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The Life Of Christ # 121 The great supper #2 by John Martin

The Life Of Christ # 119 Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day by John Martin

Abram's spurning of the powerful king of Sodom meant that he now had a mighty foe. The Almighty encouraged Abram with the comfort that He was Abram's protector and in Yahweh he would berecompensed for his faithfulness. Abram's age has advanced by about 10 years since the promise of chapter 12 and as yet he has no "seed", "heir". His faithful steward, Eliezer from Damascus was his nominated heir. The LORD says, this man cannot be your heir - it must be a son born from you. Abram is brought out into the brilliant night sky and told that his offspring will be as numerous as the stars. We are told a great truth about how God counts belief as righteousness (verse 6). It should be read, "Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness". Believing God vastly exceeds mere belief IN God - see James 2verses18-26). Yahweh then cut a covenant with Abram as proof that the Almighty had vouchsafed the covenant that would be sealed by the offering of the Lord Jesus Christ some two thousand years after the death of Abram. Abram was told that his descendants would be afflicted for 400 years as strangers in a land that was not theirs. This culminated in their deliverance from Egypt atprecisely the time predicted, even on the same day that the LORD had spoken to Abram (Exodus 12verses40- 41; the 430 years refers to the time of the promise {the difference in years refers to 30 years prior to the affliction commencing}). Genesis 16 speaks of Abram and Sarai's attempt to circumvent the Almighty's way to fulfill the promise. It involved Abram taking a concubine, Sarai's maid (most likely acquired in Egypt) to produce an heir to Abram. The situation led to Hagar vaunting herself against her mistress Sarai.The disruption brought to Abram's household caused the divine command for Abram to cast out the bondswoman and her son (the literal event being a parable explained by the Apostle Paul in Galatians 4verses21-31). Hagar together with her son were rescued by the angel of the LORD; and she was told to humbly submit to her mistress. There will be some material blessings to Ishmael, as he is Abram's son. The chapter concludes by telling us that Abram is now 86 years old.Psalm 18 is a Psalm in which David exalts and celebrates the deliverance from Saul he has received from his majestic and dependable deliverer - Yahweh. It is Yahweh's consistency as the Father, the Rock that anchors our lives. David uses wonderful poetry and figurative language in which he describes his God.This language is inspiring. Yahweh is described as riding upon the storm clouds, which serve as His cherubic chariot. Yahweh is described as David's "Rock", meaning a large, unmoving rock. Moses had ascribed this characteristic to his God in his great song in Deuteronomy 32verses4 - stop for a moment to read this. Then pause and contemplate. The reason his Omnipotent Sovereign has wrought mercy, faithfulness and deliverance for David was David's steadfast love of and faithfulness to his God; and the kindness and mercy demonstrated to his fellow humans. Jesus taught us to ask for forgiveness, insofar as we have been prepared to forgive others. If you want to be froward (that is, to be tricky, or and wrestle with God); you will be dealt with according to the same measure; and will find that when wrestling against God's values.When we enter into a contest with the Almighty that will be one contest which we can never win. A divine principle is that we reap what we sowverses Galatians 6verses6-9. The greatest key to living an acceptable and godly life is "meekness", or "teachableness" - note our Lord Jesus' words in Matthew 5verses5 (quoting the entire context of Psalm 37; particularly verses 9-11); and James' comments 1verses22-27; 3verses17-18. Without humbleness of mind, we are bound to always fail (James 4verses6-10; 1 Peter 5verses5-11. Please stop and read aloud Psalm 18 verses 20-30. With these values guiding our life we will eventually emerge victorious. Pa

