you master and overcome sin? Through the Word of God. Proverbs 13:15, the Bible clearly teaches the way of the transgressor, it's a hard way to live, but we can know what's right and we can do what's right and according to the scripture, we can overcome sin and be victorious in the end.

Why study the Bible? Friend, as you're living your life, when Satan throws something at you, when we have to deal with whatever it is, anger, when we're tempted to give in to some sin, when something is coming into our life ... If I've got the Bible as part of my repertoire, if the Bible is a good working knowledge in my life, when that temptation arises, you know what also arises, those Bible passages. Those Bible verses. Those scriptures that ought to come flooding to my mind and the principles of God ought to be a part of my life.

Here you've got Satan and he's tempting us. He's throwing things at us. What kind of defense do I have to that? When those temptations arise, those Bible verses, those Bible passages, those principles ought to rise up with it and ultimately combat that temptation and help us, if we're willing, to overcome it.

As we think about having a passion for Bible study, we also want to emphasize today the type of attitude, the type of mindset, the type of heart that a person ought to have that would promote good passionate Bible study in their life. What kind of attitude and what kind of mindset do I need to have to really have good Bible study?

First, I need to have a belief, a conviction, in the divine inspiration of the Bible. What is it that will promote me to really be a good student of the Bible? Friend, if I'm convinced 100% in my heart that this is God speaking to man, that this is God's Word and that it applies to my life today, friend that's going to make me sit up and listen up. Psalm 119:160, 'the entirety of God's Word is truth.’ ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God,' 2 Timothy 3:16. ‘Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.’ This book is God's truth. This book God breathed out for me and you. When Paul or Peter or some Bible writer picked up pen, it was the Holy Spirit of God that was the driving force behind that.

It's as David said, I love these words in Second Samuel 23:2, David said, 'His Word', God's Word, 'Was on my tongue.' That's the way we approach the Bible. John 16:13, Jesus made the promise to his apostles that the Holy Spirit would come and he would guide them into all truth. Friend that did happen. As Jude three verse says, 'We have everything we need for life and godliness.' 2 Peter 1:3, 'And that once for all delivered faith is available for man today.'

This becomes so practical. Listen very carefully. When I approach this book as the Word of God, I realize its relevance to my life and to yours. 2 Peter 1:3 says this, 'As His divine power has given to us all things for life and godliness', a belief that this is God's Word and a belief that this has everything I need to live the best life and to be like God. That type of attitude will promote good Bible study in every person's life.

Secondly, we mentioned that the type of attitude a person needs to really have passionate Bible study is a good respect for the authority of the scriptures, the absolute authority of God's Word. What do we mean? John 2:5 sets the model for every Christian. Jesus’ mother has requested that He fill the water pots to wine in John chapter two. Somehow, she recognizes that He is going to do that. Mary turns to the servants who are about to fill those water pots up and she says these words: 'Whatever He says to you, do it.' Friend, that's what we're talking about. Whatever Jesus says, I want to have the mindset that I'm going to do it. I want to realize all authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth. I want to realize that Colossians 3:17 says, 'Whatever the Christian does in word or deed, they're to do all in the name of or by the authority of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.'

To motivate me to really have passion for Bible study, I need the attitude and I need to realize on the Day of Judgment this is going to be our judge. John 12:48, Jesus said, 'He who rejects me, does not receive my Word, has that which judges him. The Word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.' This is God's Word. This is going to be our judge. We live by it. It's our authority and we must not go beyond the authority of God's divine Word.

Then a third mindset or attitude that will really promote good Bible study is an attitude of utmost submissiveness and humility.

Let me give you the example. 1 Samuel chapter three. I want to read these words to you. The context is Samuel is being called by God. In 1 Samuel chapter three he's been called multiple times. He's being called by God. I want you to notice what is said by the old man there who encourages Samuel in the right way. 1 Samuel 3:10 the Bible says these words, Eli says in verse 9, “Therefore Eli said to Samuel, 'Go lie down and it shall be if God calls you that you must say, 'Speak Lord, your servant hears.'' So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the Lord came and stood and called another time, 'Samuel! Samuel!’'' You listen to this attitude. “And Samuel answered, 'Speak Lord, for your servant hears.’''

That's the attitude that we need to promote good Bible study, an attitude of humility and an attitude of submissiveness. Luke 14:11, 'Whoever humbles himself will be exalted. He who exalts himself, he'll be humbled.' Let's not have a high and holy attitude or a better than thou mindset. ‘Remember, pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.’ I want that attitude of Isaiah, 'Here am I, send me.' Isaiah chapter six. I want that attitude of Samuel, 'Speak Lord. Your servant hears.' That's the humility that'll really make us serve God to the best of our ability.

To have good Bible study and to really have a passion about it, I need an overriding desire, more than anything else in my life, to go to heaven.

Do you really want to go to heaven above all else? Listen to what Paul said again. 'For to me, to live is Christ. To die, that's a gain.' Paul saw going to heaven as the ultimate gain, as the ultimate goal. The Psalmist said in Psalm 116:15, 'Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his

saints.’ ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord,' Revelation 14:13. Do we really have that desire to go and be with Jesus? Jesus said, 'I go to prepare a place for you. If I go, I'll come again and receive you to myself that where I am, there you may be also.' Don't you want to go to that place that Jesus describes as a place of rest? Hebrews chapter four, Heaven is described as a place of being with God forever. Matthew 6:9 Heaven is described as a place where all the saints of old are going to be.

We’ve got to have in this life, a passion for Bible study.

Let's again, make it practical. Let's think about our own life. I ask myself as you ask yourself, 'Are we really studying the scriptures like we ought to? Are we really, really passionate about the Word of God? Do we really believe that this book is from the mouth of God? Do we really, are we convicted that this will save us from the Devil and his temptation?

The Word of God is ‘living, powerful, sharper than any two edged sword', Hebrews 4:12. 'That if we receive with meekness the implanted word, it'll save our soul', James 1:21. If so,

We need to be willing first of all to obey the Gospel. Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God? John 8:24. Would you be willing to repent of sin in your life? Acts 3:19. Would you acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world? Matthew 10:32-33. Would you do what Jesus said to be saved? 'He that believes and is baptized will be saved.' Mark 16:16.

Maybe as a child of God, you've not been studying the scriptures. We hope the encouragement that all of us have received today from the Word of God will encourage us and will motivate us to really put our heart and life into studying the Gospel of Christ, which is able to save us from sin.

Study Questions for: “Great Bible Lessons: Lesson 3”

1. According to Matthew 4:4, what shall man live by?

2. In Job 23:12, what did Job say was more of a necessity than food?

3. What does Jeremiah 15 say of God’s word?

4. What was Jesus doing in the temple in Luke chapter 2?

5. According to 2 Timothy 2:15, what must we do to be approved in the sight of God?

6. According to 1 Peter 2:2, what should we grow in?

7. According to 2 Timothy 3:16, where does the scripture come from?

8. According to John 17:17, what is truth?

9. In Acts 17:11, why were the Bereans more fair-minded?

10. Why should we study scripture according to 1 Peter 3:15?

“Daniel said to the King Nebuchadnezzar that the events occurring would happen until he realized that the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men,” Daniel 4:25.

Welcome to our study of the two smaller books in the Major Prophets, Daniel and then we'll also notice a few points from the tears of Lamentations.

Keys to the book of Daniel that help us to understand the book is simply the main point God rules in the kingdoms of men. This is mentioned in Daniel 4:25. It's reiterated to this ungodly king in Daniel 5:21. Then this same picture is seen in a very picturesque way in the book of Revelation that God's church, the kingdom is ruling and reigning today, and it is the most important of all kingdoms, Revelation 11:14-15.

Some of the key prophecies that we find in the book of Daniel have to deal with the Lord's church. Chapter two is a key prophecy in that Daniel prophesies that of the four kingdoms that are about to arise, the Babylonian, the Persian, the Greek, and the Roman kingdom. During one of those four kingdoms, God is going to establish a kingdom that'll never be destroyed. We're going to learn that that is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. This chapter has the key chapter in the book of Daniel for its prophecy. The key word is the word ‘rules.’ God has not been dethroned. God is not dead. He is ruling from on high and of course, according to

Hebrews 1:1-4, Jesus is right there at the throne of God, enthroned as King of kings and Lord of lords, Revelation 19:16-17.

Now let's take just a moment to think about the prophet Daniel himself. Daniel's name literally means ‘God is my judge.’ So here God is seen as ruling as the most powerful of all judges- the final judge who all men must give an account to. Romans 14:12 the scripture says, "So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God." Like Ezekiel, Daniel was taken into captivity, but he was one of the first to be taken away into captivity. In fact, in 606, in the first year of the captivity, Daniel is one of the first to go into captivity with the first wave of God's people.

When we think about Daniel, we want to illustrate some of the practical lessons and living messages. Remember Romans 15:4? Scripture says, “The things that are written before time, they were written for our learning that we, through patience, and comfort in scriptures might find hope.” As I think about the book of Daniel, and as I hear these wonderful stories of Daniel, of his friends, and of the power of God- what is it that I can use as a living message for my life today?

First and foremost we want to realize that Daniel, as a young man, purposed not to sin or to defile himself. Notice Daniel 1:8. The scripture says, "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore, he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself." The young man Daniel had a great sense of moral character to him. He could have eaten the king's delicacies. He could have drunken the wine. Maybe people might have overlooked that because of the circumstances, but Daniel had such high character and such high moral virtue that Daniel wasn't going to do that. It's likely that some of these foods and delicacies would have been against the Old Testament Levitical code. Wine in and of itself has many problems to go along with it. ‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler.’ Daniel knew those things were not good for people of God.

Daniel made a choice for purity. Young people what a practical lesson this is today. How we need more young people who will have the moral virtue and character of Daniel when presented with moral problems- who will rise to the occasion, and won't get involved in modern moral problems that occur today. It may be alcohol which still exists today, and which a lot of young people are tempted by. When you find yourself in a situation like that, don't wait until right then to decide what to do. Daniel purposed in his heart. Daniel already made up in his mind and thus, when the problem arose, it wasn't even a question. Daniel knew ahead of time what he was going to do. Determine you're not going to get involved in things like that. When drugs or sexual immorality, impurity, people using ungodly language, or people dressing immodestly tempt you- you've already made up your mind. Go ahead and decide. This is what God says. This is what the scripture teaches, and I'm going to purpose in my heart. I'm going to make up my mind ahead of time. I'm not going to let those things be a temptation to me; I've already decided what God wants me to do.

A second lesson and really we want to hone in now on the prophecy that is mentioned in Daniel chapter two. As we think about living messages, one of those is the prophecies that we find in the Old Testament that are fulfilled in the New Testament. Look at Daniel 2:44. The scripture says that Daniel is speaking before the king, "And in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." Realize that during this time, Israel is still the kingdom God is reigning through. So we're not talking about the kingdom of Israel. God's going to set up a new kingdom. What is that new kingdom? We know that there were four kingdoms that were prophesied to reign. These are seen in the dream and in the image that the king has- the gold kingdom that was the Babylonian empire. Then you have bronze, partly, and silver. You've got clay and metal mixed: Babylonian, Medo-Persian, the Greek empire, and the Roman Empire. Let's think through this for just a moment.

Did God set up a new kingdom during the time of the Babylonian reign? No, God didn't, it's still through Israel. Israel comes out of captivity and then the Medo-Persians begin to reign. Does God set up a new kingdom during the time of the Medes and the Persians? No, not during that time. What about during the time of the Greek empire? We all know of the great Greek warrior Alexander the Great. Did God set up a new kingdom then? No, God's still reigning through Israel. Then we come to that fourth and final kingdom mentioned: the Roman Empire. Did God set up a new kingdom during the Roman Empire? You bet he did.

In the time of the Roman Empire, the Bible says in Mark 9:1, Jesus speaking to His disciples and says, "For surely I say to you that there are some standing here today who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God present with power." What is that kingdom? Well, we learn in Matthew 16:18, "And Jesus said, and I say to you that you're Peter, and on this rock I'll build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Then he says this, "And I give to you the keys of the kingdom." What's the kingdom? The kingdom's the church. Is the church in existence? Did it start during the time of that Roman Empire? You bet it did. Acts 2:47, for the very first time, "The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." Paul said in Colossians 1:13 that ‘God was taking people out of darkness and transferring them into the kingdom of his dear son.’

Now, let's make that practical. Understand that prophecy's part of it, but what does the prophecy dictate? There is a kingdom coming during the time of one of these four empires, and that that kingdom will never be destroyed. You combine that idea with Revelation 11:14-15 of God's eternal kingdom being the church, ‘Which will one day be taken ushered back to God,’ I Corinthians 15:24. My friend, the most important kingdom in all the world that you could ever be a part of is a part of the Lord's church. How privileged we are to live in the age where the church is a reality and where we can know for sure what is God's kingdom and how to be a part of that kingdom.

Let's now turn our attention to another practical lesson in the book of Daniel, and the lesson is very simply this: if God puts us in it, God will take

care of us during that. Basically saying that if we face trial and tribulation and difficulty, God, if we're faithful to God, God's not going to abandon us during those times. We learned this from Daniel's three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Listen to the words of Daniel 3:16. "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the kind and said, 'Oh, Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace, and he will deliver us from your hand, oh King. But if not, let it be known to you, oh King. We do not serve your gods. Nor will we worship the golden image which you have set up.'" So here are these three bright, faithful men of God, and an image has been set up. Anybody who won't worship it would be thrown in the fire. What do they say? They say, ‘well King, if that's what you think you need to do then go ahead, but I promise you this, God will take care of us and see us through it either way. We believe our God will deliver us from it.’ You know the rest of the story. There was one like the Son of Man walking in the fire with them, and they were delivered from that furnace which actually consumed the people who threw them in. Then they say this, "but if God doesn't deliver us, we're still not going to worship you." What would have happened if God hadn't delivered them? A greater deliverance would have come. Their lives of faithfulness would have been spent with God for all eternity in heaven. Either way, just as these three friends said, they were going to be winners. God was going to take care of them or they were going to perish through suffering and live with God forever in heaven. How true that is for us today that when we face difficulty! Let's remember to trust God. The Bible says this in I Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you," Paul says, "except such as is common to men. But God, who is faithful with the temptation, will also make a way of escape that you may be able to bear or endure it." Now that way of escape may mean, as it did for some in the first century, that our life comes to an end. If it does, how bad is it, if a child of God dies and goes to heaven? Friend, that's surely not a bad thing. That's a good thing. God's going to take care of us and thus we can say, the Lord has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you so that you may boldly say, the Lord is my helper what can man do to me?"

Let's then think about another lesson that we learned from the book of Daniel. This is a very practical lesson about Daniel as a great man of prayer. I want you to look in Daniel 6:10. The Bible says, "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home and in his upper room with his windows opened toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God as was his custom from early days." When we know about the prophet Daniel, here we learn the type of man he was again a little later in his life. Daniel, they told Daniel, they're plotting plans against him. They get the king, evil men get this king to sign a decree and the decree of the Medes and Persians, one of their laws is, when a law is made it cannot be altered or changed. So the decree's been signed. Daniel knows they just signed his death certificate in essence. So Daniel, even though it might cost him his life, Daniel, three times that day, gets down on his hands and knees and prays to God. As a result, consequences occur. The king has to take Daniel and throw him in with the lions, but even the king himself says I believe your God can deliver you. Remember what happened the next morning? When they opened that lion's den, there was Daniel alive and well and even the king gave glory to God. We learn a very powerful lesson from Daniel about his own prayer life and his deliverance. Even if prayer was going to cost Daniel his life, he wasn't going to stop praying. “The effect of fervent prayer of a righteous man overcomes much,” James 5:16. The scripture says, ‘we are to pray without ceasing,’ I Thessalonians 5:17. Through prayer “we can come boldly to the throne of grace that we might find mercy and grace to help in time of need, and with prayer we can cast all our cares upon God, because he cares for us.”

