Summary of Sermon preached on Sunday, May 30, 2021
Introduction: Summary of Sermon preached on Sunday, May 30, 2021
This sermon talks about Abraham who “believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Genesis 15: 1 – 6). He believed in the Lord and it was counted to him for righteousness not because of any work that he did. We also believe in the Lord Jesus and it is counted to us for righteousness not because of any work that we have done (Romans 4: 1 – 8).
The “Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2: 10). This sermon talks about some deep things of God.
Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot now be sure of your salvation. Romans 8: 1 – 2: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Summary of Sermon preached on Sunday, May 30, 2021
We listened to a sermon titled “Lift Up Your Eyes”, CD # 980, preached by Brother Neal Frisby on 1/1/84 (AM).
In the sermon, Brother Frisby said:
You want to have active strong faith which will make you to be a strong believer; you do not want to have a weak type of faith.
Abraham was on the hill, like those that will be going in the translation.
Do not pitch your faith towards the easy road like Lot pitched his tent towards Sodom (Genesis 13: 12) – like the tribulation saints.
The spiritual faith of Abraham is the true seed of faith.
You can believe the Lord for whatever you want; you can believe the Lord for the work of the gospel.
The seed of Abraham has determined true faith.
The Lord talked about His coming, that it will be during the time when the Son of man is revealed; when the Lord Jesus is revealed as the eternal God.
Abraham “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11: 10).
We are now able to believe the Lord for salvation because of the faith of Abraham. It was counted to him for righteousness. All nations of the world are now blessed because of his faith.
Do not let anyone take your faith; it does not matter what anyone else may say; you hold onto your faith in the Lord.
Abraham was a rich man (Genesis 13: 2).
We are the seed of Abraham through faith.
The Lord told Abraham to lift up his eyes (Genesis 13: 14). This is similar to what the Lord said in John 4: 35: “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”
We are going into a new era of faith. We have the determination and we will stay with the Lord’s promises.
We are the real seed of faith. We know who Jesus is; we know what power He has and we have unending blessings from the Lord.
Set your goals on the Lord; these are the last days; His coming is soon.
They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever (Daniel 12: 3).
Do not let the devil steal your blessings.
I started the sermon:
Brother Frisby mentioned 7 elements of prayer in his sermon. We can find the 7 elements of prayer in Special Writing # 009:
“In the law of first mention (prayer) – 7 vital elements of prayer were practiced by Abraham. – First, “The Promise!” (Gen. 15:1) – (2) “The Petition.” (Verse 2) – (3) “Faith” (Verse 6) – (4) “Opposition of Satan!” (Verses 11, 12) – (5) “Delay in Answer” (Verse 13). “So we see there is a delay in some answers and when people become impatient they miss the blessing that would have been theirs!” – (6) “Miraculous Intervention” (Verse 17) – (7th) “Fulfillment” (Verse 18). “True to the promise and because of Abraham’s faith Israel entered the Promised Land 400 years later! Although there was a delay, unwavering faith did it!” – “So we see, the Bible reveals 7 precious elements of prayer for our benefit! And He that uses it will be wise!” – “Remember this work in prayer and the gospel harvest! – We must go to every creature! That is our plan!” (Mark 16:15) – “A regular systematic time of prayer is the first secret and step to God’s wonderful rewards!”
I read from Scroll # 96:
NOW ABRAHAM’S REVELATION SECRETS TO PROSPERITY – “He met the supreme test of obeying God, even if it cost him everything!” (Gen. 22:16-18) – “When he obeyed the Lord concerning his son, the Lord said, ‘by myself I have sworn,’ saith the Lord, ‘because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee.’ Because Abraham had obeyed, God promised him the very gates of the earth, that his seed would be as the stars in heaven in multitude! – By giving all, Abraham had gained all! – By seeking spiritual things, he received temperal things!” – “Jesus referred to this ‘hundred fold’ blessing!” (St. Mark 10:29-31) – “And what Jesus said will parallel Abraham’s revelation to us about prosperity! – You can find these truths in Gen. chaps. 12:1 thru chap. 14 and Gen. 22, Abraham’s supreme test!”
NOW NEXT – “Abraham forsook all to obey God – without question! – He refused to turn back in the midst of tests! – He did not seek wealth with sharp practices, but used faith and wisdom as Jacob was to learn later in life! – He refused the wealth of Sodom. (Gen. 14:23) They could not buy him as they did Lot for a time!” – “Abraham let God bless him by giving!” – “He was generous, prudent and honest. He believed in working, and by faith, for what he received! – But the outstanding thing of his life was he met the supreme test in obeying God about his son! – In his heart by faith, he knew the Lord would provide a better way even if He had to raise him to life again!” – “In obeying, he gained all!” – “Sometimes in the very last moment of a test God pours out a great blessing!”
ABRAHAM GIVES OFFERINGS AND TITHES (Gen. 14: 18-24) – Gen. 13:2, “says Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold.” (Gen. 24:35) – “And as the age closes the Lord will bring health and prosperity and will spread a cloud of light over thee for protection and guidance!” (Ps. 105:37-43) – “He will bless us until our work is finished in the harvest!” – “My prayer for my partners is that they will receive the manyfold blessings of the Lord in the days ahead as they rejoice in helping in this work!”
I continued with the sermon.
Genesis 15: 1 – 6: “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. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.”
Abraham (at this time called Abram) did not have a child, and yet, the Lord was telling him that his seed would be like the number of stars. He believed what the Lord told him. By this faith in the Lord, the Lord forgave him of his sins – because “he counted it to him for righteousness.”
