Sermon Notes

MENU

Related:

Free Downloadable Brochures

Free Books & Studies

Devotionals

More Studies

Join Us

Careers

Contact information:

Our Daily Bread, Bible School

Box 1934

Redmond, OR 97756

On Line

Contact Us

541-383-4840

Our Daily Bread,

Bible School

Self Help Topics

"I will Remember My Covenant."

We are a covenant people, but very few know

what God has given us.

"I will Remember My Covenant."

This a powerful statement. It is a statement given to us by God if we but only learn how to stand on His promises. One need only to look around what is happening in the world and to our own lives to see the need that we all have for God and what He can and will do for us if we will only seek Him and His way of doing things. We have His Word on it!

While today as a society we have learned to do our own thing for the most part and really if we look at things with open eyes it does not take too much to see the truth of it all. Drugs, crime, alcoholism, gambling are all on the increase as most today do not see a hope for the future. In so doing we have given up not only on ourselves, but our spouses, children, society and God as we see no future. As we see no future we begin to believe that no matter what we do, nothing will get better.

Most of us have bought the lie that what it takes is a good education and that is in part true, but even the greatest education without God in our lives is an education not well used if the only purpose in the education was to get a job and pay our bills.

On of the great definitions of insanity is to continue to do the same things and expect different results. Anyone with any amount of intelligence can see that things are not perhaps working as well as the could or should.

So what are our options if any? Do we have options or are we just going to burn up like a super nova? Many people are asking the same sort of questions. Some people have and are going through crisis so they are faced with asking these questions as life has become unmanageable without some sort of help. While yet others may think about it at times and may try to do something, but often times it ends up like a broken new years promise and while others seem to ignore problems as things are going well enough. So what do we do to stop the insanity in our own lives. How do we get off the proverbial merry-go-round of life long enough to take inventory and perhaps do something about it all before it crashes down on us?

Many of us that have gone through crisis have found comfort and direction in our lives. We have found some meaning and some purpose to our lives. We have found that with that purpose and meaning there is hope and wish to share that message with others. We have found that scripture and a personal relationship with God, through Jesus, while not always a quick fix as we may hope or like, it is a direction that we can live with and perhaps have a future for us, our spouses and our children. We have found that through Him everything changes and the change that effects us effects everything around us, families, work, and school.

In fact we have found what we have been looking for and as a result have dedicated our lives to helping others. It is in appreciation for what He has done for us and through us that we even try and work together.

So what are you waiting for? Had enough of enough? Ready to try something different and get off that merry-go-round? We hope so! You will find in your new life you will find God and you will find brothers and sisters who really care about what happens to you. So join us.

As you read, you should pray to have the Holy Spirit open your eyes to the truth whether it is this book or or any thing else that you read. In reading it, you will find the truth and the truth will set you free. Unfortunately lies and even half truths will put you in bondage. It should be noted that the Holy Spirit is the real teacher and He is the only one that can lead you to the truth. Man cannot. (You will find help, some try to help and end up hindering.) Believers carry the authority of God and as such, have rights and responsibilities that go along with this New Life in Him. You will find that with authority comes responsibility. Believers are called to be pillars in the church or the body and not caterpillars coming and going, eating when they want. We are in Him, the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We either are or we are in the process, but through self-examination we can see where were we are in the scope of things. Here is something to take soberly, if we are the light of the world and the salt of the earth and we represent His will , then should see clearly why things around us, are working and things are in a mess.

Being the light and salt puts a lot of responsibility on us. The world and those in the world cannot see, as they are in darkness. Scripture tells us that Satan is the god of this world. Not praising Satan or his work but anyone can see he has been busy and very organized. On the other hand in love and unity we can do all things through Christ. What is important in that statement, is how we individually define who Christ is. Many believe Christ to mean Jesus and Him alone. Another definition of Christ is , Jesus as the head and we are the body and this makes up Christ.

Many teaching, will talk about Christ as external. For example He is out there somewhere. The problem with that teaching is that if He is external then He is not internal and we are victims not having the ability to do anything about what happens. Simply put if anyone does not take responsibility for their actions then they simply cannot fix what happens in their lives. So the first step is to determine one way or the other if He is internal or external. Understanding the two will take you in different paths in life and how you view everything that happens around you. If He is only external then there is no hope. Understand , that you are not of Him unless He is internal. Jesus said, “If you know Me you know the Father that sent Me.” We should be able to say the same things as Jesus did if He is internal.