As I think about Daniel and that great scene in the lion's den, can you imagine how those lions must have felt? In view of Daniel, a great man is being protected by God, and how God actually saw him through that difficult time because of his faith and trust in the almighty. Daniel as a man of prayer, we learn in Daniel 9:4, also offers a prayer of penitence for themselves and for the people of Israel. The scripture says these words concerning Daniel's prayer "And I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession and said, 'Oh Lord, great and awesome God who keeps his

covenant and mercy with those who love him and who keep his commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity. We have done wickedly and rebelled even by the pardon from your precepts and your judgments.'" What do we know about Daniel? Daniel didn't claim perfection. If fact, here he confesses the sin of the people and the sin of himself, maybe as well, or himself as well, because they had been involved in some things that were not right, especially the people of Israel. As a result they go away into captivity.

Friend, this is something that we all have to face. All of us have sinned. We know that's the case. There's not a righteous man on the face of the earth who does good and does not sin, Ecclesiastes 7:20-26. We need to be bold enough to own up to our sin. ‘If we say that we have no sin, the scriptures says we make God a liar and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all iniquity,’ I John 1:7-10.

For just a moment now let's turn our attention to that final book in the Major Prophets. It is a book that is often known as the tears of Jeremiah or the book of Lamentations. What's Lamentations all about? If we could break it down into its simplest form, Lamentations is a funeral sermon delivered by Jeremiah over Israel's impending doom and death spiritually. He delivers this heartfelt, sad eulogy in essence, over Israel's condition as though he's standing over the grave and the body of a loved one. He delivers this heartfelt eulogy to remind the people just where they're heading and just where they're going if they don't change their ways and turn to God. This book is a book that is written in a very graphic language. It's written in Hebrew poetry, which in itself was a very emotional language in many ways.

As you think about the book, the key word is the word sorrow. Lamentations 1:12 and Lamentations 1:18, the sorrow of this is seen in great detail. Key verse, I want you to notice Lamentations 3:40. This is the key verse. I believe in the book of Lamentations. "Let us search out and examine our ways and turn back to the Lord." This is what Lamentations and really any of these Major Prophets are all about. Let's check ourselves

out. Let's search and examine our ways and if something's wrong, and we know it is, let's turn back to God. Looks like 2 Corinthians 13:5, "Test yourself to see whether you are in the faith. Examine yourselves." So the key idea is to test, to examine, to check and to turn back to God. The key message from Lamentations is unless men are willing to change their ways and repent, ultimate doom is going to be inevitable.

Friend, how true that is in a more eternal sense. If people will not change their ways and turn to God, eternally speaking doom and torment awaits people like that. God doesn't want anybody to be lost, nor do Christians as well.

Let's think then about some of the practical verses from the book of Lamentations that teach us the power of God's message, of sorrow and sin, and needing to change one's life. Look at Lamentations 1:1. "How lonely sits the people or sits the city that was full of people. How like a widow she is who was great among nations. The princess among the provinces has become a slave." What do we know about the sorrow of sin? We know that sin enslaves people. This great city that was brimming with people that was vibrant with excitement, that held princesses and kings and princes, where is it today? The princess, she's now become a slave. Look at the enslaving nature of sin. Romans 6:17 says, "God be thanked that though you were the slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that former doctrine to which you were delivered and being set free from sin.” We've now become slaves of righteousness. Look at Lamentations 1:5, and notice how sin allows the enemy to overcome us. The scripture says, "Of this city, of this princess, her adversaries have become the master. Her enemies prosper for the Lord has afflicted her because of the multitude of her sins or transgressions her children have gone into captivity before the enemy.” What do we know about the sorrow and heartache of sin? Sin allows the enemy to overtake us. Who is the great enemy? I Peter 5:8 says, "Be sober be vigilant, your adversary, your enemy, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion."

Friend, when I give in to the Devil and when I give in to Satan, sin overcomes me. Sin engulfs me, and I'm in captive to its allurement and its

damning destruction that it can bring on me. Then I want you to notice this from chapter one, sin also brings horrible results. Look at what happened in chapter 1:12 of the book of Lamentations. God says, "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which has been brought on me, which the Lord has inflicted in the day of his fierce anger." People weren't really thinking about it. They weren't really stopped and considering the wrath of God, and how God had been the cause of this. As a result, Jeremiah felt a great heart break over that sin that was overcoming his people. We need to realize sin is something that ought to bring spiritual sorrow to our lives.

Let me illustrate that. Look at Lamentations 2:18-19, and look at the sorrow sin ought to bring. The Bible says, "Their heart cried out to the Lord, Oh wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night. Give yourself no relief. Give your eyes no rest. Arise; cry out at night at the beginning of the watches. Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward him for the life of your young children who faint from hunger at the head of every street.” Look at what Israel's facing. Look at what they are going through and Jeremiah's plea is, ‘you're right to cry.’ This is something to be sorrowful about. Your children are starving out there, and it's because of your sin and your iniquity that these things are happening.

Friends, sin doesn't just have spiritual consequences, it does have that, but it also has consequences here and now. So we must realize the best life to live is a life lived serving God. Here's a beautiful passage in the midst of this funeral dirge, look at Lamentations 3:22-23, and even in the midst of this text of sorrow, God gives His people hope. The scripture says, "Through the Lord's mercies, we are not consumed because His compassions fail not, they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul. Therefore, I will hope in him." Here Israel, although this is definitely a sad book, a book of sorrow showing the ultimate demise of those who live in sin. In the midst of this the writer cries out. ‘Through God's mercy and God's compassion we're not consumed, because the Lord's mercy is enduring for all people.’

Friend, if we're saved, it'll be by the grace and the mercy of our God, and how desperately we need that salvation. We need to make sure that we're right with God.

So as we think about Daniel and as we think about Lamentations, both of these books dealing with the sin of Israel and their depravity going into captivity and the sorrow that goes with that, let's realize today that this is a practical book. Those who are living in sin desperately need to be warned of the impending doom. ‘The way of the transgressor is hard,’ Proverb writer says. Ultimately it is hard because it is a life that will end result in eternal torment and agony, Luke 16:19.

Finally, but the good news is this: the God whom we serve and the God of the Bible is a God of compassion and mercy. Through His compassion and through His mercy, He wants all men everywhere to be saved, and come to a knowledge of the truth.

Friend, no matter how bad you've been, no matter how deep in sin you've been caught up in, no matter what you've done- if you'll become a Christian, you can have all that washed away. ‘If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all has become new.’

How do we get forgiveness of sin? Once we've heard the word, believed in Jesus, and repented of sin, made that good confession, the Bible says we can repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sin, Acts 2:38. Saul, who is now Paul, was a murderer in many ways and yet in Acts 22:16 Ananias came to him and said, ‘Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins.’

If you've never obeyed the gospel friend, we urge you to obey the gospel before it's too late.

Study Questions for:

“Living Messages of the Old Testament: Lesson 28”

1. According to Daniel 4:25, who rules in the kingdoms of men?

2. According to Daniel 1:8, what did Daniel decide as a young man?

3. According to Matthew 16:18, what is the kingdom?

4. In Colossians 1:13 it is the Kingdom of who?

5. What does 1 Corinthians 10:13 say of our temptations?

6. According to Daniel 6:10, what was a habit of Daniel’s?

7. What does James 5:16 say of praying?

8. According to Lamentations 3:40, they need to do what?

9. What does 2 Corinthians 13:5 encourage us to do?

10. How is the devil described in 1 Peter 5:8?

The Holy Spirit records "Do not be unequally yoked together with

unbelievers." 2 Corinthians 6:14.

Welcome to our study of the "Home” as God would have it.

In this series of lessons, we're looking at what God has to say

concerning the Christian home, marriage, and how to have a better home

relationship.

The Scripture says in Psalm 127:1-3, "Unless the Lord builds the

home, they labor in vain who build it." And so, establishing a godly home is

paramount to the success of every person in the home.

Today's lesson deals with a very serious subject: dating,

engagement, and what God has to say about the marriage covenant.

How should a Christian feel about dating? What does God say about

the engagement period and what guidelines are given and what do we

need to know about the marriage covenant for it to be successful?

When we think about the subject of the Christian and dating, there

are several things that are very important relative to this subject. In our last

lesson or in one of our lessons, we dealt with preparation for marriage and

this more deals with the idea of dating and how Christians should behave

and what principles ought to govern that situation.

When we talk about dating, let's realize first and foremost that a Christian ought to look for a mate who is going to help them successfully seek first the kingdom of God. Choosing a Christian mate is a premier decision in putting God's church first in one's life. Think of the words of Matthew 6:33 Jesus said "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." If the aim of every child of God is to seek first the kingdom, then in dating, in choosing a mate, in who we marry, the kingdom has to be first.

Even in those decisions Paul said in Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die that's gain." If living is for Christ, if the kingdom's first, if as Jesus said in Luke 9:23 we're to ‘deny self, take up our cross and follow Jesus every day,’ then who I date, who I hang around with, who I marry, the kingdom has to dictate those decisions in every Christians life. And so, make it a premier fact; make it a top decision to put the kingdom first in every facet of one's life.

Then as we think about the idea of dating engagement and the marriage covenant, let's realize that if one of the main purposes of marriage is to help one another get to heaven. Husband-and-wife, marrying a non-Christian makes that purpose and dating a non-Christian complicates that purpose greatly. Genesis 2:18, ‘God saw all that it was not good for man to be alone thus He made a helper comparable to him.’ We have the introduction of the home, marriage, and the family.

If God made woman and man to be a helper for one another, friend, how can you date, or for that matter engage to or marry someone who's not a Christian and still be that helpmate that God designed. Can you date a non-Christian, can you be engaged to a non-Christian, can you marry a non-Christian, and that person really be the helper in every way that God intended them to be?

If one person's a child of the devil and one person is a Christian, there's going to be some struggles there along the way. One gospel preacher has rightly put it this way: he said, "If you date or marry a non-Christian, you're going to have trouble with your father-in-law." If they're a child of the devil and you marry them and their interests are not God and Christ and putting the kingdom first, there are going to be problems along the way.

And so, please realize that it complicates matters greatly when you date, when you're engaged to, and ultimately when you marry somebody who is not a child of God.

As we think about dating and engagement, let's realize that, under the Old Testament, God's people were actually forbidden to marry those who were strangers or foreigners to the covenant of God. For example, listen to the words of Deuteronomy 7:3-4. The Scripture says God speaking to Israel, "Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; for the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly."

We understand that, although under the old covenant and although speaking to Israel about not intermarrying with the heathen nations, remaining true to God and the covenant that God gave at Mount Sinai, there's a basic principle to be learned there. God doesn't want His people, who have bowed themselves to His covenant, who are a part of His kingdom, to get caught up and mixed up with people who don't have the same values, morals, and who don't trust in God and the Bible as they do. And so, the very basic principle is: under the Old Testament, God condemned it. And friend, if we're to seek first the kingdom of God and marrying or dating or being engaged to someone who's not a member of that church is only going to pull you away, may actually weaken you rather than strengthen you, why would you date someone who doesn't have the same faith or principle that you do as a child of God?

When we think about this idea of dating, engagement, and the marriage covenant, as we think about that priority: seeking first the kingdom, let's use an Old Testament example. Someone may say we know I've got a faith that can withstand that, I can date a non-Christian, I can be engaged, I could even marry a non-Christian, and I might be able to win them to the Lord. My faith is strong enough that, rather than drag me down, I can bring them up. Friend, there's no doubt that you may actually win them to the Lord, but that's not the type of evangelism we encourage-because there's just as much chance that they could pull you away from the Lord.

Let me give you a Bible example: Solomon was a great man of God, ended up building the temple, did great things on behalf of God, in fact he

was given wisdom from on high from God himself. And yet, in 1 Kings 11:1-12, you will find that Solomon had married many wives, ungodly wives of the foreigners God had commanded them not to marry, and those ungodly wives and their false religions led Solomon away from God. Great man of God, did great things, had a great faith, had wisdom from on high, and yet was pulled away, was lured away by his false wives, by his ungodly wives and their false religions. And so, let's not say to ourselves, "this might be a form of evangelism or I've got a faith strong enough to hold." That's not the attitude the Christian needs.

Why would you want to enter into a relationship where you're going to have to maybe drag or pull the other person to the point where they need to be as far spiritual matters are concerned? Here's what the Bible says: 2 Corinthians 6:14, the Scripture says this, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers." Now this may be dealing with a variety of different scenarios where one could be unequally yoked together. It could be business relationship, could be friendships, but friend, the bond of marriage could surely be an application of that as well. "Don't be unequally yoked, or bound together, with an unbeliever." Well, what's unequal yoke? Let's say you got, the picture here is of two oxen, two mules, maybe two animals, that are working in the field and you've got a yoke and one animal hooked to each side and maybe some kind of wagon or farm equipment hooked to the back. And if these animals are not equally yoked, that is one's a lot stronger than the other, one's going to end up doing all the work. The other one's not going to do as much and it's going to be very difficult on that one person.

What's the idea spiritually? Don't enter into relationships, business ventures, and surely enter into marriage, with someone who is not equally yoked together in the sense that they're a member of the one church, they believe in the Bible as the word of God, they believe in God's plan of salvation, they have a desire to raise godly children, their morals and values are the same as yours.

Now think about this: although the apostle Paul mentions as a right himself having the privilege and the power to marry a believing wife. He mentions though that that wife is to be a believing wife, and so Paul mentions he had that right. 1 Corinthians 7, the widow is to only remarry in the Lord Christian someone who is a candidate to remarry to marry. And so, from the language you see in the Bible, one thing is for sure: you ought

to marry a Christian. Not just a Christian but a faithful Christian who will help you. Listen very carefully, if you ultimately marry the person you date, then friend you ought to date a Christian who is going to help you get to heaven and be the godly person that you desire to be.

Now, let's think about it statistically for a second. A study has been done of young people, people who enter into marriage, some were Christian non-Christian marriages and some were both Christians. I want you to listen to the statistics that occurred in each of these scenarios. Of 79 people, 79 couples who were in a mixed marriage between a Christian and a non-Christian, here's what happens statistically. Of those 79, 57 left the Lord's church, 22 remain faithful Christians, fourteen, only 14, converted their mate and, of those 79, 25 ended up getting divorced. Now contrast that with another group who married Christians, both were Christians. Of 64 total who both Christians married faithful Christians, only five left the church. 59 remain faithful Christians and only 2 were divorced. Do you see how much greater one's chances are if both spouses believe? They ought to be seeking first the kingdom. Not being self-serving, but serving the other person and trying to glorify and help one another get to heaven in every way.

You know as we think about the idea of dating, especially. What exactly is dating? Dating is a sense of getting to know a person, may consist of social activities done by two people with the aim, and it does have an aim, with the aim of looking at the other person's suitability as a mate in a relationship for a husband or a wife.

And so, when we talk about dating, it isn't just all fun and games. There is the sense of the social activity, but I need to be thinking about is this person someone who will help me get to heaven. Are they a suitable mate that I can help in life and that will help me? When we bring children into a relationship, will they indeed help our children? You know, some basic guidelines that revolve around dating and parents- I hope you'll listen real carefully- as it relates to dating is: Parents, you are in charge of dating. They are in your house. They are still a minor. You are still their parent. Ephesians 6:1-4 the Bible says children are to obey their parents in the Lord. Just because a boy or girl may have some attraction to an individual and wants to date them, does not mean that is a given. Parents, you're in charge of who they date at this point. You have the say-so in who they date. You can say no, you're not allowed to date that person for these

reasons. You're allowed to make decisions on when they date. I believe too many times, young people start dating way too early, way before they're ready to begin thinking about that seriously.

