The Preacher

Grace and Working Together 

2 CORINTHIANS 6:1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.  

Our salvation and our ability to serve God is not because of our own efforts or merits, it is a gift that is bestowed upon us by God's Grace which is unmerited favour and love.

By grace we have received salvation by repenting and trusting in Jesus. We have been born again. But this is not a license or liberty to sin. ROMANS 6:15.JAMES 4:6.

TITUS 2:11-12.11For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12Teaching us, that denying ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and piously, in this present world;

Yes we obtain God’s grace for salvation, but also to walk and live in the spirit. Important that we do not receive God's grace in vain. We are transformed by the grace God.

JOHN 10:27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

To follow God we put him first. And we live live our lives according to His Word. 

28 And I give to them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

PHILLIPIANS 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him NLT  1 CORINTHIANS 15:10 1 CORINTHIANS 3:10.

The Apostle Paul acknowledged  that God’s grace enabled him to perform his God given assignment. We are to do the same.

1 PETER 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. WBT. 

As saints we have the responsibility to make use of what God has given us. We are stewards of God. To use our gifts to serve each other. We have to allow God to work through us by submitting to him.

ACTS 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

And finally there is a grace to obtain at the end.

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. New Heart English Bible

Grace to come God' divine favour to give us eternal life. And a resurrected glorified body. To be with Jesus evermore. Final salvation.

Can these dry Bones Live

Can these dry Bones Live EZEKIEL 37:1-5

EZEKIEL 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, 

The hand of the LORD: A powerful presence of the spirit is upon the prophet to give divine Revelation. The hand of the lord can also denote God's divine favour, blessing, power and presence. 

In ACTS 11:21 the saints who had been scattered abroad did not become dry or turn away from the Lord. Instead they were living for God and God used them to bring souls into the Kingdom. 

The Hand of the Lord was with them. The Power of God was working on them and through them. 

ACTS 11:21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. New Heart English Bible

EZEKIEL 37:2 And caused me to pass by them around: and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and lo, they were very dry. 

Dry bones  can speak of people in the Nt. Who prior to conversion were dead in sin without the living water Jesus. Ephesians 2:1.

Ephesians 2:1 And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins, American Standard Version

I JOHN 5:12 reveals if we do not have the son we are dead without spiritual life.

1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. American Standard Version

However if we live a sinful life after being converted and do not repent we become dry bones.

Sin can cause us to feel dry because we are living for ourselves instead of living for God. ROMANS 6:16.

ROMANS 6:16. Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. New Living Translation

EZEKIEL 37:3 And he said to me, Son of man, can these bones live? and I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. 

And the prodigal son who returned came back to life because he was once dead in his sins.

LUKE 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Webster's Bible Translation

if we humble ourselves and confess and repent of our sins we can come alive for God and begin to walk in the newness of life. And experience the manifestation of God's power in our life.

Need to pray and fast for lost souls and those who have backslidden. That the Lord can save them. And that those who left the faith can return to the Lord.

EZEKIEL 37:4 Again he said to me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say to them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 

We can be dry in a spiritual sense we can feel distant from God and feel we are not growing spiritually. 

But dryness for the Christian may not always be because of sin. One might feel they are not growing in a church. Or they are spiritually struggling. And leave for A church where they can get fed with the word and spiritually inspired to  grow.

One could be dry due to the effect of some sickness. Or they may not have had encouragement from saints in there trials, difficulties and challenges. It might be they have been oppressed by legalism.

When we are dry in Church we need to hear the Word of the Lord to uplift us, direct us and enlighten us. As well as studying and knowing the Word of God for ourselves. 

We need to be in right relationship with God that we can be transformed to become more  Christlike. 

Isaiah 48:17: Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go. 

New Heart English Bible

EZEKIEL 37:5 Thus saith the Lord GOD to these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:  Webster Bible Translation 

If we have  sinned  and left our first love God can revive us and makes alive by walking in the newness of life.

