Whose We Are Ephesians 2: 10

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                          (For we are His workmanship,)

            1.            We were first thought of by Him.

                           Ch. 1:  4, 5  predestinated us unto the adoption of children...

            2.            We were literally chosen by Him.

                           adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself.

            3.            We owe to Him the very existence of our life.

            4.            We have His identification.

                           Ch. 1:  13  sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise

            5.            We are to honor Christ.

            6.            We are made for His glory.

                           Ch. 1:  12  That we should be to the  praise of His glory, ...

            7.            He is free to fashion us according to His own design and plan.

The Call for Rejoicing Psalms 33: 21

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(For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy

name.)

1. Rejoicing has as its basis the fact that we are in Christ.

2. Rejoicing is the call of our faith.

3. Rejoicing is the surrender of our heart to His divine wisdom.

4. Rejoicing must of necessity be Christ centered.

5. Rejoicing is only possible when trust is present.

6. Rejoicing acknowledges the trustworthiness of God.

7. Rejoicing can be the heart’s true and total focus because of the holiness

of God.

The First Thanksgiving Exodus 12 +

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                       Some of the many thanksgivings:

            1.        They were together as a people enjoying the blessings of God on their 

                        families.                                     

                        They were the recipients of God’s increase. God was in fact at work on His plan

                        for them.

                        Exodus 1: 9

            2.         The manifest power of God shown them through the plagues and God’s 

                         sovereign protection.

                         Exodus 5-11

            3.          God’s remembrance.   Exodus 12

                         God remembered His covenant.  God keeps His covenant.

                         God comes to/for His people.   He brings the deliverance of His word. 

                         God always knows where His people are. He can find His people.

                         This is a great insight in discovery of God’s will for one’s life.

7, 13,    4.         God’s redemptive covering- the blood

23,29               The believer’s liberties come from the Savior. They cannot be taken away. 

                          The believer has liberty from sin, from its guilt, its influence, and from the 
devil or man using sin against him.

v.23,     5.        God’s total deliverance from evil.

  31, 32              from the judgment which is to fall on evil  v.12

                          from the work of the destroyer against your home,

                          from the grasp and hold of evil,

                          God literally delivers the believer unto Himself.

                          Evil fears God. v. 33

                          God’s rule over evil.

                          God’s convincing of evil.

40,41    6.        The supremacy of God’s control.  God is in time/on time/His time.

                          There is more at stake that God’s people realize-God is keeping His 

                          word and will..           

13:3,    7.          The strength of God’s hand; the eternal tie of God’s people to the 

                          strength of God’s hand.

  14

                          Pictured through the wilderness wanderings.

            8.           The totality of God's commitment and care for His people, no matter the need.

                          God met every need they had.

            9.            The sufficiency of Gods guidance to His own. To the new testament believer 

                           Jesus  is always the way.

                           cloud by day, fire by night.

                           God knows the way and reveals truth to His people for their guidance.

            10.          God's unwavering loyalty to His people. God chose to tabernacle with His 
                           people.
                          God never departed from or left His people. He didn’t leave them in the
                          wilderness wanderings

            11.         God's willingness to teach His people eternal truths.
                          Old testament commandments

                          New testament truths.

            12.         God's willingness to use His people to speak through to the nations.

                          Israel is still a messenger.  The church is salt and light to the world.

            13.        The fulfillment of God's word- planting Israel in Canaan.

                         God preserved and protected Israel so they might have His possession.
                        This is precisely the work of Christ in the new testament believer, preserving
                         believer privilege to know Christ and partake of Him.

12: 25,  14.      The privilege of identity with God and His Son.

  26, 42            the accompaniment of His testimony of righteousness.

                          ordinances of remembrance

                          ordinances of worship

                          priesthood privileges- prayer, study, gifts of the spirit, worship and praise;

God is Not a Man Numbers 23: 19

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1) Any deficiencies attributed to man cannot be attributed to God.

(God is not a man.

2) Every expression of God is an expression of truth.

(that He should lie;)

3) Only those who commit transgression must repent. God is not included in that number.

(neither the son of man, that he should repent.)

4) Only those below the level of highest authority are subject to repentance. The rule maker rules over the rules.

(the son of man, that He should repent.)

5) God utters no idle nor powerless words.

(Hath He said, and shall He not do it?)

6) God does not express Himself without purpose.

(or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?)

7) God is not subject to any others’ dictates of pressures.