Parents, you're in charge of the curfews and the boundaries that relate to dating: when will you be back, when will you leave, who will take you, what will you do. Those are all questions that you absolutely have the right to ask. You are not violating anybody's privacy. You are not overstepping a boundary. You are not taking away anybody's individuality if you set guidelines, if you stick to those guidelines, and if you determine ‘the who and the when and the how’ of dating for your children.

Parents, as it relates to us being in charge, you need to explain the purpose of dating to your child. Dating is not just so you can go out and have fun and there's more to it than just that. Children need be taught that, in dating someone, in dating someone of the opposite sex, you're beginning to think about, "do I want to spend my life with this person?" Genesis 2:18, will this person be a good helpmate for me in life? You need to do your research: how does this person act, are they responsible, how do they dress, and what type of people are they associating with (First Corinthians 15:33 says evil companions corrupt good morals), is this person respectful to you? As a parent: Do they respect your son or daughter? Are they responsible enough that you're going to send one of your most valuable possessions, your children, out with them? Do they dress modestly? Do they have good Christian values? Are they hanging around with type of friends that you would want your child hanging around with?

You definitely need to sit down and get to know the person before you just send your child out with them. There may be things that you're not aware of until you do get to know them, either good or bad things there. And then, we want to mention some rules for young people as it relates to the actual dating process.

First, as a young person who's dating, we encourage you as Solomon the writer of Ecclesiastes said, "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth." Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 and Ecclesiastes 12:1. One day you will have to answer for your conduct. You need to realize that, when you're dating, God is indeed watching at all times. God knows and sees all, whether it's at the movies, whether it's at the table when you're eating out, or whether it's in the car when there's no one there but you and the other person. God

knows and sees all and you need to be encouraged to, even during this time when there may be emotions that run high, when there may be attractions, ‘don't forget your Creator in the days of your youth.’ Remember Him and always strive to do those things which will please Him.

And then, we encourage this as a rule for dating: don't use the same standard that the world does in dating. 1 John 2:15-17 the Bible says, "Do not love the world or the things are in the world. For all that is in the world - lust of flesh, lust the eyes, the pride of life - it's not of the Father it's of the evil one. And the world and all that is in it is passing away, but he who does the will of God the Father shall endure."

Christians need to know that there is a difference between inner beauty and outer beauty. Do you remember Proverbs 31:10? The Scripture says, "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised." Only, listen carefully, don't date somebody who you wouldn't seriously consider as a spouse or that you're not even thinking about as a spouse. Don't let the world's standards be your standard for what you do during the dating process: the way you dress, the way you act, the way you talk. The world is in opposition to the principles of God. Let God's standards be the rules that govern you.

Another rule for dating: if parents are in charge, young people, you must realize your parents are indeed in charge. Even if you're a young adult, they're still, your spirit, your parent and you should respect them. Children are to obey their parents in the Lord. If you're under their roof, whatever they are that, whatever rules they set, are it. They get to put the rules in place. Your responsibility is to follow those rules and to abide by them. You may say, well that's not what I think's fair. In all honesty, they're your parent, you're in their home, and you don't get to set the rules, your parents do. They get to decide the who of whom you date. They, you decide when you date. They get to decide where you go and what time you got to come home. Your responsibility, as a young person, is to respect and obey your parents and to recognize the wisdom they've got in setting these rules.

Then as a young person who would be dating, Paul's encouragement, Peter's encouragement, "Flee fornication" is such an important rule for dating. 1 Timothy 6 and 1 Peter 2:21 the Scripture says, "Flee fornication and abstain from fleshly lust, which wars against the soul."

As a young person, there are indeed emotions, there are feelings, there are attractions, there are desires, there's no doubt about that, but where is the proper place for that? Marriage is honorable, the bed undefiled; whoremongers and adulterers, God will judge." Hebrews 13:4.

And so, what kind of advice can we give based on that? Don't put yourself in a compromising situation. There's no need for a child of God, for a Christian who's trying to put the kingdom first, to be in a situation alone where something could happen, where things could get elevated, where emotions could run wild, and because of that, you make decisions that weren't based off of fact or truth or God's word, but rather off of emotion. Don’t put yourself in a compromising situation; don't let the lust of the flesh be what guides you in these situations.

Then we also mention as a guideline for dating that a young person must prove themselves responsible and treat others with respect to be granted permission to date. Are you responsible enough to date? Do you make good decisions? Are you able to be given the keys to the car and expected to come back? Realizing that you're responsible enough to do that, would someone's father or mother want to send their child out with you knowing that they'll be safe, that things will be handled rightly, that you will treat them with respect, that you will act and talk in such a way that will show your respect for that person?

You see my friend we are created in the image of God Genesis 1:26-28. As a creation of God, we ought to respect not only ourselves but others as well and show that respect indeed by our actions. Then as we think about dating, engagement, and the marriage covenant, let's realize that the marriage covenant is such a serious covenant. God says in Malachi 2:14-16 that, when He speaks of divorce inside the marriage covenant, He speaks of it as a violent action. Proverbs 2:17 speaks of the adulterous woman as one who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God. What we want to express is the seriousness of dating, of engagement and marriage. This is not a flippant matter.

Why are there so many divorces today? Why are there so many broken homes? Why are there so many young people who thought everything was going to be grand and glorious and it would just be so

smooth in marriage and come to find out it was very difficult maybe even ended in divorce?

One reason may be we didn't take dating, the engagement period, and marriage, as seriously as we ought to. Is it wonderful to date a Christian? You bet it is! Is it great to be engaged to, and looking forward to, and being married to, a child of God? Oh, it absolutely ought to be!

As Genesis 2:24 says, "For this reason, man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall be one flesh." How wonderful and joyous that relationship ought to be. Friend, you must enter into it with a sense of seriousness.

When you start dating, start to look for somebody who will be a good helper for you in this life.

As you're engaged to someone, if there are red flags, if there are problems, don't proceed with the marriage at least until you've worked them out.

And friend, above all, and I hope you'll listen real carefully, don't date, get engaged to, or marry someone, who is going to pull you down spiritually, who is not a child of God, and who won't actually help you get to heaven.

Our hope and our aim in giving these lessons is that each one of us can strive to be the helper we ought to, to help one another truly get to heaven.

Study Questions for: “Godly Homes: Lesson 4”

1. According to Matthew 6:33, what should we seek above all else?

2. What must we deny according to Luke 9:23?

3. In 1 Kings 11:1-12, what led Solomon away from God?

4. What does 2 Corinthians 6:14 tell us about unbelievers?

5. What does Ephesians 6:1-4 tell children to do?

6. According to 1 Corinthians 15:33, what kind of company should we keep?

7. According to Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 and Ecclesiastes 12:1, who should we remember in our youth? Why?

8. According to 1 John 2:15-17, should we love the things of this would? Why or why not?

9. What is deceitful and passing according to Proverbs 31:10?

10. According to 1 Peter 2:21, what should we flee and abstain from? Why?

The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 13:14 that God was seeking a man ‘after His own heart.’ We learn in the Bible that, that was King David.

We're going to be thinking about one of the greatest men of the Old Testament. David is looked up to by many in the nation of Israel, still today, and by very many Bible students. What is it that made David such a great king? Why do we relate to him so well today?

These are questions that we'll consider in our study of the Old Testament lessons today.

As you think about King David, he is held up high in esteem by many because he was a man after God's own heart. I want you to listen to 1 Samuel 13:14.The scripture records, God's speaking to Saul, "But now your Kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."

We read in 1 Samuel 16:7 and in Acts 13:22 that God was actually speaking about the one who had replaced King Saul ... King David. David was a man after God's own heart. David wanted to do what was right; prove all things; hold fast that which is good, 1 Thessalonians 5:21. Although he made mistakes and was not perfect, David tried to pattern his life after the Holiness of God. Leviticus 11:44 and quoted in the New

Testament by Peter in 1 Peter 1:15 the Bible says "But as He who called you as Holy. Be Holy in all your conduct.” “Be perfect, for I am perfect or complete, for I am complete," Jesus said in Matthew 5:48.

So, when you think about the life of David. He's a man who tried to pattern himself after God and to live a life of Holiness. Which the Bible says, in Hebrew 12:14, "Without Holiness no one can see God." To live and to act and think like God and the Lord Jesus Christ thinks, is the motto for every Christian. We are to ‘walk in the footsteps of Jesus,’ 1 Peter 2:21. We should follow that great example: ‘who was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin,’ Hebrews 4:15.

David tried to make his ways like God's ways. Although, we're not like God, Isaiah 55:7-11, God says "My ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." We try to obtain and to achieve that level of Holiness in our lives. David was man after God's own heart because he tried to live according to the Word and the Will of God. Christians must do the same thing today. ‘Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who does not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’ I want God's commands and God's Word to guide and to guard my life in every way. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:13, "But it's not in words in which you in wisdom speaks, but which the Holy Spirit speaks. That's what ought to guide and what we ought to live our life by.’ Thus, like the noble Bereans in Acts 17:11, we want to ‘search God's scriptures daily. To see if what we're doing is true to the Will of Almighty God.’

So, when you think about David, as a great king, as a pattern to follow, he tried to have the heart of God and to think, act, and to live as God would want him to live in every day. Isn't that what we ought to do as well? We're not perfect. Like David, we make mistakes. We want God to be on the forefront of what we think and the way we act and how we live our life. We want to ask ourselves: ‘What would God have us to do in these situations?’

Then, as you think about David as a man after God's own heart, David had the courage to conquer the giants in his life. Very likely, if you studied much of the Old Testament, you've studied 1 Samuel 17 where David there battles Goliath. Remember the scene and the setting. His brothers are out at war. David really isn't old enough or strong enough

(they think) or big enough to go to battle. In this battle against the Gentiles, there is a giant by the name of Goliath. Everybody's afraid of him. Every morning and at night, he talks to people of God and makes fun of them, as it were. Everybody shakes in their boots when Goliath does that. David goes out to visit his brothers and hears this giant taunting Israel and taunting God. David says (basically) "I'm not going to put up with it." He takes some armor and the armor doesn't even fit. He goes out to battle this great giant with a sling-shot and five smooth stones. He takes that sling-shot and sends one of those rocks right into the head of the giant. He falls dead there. David takes the sword and cuts off his head.

How could someone who's not even in the military, do something like that? Of course, we realize David did that with the help of Almighty God. He had the courage, first of all, to go out there and to face the giant, Goliath.

As I think about my life and we think about our lives, let's realize if we're going to pattern our lives after David we've got to have the courage to face those spiritual or physical giants in our lives. Of course, the greatest giant, the enemy of all, and that every one of us has to face every day is Satan. We need the courage of David with God's help and by the blood of Christ to face the Devil every day. No doubt he's a fearsome enemy. Like Goliath, the Bible describes him in 1 Peter 5:8. It says "Be sober, be vigilant, and be watchful. Your advisary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." The Devil is a fearful advisary just as Goliath was. I need the courage with God's help to face him and to overcome him every day.

The good news is that you can overcome the Devil. The Bible says in 1 John 4:4, "He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world." Who's in the world? ‘The Devil is the prince of the world,’ John 8. He's described as the God of this world. He who is in Christ is greater than he who is in the world. The Bible tells us why in 1 John 5:4, "This is the victory we have, even our faith." So, yes, we can defeat the Devil.1 Corinthians 15:57 says "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." Right before that Paul says, "Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." So, we think about what God does through us, about the power that we have, and how God works victoriously in His children- in view of that, we don't need to cower or terror in the face of

Satan and temptation. We need the boldness to approach every day with God's help, God's grace and God's mercy. We can cast all our cares upon God; He cares for us.

The Devil has already been defeated. Jesus through death overcame him by the power of death and released those who all their lifetime were subject to bondage. Jesus dealt that death blow, Romans 16:20 and Genesis 3:15 to Satan on the cross. If I'm living in Christ and trying to walk in the light, 1 John 1:7, then friend, like Goliath there is nothing that is impossible with God and his children. We want the courage of David in our lives as we face the giants. Whatever that giant may be. It may not physically be Satan. It may be temptation. It may be disease. It may be sickness. It may be struggles or collimates that we face I this life. But, let's realize the one who is in us is greater than anything else, 1 John 4:4.

Then, as you think about the life of David, as a man after God's own heart, not only did David have the courage to conquer the giants in his life; David also knew how to deal with his enemies. They were enemies in the life of King David. One of the greatest of those was Saul- who should've been doing God's Will but he went astray. Saul began to do things his own way. He began to walk by his own pattern of life. God eventually will remove him as king. Saul is jealous of David. Saul is jealous of his battles and his fame, the fact that God is now working through him. On various occasions Saul tries to kill David, tries to quiet him, and tries to (again) get the people to follow after him. Yet, David never really acted out in his own vengeance. David would always put his trust in God. He would even go as far as honoring the position that King Saul held. He would always let God be the one to take vengeance.

As you think about your life as I think about mine, we’ve got to realize, if we're going to people after God's own heart, then we need to know how to deal with our enemies as well. There are enemies probably in everybody's life. We don't want them. We don't ask for them, but sometimes that happens. How do you deal with situations where somebody is opposed to good?

The Bible gives us advice on that. I want to share with you two passages that really offer support for the Christian in times like these. The first is found in Romans 12:20. Listen to what the Bible says on this subject. God says, "Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty,

give him drink. For in so doing, you'll heap coals of fire on his head." How should the Christian respond to an enemy? We don't act out in vengeance. We're not going to start taking up arms and try to defeat them. We're not going to get ugly or mean with them. We do good. We try to help. We try to show the love of God in Christ in every way. Listen to what the Lord said in Matthew 5:44-45 as it relates to one's enemies. Jesus said it this way, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and the just, and sends rain on the just and the unjust."

David didn't act out in vengeance; he put his trust in God. He let God take care of the situation. We want to bless and not curse. We want to pray for and help. We're not trying to make the situation more difficult. We're letting God work through us. Hopefully, by those actions, we soften people's hearts. We help them to see that we're really not their enemy. More than anything, the love, compassion and mercy of God can be shown through our lives.

As you think about principles in David's life that we can follow. Let's also realize that a man after God's own heart learned how to respect the authority of God's Word. In 2 Samuel 6, there's a very interesting scene. The people of God have now returned to take the Ark of God back. The enemies didn't want it because it kept cursing them. They're going to give it to them to bring the Ark of God back to the people of God. They do things a little odd there. "They take a new cart", the Bible says. They place that Ark on that cart and as they're entering a section of the land, a road called Nekon, threshing floor. The cart, as it were, hits a pothole (we might think of). Two men are on each side of it. Uzzah and Ahio are their names. As the Ark looks like it's going to fall Uzzah reaches out to touch and to stabilize the Ark of God. He drops dead right there on the spot. David doesn't know what to do. The text tells us he gets a little angry about it. David has to go home and think about this and figure out: what did we do wrong? What was the problem here?

Friend, it was a basic problem of not respecting the authority of God's Word. What do we mean by that? Direct your attention to 1 Chronicles 15, and let's get the rest of the story as it related to this event. 1 Chronicles 15:13-15, commenting on this exact event on bringing the Ark of God back David later said, "There because you did not do it the first time,

the Lord our God broke out against us because we did not consult Him about the proper order. So, the priest and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the Ark of the Lord God of Israel and the children of Levites bore the Ark of God on their shoulders by its poles as Moses had commanded according to the Word of the Lord." You read the book of numbers and you read God's intricate details about transporting the Ark, and there was one approved way to do that. Nobody ever touched the Ark. They put two poles in its rings and in its side and the poles touched the Ark so four men as they carried that Ark. When you think about this transportation of the Ark. They did it all wrong. In 2 Samuel 6, no one was to ever touch it. They didn't have permission to put it on a new cart. When Uzzah touched that Ark and died that was because nobody respected the authority of God's Word. David said, "It happened because we didn't consult God about the proper order." David learned a hard lesson about respecting the authority about God and His Word.