So far we have briefly looked at our authority but with that, a word of caution should be used. It is not about having the power of God, for even Satan has power. It is about being led by His Spirit and not using the His power the way we want, but the way He wants. When believers use the power of God without being led by the Spirit it is witchcraft and it is not the way to get into heaven. That is how Satan fell he decided to do his own thing. Scripture tells us that part of the cost of salvation is that we are bought with a price. As such we are no longer our own. If we are bought with a price we are then servants of God and what makes us sons is hearing His voice and knowing it and being led by His Spirit. A son seeks the will of the Father and not his or her own.

Every believer can move in the power of God. It is not limited to how smart you are or how spiritual you are. It is a gift and no one is better or over the other. By looking at scripture we find that when Jesus died the temple curtain in the Holy of Holies was ripped in two, allowing the believer to have access to the Father through Jesus. In addition to that access we all can have the anointing that comes from Christ. In the Old Testament the anointing of God was limited to kings, prophets and priests and in the New Testament we find that anyone can receive this anointing, if they have come to Christ and desire to do His Will, but understanding also that with this anointing of God, also comes the responsibility of what happens around us. We find that in the Old Testament those that had the anointing of God were held accountable to God for what they did but how they led people. With the anointing we all become natural leaders and lead people either closer to Him or further from Him by what we do or do not do.

To understand scripture fully we need to understand some of the basics of what was originally intended. We find that man was created from the dirt and women from man. Both Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden. Adams role in the garden was to walk with God daily and tend the garden and all those in the garden. Adam although he was a son was also a servant in the garden. We know that Eve ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which gave her knowledge to make decisions on her own. She convinced Adam to eat of the fruit and he did so knowing he was in error, but did not want to loose Eve. So the first sin was disobedience. The second sin was, Adam chose Eve over God not trusting God and the third sin was trying to blame Eve when Adam was the gardener.

God’s desire has always been to walk with man. It is what we were created to do. Man was given a free will to choose to walk with God or not. You may well wonder what this has to do with what is important in life and what is happening today? Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection paid the price so we could have access to the garden to walk with the Father as Jesus did and as Adam did. We get there because of the price Jesus paid. We enter as sons, daughters and servants of the garden. Jesus was given the garden and He is the gatekeeper of the garden. No one can get in except through Him. We need to understand that we too have a choice once in the garden to either eat from the Tree of Life or the Tree of Knowledge of Good and evil and having eaten from one tree or the other will produce two separate fruits.

To start with once in the garden we become His people. His people throughout scripture are Jews. That is the definition of a Jew, “God’s people.” It is how we become His people. In Hebrews we find that we are engrafted in. His people are servants called and chosen of God and can either receive His blessing or His curses depending on obedience to God. It is important to understand that it is not our garden but His garden and His people are sojourners. This is not our home if we are His people.

Many people once in the garden instead of walking with God eat from the wrong tree in error. It is not intentional for many. Each tree will produce different fruits. Eating of Tree of Life will always produce love and unity always seeking a relationship with not only God but each other as He dwells in us. Eating from The tree of Knowledge will also produce fruit and that fruit is separation from God and each other. By eating of this tree it places one over the other as others are better. People are better perhaps as they may be smarter than the next or more spiritually gifted than the next or more reverent than the next. Eating from the Tree of Knowledge is to judge one another because after all judges are better than others. Today there are some 20,000 Christian denominations based on one being better than the other, one being perhaps more spiritual or blessed than the other ready to give you information that will make you better than others. None of it is based on love and unity but carries a spirit of Division.

On the other hand eating from the Tree of Life where walking with the Father is a daily thing as we want to walk trusting Him and building a relationship with Him. Doing so will also bear a fruit and that is the fruit of the Spirit, which is always love and unity. Eating of the Tree of Life helps us become servants and we have a heart to serve, not be served. We will understand that we are no better or worse than anyone and as such are all, equal with each other. We are in the garden to serve all those in the garden remembering it is His and not ours. It should be noted that eating of this fruit not only brings love and unity but also joy because we do understand that we are not better than o anyone. By eating of the Tree of Life we make Him Lord of our lives and desire to just do His will.

In God’s model, Jesus is the least of the least. He is the servant to the servant. Because He is the least of the least this is what makes Him the greatest above all. He is the Rock on which the body stands, also being servant to the body. The body is the bride but the bride should do what the groom tells her to because He is responsible to God for her. The bride is also the temple of the Holy Spirit not only the individual but the whole body. We are stones, which are shaped and placed by Him so we will all fit neatly placed together and we will allow this to happen because in being together there is safety, unity and the power of the Holy Spirit . We are also His covenant and represent Him to all people. We are to represent His will, His ways, as His people.

