All The Counsel of God

Probably not many of us see enough sunrises to enter into their secrets. I am not parading myself as an early riser, for I miss more sunrises than I see, but some that I have seen will abide in my heart forever. There is something about darkness giving way to light, the mystery of a new day being born, the eastern sky aflush, and then aflame, that lingers in the soul.
Sick people can tell us much about sunrises, for they have passed many a restless night longing for the break of day. They know what the Psalmist meant when he said, “My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning …” (Psalm 130:6). They understand Job when he said, “When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day?” (Job 7:4).
One who has passed sleepless morning hours may learn to “… meditate on thee in the night watches” (Psalm 63:6), to pray if he cannot sleep. He begins to understand why the saintly fathers rose early for a session with God. He knows why the New England Pilgrims prayed at sunrise.
Again, one thinks of Jacob wrestling with the angel and crossing Peniel at sunrise, limping but having power with God and men. Especially does one think of the Saviour, who, “… rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35). Evidently He found it good to wait on God while the world was waiting for the sunrise.
We are told that during Paul’s experience in the storm at sea “… they cast four anchors out… and wished for the day” (Acts 27:29). We are passing through one of the worst moral and spiritual hurricanes in history; multitudes are at sea, and many are wishing for the day. Whether on beds of pain or bowed down with sorrow or burdened with the uncertainty of today and dread of tomorrow, millions were never so weary of the night and so anxious for the day. Never have so many been homesick for Heaven. They have cast their anchor safe and sure and are waiting till the day dawns and the shadows flee away. “… weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
But so many dear souls are not sure about the sunrise. There is small comfort in a vague hope that “everything will turn out all right.” There is little solace in a mere optimism that “something will turn up.” Neither will dreams of a better world, a brotherhood of man welded together by politicians and diplomats, satisfy the soul.
In the account of one of the appearances of our risen Lord, it is stated, “… when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore …” (John 21:4). The Christian is looking for morning, but to him sunrise means Son-rise, it is the Son that brings the morning. “… to depart, and to be with Christ … ” (Philippians 1:23) is daybreak for the saint. Then he says good night here and says good morning up there.
I am thinking of another sunrise that is due some tomorrow. It is the sunrise the Saviour promised when He said, “… I will come again … ” (John 14:3 ). It is the sunrise promised at His ascension, “… this same Jesus … shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go …”(Acts 1:11 ). It is the sunrise Paul promised when he wrote, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God …” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). It is the sunrise that Peter promised when he said, “… the chief shepherd shall appear.” (1 Peter 5:4). It is the sunrise promised by John when he wrote, “… when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3 2). Christ is both Son and Sun, both Son of God and Sun of righteousness, of whom it was said that He should ” … arise with healing in his wings …” (Malachi 4:2). He was called “… the dayspring from on high …” (Luke 1:78), and Peter tells us to “… take heed …” unto prophecy ” … until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19). For the Son-rise, for the return of Christ, the world is waiting. Ruined by sin, it has never been happy and never will be until He shall reign whose right it is.
THE PHYSICAL WORLD IS WAITING FOR THE SUNRISE
“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:19-22). This world of tooth and claw, of thorn and thistle, of sweat and blood is a world that crashed because of sin. The animals that cringe in fear, the birds that furtively look around with every step they take, all proclaim a reign of terror that started with Adam and shall end when the Saviour shall redeem the earth, when the lion and lamb shall lie down together. The Scriptures describe such a blessed state, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed· ‘their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:6-9). Here is a picture of a world which we have never seen, but which we shall see after sunrise, when the night is past and the day has dawned.
THE POLITICAL WORLD IS WAITING FOR THE SUNRISE
The politicians do not know it, of course. They would try to make the day dawn by their efforts around conference tables, but the hope of a better day rests with only One, the Lord of Glory. Only in Christ can you ?ring men together. Capital and labour have no trouble when they meet m the Lord. When Boaz saluted his labourers by saying, “… The LORD be with you …”, and they answered, “… The LORD bless thee” (Ruth 2:4), they gave us then and there the only solution of the labour problem. When both parties love the Lord, they have no trouble. They have most trouble when starry-eyed idealists try to solve their problems. The rich man and the poor meet in Christ: there a Joseph of Arimathea stands on equal footing with fishermen disciples. The learned and unlearned meet in Christ, and an uneducated D. L. Moody can work with renowned scholars and theologians bound by a common love. National lines melt in Him, with whom “… there is neither Greek nor Jew … bond nor free … ” (Colossians 3:11).