We need to respect the voice and authority of God when God tells us how He wants things to be done. We learned from David that that's exactly what God wants us to do. Colossians 3:17 says, "Whatever you do in word or indeed do all in the name of or by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ." The scripture says in Revelation 22:18-19 we're not to add to nor take away from the things written in the Book. We're only to do what God tells us. Proverbs 30:6, "Do not add to His words, less He rebuke you and you be found a liar." We need to listen to the encouragement. 1 Corinthians 4:6, ‘we're not to go beyond what is written.’ When God tells us how to live our life that's exactly how God wants us to live it. When God tells us how we're to honor Him and worship Him today, that's exactly how God wants us to do that. There's no sense in trying to bring things in on the proverbial cart, as it were when God's already dictated in the Bible, how to live, how to worship, how to pray, and how a person needs to be saved. We need to learn that from David, if we want to please God, we need to ask God how he wants to be pleased, and the answer is found in his divine will.

Then friend, as we think about David as a man after God's own heart, let's also realize that David was big enough to confess and repent of sin when he found it in his life.

You're probably familiar with the story 2 Samuel 11:12. David at a time when kings ought to have been out at war is on the rooftop, and he sees beautiful Bathsheba bathing. Sin takes over his heart. He lust after

her. He desires to have her. He takes her, and has sexual relations with her. Eventually, she becomes pregnant. Her husband is also in David's army. They don't know what to do about that situation. So, they try to send him home from the battle to have relations with his wife so he'll think it's his kid. When that doesn't work, they send him to the forefront in the battle. They draw back from him and he's, ultimately, killed in battle. So, you have adultery, lying, cheating, and murder. All those things occurred because David let sin reign in his heart.

As you remember, Nathan the prophet comes to David with that sad story about that one little ewe lamb and how some traveler came to town and wouldn't take of his own but he took from the man's one lamb. That broke David's heart and he said, "Whoever the man is, bring him here, he's going to pay for that." Nathan looked at him and said, "You're the man, you're the one who had plenty of others; you're the one who had wives you could've taken from and you took this one man's wife that he loved. We're talking about you, you're the man." What'd David do? As king of Israel, the most powerful man in the world. What did David do? He said, "You're right. I've sinned." David was big enough to confess and to repent of his sin. There's a man after God's own heart. Someone who when they see sin in their life, is willing to change. We need that same attitude today. The Bible says this in 1 John 1:7-10, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, that's good, we got fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin we make god a liar and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he's faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all inequity.”

Simon in Acts 8 serves as an example of this. Simon sinned after obeying the Gospel. Peter approached him and said, "Your heart's not right in the sight of God, you have neither part nor portion in this matter. I see that you're in the bond of inequity the Gaul of bitterness." Simon said, "Pray for me. That none of the things you've said will come upon me."

Our Lord said in Luke 13:3, "Unless you repent, you'll likewise perish." Peter preached in Acts 3:19 ‘repent and turn that your sins maybe blotted out. That seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.’

Sometimes today when someone confesses and acknowledges and repents of sins, we look and say, "Well, boy they really messed up. They

were really a bad person. Shame on them." That's not God's heart. The heart of God is one who is big enough to confess and repent of that sin and get his life back right with Almighty God.

Then friend, we learn a powerful lesson from the life of David, as well, on how to deal with death. David was not immune to heartache and heartbreak that came into his life. Much of it was due to the sin and the results of what happened with Bathsheba and God promised that would happen. The son who was born to that adulteress relationship doesn't last. The Bible records that that son actually dies. David makes a pretty powerful statement about death and life and things related to that. I want you to listen to it in 2 Samuel 12. I want you to hear what David says. It teaches us a great lesson about how to deal with life and death and matters that are extremely important. The Bible says this in 2 Samuel 12:22, "The servants come today but they question him about his demeanor." He said in verse 22, "While the child was alive I fasted and wept, for I said, who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live but now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back?" Listen to this statement, "I shall go to him, he shall not return to me."

When you think about death and you think about how to look at that, David did have the proper attitude here. David realized, he's not coming back to me, and I can't revive him. I can't bring him back. One day, I'll go to him. As we think about life and as we think about, maybe, the death of loved ones who are close to us. Let's realize the hope we live with in view of our loss, of their loss, in view of their death. The hope that we live with is this, one day we can go to them. One day we will be reunited in Christ all in the graves will one day come forth, John 5:28-29. The dead in Christ will meet him in the air with our loved ones, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. So, although we can't change the fact that every person's life ends in death, the good news is that's not really the end. Jesus said in John 11:24-25. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, he'll never really die. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." Revelation 14:13 - Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. Psalms 116:15, as Paul said, "Pray to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

We ask you to think soberly and to think seriously about life and about whether we're following the heart of God. Are you like David? What a great king he was. Although, he wasn't perfect, he tried to pattern his life after the heart and the mind of God. Are we doing that today?

If you've never obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that's how you get your heart in line with the heart of God. Have you heard the message about Christ? Romans 10:17. Do you believe that Jesus really is the savior of the world? John 8:24. Would you be willing to repent of things in your life that are not right? Luke 13:3. Confessing the beautiful name of Jesus, Romans 10:10. Would you do what Jesus said to be saved? He that believes and is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe shall be condemned, Mark 16:16.

May every one of us be encouraged every day to try to be people after the heart of God who seek His Will, who try to live Holy lives, and try to encourage others to follow in the pattern of Christ.

May God help each of us as we strive to follow the heart of God each and every day.

Study Questions for: “Old Testament Studies Lesson 5: David”

1. What did God say about David in Acts 13:22?

2. According to 1 Samuel 13:14, why did Saul’s kingdom end and David’s begin?

3. According to Jeremiah 29:13, how should we seek and find God?

4. According to Leviticus 11:44 & 1 Peter 1:15 how are we to be? Why?

5. According to 2 Timothy 2:15, what should we do to show ourselves approved unto God?

6. According to 1 Corinthians 2:13, how is God revealed to us?

7. According to Hebrews 2:18, why is Jesus able to help when we are tempted?

8. How does 1 Peter 5:8 describe the devil?

9. How are we to deal with our enemies according to Matthew 5:44-45?

10. According to 2 Samuel 6 & 1 Chronicles 15:13-15, why did Uzzah die?

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith, which was once for all delivered to the saints,” Jude verse 3.

We welcome you today to our study of fundamentals of the faith. Specifically today we're thinking about the fundamental idea of standing up for and defending the faith against error, which does so much damage to the souls of men and women worldwide. As we think about the idea of defending the faith, the very idea of controversy itself, is something that most of us really don't like. We don't like disputing or debating or much contention or disagreement. We don't like strife and argumentation a whole lot. The idea of controversy itself means something that's turned in the opposite direction. We'd rather like for people to agree with us, rather than have to face someone who takes a different idea than we do. As we think about this idea of defending the faith, we don't like controversy usually, because it makes us feel uncomfortable. It makes us feel uncomfortable, because we want to be liked by everybody. We’re afraid that somebody's going to get angry with us, or maybe somebody doesn't have all the facts. Some people associate standing up for the truth and controversy, with not being as loving as we ought to be.

As we think today about defending the faith, there's no doubt Jesus had people who disliked Him. There is no doubt that people became very angry at times with the Lord and Savior, so much so that that was one of the main motivating factors people put Him on the cross. There were those who didn't have all the facts, and yet Jesus still presented the truth and opposed error. No one would ever say Jesus didn’t love, when He stood up for the truth. That's the same for Christians today. When we defend the faith, when we contend earnestly for the truth, we’re not being mean or unkind. We're simply trying to let God's truth and God's word shine forth. Galatians 4:16 says it this way, “Have I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” When Paul spoke to Christians in Galatia, some of whom were greatly confused and in error about mixing the old law and the new law, was he becoming their enemy when he spoke the truth of

God? Absolutely not! “Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed,” the proverb writer said in Proverbs 27:5.

Now as we think about the basis and what it is that causes controversy, I'm reminded of Binford's law of controversy, which was expressed by Gregory Binford in this way. He said controversy is passion inversely proportionate to the amount of real or true information available. Controversy becomes passionate in an inadvertent way inversely proportionate to the amount of facts somebody may have. If we stand behind the truth, and if we're going to simply say what God's word says, should we be passionate about speaking up for the truth and opposing error? Absolutely! Christians should be passionate about that. Ephesians 5:11 says we're to, “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness; rather we are to expose them.” Why is it that Jesus spoke so passionately about the resurrection in Mark 12? They had this long argument with a woman who had the seven husbands. ‘Whose husband is she now?’ Jesus passionately said, ‘You do therefore greatly err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. In Heaven they’re neither married nor given in marriage, but they're like the Angels.’ He goes on to show, because the resurrection is such a vital part of Christianity, He spoke passionately about the error they held there and defended God's truth.

Now let's think for a moment about what it is, what causes us, to have to at times defend the faith and stand up for truth. Sometimes error and controversy occurs, maybe because rumors or gossip cause it to be unnecessary. Maybe somebody's heard something, or somebody told somebody something and that kind of went around the chain through everybody and before the long it's not even true. Maybe it started out with some sense of truth, but has been so exaggerated or gone through the gossip chain so much, that it's really not true. When we think about rumors and gossip causing error, Paul spoke about in 1 Timothy 1:3-5. He said, “You've got to stand up and make sure to teach the one gospel. Don't give heed to fables or endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification, which is in the faith.” The fables, the endless genealogies, the rumor and gossip maybe that had been spread there, the ancient history, which wasn't a source of tradition, caused controversy in the first century. Other times it's a failure to accept the facts that causes controversy. God makes clear in the Scriptures what's true. Jesus said, “The truth will make you free,” John 8:32. We know that God's word is truth, John 17:17. That truth is the only source we need to be saved. 2 Peter 1:3, God has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through knowledge of Him who called us.

When there are people trying to promote other facts, whether it be a church history, whether it be oral tradition, whether it be the books of men, and those facts oppose Scripture, and people are not willing to accept those. Controversy naturally comes when we don't accept the facts that are plain in the Scripture. Another reason that we often have to defend the faith is, because in some situations prejudice and pride can cause controversy. You see this clearly in the ministry of Jesus. As Jesus is teaching from the old law that the old law itself has been done away with, encouraging

people to follow the new law, you’ve got this whole idea of circumcision. People wanting to be the seed of Abraham, and Jesus clearly teaches that circumcision does not avail in New Testament Christianity, that the old law of Moses and the seed of Abraham, He is the seed of Abraham. They're having been brought up that way, and being prejudiced toward it for so long, they couldn't get over the problems that existed in their own mind, even though the facts were very clear.

When we think about controversy, we've got to ask ourselves, is personal bias and prejudice and what I like or don't like playing a factor in my understanding the truth? Whatever the controversy is, and whatever causes it, we've got to deal with controversy in the scriptural way. Whether it's disagreeing over the Scripture, what oral tradition and Scripture might say, and how we need to let the Bible have its say, or whatever it may be. The answer is always to deal with it in a scriptural approved way, and let God's word have the say. In doing that, let's then recognize, what are some attitudes and motives that are needed from someone trying to stand up for and defend the faith? No doubt, the main attitude that is needed is genuine love. Paul told Timothy, 1 Timothy 1:3-5, “charge some that they teach no other doctrine,” and again he said, “don't give in to fables or endless genealogies which are going to cause disputes,” and then he said this, “the purpose of the commandment, to charge some to teach no other doctrine, is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith.” When we stand up for truth, when we try to teach God's truth, and oppose error, how do we do that? Love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith. Luke 19:10, Jesus is the great example of this. Jesus often had to stand up for truth, but Jesus came for the sole purpose of seeking and saving the lost. No doubt His motivation was love. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another,” and yet Jesus at times even had to oppose His own disciples for some of the things they may have espoused.

When we're dealing with controversy, let's let brotherly love continue, Hebrews 13:1. Let's realize we've got to even love our enemies, Matthew 5:44 -46. And so when we talk about this idea, we’re talking about the words of Ephesians 4:15. I've got to, and anyone who stands up for truth which all of us at times must, we've got to speak the truth in love. And there's no doubt truth must come first and truth must reign supreme in. And I understand God's word is the absolute source of all truth, Psalm 119:160. But as I speak the word of God, do I want to be mean and hateful and unkind and demeaning to people? Of course not! I want to speak the truth in love, meaning that our motivation is love and that love ought to be exhibited in the way we say, the things that we do, and that were really trying to help people understand God's word.

Ultimately another attitude that is needed, in trying to stand up for and defend the faith is, we need a desire to please God not men. I want you to think about Paul's example in Galatians 1. As Paul thought about his past life, and how he had been often caught up in tradition and the things of men, Paul made this great statement and I want you to listen to the words of Galatians 1. Notice what the apostle Paul says in verse number 10, Paul says, “For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please

men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Paul said, ‘Am I trying to persuade God or men? Who am I trying to persuade? Men. Am I still trying to please men or God?’ He's trying to please God; therefore he wants to speak the very words of God. Our desire, please understand, God wants all men to be saved and Christians do as well, but our desire in defending the truth and standing up for what's right, is to make God happy. I want to stand behind and stand firmly upon God's word. I want to do that in an attitude and motivation of love. But ultimately when I think about who's happy, or who's unhappy, my number one concern is, does this make God happy? As we stand up for the truth in the way that he wants us to.

Another motivation that we need and in defending the truth, is we need first to seek the truth. I want to make sure I'm seeking truth first. Above all else truth must reign supreme. Jesus said in John 8:32, “You shall know the truth and the truth will make you free.” If it's truth that sets men free, then in defending God's truth, I want to seek the truth. I want to know the truth. I want to stand behind truth. Proverbs 23:23, the writer in the long-ago said, “Buy the truth and sell it not.” ‘Have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?’ is the question Paul asked to those in Galatia. And friend, as we've mentioned, it is the word of God that is the source of truth. Not my feelings, not my opinion, not your feelings, and not your opinion or anybody else's. Jesus prayed to the father in the 17th chapter of the Gospel of John in verse 17, “Sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth.”

Now are there other attitudes that are needed in dealing with controversy in defending the faith? Absolutely! Kindness goes a long way in dealing with controversy. Do we even if we disagree with somebody, even if we recognize somebody is teaching blatant error about the Scriptures, do I still want to be kind and respectful of that person who's been created in the image of God and who has an eternal soul? Sure I do! Proverbs 15:1 says, “A soft answer turns away wrath.” Ephesians 4:32, we’re to have kindness. 1 Corinthians 13:4, kindness is directly connected and tenderness is directly connected to love. And so, even when we may passionately stand up for the truth, and even when we say what God says and oppose error, can we do that in kindness? Sure! Will it always be deemed, looked at as kindness? It may not be, but if our motive and attitude is to be kind and loving and speak the truth that's the things that God Himself is concerned with.

Also, when we think about defending the faith, friend we've got to have the attitude that I am going to contend earnestly for the faith. Jude verse 3, Jude wanted to write. And he wanted to write about the common salvation, but there was a problem that compelled him. “Though I was very diligent to write you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary,” there was a need “I found it necessary to exhort to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” I've got to be willing to expose the unfruitful works of darkness, Ephesians 5:11. If I know the truth, and if I want to do it in a kind and loving way, but if I never have the courage to stand up, I'm missing an attitude and a motivation that I need. God

needs His people to, in kindness and love, stand up and to battle for the truth. Fight the good fight of faith, Paul would say in 1 Timothy 6:12-18. Defend the faith that it's been delivered, and Jude gives the reasoning which was once for all delivered to the saints. This is the system of faith in the New Testament Scriptures. This is all of God's revelation. There isn't going to be anything else. It was once for all delivered to the saints, and God needs us. He wants us to stand up for the truth.