The Lord changed his name to Abraham in Genesis 17: 1 – 5: “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.”
This Scripture states: “and God talked with him”. The Lord Jesus, hundreds of years later, was talking to the Jews. They were telling him that Abraham was their father. He told the Jews in John 8: 56 – 58: “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, Verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”
The Lord Jesus told the Jews that Abraham rejoiced to see Him. They did not realize that the Almighty God that talked to Abraham was the same person talking with them.
The Lord Jesus is the eternal God. Isaiah 9: 6: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Genesis 22: 1 – 18: “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”
You will notice that the Angel of the Lord was God. He stated Abraham did not withhold his son “from me.” He stated: “By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD”. He also stated: “That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed”.
Abraham knew that the Lord would have to perform a miracle because He had promised him that his seed would be like the number of stars.
Abraham kept his faith in the Lord. He told the two young men that went with them that he and Isaac would come back: “And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” Also, when Isaac asked him about the lamb that they would need for the sacrifice, his answer was: “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering”.
Romans 4: 1 – 8: “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS COUNTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. Saying, BLESSED ARE THEY WHOSE INIQUITIES ARE FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS ARE COVERED. BLESSED IS THE MAN TO WHOM THE LORD WILL NOT IMPUTE SIN.”
Verses 13 and 14: “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect”.
Abraham believed the Lord and it was counted to him for righteousness, and not because of any work that he did. We also believe the Lord Jesus and it is counted to us for righteousness, the forgiveness of our sins, and not because of any work that we have done.
Ephesians 2: 8 – 9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
The Lord God, as the Lord Jesus Christ, paid the price for our salvation on the cross and “whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3: 15).
Colossians 1: 14: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins”.
We shall receive a crown of righteousness hereafter because our faith is counted to us for righteousness.
2 Timothy 4: 6 – 8: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
All those who truly believe in the Lord Jesus for salvation shall be glorified and translated. John 11: 25 – 26: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this?”
Romans 5: 1 – 2: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 2: 10: “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”
We can talk about the deep things of God because we now “have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
What are some of the deep things of God?
We can talk about Scroll # 43: THE ELECT SPIRITS WHICH WERE PART OF GOD, BEFORE THE ELECT BODY WAS CREATED – The real you (the spiritual part) was with God before it was appointed a body upon the earth through seed. There is a fleshly seed and a spiritual seed which was united! The real eternal spirit which God gives His saints had no beginning and has no end and is like unto God!
It means for a child of God, the spirit that God put in you, that makes you to be alive, is from Him. It was part of God. It “had no beginning and has no end and is like unto God!”
We can talk about Revelation 2: 17: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”
When you get to heaven, you will receive more revelation of the Lord Jesus, you will receive great secrets, you will have a deeper walk with the Lord. You will have knowledge of the secrets of God, some of which are hidden from the Angels. You will receive a new name, which no one else will know, but only you and the Lord. This new name will let you reach out and do things in the kingdom of God.
We can talk about Scroll # 154: ANGELS AND THE ELECT – “Men have often wondered when their bodies are glorified and changed how will they rank with the angels? – In the world to come, the righteous are equal to angels! (Luke 20: 36) – In some respects and ways the redeemed will excel angels; for the overcomers will be the ‘very bride’ of Christ! – A privilege which is not given to angels! There is no higher position for created beings than those in the Bride of Christ!” (Rev. 19: 7-9)
Angels in heaven did not sin and the Lord did not have to give His life for them. The eternal God, the Lord Jesus, took on flesh and blood, became lower than the Angels, and gave His life for us. There is no greater love than this. Through salvation, we are now the ‘very bride’ of Christ. We will be the highest group in heaven. We will have the most to be thankful for in heaven.
We can talk about Scroll # 244: BEAUTIFUL CITIES – Jesus, you are more than this who created all the beauty around us and the awesome heavens, universes and stars! One day beside the Holy City we will see beautiful cities and places of such wonder of thy creation! Besides the stars and heavens you have created magnificent things that we have not seen! “Beautiful colors of icy wonder like, of spiritual fires and lights of such beauty, and creatures likewise of such formation that we will be amazed and startled by such a creator of so many more things that can not be mentioned and are without number! Such glorious spiritual colors never seen or beheld by man’s eyes!” Surely and definitely many marvelous mysteries await us that love Him! Literally more than trillions of creations will He unveil to His chosen! – After this was revealed to me I wondered how to unveil it and then I remembered God’s Word that could have to do with the millennium. (Luke 19: 16-19) But also may involve what was told. Nevertheless the elect are in for many surprises that eye hath not seen!
In addition to the awesome heavens, universes and stars, we will see “beautiful cities” – not just one city, but “cities”, that the Lord has also created. We will see the Holy City (the new Jerusalem). We will see beautiful colors of icy wonder like; we will see glorious spiritual colors; we will see spiritual fires and lights of such beauty; we will see creatures of such formation that we currently have no idea about. We will be startled by such a creator. What he has created are without number. We will see more than trillions of His creations.
We can talk about Ephesians 2: 7: “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”
It means throughout eternity, the Almighty God will still be talking about His great kindness towards us by Him coming personally to die for our sins as the Lord Jesus Christ. This is “the gift of God” to us.
Do not let anyone tell you that you cannot now be sure of your salvation. Romans 8: 1-2: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Josephus Oluwatoyin Thomas
www.gospelwordministry.com