ROMANS 8:6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. NLT

The Valley of Dry Bones

The Valley of Dry Bones; Ezekiel 37:1-14

Dry Bones Meaning: Dry bones indicated that Israel as a nation has been dead a long time.

From a human standpoint when something has been dead a long time all hope is lost of something coming alive again. As we see in Ezekiel 37:11.

Ezekiel 37:11 Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: look, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are completely cut off.'

New Heart English Bible.

Israel was in exile not in her own land serving God. There will be a national resurrection at the end of the Great tribulation for the House of Israel.  

Ezekiel 37:14I will put my Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land: and you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,' says the LORD."

Zechariah 12:10“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died. NLT

Zechariah 12:10 partially fulfilled in John 19:36-37. "They will look on me whom they have pierced" awaits ultimate fulfilment at the end of the Great tribulation.

It seems the present nation of Israel since 1948 with Jews returning to Israel is a partial fulfilment. They are back in the Land but have not repented as a whole nation to accept Jesus. The bible shows Jews are in Israel during the tribulation period. Zechariah 14:1-5. Zechariah 12:10. Jeremiah 30:7 and Daniel 12:1.

It seems some Jews will be brought back to Israel when the Lord returns. Isaiah 11:12

Ezekiel 37:1-14 is about the future of the nation of Israel being restored back to God.

As we see in Romans 11:26-27. 

Romans 11:26 and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, "There will come out of Zion the Deliverer; he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

27This is my covenant to them, when I will take away their sins."

Note how David was dead when Ezekiel spoke this future prophesy.

Ezekiel 37:24 My servant David shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my ordinances, and observe my statutes, and do them. 

Ezekiel 37:25 They shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob my servant, in which your fathers lived; and they shall dwell in it, they, and their children, and their children's children, forever: and David my servant shall be their prince for ever.

Jesus is king and prince of peace.

Some feel David will be resurrected during the millennium to reign. But I agree with those who say David sometimes refers to Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus is not David and John the Baptist his not Elijah but John the Baptist can be called Elijah.And Jesus sometimes prophetically called David. Jesus his the Son of David.

"and my servant David shall be their prince for ever; or their king, as the Targum; and which cannot be understood of any temporal prince, but of the King Messiah, whose throne is for ever and ever; whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; and who shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever and ever, Psalm 45:6 and to whom it is applied by several Jewish writers" Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Just to note the Spirit of Grace in Zechariah 12:10 is also applied to believers in the warning about Apostasy in Hebrews 10:29. This the Holy Spirit called the Spirit of Grace because it is given to us by God as unmerited favour.

Grace can mean favour, power, and divine influence. The Spirit of Grace has divine influence to lead us into true holiness, truth and sound doctrine. The spirit of Grace is the Spirit of Jesus. Which gives us favour to have fellowship with the son and father. 1 John 1:3.

THE POWER OF THE CROSS

THE POWER OF THE CROSS

1 Corinthians 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but to us who are saved, it is the power of God. Webster's Bible Translation

When Christ  was crucified it was a powerful event. The message of the cross is the power of God because Jesus Christ, died for the sins of mankind, He died to defeat sin, death, and the devil, HEB. 2:9, HEB 2:14-15. The power of the cross redeems us and we obtain remission and forgiveness of our sins (Col. 1:14).We are delivered from God’s wrath by the power of the Cross. (Rom. 5:9).The  power of the cross redeems broken and fallen people. The power of the cross being a great expression of love. JOHN 3:16

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit: Webster's Bible Translation

We have access to God because of Jesus death on the cross (Heb. 10:19-20).

The power of the Cross brings saints into the presence of God, transforming our life.  Also now we are converted we can have forgiveness of sins when we fall short. By the death of Jesus Christ on the cross We are not only reconciled to God but to people as well  Eph. 2:11-22.

Webster's Bible Translation

JOHN 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 3:15 that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Jesus was lifted up on the cross from the earth when he was crucified. All who look to Him in repentance and faith will be saved. ACTS 2:38

2 CORINTHIANS 5:15 And that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him who died for them, and rose again. Webster's Bible Translation

We see in 2 Corinthians 12:20-21 that Paul was not pleased about various sins people were committing and also they had not repented.