The scattered pieces of this bleeding world can never be put together by any conference of experts. Only the return of our Lord holds the answer. There may be armistices and breathing spells while fresh confederacies form, but Christ alone will bring an end to dictators, just as He will bring an end to death and disease and depravity and the devil.
THE CHRISTIAN WORLD IS WAITING FOR THE SUNRISE.

“And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:23). The people of God are looking for the Lord. Certainly that was the New Testament attitude, not only readiness but also expectancy, anticipation. They were not merely looking for something to happen, they were looking for Someone to come, “… to wait for his Son from heaven …” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). ” … unto them that look for him shall he appear…. ” (Hebrews 9:28), that is the note of early Christianity. The Christian who understands his Bible is looking for the sunrise because he is looking for the Sun! Men may call him a pessimist, but he is looking for morning, not night. He has the brightest outlook of all, for he is looking for a day when there shall be no night. He has the happiest hope in all the world, for he anticipates a day when all tears shall be wiped from our eyes. He has the surest hope, for back of it is the authority of God’s Word.

We are looking for “Sunrise Tomorrow,” and it might be today! For indeed “The night is far spent, the day is at hand …” (Romans 13:12).
Vance Havner

Genesis 1:13 – “And the evening and the morning were the third day.”

This is the first verse in the Bible that doesn’t mention God. It “just happens” to be verse thirteen, the number of rebellion. Genesis. 14:4 -“Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.”

Genesis 1:16 – “And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.”

The greater and lesser lights are the sun and the moon, which picture Christ and the church. Consequently, both Christ and the church are called the “light of the world” Matthew 5:14 – “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” John 8:12 – “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”. The church “rules” (spiritually) during the present church age night Luke 12:38 – “And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.”. Christ will rule during the coming millennial “day” (II Peter 3:8 – “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”) after He returns.

Genesis 1:20 – “And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.”

The first mention of “life” involves water explaining why physical birth is a water birth (John 3:5 – “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”; Proverbs.5:.15-18 -“Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.” Isaiah 48:1 – “Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.”). To be “born of water has nothing to do with baptism.

Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
Notice how God’s first sentence declares that atheism, pantheism, polytheism, fatalism, materialism and evolution are all dead wrong. It is taken for granted that God exists, that He is one God (as opposed to “gods” or “the gods”), that He had a specific plan of creation, that He is personally involved with His creation (read Genesis 1:1-31 ), that He created all matter, and that all of this happened suddenly, rather than evolving over billions of years. Genesis 1:1 is God’s rebuke to the so-called theory of evolution.

Genesis 1:2: “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”
What happen in Genesis 1:2 is further described 2 Peter 3:5-6, “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:” Note “waters” in Genesis 1:2.
Many Bible scholars are mistaken when they claim the flood in 2 Peter 3:5-6, is a reference to the flood of Noah.

I believe as Christians none of us like going through trials. However, what the words of God teach us is the times of severest trial have always been seasons of blessing to the people of God. The more fiercely the fires of persecution burn the stronger has faith waxed. So, too, it should be, and often has been, in individua lives. Opposition should cast us back more and more upon God. Persecution results in separating us from the world. Suffering ought to refine. The experience of the Psalmist was, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept Thy Word” (Ps. 119:67). May it prove true of writer and reader that “the more we are afflicted” the more shall we “grow” in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord.

