July 21, 2019
Hymn 355 - Safe in Christ, the weakest child
Prayer
Psalm 115
We should give God glory for anything we do. He gave us the abilities to do anything. We shouldn’t be proud about it.
The heathen were asking where Israel’s God was most likely because Israel wasn’t being faithful. We know that God is unseen. By faith we know God is in heaven. The heathens had idols that they could see. Their idols were man made but our God is living. God told the children of Israel in the 10 commandments not to worship idols. Before the 10 commandments Israel had had Aaron make them a golden calf. It had no power; it was man made. Since then there have been many battles between God and idols. Remember Elijah on mount Carmel. When God went against Baal and the prophets of Baal. There are a lot of other times idols are mentioned in the Bible. The Israelites were surrounded by them and eventually King Solomon brought them into the land.
Paul talked about idols in his letters. He converted many people from idol worship to worshiping the living God. In Colossians he talked about the way they use to live and how it was idolatry. If something is taking the place of God in our lives it’s basically an idol. We need to be careful for that. God wants our full heart.
God is our help and shield. He is the one we can turn to. He will protect you. An idol can’t do these things.
God is the one who blesses. We are thankful for his care in the past and trust him for the future.
God would like your full heart. He wants to bless you, help you, and protect you.
John 13:36-14:31
Peter in weakness didn’t think he was that weak, but he was. His question, though, shows that he caught on to what Jesus was saying. As the Lord’s people, we want to follow the Lord. Peter thought he could, but Jesus was going to death to bear punishment for sin. None of God’s people need to do that. Peter didn’t follow Him in death, but he did follow Him in His work.
John 21:19
Peter said he would lay down his life for Jesus, but Jesus was laying down His life for Peter and all of us. He went though something Peter couldn’t have.
we read of the signal of the cock crowing. That should have warned him, but it didn’t and he wept bitterly.
Jesus had spoken of His troubled heart. He went through the sorrow, shame and grief so we wouldn’t have to. He wanted them to have joy and peace when He was about to face trial. No other religion has that.
Jesus and His Father are one. Jesus as God in the flesh. He tells them He’s prepared a place for them. He wants to make them heavenly people. He had to go to do it, but He has to come back to take us there. He had to accomplish the work of the cross before we could be fit to have a place. Every stain of sin must be removed. We need to be as fit for heaven as He is. He’s coming again to take us - that is His promise. He’s coming Himself. We can see this in the example of Isaac going to meet Rebecca.
Jesus made it so plain to His own little band. The cost He paid and He’s coming again was all wonderful news, but Thomas was just wondering how they would know.
It is hard for us to enter into this - being in the presence of Jesus. The Apostle Paul couldn’t talk about it after he saw it.
Hymn 200 ‘Tis the hope of His coming
Prayer