As we think about the idea of salvation, let's realize just as importantly in our defending for the faith, we need the attitude and the motivation of we're doing this, we're standing up for truth, for the motivation of the salvation of souls. Matthew 9:36-38, Jesus looked down upon the people from where He was sitting and He saw them. They were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus turned to His disciples and said, “Truly the harvest is plentiful the laborers are few, pray the Lord of hosts will send out laborers into His field or His harvest.” Why did Jesus oppose the religious elite? Why did He say things that made them so mad that they ultimately sent Him to the cross? Jesus did it, because He wanted people to be saved. Why did Jesus say to His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel?” That gospel was going to oppose religious error at times. Jesus wants all men to be saved and that's got to be our motivation.

The motivation cannot be to beat somebody over the head with the Bible, if we can use that language. The motivation cannot be to make ourselves look good, to feel better about ourselves, to give ourselves some kind of sense of religious approval. No! Our motivation in standing up for truth must be the salvation of men and women's souls. Do we really believe, think about this, those who are in religious error, those who've been taught ways of salvation that are not correct, those who are living lives that some have pawned off on them as religious, that are living in immorality, do we really believe those people are going to be lost? Does that motivate us then, to stand up for and teach the truth?

Friend, as you think about the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His willingness to stand up for truth and defend the faith, there's no doubt that Jesus at times was viewed as stepping right into the mire of controversy headlong. Jesus did that in certain areas. He did it as it related to salvation. For example, Jesus taught in John 14:6, opposed to the many ideas that the Jews had, opposed to the ideas the Greeks and idolaters had, and the Romans had, Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the father except by me.” In a world where there was a pluralist idea in many ways of salvation, the people thought were available, Jesus boldly stood up, and whether it be controversial or not said, ‘I am the way the only way to the Father.’ Acts 4:12, ‘nor is there salvation in any name any other name there's no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’ As it relates to matters of salvation, when people go out and teach doctrines that the Bible clearly teaches are not correct, ‘all you've got to do to be saved is believe in Jesus.’ Bible doesn't teach that. In fact, the Bible says faith only won't save, James 2:24. When people make up these ideas about salvation, and as they go around the country and saying, ‘all you got a do to be saved to say the sinner’s prayer.’ When you turn to the pages of your Bible and that

prayer isn't even in there. We need to oppose that type of error by teaching God's simple plan of salvation. Jesus said, “He that believes and is baptized will be saved.” Jesus said in John 3:5, “Unless a man is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

We've got to as Jesus did. Jesus stood up for and defended God's truth on matters that related to worship. A woman came to Jesus with a question. She said ‘we Samaritans us over here, we've heard that you worship on mount Gerazhim. Jews say you got to worship in Jerusalem. I want to know, where do you really worship in essence?’ And Jesus said, “It's not the place, in essence, God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” Her idea wasn't right necessarily, nor was the Jew’s idea right necessarily. Jesus presented the truth on the matter about worship and stood up for that. Jesus did that even to Satan himself. Matthew 4:9-10, Satan came to Jesus and he said, ‘all these things I'll give you if you fall down and worship me.’ Jesus stood up for truth, “You shall worship the Lord your God, it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”

Christians must stand up today and defend the pattern of worship in the New Testament. That is to be in spirit and according to the truth. That it is on the first day of the week that Christians come together to worship God, to sing, to pray, to give, and to take the Lord's supper, Acts 20:7, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2. That that Christians today are to sing and make melody in their heart. That God hasn't asked us in the New Testament age to have an organ or a band or a ten piece rock band or a piano up there. God wants me to sing and make melody in my heart. There is the place that I'm to sing from the heart and make melody with our voices as we teach and admonish one another Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:19.

Jesus was also viewed controversially and had to defend the faith when it came to a difficult discussions like marriage, divorce, and remarriage. There were opposing views in Jesus day on this subject. And so the Jews want to know what does the Rabbi, what does the master teacher say. And they come to Jesus with the question: can a man divorce his wife for just any reason? One's camp said yes among the scholars of the day. Another camp said no. What do you say Jesus? “From the beginning it's not so,” Jesus said. Jesus goes all the way back to the beginning and says, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh therefore what God has joined together let not man separate.” Should you divorce your wife for any reason? Of course not! Jesus said and then He said in Matthew 19:9, “but I say to you whoever divorces his wife except for fornication and marries commits adultery.” Friend it's not unkind and it's not unloving when we say what Jesus said right there. The one and only scriptural reason Jesus gave for divorce was fornication. Then and only then does the innocent party have the right to remarry.

Those things sometimes are viewed as unkind and unloving. Friend that's not the way it is at all in Scripture. We say these things because we love people, and because we want them to go to heaven. One of the things that Jesus spoke so plainly about that

has become rather controversial and that we must defend the faith for today is the one true church you read about the Bible. Friend Jesus said, “I will build my church.” How many churches and whose church did Jesus build? Listen again, “I will build my church,” Matthew 16:18. It belongs to Christ. And it's singular in origin, Ephesians 4:4. “There is but one body,” 1 Corinthians 12:20. “There are many members yet but one body,” Colossians 3:15. “We've been called into God's love and mercy. And being we been called into one body and be ye thankful.” One church, one body. It belongs to Jesus. He built it. And denominationalism is contrary to the teaching of Christ. Paul said to those in Corinth who are trying to promote denominationalism, “Let there be no divisions among you.” Is it unkind to say denominationalism, the naming religious groups after men, the following the teaching of men, is not according to God's will? Of course not! We say that in love, because the Bible teaches there's one church. The Bible teaches how to get into that one church, and the Bible teaches only those in that church, when Christ comes back are going to go and be with the Father, 1 Corinthians 15:24.

Today, we encourage Christians. We stand up for and we defend the truth because that's what God wants. But we must, and this is our motivation and our desire we want to speak the truth in love. If truth is not first all else fails. If truth is first and there's no love, we have a hard time reaching folks.

May God help us to have the courage to truly defend the faith.

Study Questions for: “Fundamentals of the Faith: Defending the Faith”

1. According to Proverbs 27:5, what is better than love carefully concealed?

2. What should we do to the unfruitful works of the darkness according to Ephesians 5:11?

3. 1 Timothy tells us we must do what?

4. What will the truth do according to John 8:32?

5. In Galatians 1:10, why did Paul not want to please men?

6. What shall we do with the truth according to Proverbs 23:23?

7. According to John 17:17, the word is what?

8. In Matthew 9:36-38, what was few?

9. According to John 14:6, how can we get to the Father?

10. What must we do to enter Heaven according to John 3:5?

The Scripture says, “The invisible attributes of God are clearly seen by the things that are made,” Romans 1:18-20.

Today we want to think about the simple truth that design demands a designer and that there is ample evidence to confirm there is a God, He is alive. Design demands a designer. Nobody disagrees with that.

When you see house, you automatically think house maker. When you see a car you think carmaker. Whatever it may be you think somebody made that and produced that design. There is evidence of design in the universe and the world, therefore there is a designer. All the contention and disagreement in this line of thinking revolves around the second proposition there is evidence of design. If that's true, then there is a designer. Today we want think about evidence of design.

As you think about the cosmos, about man himself, and the universe we live in- is there really evidence there is a God? As the psalmist so beautifully said, “The heavens do declare the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork.” When I think about creation, I think about design. I often think about one affect the theories of Darwinism and evolution have had on mankind, but I want you notice what in his autobiography Darwin himself said. Darwin before he made a lot of changes in his thinking once said this ‘another source of conviction in the existence of God connected with reason not just with feelings impresses me as much more with more way that is this follows from the extreme difficulty or rather impossibility of conceiving this immense and wonderful universe including man with his capacity of looking far back word and

foreign to futurity as a result of blind chance or necessity.’ Darwin said when thus reflecting, ‘I feel compelled to look at a first cause having an intelligent mind in some degree and I deserve to be called a theist.’ Even Darwin in his own autobiography said ‘when you when you look at the universe, when you look at man, you automatically think first cause somewhere intelligent design.’ Hebrews 3:4 says ‘every house was built by someone but he who build all things is God.’ There is the biblical view of the world, order, and creation. God spoke the world into existence. ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth’” Genesis 1:1.

There is the theory of evolution, the Big Bang theory that all over millions if not billions of years man has transformed from lower life forms to the point that he is today. We want to ask today is there enough evidence, is there any evidence to confirm design in the universe? And if so who is that designer?

Let's begin by thinking about the sun as proof of design. The sun itself is proof of design, order, and creation in the universe. Let me illustrate; the surface of the sun is about 10,000,000°F. Can you imagine 10 million°? That's just on the surface; you get in the core and it's a lot hotter. The sun converts 8 million tons of matter and energy every second. It's hard to really understand those terms in on some ways, but this is more in one second the sun converts more matter to energy than man has from day one from the beginning of creation- just in one second it's able to convert that much matter into energy. The earth is 93 million miles away from the sun. Now the design is seen in the if the earth that sun which is 10 million° hot and the earth 93 million° away from the sun all that he all that radiation the earth is placed at the exact right spot for life to exist were it just a little closer when all burned to death. If we were just a little farther away man would freeze to death. As we think about our position in relation to the sun, is it really just chance that I am at the exact right place you are at the exact right place to receive enough heat, warm, radiation, vitamin D, and all those things for life to exist? Did that really just happen by chance? I think you'll see as the evidence piles up that are not just by mere chance. Not only is our relation to the sun proof of a designer, but the way everything works together really shows there's design as well in our universe. Everything is moving in some orderly design fashion that makes life- daylight, sunlight, the seasons. We're rotating and spinning at a thousand miles an hour little further from the equator, maybe a little less, but not much. At the same time the earth is moving around the sun at 70,000 miles an hour, and at the

same time the universe itself the sun and solar system universe is moving through space at 600,000 miles an hour. I thought about how I might illustrate this. Just imagine here we are on earth and we're spinning 6000 miles an hour, and while we're spinning at 6000 miles network we're also rotating around the sun and the whole is moving an amazing speed. Stop and think about this right now. I don't feel it. I don't recognize it, do you? Here's why this perfect rotation of everything working together in sync gives us just the right amount of light, just the right amount of distance from the sun, and as our time changes it will move closer or move further in all of this works in harmony so that earth life can exist. Is it just blind chance right just chance that we're moving at the right speed ourselves and that we're rotating around the sun at the right speed, and that the universe is rotating at the right speed? No, not hardly.

Then we think about the orbit of the earth. How is it that its orbit around the earth is perfect for life to exist? It's the exact right amount of departure away so that we don't burn up and not too cold as well. Did that just happen by blind chance? Just an accident? Look at all the evidence that's beginning to pile up. The moon helps us to control our oceans and the tides. If it were just a little closer at certain times of the day most of the earth's surface would be covered with 35 to 50 feet of water. If it were just a little farther away water oceans look like you ever seen a stagnant pond this got nothing growing in it-no life. The sun makes the ocean mix-up provides water and oxygen in life and yet were not too far away or not to close- again just at that right spot. This is not chance. It's proof of the design of God.

The universe we live in declares there is a God, and He is alive.

Let's talk about man named Augustine. It’s said this man went abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast Compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and they pass themselves by without wondering no not only does the cosmos teach us there is a God. I need look no further than the human body to learn God exists. Think about some of those things. The human body is composed of over 250 different kinds of cells. Each person has around 100 trillion cells in the body. Some of these cells are so small that on a on a keyboard or on your screen 20,000 would fit in that letter on your screen. If you 6000 of them end to end you get one in which is pretty minuscule. To understand the hand of God in creation, yet all the cells of

the body if tied end-to-end would circle the Earth 200 times! Look at how God has worked all this together in the body! Now those are great facts that teach creation. Revolutionist Richard Dawkins once said, ‘The cell's nucleus contains a digitally coded database larger and information content than all 30 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica put together. So you take one of those 100 trillion cells and the amount of information that one cell can hold is more than all 30 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica. I have 100 trillion of those in my body- did that just happened by chance? Carl Sagan said, ‘If you recount every word and every book of the world's largest library 10 million volumes you would find the same amount of information as in the simple cell. The largest library ever in the simple cell- there's more information in it then the largest library.

Think about your eyes for just a moment. Here's another example. The cell shows proof of design, but the human eye also shows proof of design and a creator. The human eye processes 80% of what the brain takes in the information we received from the outside world. I can handle some 500,000 simultaneous messages at once. I have a hard time listening to one thing at a time. I can bring in 500,000 simultaneous messages at once viewing all these different things. On an average day the eye moves about 100,000 time milligram per milligram. It is one of the strongest muscles of the body. The legs would have to walk 50 miles to do what the eye does in one day. It's an amazing organism. It's an amazing part of the body. How does that teach creation? What invention do we have today that’s based on the human eye? It's the camera. The camera is patterned after the human eye. Anytime you see a camera the pattern or the blueprint for that was that was the eye. Now think about this. When you look at the eye and you look at the camera look at the striking similarities. They both have a cover, the eyelid, lens cover. There's a close-up on both. There's a wide angle. The camera has an autofocus. My eye has an iris and pupil. A prominent evolutionist Robert Justo said, ‘The eye appears to have been designed. No designer of telescopes could have done better.’ It's hard to accept the evolution of the eye as a product of chance.

Can't you see the inconsistency? And yet, some say of the human body accident blind chance?

The brain is one of the great proofs of design and a designer. For example the brain is a virtual warehouse of information. Every person's brain has the equivalent of 20 million books of information inside. Imagine

what you've got stored in your brain. It has been suggested it would take a bookshelf 500 miles long books back stored back to back to get all the information that's in your brain. That's the equivalent of a line going from McMinnville, Tennessee, to Gulf Shores, Alabama. Your brain and my brain have the capacity to store 500 mile long line of books in information. Did that just happened by chance? No. The human brain can take in 100 million images per second. Fast computers today took about 10,000. The human brains processor would be the equivalent of 168,000 MHz processor. Today were getting maybe 578 MHz processors. Today in computers the fastest computer ever made is believed to be a thousand times slower than the human brain. Our brain is faster and can store more process more and in every way is millions time more complex and somehow we think that happen just by blind chance?

Look at all the evidence! You can look at the evidence over and over again. Somehow all this just happened by chance? It's not the case that it all happened by chance. Well-known evolutionist Richard Dawkins said, ‘It is almost as if the human brain were specifically designed to miss understand Darwinism and find it hard to believe.’ Can't you see the point? It doesn't add up in the evidence. It doesn't make sense. I find that hard to believe that's the whole point. It is hard to believe you can't look at the evidence and reason and say ‘No we are just an accident. We just happened by chance.’ That is not the case.

What do we know? Here's the point of it all friend- we’re not the product of millions or billions of years of evolutionary process. My ancestors and your ancestors didn’t crawl up out of some cesspool as a single cell organism. We didn't descend from apes or other lower life forms. The evidence doesn't support that.

Humans we are the intricately designed creation of God's hand. “The heavens declare the glory of God.” What is the argument of design?

There is absolute proof of design. Therefore there is a designer. That designer is God, and He's created each one of us to live in His image and to follow the teaching of the Bible and to live every day to glorify Him.

Now let's make some application from that. Here's what this means to us. If the God of this book, the God of the Bible, designed me and you-my responsibility is to obey Him. He is the Father of our spirits,

Zechariah 12:1-3. He is our Father. Hebrews 12:9, He's our Creator. He made us, and therefore I am the product in the creation of God. I am to obey God and to keep His commandments.

Sometimes I think why do people not want believe in God? Why do people live their life as if there's no God?