The scriptures is full of examples that support the principal “the times of severest persecution and trial have always been seasons of blessing.”

Regarding the children of Israel in bondage in Egypt, the words of God say in Exodus 1:12, “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew….”

There arose great persecution over Stephen and result the believers were scattered and in Acts 11:19-21, the words of God say “Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.”

The of the greatest of example of this principle is Joseph, the son of Jacob. He was hated by his brothers. They sold him into slavery in Egypt. He was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and placed in prison. Through all this Joseph becomes very powerful in Egypt and hold a position in Egypt second only to Pharoah. Joseph saves his father, his brothers, and their family from starvation and a place is provided for Joseph and his family to live in the best place in Egypt, the land Goshen. After all is said and done Joseph tells his brothers, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” Genesis 50:20

My dear friend try to remember when going through a trial that God’s has allowed it. He is still in control, trust in Him, draw closest to Him and wait for the blessing.

Written by Isaac Watts

Did you know that “Joy to the World” was not written as a Christmas carol? In its original form, it had nothing to do with Christmas. It wasn’t even written to be a song.

Isaac Watts, who wrote “Joy to the World,” was one of the great hymn writers in church history, and nothing shows that better than the fact that he wrote one of his most famous hymns by accident. In 1719, Watts published a book or poems in which each poem was based on a Psalm. But rather than just translate the original Old Testament texts, he adjusted them to refer more explicitly to the work of Jesus as it had been revealed in the New Testament.

One of those poems was an adaptation of Psalm 98, “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.”

This Psalm looks forward to the day when the Lord will come to judge the world in righteousness. ln this hymn, Watts reinterpreted the Psalm to rejoice in the coming of the Christ as our Lord and Saviour.

More than a century later, the second half of this poem was slightly adapted and set to music to give us what has become one of the most famous of all Christmas carols, “Joy to the World.”

This hymn was sung to various tunes for many years. Then in 1839, Lowell Mason, a banker who happened to be quite interested in church music, published the tune that we now associate with “Joy to the World.”

Watts wrote some 600 hymns altogether and is considered to be the father of Christian hymnody. His hymns include such favourites as “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “O God, Our Help in Ages Past,” but the favourite of favourites is “Joy to the World.

The Gospel Standard

The word of the Lord IS right (Psalms 33:4). Every word of God IS pure (Proverbs 30:5). All scripture IS profitable (2 Timothy 3:16).

Though our perverse, modern society would seek to convince women that they can only know true happiness by casting off the yoke of God’s word, this is the very lie Satan told the first woman. The verses sited above are not just true of Biblical salvation, but of the Bible’s teachings in all matters of faith and practice.

In “the roll call of faith” found in Hebrews 11, God selects two women from Old Testament history. One is a single woman, Rahab. One is a married woman, Sarah. Thus, the wife of Abraham stands as God’s example to all married women who will live by faith.

She is set forth in 1 Peter 3:1-6 as the example to all women who are married to a man who is not obedient to the word of God. Let us examine carefully the meanings of the words used in the passage by the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 3:1, 4-6 says, Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Meek means mild of temper, not easily provoked or irritated, given to forbearance under injuries and provocations, softness of temper, yielding, specifically – submissive to the Divine will. It is the gracious ability to take wrong without being marked or ill affected thereby.

Are you meek?
Quiet is defined as a state of rest, not moving, without agitation, not exciting disorder or trouble, gentle, contented.
Does the Holy Spirit so control you that your spirit maintains its quietness despite the deeds or misdeeds of another?
Subjection means to be brought under control, power, dominion; subdued, regarding life, liberty and property.
While obey means to give ear to; to execute the commands of; to yield submission to, to comply with the orders of.
Sarah was in subjection and was obedient. She is God’s example to married women. Through all the misdeeds of her partner, she ably wore the ornaments that were so pleasing to the Lord. As we shall see in the sequel, she was given ample reason to mistrust Abraham but never did she have cause to mistrust God. Despite all she was forced to endure – and it was a lot – at the hand of her faltering husband, her confidence in the Lord kept her in a right relationship with her partner.
These instructions for blessing can only be carried out by one living by faith in God.

