Introduction: Everything that glitters is not gold! Did you know that all of the devil’s apples have worms? Satan transforms himself into an Angel of light.

“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2Cor 11:14).

Is it any wonder that Paul writes inspired by the Holy Spirit that Satan uses ministers as tools.

Speaking to the religious crowd of His day, Jesus Christ said that the devil was the father of all lies.

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).

There we have it. The origin of lies is from the devil. Do you remember what he said to Eve after being told that they could not eat of the tree of knowledge of both good and evil?

“Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? ……..And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:3-5).

Do you see how he twists what God says? He misleads, deceives, and ultimately achieves.

Where is all this going? Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians reveals Satan’s plan. “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish” (2Thess 2:8-10).

“O soul are you weary and troubled
No light in the darkness you see
There’s light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.”

But Isaiah also reminds believers that the God of the Bible “renews our strength”……as we “wait” upon Him.. (Isa 40:31).
Will you take time right now to wait upon Him?

2. Why turn our eyes upon Jesus? Because the Promises of His Word will not fail! (2Cor 1:20) – “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

Listen to the next stanza:

“His word shall not fail you he promised
Believe him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying
His perfect salvation to tell
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.”

Our God is faithful to His promises! He can be trusted!! Will you turn and trust Him right now?

The world has nothing to offer us compared to Jesus. Think about it…..eternal life, abundant life, a new life!

Conclusion: Will you turn your eyes upon Jesus right now?

• How do you calculate the VALUE of the PEACE of God?(John 14:1-27; Phil 4:6,7; Col 3:15; Rom 5:1; Col 1:20)
• How can we measure a CLEAR CONSCIOUS?
• What does ASSURANCE of heaven mean to a Christian?
• How much would a soul PAY for FORGIVENESS of SIN?
• Can rubies or diamonds purchase being RECONCILED to our Creator God?
• What about the capacity to be FREE from Being Bitten with BITTERNESS?
• How much does it mean to be able to give away the GREATEST GIFT of all – ETERNAL LIFE?

• Chosen in Him
• Predestined because of Him
• Adopted into His family
• Accepted in the Beloved (Highly bestowed favor)
• Redeemed by His blood
• Sealed by His Spirit

Think about all that. Can you beat it?

Introduction: While we are saved by “grace alone” thru “faith alone” in “Christ alone”, this does not mean after conversion that we are to sit and do nothing. Instead, the CHRISTian life includes submitting to the Word of God, and obeying the Spirit of God while fleshing out the Will of God. While comparing the Christian to an Olympic athlete, Paul explains this process to believers.

1. The first step for an athlete/ Christian is to get in the race! (1Cor 9:24) – “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”

In order to run in the race one has to enter into the race at the starting line. Have you entered? As stated, once at the starting line (thru New Birth), the goal is to run to win…..to finish faithful.

2. Once in the race, the athlete/ Christian is disciplined to win a crown (gold medal)! (1Cor 9:25) – “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”

The word”striveth” is ἀγωνίζομαι: (ag-o-nid’-zom-ahee), and it means to contend for a prize, or to put forth a struggle.
In other words, both to earn a gold medal or to obtain a “Crown of Life” will be a struggle! But thru the power of the Holy Spirit it is achievable.

3. All the hard work and discipline helps keep the athlete from quitting or being disqualified! (1Cor 9:26,27) – “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

By bringing our physical bodies into subjection (submission), enables the Holy Spirit to empower us to be faithful and not become a reject. That is what “cast away” means.

Introduction: Solomon wrote, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalm 127:3). Whether you have biological offspring or not, we can all have spiritual offspring. Are you reproducing? Go make disciples….

The word “heritage” is נַחֲלָה: (nakh-al-aw’). It can mean possession, or property, but ultimately it means inheritance.

The technical interpretation is it means portion, share. The other shade of meaning is assigned by God. Another passage where the word “heritage” is used can be found in Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

Go back to verse one of the text (Isa 54:1). This is interesting for those who are not able to have children. “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.”

Fast forwarding to the New Testament, listen to the words of the apostle Paul under inspiration.

“And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph 6:4).

Did you notice the positive side as well as the negative side to this verse? “Not wrath” but “nurture and admonition”; i.e. instructions, training and warning. So both physical and spiritual parents have a responsibility before the Lord. How are you doing?

Conclusion: Remember, there are no perfect parents or perfect children – only Jesus is perfect. So keep up the GOOD WORK!

Introduction: Do you like fixing things? You know, there are some things we can’t fix!  What do you do when your in a situation, and you can’t fix it?

Moses shares (3) interesting insights as to what we are to do that will take your FAITH in the God of the Bible to a whole another level.

All of us could probably use that! How about you?