People can look at the evidence, why did some come to the conclusions that evolutions are chance? Our design is from God.

I think sometimes it's not about the matter of the understanding; it's a matter of the will. It's not that I can’t understand it's that sometimes God's way contradicts the way I want to live.

Have you obeyed the gospel? Are you a faithful child of God? If not, we will encourage you to become one.

Hear the word of God, Romans 10:17. Believe in the message and the promises that you've heard today. John 8:24, so much so that you're willing to turn from a life of sin and turn to God. Luke 13:3 make that good confession that multitudes before you've already made. ‘I believe Jesus is the Christ the Son of God.’ Based on your faith, won't you be immersed in water for the forgiveness of your sins?

If you've never obeyed God's plan of salvation, won't you do that today? If as a child of God maybe you've been disconnected from these promises, maybe you've lost that zeal and passion that you have for God and serving him- we encourage you to make that right.

Study Questions for:

“Nature of God: Lesson 4”

1. What does Romans 1:18-20 say of the things that God has made?

2. What does Hebrews 3:4 say of God?

3. According to Genesis 1:1, who created the Heavens and the Earth?

4. How does the sun show God’s precise design?

5. How do our cells in our body show God’s amazing design?

6. How does the brain show evidence of a designer? How does it compare to computers today?

7. What is God the father of according to Zechariah 12:1-3?

8. What is our responsibility to our Father/designer?

9. According to Luke 13:3, what must we do?

10. Is there any biblical evidence to support the theory of evolution?

“Whatever I command you be careful to observe it, you shall not add to it nor take away from,” Deuteronomy 12:32.

Welcome to our study of living messages of the Old Testament. Today we're going to be studying the book of Deuteronomy. As with our previous lessons, we want to look at each book and consider the context that it falls and familiarize ourselves with the teaching of it. But just as important, we also want to see some living application for Christians today from the old law. We also want to see Jesus in the book of Deuteronomy.

As you think about the book of Deuteronomy, this word means ‘law again’ or ‘second law.’ God gave the law all to the first generation. They wondered in the wilderness, and their bodies perished there. Now this second generation has arisen, and God is going to repeat that law to them so that they can be faithful to it. They'll know which direction to go and how to please Him.

Deuteronomy breaks into three unique categories. Chapters 1 through 4 is a historical section where some the events of Israel's history are repeated. Chapters 5 through 26 are legislative in that God is giving the law. Chapters 27 through 34 are a prophetic section where God makes prophecies concerning Israel’s future, hope, and if they'll be faithful unto Him.

As we think about some of the living messages one that stands out initially in this book. We as God's people, just as Israel, we should not change the word of God. There are two passages that illustrate this for us from the book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy 4:2 says, “You shall not add to the word which I command you nor take from it that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” Here's God's initial encouragement to the people, challenge to the people. ‘Don't add to it. Don't take from the word of God,’ implying that God gave them exactly and everything that they may need. Today also, we have everything we need. Remember 2 Timothy 3:16-17. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete thoroughly equipped for every good work.” God's word is everything we need. Jesus said, “You know the truth and the truth will make you free.” The Scripture says that God's word is full. Psalm 119:130, 160 says the entirety of God's word is truth.

Notice this second passage along the same lines. Deuteronomy 12:32 God says, “Whatever I command you be careful to observe it, you shall not add to it nor take away from it.” Not only do we have the admonition to not take away, not add to, here God says ‘you be careful to do it.’ Friend God wants us just simply to obey Him. I love the words of the mother of Jesus, Mary, in John 2. At the wedding of Cana the crowd ran out of drink. Mary requests of Jesus that He refilled the pots. He has not performed a miracle yet. He eventually agrees to do that. John 2:5 His mother, once she realizes He's going to do it, turns to the servants and says, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Can you find better advice than that? ‘Whatever Jesus says to you do.’ We need to obey Jesus the author of eternal salvation. We don't need to add to or take away from the word of God either, Revelation 22:18-19. We simply need to submit to and obey the will of God.

When we think about obedience, hasn't that always been what God wanted? Where Adam and Eve go wrong? In the Garden of Eden when they disobeyed God. Moses disobeyed God when he struck the rock and instead of speaking to it. As you look throughout history the challenges and the difficulties that were faced were by people who did not obey the will of God.

Secondly from Deuteronomy we see a great admonition to parents. I love the words of Deuteronomy 6. It offers courage and hope and gives the challenge to parents to be Godly parents. The Bible says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children. You shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand. They shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the door posts of your house and on your gates.”

You have that ‘you shall love the Lord your God statement’ the great statement of ‘all your heart, soul, mind, and strength’ Jesus said in Mark 12:30 following. But then He says ‘I want you to write these words everywhere. I want you to teach and to your children.’ Parents today need that same encouragement. “Parents train up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” Ephesians 6:1-4. Parents need to make every opportunity possible to teach their children the Bible. You need to have Bible study at home you and to learn the Bible together. Don't you remember Paul's encouragement to the young evangelist Timothy? Paul said, “Study to show yourself approved unto God a workman who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth.” Ezra was a great man of God because he set his heart to learn the law of God to do it. John the Baptist Luke 1:6 say both his parents ‘were righteous in all their actions.’ Here's a godly family. Look what John the Emerser did! Admonition to parents is the kind of godly parents you need to be.

Think about the words of Acts 17:11 that noble group ‘these were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica in that they searched the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.’ What they do when Paul came and brought a message? Paul comes to the door, and they answered the door. They received the word ‘with all readiness.’ They checked to see what he said by the book. Friend that's the kind of families and parents God wants today. He wants families who will put the word of God out and help their children grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, 2 Peter 3:18. As newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby,’ 1 Peter 2:2.

Then we come to three familiar verses for their use in the New Testament by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In Matthew 4 after 40 days

of fasting in the wilderness, Jesus is now taken and tempted by Satan. He's tempted with the lust of the eyes, lust of flesh, and pride of life. Jesus has been hungry. ‘If you're the Son of God turn these stones to bread.’ He takes Him up on the high pinnacle, ‘all these things I'll give you a cast yourself down God said he take care of you.’ He throws everything he can at Him. How did Jesus deal with that? He went back to the word of God, and he said, “It is written. It is written. It is written.” Notice what Jesus used in overcoming Satan. Deuteronomy 6:13, 16 and 8:3, notice these words 6:13 Jesus said, “You shall filled for fear the Lord your God and serve Him and shall take those in His name.” 6:16 “You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in my son.” Then 8:3 “So we are humbled you allowed feed you with manna, which you did not know nor did your fathers know that he might make known to you that man shall not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

Jesus said, ‘I won’t give in because the Scripture says do not tempt God. I'm not going to give in because the Scripture says man doesn't have to live by bread alone, but by every word from God.’ What I learned from passages like these from the example of Jesus in Matthew 4 is when temptation comes, if I know the word of God well enough I have a litany of tools that will help me to overcome Satan’s snares. Think about Psalm 119:10 -12. “How shall a young man cleanse his heart? By taking heed according to your word, your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.” If we've got the word of God in our heart, if we're filled with it, if we are consumed by its teaching, if we love its laws and precepts and we want to do what God says, when Satan does throw something at us Ephesians 6 teaches we have that shield of the faith. We have that sword of the Spirit to fend it off. We must know the word of God- like our Lord and Savior did so well. Isn't that really what God requires of us? What does the Lord require people today? Deuteronomy 10:12-13 tells us, “Now Israel what does the Lord your God require of you? But to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him and serve the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good.” Isaiah said in Isaiah 43:7, God speaking through Isaiah said, “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory, I have formed him. Yes I've made him.”

Not only is that a great passage about God as our creator but it tells

us why we're here. We were created for God's glory. Paul said, “Whether you eat or whether you drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,” 1 Corinthians 10:31. In fact what's the meaning of life? The Bible teaches that in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Solomon had tried it all. He tried binding achievement and building things, pleasure, lust of the flesh, wine, and women in suchlike that. Then he came to this final conclusion. “Let's hear the conclusion the whole matter. What's life all about? Fear God and keep His commandments this is the whole duty of man for God to bring every work into judgment including every secret thing whether good or evil.”

My responsibility and yours is to obey God, Matthew 7:21, is to love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength Mark 12:30 following, and to live our lives every day faithful unto the Lord.

Now from Deuteronomy we also see a beautiful picture of Jesus taking upon Himself the curse of the cross. Deuteronomy 21:22-23 the Scripture says, “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death and he is put to death and you hang them on a tree. His body shall not remain overnight on the tree. You shall surely bury him that day so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. For he who is hanged is accursed of God.” If someone had committed some heinous sin, some heinous crime, and the punishment was hanging that person was viewed as being cursed by God. Anyone who would have done something that bad would have deserved to be hung. God's vengeance was being taking out on that person. Well haven't all of us sinned? Haven't all of us fallen short? Don't we all deserve to be lost and to receive the vengeance of God because of our sins? Should we all in essence be hung? Jesus took that curse of the cross for us. In Galatians 3:13 notice what the text says “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law having become a curse for us. For it is written cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” He's redeemed us. He saved us. Christ took it upon himself. 1 Peter 2:20, “for He Himself bore His own body our sins upon the tree.” When Jesus went to Calvary, He bore the sins of the world. I think of the words of 2 Corinthians 5:21. “God made Christ who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Jesus is that great sin offering. As I think about passages like these, I'm reminded of God's great love and care for each and every one of us.

From the book of Deuteronomy will also learn teaching on God's law

concerning divorce. Deuteronomy 24:1-4, ‘If a woman had committed an uncleanliness of sin her husband was permitted by the law of Moses to give her a certificate of divorce, put her away, but he wasn't to take her back.” Many believe that uncleanliness was something sexual, but as we look to the new law we know exactly God's teaching on marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Friend hearing carefully God does not have 101 reasons for divorce, marriage, and remarriage. There is but one reason for divorce and Jesus made it crystal clear in Matthew 19:9. I want you look at what the Scripture says. The Scripture says Jesus said, “And I say to you whoever divorces his wife,” and here's the exception, “except for sexual immorality and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery.” What did Jesus teach? Fornication, sexual immorality the Greek word is porneia, illicit sexual actions is the only license. Sexual action is found in Hebrews 13:4 “marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled. Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” That relationship is designed for marriage. Anything outside of one man, one woman having that relationship is not God's law. When someone violates that- say a husband and wife are married and the husband commits adultery, has relations with another woman, that woman has a right to divorce her husband. ‘Except for sexual immorality,’ she may divorce him and marry another. If two people are married, and let's say they just divorce for incompatibility. They cannot remarry. They did not divorce for fornication, and thus they do not have the right to remarry. What about the person who divorces his spouse for sexual immorality? What about the spouse? ‘Whoever marries her commits adultery. She's not licensed to marry. She doesn't have that right.’ What's God's law? God's original always, Genesis 2:24 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.” The exception is for sexual immorality and that's the only exception.

Friends we need to be sure. There are going to be multitudes of people on the Day of Judgment who are going to spend eternity in a devil's hell because they have not obeyed God's law on marriage, divorce, and remarriage. You cannot ignore the law of God and Christ teaching and think that somehow on the Day of Judgment everything's going be okay. God is clear on this subject. If a person finds themselves in a situation is not right like in Ezra 9 and 10 if two people find out there married in their marriage is not what ought to be, they're not scripturally married and they don't have a right to remarry- what must they do? They must separate and remain single, live a faithful life to God, and focus on heaven not the flesh

and not the lust of the flesh.

Another powerful lesson that we learn from the book of Deuteronomy deals with how to figure out a false prophet. Deuteronomy 18:22 God said, “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of them.” What's the litmus test we might say? If he says it and it doesn't happen, God says it is not speaking for Me. Joseph Smith made a host of prophecies. Eddie Baker, Rutherford Hayes, a host of people have come through the centuries saying they know when the Lord's coming. It never happened when they said it would. What do we know about those people? They're not speaking for God.

Here's what we do know. “God has in these last days spoken through His Son.” I don't have to worry about looking for a latter-day prophet. I've got everything I need right here in the book. God has given His will and we can know beyond a shadow of a doubt what that will is.

Another lesson that we learn from the book of Deuteronomy is that there are just some things that God has not fully revealed to us. The Bible teaches we been thoroughly equipped for every good work. We have everything we need for life and godliness- but we don't have all the answers to all the questions. We do have everything we need in God's word. Notice Deuteronomy 29:29 the Scripture says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever that we may do all the words of this law.”

There are people who have questions. What did Jesus write in the sand? Who did Moses marry? There may be various questions that will never fully have the answer to- but here's what we do know- right here in this book this is what God has revealed to us. We can know it, and we can live by it. You can be sure. Here's the good news: If you obey this book, you can be sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that you're going to go to heaven. The Scripture says in 2 Timothy 2:15 that we each have the responsibility to ‘study to show ourselves approved unto God a workman who does not need to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth.’ The Bible says this book has everything for life and godliness. You can know the truth and the truth will make you free.

Are there some things we don't have answers to? Sure. But do I have

everything I need to get to heaven? Absolutely! Everything to live the best life and go to heaven is right here in this book. We must take advantage of obeying that, thus we must know the word of God.

I want you look at what Deuteronomy says about making sure that we know the word of God and that we have an active knowledge of it and that we're living by that. Deuteronomy 31:12-13 the Scripture says God said, “Gather the people together men and women and little ones and the stranger who is within your gates that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this law and that their children who have not known it may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess.” Here God says ‘I want you to know it in order children know what I wanted.’ Let me remind you of the words of Acts 17:11. “They searched the Scriptures daily to see if what they are being told is true to the will of God.”

Now Deuteronomy, although it started out on a high note, the law ends with the death of Moses. Deuteronomy 34:34 Moses stands on Mount pigs and there he looks over into the great Canaan land and God only knows where his body is. God took care of Moses up to that very point and He's going to take care of us. He's promised us not only can we have a visual of that heavenly place that God's written about in His word, but we can each one enter there if we will be faithful to Him. God reiterated His law all to the people of Israel.

Friends we have a law today and it's the law of Christ. We ask you, have you obeyed God's law? Are you sure that you’re living right as a Christian? If you're not a Christian, why not become one today?

God didn't confuse us. God makes it simple. He makes it plain on what one must do to become a Christian. You have to hear the word of God. Today if you will hear His voice, ‘do not harden your hearts,’ Hebrews 3:7. Have you heard the word of God? I know hearing is essential for Hebrews 11:6 says ‘without faith it's impossible to please God.’ How do we get faith? “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” If it's impossible to please God without faith and the only way I get faith is by hearing the word of God, and I need to hear God's word so that I can believe in Jesus.

In Acts chapter 8 Philip and Ethiopian eunuch are traveling down the

road and come to certain water. ‘Here's water what doth hinder me? If you believe with all your heart you may.’ Do you believe with all your heart that Jesus is God's Son? Are you willing to change your life? Acts 3:19, repent and turn again that your sins may be blotted out. Would you make that great confession before men? “I believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God,” Romans 10:10, Acts 8:36-37. Would you be immersed in water for the forgiveness of your sins? Acts 2:38 Peter said “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.” Why? “For the remission of sins.”

Galatians 3:27 Paul said, “As many of us as were baptized into Christ have clothed ourselves with Christ.” All spiritual blessings are in Christ, Ephesians 1:3. Salvation is in Christ, 2 Timothy 12:10-11. If I'm baptized into Christ, and that's where salvation all spiritual blessings are in, it’s essential for salvation.

Our prayer and our hope today is that if you've not obeyed the gospel that you will do that. Become a Christian. If as a Christian maybe your life's not been live faithfully, friend there's no time like the present. If you've not been living faithful to the Lord, won't you do it today?

Obey the gospel. Live for Christ before it's too late.