The context of 1 Peter 3:1-6 is a disobedient husband.
The likewise in verse 1 refers back to 1 Peter 2:18-25, where the Bible tells a slave to be subject to a froward master, and gives us the example of Christ being subject to His Father’s will despite mistreatment at the hands of evil men.

Consider the conditions under which Sarah was obedient to God by being submissive to her husband:
Genesis 12
Abraham left Ur, departed from family, and broke all ties.
Sarah obeyed
Genesis 13
Abraham went down to Egypt. He lies. He wrongly delivered Sarah into Pharaoh’s hand.
Sarah obeyed
Genesis 14
Abraham was off at war. He was gone a long time. She was left to manage all the household duties alone.
Sarah obeyed
Genesis 15
Abraham went off to worship God. He was busy building an altar. He stayed at this “church service” all night. Sarah was left home alone.
Sarah obeyed

Genesis 17
Abraham was promised a son. Sarah was 90 years old, childbirth and child rearing is hard enough for a young woman.
Sarah obeyed
Genesis 18
The Lord and two angels came to visit. Abraham sent Sarah into the kitchen to fix dinner. She missed out on the fellowship, conversation, etc.
Sarah obeyed.
Genesis 20
Abraham told Abimelech the same old lie. He cared only for himself. Sarah was again put in jeopardy.
Sarah obeyed.
Genesis 21
Abraham headed for Mount Moriah to put to death her only son.
Sarah obeyed.
When God chose Sarah for every married woman’s example, he not only chose a great woman, but one who did not enjoy what a modern woman would call an ideal marriage. In these chapters Abraham shows all the characteristics of a “typical man.” Praise God, Sarah seldom showed the characteristics of a “typical woman.”

The Christ-Honoring Commentary Series – The Book of Genesis – pgs. 193-196 –James W. Knox

IS GIVING

Christmas is a time for giving. God’s gift is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable- truly a “changeless Christ, in a changing world.” “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son … “ (John 3: 16). “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given … ” (Isaiah 9:6). “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

IS GAINING

Christmas is a time for gaining. Obtaining, acquiring, receiving. There is much gain in receiving when the gift is of value. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God … “ (John 1:12). “And of his fulness have all we received … ” (John 1:16). ” … but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain” (1 Corinthians 9:24).

IS GOING

Christmas is a time for going. Jesus Christ sets the pattern in always going to others. “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). ” … and took upon him the form of a servant … ” (Philippians 2:7). ” … Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16: 15). ” … give ye them to eat” (Matthew 14:16).

” … they saw the young child … “ (Matthew 2:11). To see is to worship; to worship is to be obedient; to be obedient is to do whatsoever He saith. May these truths become real to us in our attitude toward reaching the lost. ” … Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? … “ (Acts 9:6). This can be the most glorious, the most profitable, the most lasting Christmas we celebrate. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God … and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).

” … It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

The Gospel Standard

How few Christians understand what it means when the Word of God says, ” … the world … ” We think of creation, of this globe, but in Romans, God speaks of the world system- this world. Satan is its god and its prince. It reminds me of a large department store with many departments, and upstairs in the office is the manager. Satan is the manager of this great world system.

Its Religious Department: Any man or woman can go and enter into a little religion without Christ, get a good feeling, get excited, emotional, religious, and be as proud as is possible. They can be proud of that empty, cold, modernistic religion, but without Christ.

The Society World: People dress to kill, wear the latest fashions, and enjoy the glass, the ash trays, the dance, the vanity of it all, trying to outdo each other and acting as if they really had found happiness. Instead, they have that empty feeling- those wasted hours, unprofitable, and after all, nothing but a heartache, or a headache the next morning.

