Unto You, Oh God

Psalm 75:1

Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, [unto thee] do we give thanks: for [that] thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

Unto You, oh God, do we give thanks,
That Your name is near, Your wondrous works declare.
Unto You, oh God, do we give thanks,
That Your name is near, Your wondrous works declare.

Unto You, oh God- unto You, oh God,
Unto You, oh God- unto You, oh God.
Unto You, oh God- unto You, oh God,
Unto You, oh God- unto You, oh God.

God, the Lord, we thank You- that Your name is near.
We thank You for the wonders that You do.
God, the Lord, we thank You- that Your name is near.
We declare Your wondrous works, oh God, to You.

Unto You, oh God- unto You, oh God,
Unto You, oh God- unto You, oh God.
Unto You, oh God- unto You, oh God,
Unto You, oh God- unto You, oh God.

mp3 file

Acts 5 Summary - "they ceased not"

Outline

v1-11 You've not lied to men, but to God.
v12-16 "...they were healed every one."
v17-25 "early in the morning"
v26-33 "witnesses of these things"
v34-39 "if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to" [nothing]
v40-41 "worthy to suffer"
v42 "they ceased not"

Meaning

Acts 5:30,31 There are certain things 4 us to tell people, that will turn them to righteousness.

1Cor 1:18 That preaching is foolishness to them which perish, so that tempts us to cease, because we know we would look foolish and suffer shame.

Daniel 12:3 The reward we've been promised is worth suffering for.

The reason were counted worthy to suffer shame, was because Jesus Christ was what they taught and preached, and that's His name. We have a chance that we could be counted, *worthy to suffer*.

Application

v42 Have you ceased to teach and preach Jesus Christ? "...they ceased not."

There are people every day that you can tell the good news, without even knocking on a door.

What do you teach and preach? Make sure that Jesus Christ is what you're teaching and preaching.

Are you threatened? Or beaten? Don't cease.

Do you suffer? Rejoice.

3 great things

Here are 3 great things the Lord has done for me.

1. God saved me! Romans 10:13
2. Jesus Christ the Lord has forgiven my sins! Psalm 32:1
3. He has given me great and precious promises. Jeremiah 33:3

Fear him Not

Fear him not,
For I have delivered him into your hand,

And all his people,
And all his land.

From Number 21:34. mp3 file

Profitable Delight

There is "profit" in delighting yourself in the Lord. (See the thing Elihu rebuked Job for.)

"all the best"

Numbers 18:12

All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.

The Lord said to Aaron, "All the best... and all the best... them have I given thee."

This isn't to a person who's better than other people, or has done anything good to deserve any good. This is to the one He chose, in His own mercy, to set His Love upon.

The Lord, in His great Love and kindness to us, isn't secretly keeping back something for Himself that would be good in any way for us. Instead, as He has promised, He gives us (and even gave up, on the cross, as Jesus Christ,) "all the best."

I have to warn you.

Romans 1:18

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

You can't say, you won't be judged, because God Loves and forgives. All naughtiness makes God very mad.

Romans 2:16

In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

There's a day coming when God will judge. He knows all of the secret thoughts and intentions of your heart. They will be judged by Jesus Christ, and according to the gospel.

Good News Double Feature

Two Reasons The Gospel is Good News

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1. We can be saved from everlasting torture to death in the lake of fire.

The wages of sin is death. Read Luke 16:19-26.

Luke16:23,24

And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

The rich man was "in torments" in Hell. He was being tortured in a flame. That's what's going to happen to the unsaved- torture. forever.

Isaiah 66:24

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

The naughty people will be such bad dead bodies that they'll be hated. They'll be eaten by worms that will never die, and they will be burned by fire that will never be put out.

That's what Jesus saves from. Is that good news? The first reason the gospel is good news, is that we can be saved from everlasting torture to death in the lake of fire.

2. We can receive Jesus Christ, a much better prize than all good things.

The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Genesis 15:1

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I [am] thy shield, [and] thy exceeding great reward.

Read Rev19:7-9., Rev21:1-11. 1Cor2:9 eye has not seen... Rom8:18 sufferings of present time... Eph2:7 ...exceeding riches...

The gospel isn't just good news because we're saved from Hell. Not only are we saved from torture, but we receive a prize instead. All the fun God has given us here, is just a witness of His own Goodness. The prize we receive by Jesus Christ, is Himself, which is a far better prize than any other thing.

Psalm 16:11

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore.

He Spake Unto Him

Numbers 7:89

And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that [was] upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

First, notice from where Moses heard the voice. It was from off the mercy seat. Isn't our Lord merciful? I just know that if you're a believer, you know what I'm talking about. Thank You, Lord, for Your mercy.

Just notice that it says "...He spake unto him." I've been praying and asking the Lord to help me understand what I read in the Bible. I don't just want to read this and that and be confused and wonder what it could mean to me today. I want to know what to do about it. The Lord has been answering those prayers and giving me what I've asked for- the Lord has been speaking to me. How about you?

Acts 3 Summary

Outline

v1-7 Give What You Have
v8-10 Jump Up to Praise the Lord
v11-12 Not Our Own Power or Holiness
v13-15 The Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
v16 Faith in His Name
v17,18 Jesus Fulfilled the Scriptures
v19 Repent (Which Means, Change Your Mind)
v20-26 Jesus Turning You Away From Your Wickedness

Meaning

Salvation:
v12 It's not by our own power or holiness.
v16 It is by believing in Jesus.

v13-15 Our sin is responsible for Jesus' death.

v17 Be warned if we Christians sin, it's not through ignorance like this, because we know better. (Hebrews 10:26,27)

Application

v6 Many times something I've thought is little has opened up into a great opportunity when I just did what I could. There are things that we know the Lord has told us to do, and we just need to do them. Give what you have.

v8 This should be the kind of attitude we have. We should "jump up to praise the Lord."

What are we supposed to preach when we preach the gospel?
v13-15 Tell who Jesus is, and tell His death and resurrection.

v19 We should tell people to turn away from not believing, and to change their minds to faith in Jesus (v16.)

Historical Posts

Just this morning, I posted these notes from last year.

• Be Not Weary in Well Doing
• The Great Mystery

Fear, Not Oppress

Leviticus 25:17

Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I [am] the LORD your God.

Fearing the Lord is opposed to oppressing 1 another and ruling with rigor, over the brethren who are your servants. We must fear the Lord instead of doing these things.

Leviticus 25:43

Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God.

It reminds me of the verses that teach that if you say you Love God, then you should also Love your brother.

Do all that the Lord has Commanded

Numbers 1:1

And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first [day] of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

The Lord has said something.

Number 1:54

And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

We should do all that the Lord has commanded.

The Lord Didn't Forget the Poor

Leviticus 27:8

But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.

The Lord didn't forget the poor. Praise Him, He doesn't forget me.

I shouldn't forget the poor.

The Lord Speaks to His Servant

Leviticus 27:1

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying...

The Lord spoke to His servant. The Lord speaks directly to me.