But if we are living for ourselves because of god's mercy we can repent of our sinful way of life.

So let us be encouraged to humble ourselves and have that relationship with God.

Being grateful for what he has done on the cross.

forgiveness of sins

As for the point that our sins are forgiven before we are saved. I do know Jesus has made provision for everyone to be forgiven and saved. But we have to respond to his will to receive forgiveness of sins. Not everyone does.

ACTS 10:43  All the prophets testify about him, that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins." New Heart English Bible

We belief in Jesus to receive forgiveness of sins or remission of sins KJV bible.

ACTS 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, Webster's Bible Translation

We repent and get converted that our sins will be blotted out.

Repentance and remission of sins are preached in Jesus name to all nations. Starting at Jerusalem LUKE 24:47 and ACTS 2:38.

PROVERBS 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but he who confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy .Webster's Bible Translation

If one is in Church committing sin and not repenting then the person cannot prosper in the fruit of the spirit or obtain the prosperity of eternal life unless they repent and start to live for God.

1 JOHN 1:6-10 shows in verse 6 that we are liars if we walk in darkness like the devil and claim we have fellowship with God. However Verse 8-10 shows we are deceived if we say we have no sin and claim we do not sin but God is faithful to forgive our sins when we confess and that will happen often. 

Well the Devil sins and does not repent or confess his sins 1 JOHN 3:7-9. Obviously he can't. A person in Church who is unrepentant is of the Devil. Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:20-21 got on to the saints about sinning and how they had not repented. If though they eventually repent then they would show they belong to God. But we do not practice sin as a lifestyle. 

However Saints do struggle with sin. As Paul shows in Romans 7:19.

Romans 7:19 For the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do. Webster's Bible Translation

But saints who struggle with sin and confess their sin humbly and genuinely are not the same as those who live in unrepentant sin.

PSALM 32:1-2 [By David. A contemplative psalm.] Happy are those whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

Happy is the one to whom the LORD does not charge with sin, in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Fearing God

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Webster's Bible Translation

A froward mouth can manifest with perverse, obnoxious, and wicked speech.

The fear of God for the saint is a submissive reference, honour and respect for the Lord.

The fear of God causes the believer to recognize God's holiness and goodness. The saint hates and rejects whatever  is declared evil by God.  We are to reject pride, arrogance, and corrupt speech.

Matthew 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: WBT

Evil in Proverbs 8:13 can mean that which is morally wrong, sinful, or wicked.

Psalm 51:4 Against thee,thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mayest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. WBT

Evil behaviour causes one to sin such as murder, theft, adultery, unbelief, idolatry, gossip, slander, lying and blasphemy.

We have a prideful sin nature. So important for us to apply the word of God to our life and fast and pray to become more and more Christlike.

Hebrews 3:13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called "today;" lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. New heart English bible

Because evil and sin is deceptive, destructive, and deadly for this reason we exhort each other. In other words we encourage, uplift, and inspire one another to live a holy life.

Christian Marriage

 1 Corinthians 7:2 (ESV) But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband

In 1 Corinthians 7 when Paul writes on marriage between woman and a man. Paul does not give an alternative such as same sex marriage. The alternative he gives is celibacy 1 Corinthians 7:7-9.

1 Corinthians 7:7For I would that all men were as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that.8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they remain even as I.9But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. wbt

It is interesting to note  that when Jesus spoke on marriage and divorce concerning man and woman in Matthew 19:3-12. The disciples asked Jesus  whether it be good to marry in Matthew 19:10.

 Matthew 19:10 (ESV) The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry."

Jesus replied in Matthew 19:11-12 that the alternative to marry was to be celibate (eunuch). Jesus did not mention same sex marriage.

Matthew 19:11-12  (New King James Version) But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: 

For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

Where Indicated

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

"Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."