The Business World: Here is pretended concern over fellowmen, but each out there is only for self, promotion, and self exaltation.

The Sports World: Speed, action, and ungodliness are evident. We find foul language, seeking to put self forward, and prize fighters poor slaves of men, whose bodies are punched until the mind is foggy. Satan, the manager, causes the seasons to extend from baseball into hockey season, the hockey season into golf season, etc.
“They are idle,” cried Pharaoh. “Keep them busy, no straw, and yet the same number of bricks.” So today Satan takes away the straw from God’s people and cries, “They are idle; they want to be separated from this world so they can worship their God. Keep them busy, take away the straw so they have to work overtime -no time for prayer or Bible reading, not time for Christ, no time to sit at His feet to hear His Word.”

Such is the world, but why? Because sin is here, and because there is a spot in this very world in which we live where the world this present evil world- dared to nail the Christ of God to Calvary’s cross, choosing Barabbas, a robber, murderer, and gang-leader, in place of God’s Christ.

Such is the world that will soon feel the stroke of divine judgment. Thank God we are not of it, and we will be caught out of it before judgment falls, for we shall hear that shout, that voice of our Beloved!

The Gospel Standard

 Text: Genesis 28:10-22
 Intro:
o God often leads us through great trials in preparation for some greater service or blessings.
o Whenever bad things happen to a believer, God can bring good things out of them.
o Almost every person whom God used greatly, was first put through a wilderness experience in preparation and training for the best plan God had for them.
o God brings good out of evil for the person who loves God and seeks to do His will. – John 12:23-26
• In our sorrows, there are joys;
• In our crosses, there are crowns;
• In our miseries, there are mercies;
• In our losses, there are gains;
• In our disappointments, there are God’s appointments;
• In our contradictions, there are compensations.
o Question:
• What can we learn from Bible characters who went through wilderness trials and testings?
• Consider these Bible characters to see how good came out of trials so as to encourage us in difficulties:
 1. JACOB.
o After Jacob had fled from his home and his murderous brother Esau, he slept on a stony pillow (Genesis 28:11).
• In Jacob’s stony pillow he saw the Lord on top of a ladder leading to heaven. He received 5 promises from God.
• He called it the House o God, Bethel (v.17) and the Gate of Heaven.
• He made a four-fold vow and promised to give one-tenth of all that God gave him to God.
 2. JOSEPH.
o After spending about 10 years in jail, Joseph found that God was preparing him for the palace to do a mighty work of saving many people’s lives.
• Genesis 50:20; Psalm 105:17-22)
o He became second-in-charge of Egypt.
• Pharaoh changed his name to Zaphnath-Paaneah (Genesis 41:45) meaning ‘Revealer of secrets and Saviour of the world’.
o Joseph’s sufferings and exaltation became a wonderful prophetic picture of Jesus Christ’s future suffering and exaltation.
 3. MOSES in the wilderness in Exodus 3:1-4:13.
o Moses spent 40 years learning to be great in Pharaoh’s palace;
o Moses spent 40 years learning to be a nobody in the wilderness;
o Moses spent 40 years serving God doing a great work of delivering Israel from Egypt, receiving the 10 Commandments, writing Scripture, seeing God, and learning God’s Name ‘I AM’ (3:14,15).
 4. DAVID.
o David turned the taunts of Goliath into a great triumph.
• Goliath humiliated the Israelite army for 40 days.
• God used a little boy, David, to humiliate the Philistine army and win a great victory for God and Israel. (I Samuel 17:43-50).
• David experienced great suffering in being chased by Saul for many years through the wilderness.
• One day, God turned David’s suffering to great joy when he was crowned King of Israel.
o Question:
• What giants such as Goliath and Saul do we need to conquer by faith?
 5. ELIJAH.
o Elijah fled into the wilderness after being threatened with death by Jezebel.
o God encouraged Elijah by sending an angel to encourage him, giving him a new ministry and a new friend in Elisha to carry on his work, as well as a chariot ride to heaven without seeing death.
 6. PAUL.
o Paul’s two wilderness experiences led to great blessing:
• a) Paul spent three years in the Arabian desert, studying to get his doctrine clear (Galatians 1:17), which helped him in his preaching, his letters to the churches and his missionary journeys in the years to come.
o Lesson: Years spent in studying God’s Word and in learning to be a nobody are laying solid foundations for future service.
• b) Paul spent many years sacrificing, suffering and being persecuted on his missionary journeys and in jail (2 Corinthians 11:21-30), which led to:
 – many churches being started;
 – writing much of the New Testament which has blessed millions of Christians;
 – becoming a great example who inspired much soul winning, missionary activity,
 and was a model for future missionaries.
 7. JOHN.
o While banished to the isle of Patmos, John was given a glorious revelation of heaven, of the end of the age, and of eternity future. (Revelation 1:9).
• God sent him away from people, to give him the visions of Revelation.
• What seemed like a bad thing (his exile on Patmos), led to a very good thing of the book of Revelation being written.
o This book has given blessing and hope to millions of Christians’ lives.
• It has greatly informed believers on Christ’s return.
• It shows us the ultimate defeat of Satan and victory for believers at Christ’s coming.
 8. JESUS.
o Jesus had two main wilderness experiences:
• a) In Luke 4:1 the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil for 40 days.
 The result of His victory over Satan here was fame, power, glory and teaching God’s Word with power. (Luke 4:14,15,31,32).
• b) Jesus knew that the valley of suffering on the cross that He was to endure, would lead to the glory of His resurrection, ascension and final victory over sin and Satan.
 Conclusion:
o Question:
• What wilderness experiences or valleys are you going through?
o Answer:
• These can be the precursors to great blessings. (Romans 8:28).
• The way to cure despair is to give yourself to prayer, for prayer is the great cure of every ill.
• Sufferings and wilderness experiences for God’s best servants are part of our training for a bigger work for God.
o Question:
• Will you see wilderness experiences as being for your learning and future blessing?