Study Questions for:

“Living Messages of the Old Testament: Lesson 5”

1. What does God warn us about in Deuteronomy 12:32?

2. What does Deuteronomy 4:2 say of the word of God?

3. According to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, all scripture is what?

4. Do we have everything we need according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17?

5. What does Mary tell the servants in John2:5?

6. What does Deuteronomy 6 say to parents?

7. According to Ephesians 6:1-4, what should parents do with their children?

8. What do we learn about John the Baptist’s parents in Luke 1:6?

9. According to Acts 17:11, why were they more fair-minded?

10. What does Matthew 7:21 command us to do?

Solomon said, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man,” Ecclesiastes 12:13.

As we think about practical books in the Old Testament, Ecclesiastes is one of those books that transcends time and covenants. Man is always looking for meaning in life. What's life all about? Why am I here? Where am I going? How am I going to get there? What things are necessary along the way? What things are full of meaning in this life? The book of Ecclesiastes discusses those types of things.

As we think about the quest for meaning in life, Ecclesiastes 12:13 is the conclusion or the answer. We've got to ask, what is the question? If this is the conclusion, we can understand what the whole book is all about. What's the main question? Solomon, who's tried it all- wine, women, building things, gardening, or whatever it may be-in his quest searching for real fulfillment, satisfaction and meaning in life. Ecclesiastes is Solomon's quest for true purpose and meaning in this life. How then do we find that? “Fear God, keep his commandments, this is the whole duty of man.”

To understand the book of Ecclesiastes, there are a few key terms we need to understand. The key word is the word vanity. This occurs some 37 times in the book of Ecclesiastes. Solomon will be discussing some

quest in life, for something that he tried- and he will say it's vanity. ‘Vanity of vanities says the preacher.’ It's like searching for the wind in essence. What is the idea behind vanity? If something's vain, it's kind of useless. It's worthless. It has no meaning. Back in the olden day, when a woman may have been sitting before a piece of furniture putting her make up on, they often referred to that furniture as a vanity. Why? Because that's where you did things that in some ways, were temporary. Some ways were going to not last very long. Looking in the mirror and just gazing at oneself- it's the sense of vanity. It's something that really doesn't have a whole lot of lasting meaning and purpose. Solomon will say, ‘vanity of vanities, all is vanity,’ Ecclesiastes 1:2.

Then there's a key question in the book. I think this is really one of the things that if we can grasp this, we can understand what the book is all about. Here's the question. He starts out by asking this in 1:3. Here's his question. “What prophet has a man from all his labor which he labors under the sun?” Every morning you get up and go to work, you do it again all over again tomorrow. Solomon says, ‘Okay, what prophet does a man have from all his labor under the sun? What purpose and meaning is there in all of life's ventures?’ In essence, Solomon's asking, ‘Why am I here? Why do I do the things I do? What's it all about?’ That's the search and quest that Solomon has throughout the book of Ecclesiastes.

There's a key phrase that also occurs numerous times in the book. That key phrase is, ‘under the sun.’ This occurs some 29 times in the book of Ecclesiastes. What's the idea of under the sun? You can kind of vision things the way God has made the universe and earth. Earth life is under the sun-God being above, greater than that. So when the writer especially in the book of Ecclesiastes mention, it says to himself, ‘what prophet do I have from all my labor under the sun?’ Under the sun would be equated with any type of earth life venture that doesn't bring God into the picture- mainly earth life and all the things that we have to deal with on this side of the sun. It's temporary; it's fading. Sometimes it seems even a little mundane- if God is not factored into that as well. Thus ‘under the sun’ only considers the affairs of this life as an ends in and of themselves. As such, they're vain. Solomon will say ‘here's something I was doing and I

doing it under the sun and it's vanity.’ Why was it vanity? Because at that point in time, God wasn't factored into Solomon's life- like he should have been. Thus this is in contrast to the affairs of life and view of God which the Bible says are not vain. Contrast this idea of working under the sun in the book of Ecclesiastes with 1 Corinthians 15:58. The Bible says, “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord which we know our labor is not in vain.” When we're working, when we're laboring, and God's at the center of that, it's not vain. Why? Revelation 14:13 says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. ‘Yes.’ says the spirit, that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them.”

A man could be the most powerful, richest man in all the world and have as much power and money at the top floor of the biggest building that you could ever imagine- and it could still all be vain. Another man, working in a supermarket, working in a fast food restaurant, his life could be full of meaning. What would be the difference? God-being in the center of one man's life, and God not being anywhere in the other man's life. Everything we do, if God's at the center of it, it brings true meaning and purpose to our life.

There's another key phrase that is mentioned and it goes hand in hand with this. In the book of Ecclesiastes, when Solomon thinks about some of these vain ventures that he was caught up in, he'll say ‘it was like grasping or trying to catch the wind.’ You stop and think about that idea for a moment. If something's like trying to grasp or catch the wind, not only is it a vain attempt, it's an utter impossibility. Life without God is like somebody out there trying to catch the wind. It's useless; it's meaningless. Its efforts are going to be cast away for no purpose and value. We must realize God has to be at the center of everything that we say and we do.

Let's think then for just a moment about some of the areas in which Solomon tried to find real meaning. Solomon's vain attempts can be summed up in a fivefold approach.

First, Solomon tried to find meaning in earthly wisdom. A man could search the greatest schools and greatest universities, could read Aristotle

and Plato and Socrates until his eyes bug out- and still with all that wisdom, his life could be vain and meaningless, why? Earthly wisdom alone won't do it. You can have all the smarts and all the wisdom and all the ability to apply it, but if you apply it with no purpose or meaning, if it's just for the here and now on a temporary globe that's one day going to cease to exist. If you spent your life doing that, and then all you had to look forward to was the grave, what utter vanity and trying to catch the wind that would be.

A second area Solomon looked for meaning in life was meaning in wealth. Of all the people in the world, Solomon had the wealth. That amount that was brought to him every year, when the queen of Sheba came to him, she had heard of his success and when she came to him and actually saw it, do you remember what she said? She said ‘the half of it's not even been told.’ All the money, all the women, all the luxury that he had, the diamonds, the jewels, the splendor, and the gold- you couldn't begin to imagine it. And yet, looking at that, what did Solomon say? ‘Vanity of vanities, like trying to catch the wind.’ If you had all the money in this world and all the gold and all the jewels and all the fine luxuries of this world and the only thing you had to look forward to was the day you died- how utterly worthless that type of approach to life would be.

A third way in which Solomon looked for fulfillment was in revelry, pleasure, and lust. You open to Ecclesiastes chapters one and two, and you see the Solomon tried wine. There's no doubt that he tried the sensual side of it with the 700 concubines and the 300 wives. Solomon indeed tried that-the lust, the pleasure. Where did all that get Solomon? You know, you don't have to look very far for that answer. You turn to 1 Kings 10 through 12, and Solomon, because of his foreign wives, is now up on the mountain top building places of worship and worshiping false gods. What did that do for Solomon? It was vain. It was worthless. It almost cost him his eternal soul because of that. All the sensual lust and pleasure, it won't really satisfy man.

Another area that Solomon looked to find real fulfillment was in power. He had all the power you could imagine- over the whole nation, over other nations, over people, and over governments. Solomon had the

power. Did power alone provide real fulfillment? No. Here's why: There's some power no man can attain. Power over God, power over the natural order of things, and power over circumstance and chance. Nobody has power over that except the Almighty. You'll never reach the highest level of power without putting your trust in the Almighty.

Then a fifth area that Solomon looked for fulfillment was in communing with nature. Solomon wanted to build things. He wanted to have the most beautiful gardens around. He wanted to be involved in placing of trees and things of that nature and all the exotic things you could imagine that might go with that. He could say, ‘I've got this tree or this plant that nobody else has got.’ Well, did that really give Solomon that much fulfillment? No, because other people had had those before. Other people have those after him. Solomon will say all of this was vanity and vexation of the spirit.

Here's what we learn from Solomon. You can have all the wisdom, all the money, all the power, all the things that your friends may never have. You can be involved in every lust and pleasure and sensual desire and in the end you can still go home, be lonely, and have a void in your life that only God can fulfill. Think through history of men like that. Men who had it all. Whether it is the Hugh Heffner’s of the world or whether it be the Alexander Greats of the world- whoever it may be, these men had all the power, might, wealth, desire, lust, and passion and yet, they were still lonely. They still had a void in their life, and everything they did looked like vanity on the day of their death. They weren't prepared for the other side. To have put it correctly, Guyan Woods said it this way. In his commentary, he wrote these words. He said, ‘In Ecclesiastes it revealed the emptiness of life apart from God.’ Here's the purpose: in order that we might learn how rich and full life is with Him.

What's Ecclesiastes all about? I can look at Solomon. I can look at his life, and I can see how empty and miserable Solomon was apart from God. I can think to myself, just how great, how rich, how wonderful it is to have life hand in hand walking footstep in footstep with God and the wonderful blessings that go along with that.

Let's take just a moment to learn some insights. From the book of Ecclesiastes that will help each of us in this life. First, let's realize that part of a life with purpose and meaning is learning to enjoy life as a child of God. Look in Ecclesiastes 2:24. The Bible says, ‘Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor,’ now watch this, ‘this also I saw was from the hand of God.’ You can always want more. You can always say to yourself, ‘I'd like to have the biggest car. I'd like to have my neighbor's house. I'd like to have fancier clothes or a better phone or a nicer computer.’ Or you can say, ‘Look how richly God has blessed me with the things I got and how thankful I am to have a roof over my head, food to put in my stomach, clothes to warm my body, and people who love me. And more than anything, a God who seeks my best interest in everything I do and say as I put His kingdom first.’

So what's the first thing that has real meaning in life? Learn to enjoy life itself. Life is a blessing from God. Every moment is a moment that we receive from the hand of God. Take advantage of it, live it to the fullest, and be content with what you have, 1 Timothy 6:6-10.

A second insight from the book of Ecclesiastes is you've got to learn to live life in view of eternity. Notice Ecclesiastes 3:11. The scripture says, “God has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, He has put eternity in their hearts except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.” What do I need to learn to do to get real meaning and purpose out of life? Friend, you've got to learn to live life in view of eternity. One of Solomon's greater problems was he was just living for the here and now. He was just living from temporary mundane, pleasure to pleasure to pleasure. After a little while, each one of those pleasures has run out.

Let's say, that you had the money to buy the fastest car on the market right now. How long would that thrill last? Let's say that there was some pleasure and you had the power to fulfill that and you fulfilled it to the max. Would that eventually get old? You bet it would. How do you really live life with meaning? Live it in view of eternity. God has made everything beautiful in its season or time. He's put eternity in their hearts. What do I know about eternity? Oh, I've got a lot of questions. There are a lot of

things that my feeble, time limited, time bound mind can't begin to imagine. I do know this: I have a sense of eternity in my heart, in my mind, and so do you. I know this here is the temporary side. This here is the corruptible side. There is an eternal, there is an incorruptible side and that's what we're longing for.

Friend, if I can ever begin to change my thinking to see that everything I'm doing right now, I'm doing with a view toward eternity. Oh, how that'll make life of real meaning and real purpose. I'm reminded of the two questions Jesus asked in Mark 8:36-37. Jesus said, “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” If you had all the wealth of Solomon, and you lost your soul, wouldn't you say that was vanity of vanities? Indeed it would be, my friend.

A third insight that we learn from the book of Ecclesiastes is the value of friends in this life. The people that we have in our life, whether it be one's spouse, whether it be close friends and family, part of having a life of meaning is to realize the value of those relationships. Notice Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. The Bible says, ‘Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion but woe to him who is alone when he falls for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one be warm alone? The one may be over powered by another, two can withstand him and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.’ You know, from this passage we learn the power, we learn the importance, we learn the security and the protection of friends, family, and of one's spouse in this life. A life that has real meaning is a life that has people in it who care about you for who you are. People, like you, who are trying to live according to the teaching of Christ. People who are trying more than anything to go to heaven and how are striving to bring glory to God in their life.

Then another insight that we find in the book of Ecclesiastes is we've got to learn that the fleeting and the shallow nature of the pleasures that we have in this life. I want you to notice 5:15. You've got to understand the kind of the mindset Solomon's in to understand this. He hasn't quite got to

the point. He does a little later. He hasn't quite got to the point where he's factoring God into every decision. He's still, we might say, a little discouraged and a little depressed. He's looking at these pleasures, and he's trying to find meaning in those pleasures alone. Here's what his conclusion is. “As he came from his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, he shall take nothing from his labor which he may carry away in his hand.” In essence he said what Job said. “Naked I came from my mother's womb, naked shall I return. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord,” Job 1:20-22. What did Solomon here admit to? All the money, all the wealth, all the fine homes and cars and jewelries, the fanciest amenities of this life, friend, they just won't make you happy. I hope you'll listen real carefully to what we're trying to say- what Solomon and what God is trying to say. If your life is searching for meaning in stuff, you'll never find it. All the junk in the world can't make you happy.

God is the only source of true happiness. How do we know that? ‘Happy is the man who walks not in the council of the ungodly, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, nor stands in the path of sinners, but happy is the man who walks in the council of the Lord,’ Psalm 1:1-3. Pleasure, no matter how much the momentary impulse may be it just won't make you happy in this life. You've got to realize that if you're going to have meaning in life.

Another lesson that we learn from the book of Ecclesiastes is we've got to learn in this life to trust God. I want you to notice that Solomon's tone begins to change a little bit. Listen to what he says in Ecclesiastes 7:13. The Bible says Solomon speaking, ‘Consider the work of God. Who can make straight what he has made crooked?’ Verse number 20. ‘There is not a just man on the earth who does good and does not sin.’ Now verse number 29, ‘Truly, this only have I found that God made man upright. They've sought out many schemes.’ Solomon says ‘if God makes it straight, who can make it crooked?’ Solomon says, ‘As it comes to men, don't put your trust in them. They've sought out many schemes against him, and there's nobody who's perfect.’ Who do I trust then? God. You've got to learn in this life to put your trust in the Lord, not in men. The Bible

says in Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding.”

Then as we think about life, and as we think about meaning in life, let's realize that sometimes both good and bad happen to all men alike. Notice 9:2 and verse number 11. Solomon said, “All things come alike to all. One event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good, the clean and the unclean to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice.” Now listen to verse number 11. Solomon said, “I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not too swift. Nor the battle too strong nor bread to the wise nor riches to man of understanding. Nor favor to man of skill, but time and chance happen to them all.”

Friend, we live in a world where there are natural laws. We live in a world where there are circumstances that sometimes we just can't control. Let's realize this: Good and bad do happen to all men alike. Now, here's the factor that you have to consider: Yes, it's true. Good and bad will happen to all men alike. But friend, if good and bad happened to you, and you're a Christian, you've got somebody to glorify for the good and you've got somebody to help you when the bad comes. We know that ‘all things work together for good to those who love the Lord,’ as Romans 8:28 teaches.

Now, as we think about the book of Ecclesiastes, and as we bring things full circle, we're reminded of what the whole book is all about. Let's hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Solomon, you've searched it all out with wisdom from on high, you squandered some of that. You wasted some of that. But it looks like now you've kind of got it in focus. Let's hear the conclusion. “Fear God, keep his commandments. This is the whole duty of man,” why? “For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing whether good or evil.” All the pleasures, where are they, Solomon? They didn't really matter anyway. All the women, what happened to them? Couldn't make me happy. All the buildings? They're decaying. Well, what's life all about? These two things. “Fear God. Keep His commandments. That's the whole duty of man.”

Why am I here? Why are you here? What's life all about? I'm here to fear, that means to honor, to reverence and to respect God. My life is here to glorify God. Isaiah 43:7 God said, “Everyone who's called by my name, whom I've created for my glory, I formed him, yes I've made him.” I'm here to obey God.