1) There are some circumstances that we can’t CONTROL… and we need God’s PEACE! (Exo 1:15-22) – “And the king of Egypt…Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.”

• Cultural influences affect us more than realize (1John 2:15-17)

How do you think Moses’ mom, Jochebed, & dad, Amram felt? ( Exo 6:20)

2) There are some things we can CONTROL….and we need God’s POWER! (Exo 2:1-4) – Speaking of Moses and his mom… “He was a goodly child, she hid him three months…and when she could no longer…she took for him an ark of bulrushes…and put the child there in… and laid it by the river’s brink”. “Goodly” means beautiful.

Imagine the alligators, excuse me crocodiles!

3) God is in CONTROL….and we need His PRESENCE! (Exo 2:5-11) – “And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash at the river…..she saw the ark…sent her maid to fetch it…..she saw the child and had compassion on him…..And  Pharaoh’s daughter said Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother….nurse it for me and I will give thee wages.”

How about that? Get paid for raising your own child!

Conclusion: Do you need God’s PEACE for things out of your control, His POWER to change things under your control, and His PRESENCE to know He’s in control?

By FAITH in the God of the Bible (Jesus Christ), Moses’ parents TRUSTED to “LET it FLOAT! (Heb 11: 23-29)

God help us to do the same.

Introduction: Can you believe the opening scene of the 2024 Summer Olympics in France? Blasphemy! What a mockery of Jesus Christ and the Christian faith! Yet, should we be surprised? The spirit of Antichrist is already at work. Is this just a prototype of what is to come?

1. Jesus warned His disciples as well as CHRISTians today! (Mark 13:23) – “But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.”

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ tried to forewarn us. Although it almost seems unbelievable the things going on in our WOKE world. Still, this is why we need to be “steadfast unmovable” always abounding in the work of the Lord.

2. Paul foretold believers what is to come! (2Tim 3:1-7) – “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

Even though this was written several thousand years ago, it is relevant today. Do you agree? Go back thirty years ago. Would you have ever dreamed our world would be in such chaos and confusion, deception and delusion?

3. John laid out precursors of the spirit of Antichrist! (1John 2:18) – “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”

The spirit of Antichrist is rampant. All of this is setting the stage for the rising of the “man of sin” otherwise known as the ANTICHRIST. Beware.

1. Not looking for the Mark Of the Beast, but instead we have a Great High Priest! (Heb 4:14) – “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”

Instead of waiting for the mark of the Beast, as believers in Jesus Christ we have a High Priest.
That means that He is not only our go between to the Father but also the following verses. Check them out.

2. God knows our pain and our name! (Heb 4:15) – “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Jesus, our High Priest can relate to our every temptations yet without sin. Because He overcame we too can overcome!

3. There is “Grace in Place for the Race” to help in time of need! (Heb 4:16) – “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Did you notice that our Lord’s throne is a throne of GRACE instead of judgement? As CHRISTians we not only have access but also boldness to enter into His presence.

Introduction: Have you ever had a heavy burden? The song writer wrote, “Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there”. Several thoughts emerge from Peter’s letter.

“……for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Pet 5:57).

1. Did you notice the word “grace”? – “…for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace….”

Grace is God doing for us what we don’t deserve.

2. Did you notice God gives GRACE to the Humble? – “for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

3. Did you notice that in response to God’s Grace, we should humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand? – “… for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble….. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God.”

4. Did you notice that after we humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, He will exalt us in due time? – “for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.”

5. Did you notice that after we humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand that He will exalt us in due time and that is why we need to cast all our care upon Him? – “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

After encouraging believers into pressing on toward maturity, the writer to the book of Hebrews (many believe Paul) urges CHRISTians to turn hopelessness into hope even when we are being chastised by the Lord. See if this applies to you.

1. How can we get up when we get down? (Heb 12:12) – “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees.”

The words “hang down” is παρίημι: (par-ee’-ay-mi), which means to pass by or over. It can mean to relax. The meaning of feeble knees is the word παραλύω,(par-al-oo’-o), which means to loose from the side, or to relax, enfeeble, or weaken. The word “lift” means to set upright, set straight again. It can be used as to make upright (straight) again, rear again. Furthermore, it can mean restore.

Do you get the picture? When we are tired, weary or discouraged our hands hang down by our sides. Plus, our knees feel like buckling.

2. How can we go forward when we get pushed backwards? (Heb 12:13) – “And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”

Notice the word “healed”. It is ἰάομαι: (ee-ah’-om-ahee), which means to heal. However, it can apply generally of the physical, but sometimes it can mean spiritual healing.

3. How can we stay close to Jesus when you feel far away? (Heb 12:14) – “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.”

Peace can be achieved thru a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Peace with others is because we have the peace of God.