(God is not a man, …)

Loving God Mark 12: 30

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(And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:)

1. It is a decision to be made.

2. It is a commitment to be kept.

3. It is an honor to be bestowed.

4. It is a testimony to be shown.

5. It is a life to be kept alive.

6. It is a love beyond man's measure.

7. It is a privilege to be enjoyed.

God's Sure Word Numbers 23: 19

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(…Hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He

not make it good?)

1. God’s word is infallible.

2. God’s word is unfailing.

3. God’s word is intentional.

What God said He intended to say.

4. God’s word is secured by God’s own integrity.

Heb. 6: 18

5. God’s word is sealed with purity.

6. God’s word is kept by God.

7. God’s word is complete.

It has no lack.

Keep your Eyes on the Promisor Genesis 37+

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Jesus is the promisor.

37:8 1) When others doubt, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us?)

37:20-28 2) When others do all manner of evil against you, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites)

39: 1 3) When uncertainty abounds, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; ... )

39: 2,3,5 4) When blessings abound, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man;)

Men are tempted to put their eyes on themselves when blessing comes.

39: 12 5) When evil pursues, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me:)

39: 29 6) When unjustness arises, keep your eyes on the promisor.

( ••• And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison,)

40: 1 7) When time has forgotten what God said, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(And it came to pass after these things,)

40:8; 41: 1 8) When there is a gap between honor and reward, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(Do not interpretations belong to God?) 

(And it came to pass at the end of two full years, ••• )

The true honor comes in acknowledging God. That is the believer’s honor (and privilege).

No other honor has to follow, although it may and likely will.

40: 14; 41: 1 9) When there is opportunity to choose growth or discouragement, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, ••• )

41: 14 10) When opportunity of ministry arrives, keep your eyes on the promisor. 

(Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph,)

 41:39,40 11) When a spiritual challenge is issued, keep your eyes on the promisor. 

(Forasmuch as God hath shown thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art. Thou shalt be over my house, …)

41:48 12) When God speaks of things to come, keep your eyes on the promisor.

 (And he gathered up all the food of the seven years,)

Christians miss so much here. When God speaks He is revealing how to live.

Our day is a day of instant thrill, of pleasure, of preprogrammed expectancy of bigger and better things.

We don’t look to God much for His understanding of the future.

41: 54 13) When peril comes, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(And the seven years of famine began to came, ••• )

41: 55 14) When power of influence comes, keep your eyes on the promisor. 
( … Go unto Joseph; What he saith to you, do.)

42:6 15) When God's promise is fulfilled, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(And Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him)

45:4 16) When opportunities of spiritual reconciliation mature, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(I am Joseph, your brother, ..• for God did send me before you to preserve life.)

45:8 17) When credit is due the right source, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(So now it was not you that sent me here, but God;)

We must credit God!

47: 6 18) When God's goodness continues to abound, keep your eyes on the priomisor.

(The land of Egypt is before thee, in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell;… )

48: 4 19) When there is yet more faith at stake, keep your eyes on the promisor. 

 (Behold I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, ... and will ~ ~,.give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession,) (v. 3 Jacob said unto Joseph …)

48: 18 20) When the desire of your own heart is unmet, keep your eyes on the promisor. 

(And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father; for this is the firstborn; )

Jacob set Ephraim before Manasseh (first born).

50:24,25 21) When departure from this life is at hand, keep your eyes on the promisor.

(And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die; ••• ye shall surely carry up my bones from here.)

God's Truth III Numbers 23: 19

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Otherwise, without it:

1. A believer would be vulnerable to deception- his own and others'.

(lie; ...repent ...)

2. A believer could have no victory over sin.

(neither the son of man,)

3. A believer could never have assurance of being right.

(repent)

4. A believer's hope would never be upheld.

(hath He said, ...)

5. A believer's life would be volatile.

(and shall He not do it? ...)

6. A believer's faith would be removed.

(and shall he not make it good?)

v.20 7. A believer would be without God's blessing.

(Behold, I have received commandment to bless:  and He hath blessed; ...)

The Yoke of Christ Matthew 11: 29, 30

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v.29            1.       Designed to fit your life.

                               (my yoke upon you)

v.29            2.       Custom made for your size.

                               (my yoke upon you)

v.30            3.        Proven through actual service.

                               (for my yoke is easy)

v.30            4.        Enables and encourages fruitful labor.

                                (easy)

v.30            5.        Doesn’t consume excess energy.

                                (light)

v.30            6.        Leads to spiritual accomplishment- God honoring and sweet fellowship.

                                (for my yoke is easy and my burden is light)

v.30            7.        Attributes to Christ a fitting testimony of sufficiency.

                               (For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.)