TRUST IN ME (A CONTRAST)

Jeremiah 17: 7-8  But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, Whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes;  its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

The Scene: A contrast representing lives. On the left, a life filled with holy living, trying to  listen to God and obey. On the right, a life lived without God, turned black by willful, sinful living that brings death to its surroundings, as opposed to bringing the light and life of God into the surrounding area.

Hebrews 10:26-27 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sin is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

In contrast– if we regularly practice holy living unto the Lord Jesus the results are far different. Trusting in the Lord gives true believers in Jesus Christ rewards of eternal blessings and life from our God. Sinning leads to destruction and ultimately to  eternal death and punishment.

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                                                            PEACEFUL HOPE

Romans 15:13  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Scene: A peaceful cottage setting with a gently moving stream nearby. The 3 birds indicate the presence of the Trinity, overlooking the scene.

Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

1 Peter 3:15-16 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may may be ashamed of their slander.

The Word addresses hope eternal in God.  Those whose hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ will find true peace.

Psalm 25:5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

When we trust in the Lord we can find peace, even when all seems lost.

John 14:27  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us who can be against us?

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                                                                 OF DIVINE ORDER

2 Chronicles Chapter 3 For complete details read Chapters 3 and 4

The Scene: Footprint of Solomon’s temple

In scripture the Bible number 10 represents God’s aw, perfection of divine order and human government. 1) law: Solomon followed God’s instructions for building the temple, as given to David. 2) perfection: Solomon employed only the best craftsmen and foremen, using only the best materials. 3) Divine order: the measurements (in cubits) for the temple are evenly divisible by 10.  God our heavenly Father is a  God of order.

Job 25:2 Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven.

He has placed His laws in humankind’s minds and hearts.

Romans 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Obeying God’s laws brings peace and order into our lives. Without God’s order the world would be in complete and total chaos.

Copyright 2016 Larry and Kathy hsvisions.wordpress.com

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                                                                 GOD’S GRACE DELIVERED

Psalm 84:11 For the Lord  God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows (present) grace and favor (future) glory–honor, splendor and heavenly bliss! No good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly.(Amp)

The salvation we enjoy, by God’s grace, we have gained, delivered to us by God’s only Son, Jesus Christ.

The Scene: A delivery truck parked in front of the Church, representing Jesus coming from heaven to earth delivering God’s grace to mankind.

John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 1:16-17 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

It is through Him we have been set free from sin and death.

God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense

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                                                             LIKE FINE CRYSTAL

Colossians 3:12 Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

The Scene: A fine crystal vase: representing God’s people, the Church; the vine and leaves etched into the vase represent Jesus. He is the vine, we, God’s people, are the branches.

Instructions for the caring of fine crystal:  wash gently by hand. Include using a soft cloth, warm mild soapy water; use a soft brush, to clean gently. Air dry naturally; this will insure the crystal’s life will be extended  looking beautiful.

Like a fine piece of crystal, Christians are to treat each other gently and with kindness.

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.”

1 Thessalonians 2:7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. (The Apostle Paul speaking to the Church).

Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

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                                                                            POWER OF CORPORATE PRAYER

Matthew 18:19-20 “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

God in His Word gives His people, believers in Jesus the Christ of Nazareth, many examples of answered prayer which came as a result of communal prayers: prayer that came through as one voice, led of the Holy Spirit.

2 Chronicles 30:27 The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place.

The Scene: Satellite dishes representing the people of God sending up their prayers together, through our Mediator, Jesus and Jesus represented by the sender/receiver dish receiving the peoples’.. prayers. He magnifies them and sends them up to the Father.  Father God hears His Son’s petitions and answers them.

Acts 12:5,7,9,11 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him…v.7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell…v.9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision…v.11“Then Peter came to himself and said, “I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”

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                                                                               JESUS’ WORD

Luke 21:33 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

The Scene:  The things of this earth will all pass away, like these flowers in a vase.

Jesus promises us through His Word that He will be with us forever.

Isaiah 40:7-8 All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.

John 1:1-2, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

For unbelievers, also, God’s Word will not pass away and they will eternally suffer the consequences, life in Hell eternally.

For believers of God’s Word and truth, His Word is eternal, including the rewards promised in His Word.

Revelation 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ” Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes”, says the Spirit, “They will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

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                                                           UNLOCKED (FROM SIN AND DEATH)

Galatians 3:7-10 Understand then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham:  “All nations will be blessed through you.”  So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

The Scene: Locked up by the law, until faith came through the coming of Jesus Christ, the prisoners (sinners) were held captive to sin and death.

Paul questions the Church: Do you believe in Christ and work miracles because of the law or because God gave His Holy Spirit to you?

Galatians 3:22-24  But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

Jesus came to fulfill the law, not to replace it. The law was a stop gap measure that was put into effect by Father God, until Jesus came. And through God’s Holy Spirit the good news could lead the people to Christ, our Mediator. His people, true believers, have been set free from sin and death.

Matthew 5:17-19 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, nor the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

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                                                            TREE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Matthew 7:16-17 “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

The Scene: The Tree of Righteousness. Its branches exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-24 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Philippians 1:9-11 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in  knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ–to the glory and praise of God.

John 15:16  “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appoint you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last.  Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.  This is my command:  love each other.”

                                                              SEEK, ASK, KNOCK

Matthew 7:7-8  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds;  and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

The Scene:  doorway and door

God has given everyone the opportunity to seek Him , come before Him and ask what they will.

Matthew 7:26  “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, it fell with a great crash.”

Action is required for the door (access to God) to be opened. Prayer, talking to God, will open the door, gaining access to God.

1 Thessalonians 5:17  Pray continually; giving thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.”

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