Bible Lesson 233
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Matthew 5:6
Most of us has at one time (some more than others) have been hungry and thirsty and we know that an unquenched thirst and hunger will occupy our hearts and minds. Have you ever been hungry and thirsty for God’ Many have hungered for the benefits of God; but actually, rejected that manna from heaven, which for us is the truth of the Gospel. brobob
How many people in America know the Truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth’ If we knew the answer conclusively, it would probably disappoint us all. We do not seek the truth as we should because in many cases we have been convinced of the devils lies.
We do not know the truth because our quest for truth will cause us pain when we find out for the first time what wretched sinners we are and what God has done to redeem us from sin in salvation. We are too busy with things of the world, to abide in The Word of God. (John 8:31-36).
So many congregations are resting on laurels that they really do not possess. They think that because some church congregation has received them into their fellowship, that they are children of God.
Actually, the majority of people who have any connection with religion today will tell you that we are all God’s children. That is manifestly an error that will cause thousands to end up in hell instead of heaven.
Pastors and church leaders all too often are not as proficient as they should be in the Gospel of the Kingdom, and they fail to encourage people to be hungry and thirsty for righteousness.
There is not a concerted effort to know the Truth of God’s Word. Everyone is too involved in things of the world to really study the Word of God. Too many Super Bowl Sundays, ball games and frivolous things that occupy our hearts, minds and souls.
Many even think that because they have regularly attended their church, that they know all they need to know. But what about those who seem to know the answers to the questions, but they have no idea about what the question was.
What about those who walk around proclaiming that Jesus (God loves everybody)’ Is that what you believe’ If it is then you have been confused by what you have heard. Get hungry and thirst for righteousness, and you may find that Jesus Christ says that it is only those who love Him enough to obey Him, that He and His Father love. Does that make you hungry enough to begin to study your Bible’
You will find the answer to the question in the book of John 14:21-24. Maybe you have been taught that Jesus Christ died for everyone and all we have to do is to decide to be saved and that obligates God to save us; but you can’t find that in your Bible either. We are told in Hebrews 5:8-9, that Christ died to save those who would obey him.
I am afraid that we have been in too big of a hurry to get people saved and our church pews filled, and enough in the offering to pay the light bill, and not really concerned for lost souls. The church has no warrant to do any of that; but what we are commanded to do is to ‘Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.’ We have nothing other than that to do. We are not commanded to sit and enjoy sermons that lead us away from the truths of God.
It is so obvious that we have been fed the husks that the prodigal son got enough of, but he got up and got out of the pig pen of the world and its ungodliness and went back to beg forgiveness from his father. Read this scripture’.(Luke 15:11-32). We are saved by a Gracious and Merciful God who paid our sin debt by going to the cross in human flesh (Jesus Christ); where He was nailed to suffer, bleed and die to buy us out of hell.
Those who have been called out of the world, and predestined to be saved and obey Christ, serve a living Savior because we know that the grave where they laid Him was empty on the third day, and He has promised us that He was coming back one day to repay those who have refused His free gift of eternal life in heaven, and to receive those of us who have believed enough to love, obey and look for His return, to gather us and take us to heaven to be with Him forever.
I realize that to many that kind of truth is not welcome, but that’s all that God has called me to do. If you can’t abide the truth then in all probability you are satisfied with your present position but know right now, that we are never to change or rephrase, or adjust the meanings that God left for us in His Word the Bible. When was the last time that you had a lengthy discussion with anyone about the Bible’ I mean a serious discussion that dealt with truth and error. Not many in our congregations today know enough to really discuss it with you.
There are many who would tell you that they have always been good; however, good has never been good enough for God. We all begin our lives on this earth at war with God. We are not simply kind of on his bad side, we are under His wrath. We, if we are ever saved, must be called by God to His Son Jesus Christ. Then God justifies and then He glorifies us. In that process we are put to death in Christ, buried with Christ, and raised with Christ to do good works. Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 6:1-14; Romans 8:28-30. That is enough to make you wake up and begin to desire the food of God, which in it’s essence is Jesus Christ. Think seriously about this
Until next time,
may God bless and keep you
This is Bro. Bob