Friend, have you obeyed God? Do you believe in Jesus? John 8:24. Are you willing to change your life, Luke 13:3? Would you make that good confession, Romans 10:10? Would you be immersed in water to obey the commandment of Christ, Mark 16:16? Then having done that, would you walk in newness of life, Romans 6:4 and be faithful unto death?

Friend, we hope and pray that you will as we search for real meaning by putting God into the center of our life.

May God help you to do just that.

Study Questions for:

“Living Messages of the Old Testament: Lesson 23”

1. According to Ecclesiastes 12:13, what is the whole duty of man?

2. According to Ecclesiastes 1:2, what did Solomon call all things?

3. What key question to this book is asked in Ecclesiastes 1:3?

4. What does the phrase “under the sun” mean?

5. What does 1 Corinthians 15:58 say about doing the Lord’s work?

6. What does Revelation 14:13 tell us about the people who die in the Lord?

7. According to Ecclesiastes 3:11, what has God put in our hearts?

8. What question does Jesus ask in Mark 8:36-37?

9. What does Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 tell us about friendship?

10. What does Job 1:20-22 say about this life?

A philosophy that was popular in the days of Christ and is extremely popular today is: ‘Let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’ This has long been the motto and philosophy of the Epicureans, and so many people adopt this materialistic, worldly-minded idea. One of the men in the Bible who did that was named Esau.

Today we're going to talk about Esau and the bad bargain that he made. Esau will always be remembered for his bad bargain, his desire for immediate, instant gratification, and for embodying the motto: ‘let us eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.’

I want you to read with me the story of Esau. Then we're going to notice some very powerful lessons that men and women can learn from that. Genesis 25:20 the scripture records these words: ‘Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren, and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, ‘If all is well, why am I like this?’ So she went to inquire of the Lord. The Lord said to her, ‘Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger.’ So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb, and the first came out red. He was like a hairy garment all over, so they called

his name Esau. Afterward, his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when she bore them. So the boys grew, and Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Now Jacob cooked a stew, and Esau came in from the field and was weary. Esau said to Jacob, ‘Please feed me with the same red stew, for I am weary.’ Therefore his name was called Edom. But Jacob said, ‘Sell me your birthright as of this day.’ And Esau said, ‘Look, I'm about to die. What is this birthright to me?’ Then Jacob said, ‘Swear to me as of this day.’ So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils, and then he ate and drank, and arose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.’

As we mentioned, nobody better exemplifies the instant gratification and the giving away of something important than Esau. The story of Jacob and Esau relates to us. The struggle of these two men, but some of it is a little maybe unique to us because of the idea of the birthright. The birthright, under the Old Testament, is something we're not as familiar with. It was a great blessing given to the firstborn to carry on the heritage of the father.

The Old Testament birthright, which was only given to the firstborn male of the father, was a double portion of the father's inheritance that was promised to that child. According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17, the firstborn got 2/3. If there were three children, he'd get 2/3 of that, and so, or if there were two children, he'd get 2/3 and the other would get 1/3. It wasn't split 50/50; he got the majority of everything that belonged to the father. So if there were $100,000, he might get 75,000 of that. If there were 100 acres, he might get 75 acres. It was the benefit given to the firstborn.

We also learn from the Old Testament scripture that it was the firstborn who had the privilege of serving as priest for the family. This is exemplified under the patriarchal law in the life of Abraham. Abraham served as one who went to God, one on behalf of his own family, and of course Job exemplifies this as well. He offered sacrifice for his children.

God spoke directly to Job. There was that great blessing that came along with being the firstborn, as well. Then, of course, there was a great deal of respect. Respect, recognition, and honor was given to the firstborn, regardless of who the father may have been, that was always along with that right. There was almost a sense of awe and reverence that was paid to the firstborn that might not have been given to the other children. Then the spiritual blessing as well of the father was placed upon the firstborn. Genesis 27:27, we can see that happening with both Jacob and Isaac and the children there. In fact, this may have been what was sought after the most, passing on that spiritual blessing given by God. Then, of course, anything the Bible says, anything that was the firstborn, the first fruits of the harvest, the firstborn of the flock, that was specially dedicated to the service of God, Exodus 22:29-31, and so to be the firstborn under the Old Testament was a great privilege and honor.

As you think about that New Testament law that we're under today, there's so many similarities that go along with that, and parallels that Christians have. All Christians today have the blessing and the benefit of being a child of God, and that wonderful birthright. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, I'll give you rest. My yoke is easy. My burden is light." Jesus said, “You'll find rest for your souls.” As children of God, we are God's firstborn. We are the first fruits of Christ, 1 Timothy 2:4-6. Just like under the Old Testament, there are some parallels to the wonderful blessings that Christians have today as part of their birthright. Christians are promised a full portion of what God has given' to His people. We, like Esau, have that full portion of heaven itself. Romans 8:16-17, the Bible clearly teaches that we are the beneficiaries of God's promises of heaven itself. We're living in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. This is the promise He's promised us, eternal life, 1 John 2:25. I'm not looking' for land. I'm not looking' for numbers or dollars in a bank account. As a child of God, part of the great blessing we have is one day we can be recipients of heaven and all the wonder and splendor of that.

As we think about this idea in relation to the Old Testament birthright, aren't Christians today priests in a spiritual sense? Revelation 1:6, we are a

kingdom of priests, or kings and priests, to God. 1 Peter 2:9, we offer up spiritual sacrifices to almighty God, and so when we think about this idea, the praise of our lips goes up as sacrifice, Hebrews 13:15. We have that honor today, along with our birthright, to give praise and honor to God and to serve in that capacity.

Then just as the Old Testament birthright meant that you wore the name and the honor and recognition of being the firstborn of someone, we today have the privilege and honor of wearing the name Christian, the firstborn of God's creation under the New Testament. What a blessing that is! Acts 11:26 says, they were called Christians first in Antioch. 1 Peter 4:16, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name.

Like under the Old Testament, part of the spiritual birthright today is, we are promised every spiritual blessing from almighty God. The Old Testament birthright meant that there were a host of blessings given down by the father, and it was even tied in a spiritual sense-but how much more today? Every spiritual blessing is ours in Christ Jesus. I can be a child of God, 1 John 3:1. I can look up to heaven and pray, ‘Our Father who art in heaven,’ Matthew 6:9. We have the family of God to encourage and lift us up, 1 Corinthians 12:27. We've got forgiveness, grace, mercy, love, and every blessing you can imagine, the Christian has so richly received. Like under the Old Testament, as part of my birthright I am, and you are, if you're a Christian, you are specially reserved and dedicated in service to God.

What's the greatest commandment of all? Jesus was asked that question. ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ That's what God wants us to do, and that's how He wants us to live our life in dedication to Him.

In view of that, though, I want you to think about Esau and the great blessing of our birthright, today, as Christians. Think about what Esau sold out. Can you imagine, for a bowl of beans Esau sold his whole birthright? He sold 2/3 of the inheritance, the prestige, the honor, the spiritual

blessing, and all of that, he sold out for a bowl of beans. Why did he do that? He may have been hungry. I'm sure he was. He'd been out hunting. He didn't have any luck. Maybe he was discouraged. You know what we learn about Esau most of all? Esau was shallow; he was very materialistic. He was worldly-focused. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:14-17 that Esau was profane, that is, he was worldly, selfishly, immorally focused. He sold out his whole birthright for a bowl of soup, or a bowl of beans. What a terrible waste, and what a terrible bargain that he gave into his brother to do that.

This'd be like Bill Gates or Ross Perot giving everything he had for a Big Mac. Can you imagine selling out like that, just to satisfy instant gratification for your belly? Why did he do that? He wasn't thinking spiritually. He was thinking worldly.

Let's take it a step further. Why do so many Christians and so many people who have all those spiritual birthrights and blessings that we talk about, why do so many Christians today sell their birthright for immediate gratification and lust of the flesh, which one day isn't going to amount to anything? How many people have given up Christ and been lost for eternity over some fleshly desire, instant gratification, whether it be of a fleshly, a sexual or immoral? How many people have given up something far greater than what Esau gave up on just to feel better for a little while?

Are we really any different than Esau today? Why do sometimes people sell their soul to the devil for foolish things? I want you to think about some of the things that sometimes people make a bad bargain to the devil for their soul. Sometimes people sell out, and give up on all these spiritual blessings over worldliness, and materialism, and things of this life that one day aren't going to exist anyway. John said, ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world.’ Why not? ‘For all that is in the world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, it's not of the Father, it's of the evil one, and the world and all that's in it is one day going to pass away.’ James 4:4, James said, ‘Adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore desires to be a friend of the world makes themselves God's enemy.’ God says, ‘Come

out from among them and be ye separate,’ 2 Corinthians 6:17-18. How many people do we know that have sold out for things of this world?

Let me give you a couple that really come to mind in the scripture. Do you remember a man who came to Jesus in Mark 10? This man probably had one of the greatest questions you could ever ask. ‘Good teacher, what do I need to do to go to heaven? What do I need to do to inherit eternal life?’ Great question. Wish there were more people asking that question. Jesus said, ‘Keep the commandments. Do not murder, do not steal, and do not commit adultery.’ ‘All these I've done from my childhood.’ ‘One thing ye lack. Sell what you have, give to the poor, come follow Me.’ You know what happened in that context? The Bible says ‘that man went away sorrowful.’ Why? ‘He had great possessions.’ He let his stuff and the things of this world keep him from inheriting that spiritual birthright. How many people are doing' that today?

We've got to have the finer things in life, and we've got to keep up with the Jones's. We've got to have all this materialistic stuff, worldly stuff, that one day isn't going to matter at all. When the earth and all that's in it is one day burned up with a fervent heat, 2 Peter 3:9-12- then what will all that stuff have mattered? Don't do like Esau and sell out over materialism and worldliness.

Then there are also people who spiritually sell out their birthright for desires of the flesh, specifically sometimes people do that for sexual desires. I've known Christians and people in the body of Christ, and you probably have as well, who got caught up in some immoral practice with some woman or some man, or pornography, or whatever it may be, and they sold out over those things. The Bible clearly warns us to watch out for those things. 1 Peter 2:11, Peter said, ‘I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul.’ The Hebrew writer said in Hebrews 13:4, ‘marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.’ ‘Flee from youthful lust,’ Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:15, following. I've got to have that same armor up, that same guard up. Don't give in like Esau to some instant, immediate gratification of the flesh and lose your birthright over that.

Then sometimes people allow sins of the body, or sins against the body, to cause them to lose their birthright. Alcohol, and drugs, and drunkenness- how many people have given in to that and sold out spiritually? The Bible says, ‘do not be drunken with wine,’ Ephesians 5:18. ‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler,’ Proverbs 20:1. The picture is so clear in scripture of how harmful that is to the body. Drugs, methamphetamines, marijuana, crack cocaine, or whatever it may be- when people get caught up in that stuff, they're selling out. They're selling over their birthright, just as Esau did, for something that isn't really going to last anyway.

We encourage folks today, as we think about these ideas and as we think about the spiritual nature of Esau, don't be like him. What if Esau had been different? What if he'd stood up to his brother? What if he had endured those temptations? The story would be a whole lot different.

Here's the encouragement for every one of us today. Friend, you can stay faithful, you can endure those challenges, and you can be faithful until death. Don't let things in this life tempt you in such a way that it causes you to turn from almighty God.

I've had some things in this life, some good things to eat. You think about what Esau was going through. He was hungry. He was facing a lot of challenges and difficulties, and probably things weren't going his way in life and that bowl of soup looked good in the moment. My grandmother on my dad's side probably made the best bowl of beans I've ever eaten. I'd sure like to have a bowl of beans and cornbread right now, and I imagine you'd probably think the same thing if you were really hungry. But the question you've got to ask yourself is: Is that worth what it'll really cost me in the end? I'm not talking about a bowl of beans. I'm talking about giving in to materialism, fleshly desires, giving in to drugs, or alcohol, or something like unto that and getting that immediate hit. Is that really worth what it's going to cost me in the end?

I want you to think about this question Jesus asked. Mark 8:36:37. Jesus asked two rhetorical questions. ‘What will it profit a man if he gains

the whole world and lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’ If you bargain your soul over something like that, friend, you've made the worst bargain possible. On the Day of Judgment you're not going to trade something for your soul. If I've not lived right or done right, it won't matter how powerful, or wealthy, or how many pleasures I might have fulfilled. None of that matters.

You know what matters? Did I love God? Did I put Him first? Did I endure suffering, and did I overcome? Those are the things that really matter.

I want you to think about two men. One represents another bad bargain, and the other represents a man who suffered and did right. I want you to think about this first individual with me. We know him in the Bible as the rich fool. Luke 12:15-21. A lawyer comes to Jesus with a question. Jesus answers by giving an illustration of the foolishness of materialism. There was a man who had a great crop year, a man who, when he planted his seed, it just did so well and he excelled so much in his business that he didn't have anywhere to put the entire crop that produced. That's a pretty good problem, right? So he said, ‘Here's what I'll do. I've got so many crops, I'm going to have to tear down my old barns, build bigger barns so I can store it in.’ There is nothing wrong with business, having a good crop year, or preparing for the future. All that was good and well- until this happened: that night that man's soul was required of him. God said to him, ‘You fool. This night will your soul be required of you. Then whose things will those be whom you've acquired?’ And here's the point Jesus made: ‘So is he who is rich but not in godliness.’ What was the rich fool's problem? His problem was not that he was a good farmer. His problem was not that he was a good planner, a good manager, or a good business person. That man's problem was in all his planning and doing. In all his work, he forgot to take care of the most important thing- his soul.

Then think about another man. Luke 16:19-31. You've got the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Rich man had it all. Lazarus is eating crumbs, the dogs are licking his sores, he doesn't have anything, and he's a poor beggar. Lazarus suffered; he had difficulty. He went through a lot of

problems most likely in this life. He was hungry and hurting for a long time, maybe, even. What about on the other side? Lazarus turned out pretty good for him. He's in paradise; the rich man's in torment. He endured; he didn't let that cause him to sell out. He may have been poor physically, but he was rich spiritually. That's what we want to drive home. Don't be like Esau; don't sell out. Whatever we've got spiritually, what God has blessed us with- don't sell that out for some fleshly, immediate, instant gratification that could cost you your soul.

Nothing is more important than your soul. Make sure that we're taking care of it above all else.

If you're not a Christian, we especially want to encourage you to make sure to get right with God.

Have you obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you believe He is the savior of the world? ‘Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by Him.’ Do you believe that? John 14:6. Do you believe it so much so that you'd be willing to repent and turn from sin and turn to God? Acts 3:19, Peter preached, ‘Repent, and turn, that your sins may be blotted out.’ Would you confess the beautiful name of Jesus before men? Romans 10:10. Would you do what Jesus said to be saved? Jesus said in Mark 16:16, ‘He that believes and is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe shall be condemned.’

If you've never obeyed the gospel, then friend we want to encourage you to make the spiritual birthright of Christ yours.

As a Christian, if you're not living like you ought to, friend, don't sell out your soul.

Make sure and get it right, and let's each one of us live in such a way that our lives bring honor and glory to God.

Questions for: Old Testament Studies-Lesson 3

1. According to Genesis 25:20, what did Esau sell his birthright for?

2. According to Matthew 11:28-30, where can we find rest?

3. According to Romans 8:16-17, what are we beneficiaries to?

4. How are Christians described in Revelation 1:6?

5. What does 1 Peter 4:16 tell us about Christians and suffering?

6. What is the greatest command?

7. What does Hebrews 12:14-17 say of Esau?

8. What does James 4:4 say of being a friend of the world?

9. What does John 14:6 say of Jesus?

10. According to Mark 16:16, who will be saved?