Each one of us has been given a portion of the garden to tend and to care for. He places people in our garden to represent Him to them. If we become good gardeners in His garden we are given larger parts of the garden to tend. But we are responsible to God for all those in our garden as they are in His Garden. In Him we should exhort one another daily. To seek Him, His will and be lead by His Spirit. Each one of us has been called to do something in the body. If we do what we are called work with each other as one body, we find it is all designed by God and His plan to save lives. First our lives are saved as we are walking in obedience to His will and secondly others are saved as we represent Him and reach out to others in love.

We are in life either sheep or goats. Sheep follow the will of the Master and know His voice, while goats on the other hand do their own thing so to speak. Goats eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, knowledge puffs us up into thinking we can make decisions in life, which is all an illusion. Scripture also describes sheep and goats as wheat and tares. Both sheep and goats and wheat and tares look the same from a distance but goats do not work at building relationships with God or each other. The better relationship we have with God the better relationships we will have with each other.

What can be accomplished through Christ and what should be accomplished is, do work together as one body? We have as the temple of the Holy Spirit the very power of God to deal with all problems on earth. To accomplish this it all starts with surrendering our lives to Him daily, because really there is no hope here on earth without Him. Surrendering our lives and our will and walking with Him is a key to any kind of life here with Him in eternity. We as the body can and should end works of the devil i.e. starvation, homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse, abuses, crime and a host of other problems. Evil can only prosper when His people do nothing. We do nothing because we have become cold in our hearts. It happens for a variety or reasons, but what should concern everyone is that the only way the great tribulation can start is when the hearts of man or His people wax cold.

Many believe that believes will be exempt from having to go through the tribulation period but historically when people have not stood in the faith they were given, tribulation and death followed. If our hearts have waxed cold then what makes us think that we will not have to go through it? It is deception. Is it possible to stop the tribulation? Scripture puts a condition on the tribulation of the hearts of His people they wax cold, not caring about others. They will preach and teach without caring about peoples needs. So if we do not care, no one else will. If the world, which is controlled by Satan cares more about people and their needs then something is in error. Today the system of government’s in the world help more than people in the church. If people need help where should they go to God or the government?

It all happens because the church has not understood its authority and responsibility to serve those in the garden. It happens because honestly we are too busy caring about our own needs and not understanding that the reason we have what we have, is because we are blessed and should share it with others. Often it happens in ministry instead of caring for the needs of people, in body, soul and spirit, it is based on teaching and preaching. More times than not, many build buildings to show how spiritual or blessed they are.

We all have a choice and it is not too late. Scripture gives us a clear path in how to turn things around if His people are willing to do it what it takes. II Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Jesus said His house is a house of prayer yet many have turned to house of preaching and teaching. Prayer is not always an easy thing to do. It is a sacrifice to be in prayer. It is easier to do something else. We find also in scripture the story of Cain and Able both were brothers. God told them how He wanted them to make a sacrifice. Now God being God He could have said anything He wanted, after all He is God. What He told them to do was sacrifice a lamb. However Cain desired to sacrifice the way he wanted to instead of how God wanted it done. It is a lesson for all of us, we desire to teach and preach of even write books, but what is required is a sacrifice of prayer. Prayer in love and unity ,forgiving all, have the power to move mountains if we believe. That is strong statement because it makes us look at ourselves in honesty. We say we are believers, but do not believe enough to do what He said to do.

We still have a chance to turn things around. Anyone with any sense will tell you there is not much time. Anyone with any sense can see it is all coming to a head and probably quicker than anyone of us want to think or understand. We can turn things around and the answer to begin with is for His house, to be a house of prayer. The second step if found in II Chronicles 7:14. The third thing it will take is understand who we are in Him and our purpose in the body and doing it and fourthly working in love and unity as one body.

This is a survival manual for all believers and an attempt to help them understand who we are in Him. What it is all about here on earth. Our part as individuals and the body, our authority and responsibility to God, each other, to the world and ourselves.

Matthew 25:34-46 " Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

We are responsible…..

When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, We want our hand always to be there. For that we are responsible.

We are responsible both to God and each other.

"Together we can make a change, we can make a difference!"

"God gave us His Son, Spirit, Love, Direction, Purpose, Gifts, and free will. He gave us all the basic tools to either care for Him and others or care just for ourselves.

It is a choice either way, to either learn to work together to solve problems, but at the end, when it is all said and done, our true hearts will be exposed. We are given two things to do, love God and love our neighbor as ourselves.

Top

Ministries Site Map | ODB, Home | Ministries | Bible Institute | Contact Us