In Genesis 11 we are told, that as humans again multiplied on the face of the earth, they conceived a united plan of open rebellion against their Creator. They sought to build a tower, or Ziggurat, whose height would prevent the human race from being overwhelmed by a flood from God. The plan was stopped by creating confusion through the creation of new languages. This created suspicion and people scattering from the place of rebellion. From verses 10-26 is the record, or genealogy, of Shem's descendants till Terah, the father of Abram (whose name was changed in chapter 15 to Abraham). Verses 27-32 tells us the genealogical details surrounding Terah and Abram. It would appear that in the initial call of Abram to leave Ur of the Chaldeas the initiative was left with the patriarchal family head - Terah - to initially lead the family towards the Promised Land. Chapter 12 tells us, "Now the LORD had said ...". Later information tells us that at this time Abram was about 70 when called to forsake wealth, luxury and social prestige in Ur for an undefined Land (later we find it to be Israel - see Paul's comments in Hebrews 11verses8-9). Again, the Hebrew words for verse 1 are "Go for yourself". Both, Abram's father Terah, and his uncle Nahor, appear to want to settle in Haran - and to not continue their journey to the Land of the Promise. The words of the first 3 verses are a sevenfold promise that from Abram would descend the great nation of Israel. The personal element was to make the name of "Abraham" great in the earth. There was an international promise in verse 3 that blessings would come to all nations through "Abraham's" descendant - the LordJesus Christ (see what that meant in Romans 4verses13). At the age of 75 Abram left Haran without Terah, or his brother Haran. In verse 7 we see that the land of Canaan (Israel) was first promised to Christ (Abram's descendant) before it was promised to Abraham himself. There were great dangers in the Canaanite land. Famine forced Abram and his large group to seek sustenance in Egypt. Here Abram showed a lack of trust in God and told lies about his beautiful wife Sarah, believing that would save his life. God did deliver Abram despite this failure; and taught him that the Almighty can be depended on regardless of theseemingly immense difficulties. Psalm 14 is an important record, "The fool has said in his heart, there is no God". The Psalm is duplicated in Psalm 53 - an indication of the importance of the message (and is cited in Romans 3). But the message is telling us more than that atheists are foolish. It is not those who simply speak the words; but it applies to those whose actions say, 'I can act as I please and will not be punished'. The heart's intentions are what really counts. Psalm 15 speaks of the character required in order to dwell eternally with the Father in the Kingdom Age. Truthfulness, integrity, not going back on an agreement despite personal cost. The citizen of Zion despises all forms of corruption. Such a person seeks the benefit of others; not the profiting from them. Such upright characters are like their Father. Psalm 16 is about the motive power of the Lord Jesus Christ to resist sin by always pleasing His Father (verse 2 and 9 particularly). It describes Jesus' confidence that his Father would raise him, by resurrection, from the dead (Acts 2verses24-36) read slowly. Pause and ponder. Matthew 8 is a chapter demonstrating outstanding faith. It commences with the healing of a leper, who has no doubts about our Lord Jesus' power to heal and save, only a question as to whether he would exercise his power then. It is followed by an outstanding example of Gentile faith, shown in an unnamed Roman centurion, whose faith exceeded that of any of the Covenant people of Israel in that epoch, and whose faith Jesus equates to that of the father of the faithful - even Abraham. Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that this stirred within him the message of the Scriptures