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22)

Intro:
o Deception is one of Satan’s devices that he uses to trip up Christians in their walk with the Lord.
o We know from the Word of God that Satan is an imitator.
o He tries to trick the Christian and the rest of the world by imitating the things of God.
o The Apostle Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 2:11 not be ignorant of Satan’s devices lest he should get advantage of us.
o Definition of deceive: 1 archaic : ENSNARE 2 a obsolete : to be false to b archaic : to fail to fulfill 3 obsolete :
CHEAT 4 : to cause to accept as true or valid what is false or invalid 5 archaic : to while away intransitive verb : to practice deceit; also : to give a false impression
o synonyms DECEIVE, MISLEAD, DELUDE, BEGUILE mean to lead astray or frustrate usually by underhandedness. DECEIVE implies imposing a false idea or belief that causes ignorance, bewilderment, or helplessness .
MISLEAD implies a leading astray that may or may not be intentional .
DELUDE implies deceiving so thoroughly as to obscure the truth .
BEGUILE stresses the use of charm and persuasion in deceiving .
o This morning from the Word of God we want to see how a man can be deceived.

1. A man is deceived if he says that he has no sin – 1 John 1:8
2. A man is deceived when he thinks himself to be something when he is nothing. – Galatians 6:3
3. A man is deceived when he thinks himself to be wise with worldly wisdom – 1 Corinthians 3:18.
4. A man is deceived when he seems to be religious and does not bridle his tongue – James 1 :26
5. A man is deceived when he thinks that he will not reap what he sows – Galatians 6:7.
6. A man is deceived when he thinks that evil company will not corrupt good morals – 1 Corinthians 15:33
7. A man is deceived when he thinks that the unrighteous will inherit the kingdom of God – 1 Corinthians 6:9
   Conclusion:
   o Now Satan will try to deceive you to not pay attention to the Word of God.
   o The question is – Will you let him?