In Genesis 7 Noah is instructed as to what numbers of animals he is to take into the newly built ark. Seven pairs of "clean" animals and two pairs of "unclean" animals were to be taken into the ark. And so, what constitutes a clean, or an unclean, beast was known then. The book of Leviticus gives details of this; and comments will be made when dealing with chapter 11 then. The reason for the difference was that the clean beasts would be for food after the flood; but, for the unclean only two breeding pairs were needed. The LORD brought the animals to Noah. He did not have to go out and get them. When the animals boarded the ark, they did so in divinely appointed pairs - the Hebrew says of them, "the man and his wife". They stood in marked contrast to the immoral world which was soon to be inundated by the waters of the coming flood. Seven days later rain came upon the earth for the first time. It was Noah's 600th year. The waters came from above and below. Yahweh shut the door of the ark on Noah, his wife and his 3 sons and their wives; and the gathered animals. No doubt the turmoil outside the ark would have been heard by Noah and his family during the 40 days of overwhelming rain. But nothing could be done for those who had spurned the opportunity afforded them during the 120 years of Noah's preaching. The mountain tops were covered by the rising waters and all flesh of man and beast outside the ark perished. Unless we're in the ark of God's providing - the Lord Jesus Christ - by baptism we will likewise perish in the impending world judgment. Chapter 8 tells us that the LORD remembered Noah and now began to dry up the waters from the face of the earth. When the water had subsided and the ark came to rest on mount Ararat, in Turkey; Noah sent forth a raven and a dove to determine the conditions outside the ark. He and his family left the ark, which had come to rest on the Day of Atonement. They had been in the ark for more than a year. In verse 17 the command that had first been given to Adam and Eve to replenish the earth, in Genesis 1verses26, was repeated. It was a new beginning, typically a new creation. It spoke of the new creation in the Lord Jesus Christ. Noah sacrificed to God in thanksgiving for their salvation. Yahweh made a Covenant with the human race to never again destroy the earth by a flood and gave the token of the rainbow to confirm that covenant. Read verses 21-22 aloud slowly; and ponder. The greatest lesson of the flood is Noah's great faith and his unshakable trust in the Almighty - see Hebrews 11verses8. In Psalm 9 the psalmist recounts the wonderful acts of his Sovereign. He exalts in past deliverances God has granted him. Yahweh is enthroned in the heavens and reigns supremely overall. The psalmist encourages his hearers to join with him in praise of their Omnipotent Lord. The nations are dismayed and all the wicked consigned to everlasting destruction in Sheol - the grave. The Psalm concludes with the word "Selah" meaning, "pause and consider". Psalm 10 speaks of the writer's dilemma at the apparent hiding of Himself from His people. The arrogant of the world boast themselves against their Creator. In their pride and ignorance, they see themselves as invincible; and so, they oppress the poor and the weak. The wicked believe God will never rise in judgment against them. But the psalmist implores God to rise in justice and vindicate His name and take up the cause of the downtrodden. Yahweh will arise and support the fatherless and the oppressed (see Psalm 68verses1-6; James 1verses27). In Matthew 6 Jesus warns against 3 forms of showy piety prevalent amongst the Pharisees of his dayverses conspicuous giving of alms (charity, prayers designed to impress others rather than heartfelt requests to the Father and attention-seeking fasting. Our Lord tells us that the focus of worship must be internal i.e. our relationship with our Father and should ignore anything external that would impress an

The Life Of Christ # 117 Lord are there few that be saved by John Martin

In Genesis 3 we have the record of how sin first entered the world through the yielding to temptation by the first created humans - Adam and Eve. The Apostle Paul says also, that at this time death also first came to the Adamic creation as a result of sin - Romans 5verses12. Adam and Eve after their creation - Adam from the dust (Genesis 2verses7), and Eve from Adam's side during a God-induced sleep (2verses20-25) - the man unable to find a suitable partner from the lesser creation; and feeling first, lonely; then joyous with a compatible companion. Chapter 3 commences with an introduction to the snake, who at that era had great powers of observation; limited reasoning capacity; and the ability to talk. The snake suggested that Adam and Eve were being deceived and held back by the Elohim (God). And so, after seeing the fruit of the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" was attractive (pleasant to the eyes); it was good, and an excellent quality (good for food); and its clinching appeal - "a tree to be desired to make one wise" (the pride of life. Paul tells us in Philippians 2 that Adam and Eve grasped for equality with God - which thing our Lord Jesus Christ never did when tempted. The Apostle John tells us in his first letter chapter 2verses15-17 that all temptation and sin fall in one or more of these categories. Having sinned they were expelled from the garden; James tells us in chapter 1 the process of sin within every human mind -verses 13-15. Having disobeyed God, He the Almighty must in justice enforce the law He had given. Adam and Eve now had the sentence of death activated within them - this is called "mortality". What was possible before transgressing was now "a law within them" (Romans 7verses21-25) - i.e. now an inevitability. The human race now found that from this point forward all descendants from the first human parents found that sin cannot be overcome in their lives every time that each of us is subjected to temptation -Romans 6 tells us that they were bond slaves to sin. It required God to produce a Saviour, His Son, who although bearing the bias to sin within himself; this being the entail of the effects of Adam and Eve's first sin, would himself be sinless - though Jesus was of our identical nature (Hebrews 2verses12-18.