Sister Alice Sunday School 11/22/15

Sister Alice Sunday School 11/22/15

Praise terminates in God.  Thanksgiving is a circle; it continues.  It is what God has done for us personally. 

Adam Clarke -  As a hymn of praise, this is the most sublime in the whole book.

Praise exalts Him, sets forth His honor, lifts His name…

Psa 148:1  Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.

Psa 148:2  Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

Psa 148:3  Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

Psa 148:4  Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.

Psa 148:5  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.

Psa 148:6  He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

Psa 148:7  Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

Psa 148:8  Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:

Psa 148:9  Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:

Psa 148:10  Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:

Psa 148:11  Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:

Psa 148:12  Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:

Psa 148:13  Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

Psa 148:14  He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.

Psa 149:1  Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

Psa 149:2  Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

Psa 149:3  Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

Psa 149:4  For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

Psa 149:5  Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

Psa 149:6  Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;

I am so thankful that no man can put me into being a part of God’s people; it is God’s work.  And no man can put me out.  He writes our name in the Lambs Book of Life.  We want to ever be found praising God.

Caleb stood for God.  He was very bold in his personality.  He said what he thought and didn’t care what people thought.  He just let the chips fall where they may.

It says that Caleb had another spirit, an “after spirit.”  We are born innocent but it is not long and we sin; we need an “after spirit.”  In salvation we are given an earnest of His Spirit.  We want to go on to full sanctification.  That is the full Spirit of God. 

Adam Clarke - another spirit: Caleb had another spirit; not only a bold, generous, courageous, noble, and heroic spirit, but the Spirit and influence of God, which thus raised him above human inquietudes and earthly fears. Therefore he followed God fully; literally, "and he filled after me:" God shewed him the way he was to take and the line of conduct he was to pursue, and he filled up this line, and in all things followed the will of his Maker.

Caleb followed Him wholly.  He had another spirit.  Caleb filled after Him. God drew a line and Caleb filled up to that line.  Where is our line and how can we fill up to that line?

David had another spirit: 

Psa 119:69  The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.

Paul had another spirit:

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

What went wrong with the other ten spies?  How did they get in that shape?  They had an example; they could have had the identity.  They left God out.

They were fearful:  “We looked as grasshoppers and we cannot do it.”  It overtook them.  They even appointed a captain to take them back to Egypt; they forgot the horrible bondage.

We will all battle unbelief.  Our job is to hold on and to hold faith.  When people give into unbelief it hardens them.  Do the backsliders consider what will happen to their children?  Somehow when you give into unbelief it separates you out and leaves God out.  It immediately begins to harden your heart and conscience.

People say, “I love my children.”  Do they really?  They would never leave God’s counsel if they did.  They are not thinking of how they could help their brothers and sisters. 

It is ok to share a battle but don’t leave it there.  What is happening in the hearts of people after we leave them?  Unbelief will steal our peace and joy, the peace and joy of those around us, and the peace and joy of our siblings and children.

In this recording of the Children of Israel, we see how unbelief made it so that not all of them were able to make it to the Promised Land.

God can be grieved.  He loves us and His love made a better plan for us.  God is angry with the wicked every day.

Heb 3:10  Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

Heb 3:11  So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

Heb 3:12  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

Heb 3:13  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Heb 3:14  For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;

Heb 3:15  While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

Heb 3:16  For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

Heb 3:17  But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

Heb 3:18  And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

Heb 3:19  So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

The whole purpose of unbelief is to cause us to depart from the living God.  We must hold fast.  If we want something in our life that we don’t think that God will give us, then we are being pulled into unbelief.  “He who spared not His own son will freely give us all things.” 

If is a little tiny word that holds the whole universe.  “You are made a partaker with Christ if…”

It is so wonderful that Joshua and Caleb brought delight to God.  He has a beautiful heart to His people and it is hurt when they don’t do right.

We see where two people can sit on the same pew and one of them grow spiritually and the other wander away.  Their hearing the Word was not mixed with faith.

Our rest is knowing that Jesus has everything under control and knowing that Jesus paid the price. We trust in Jesus’ blood.  Then we have to be obedient to everything that He wants us to do.  If we have faith then there will be some works.  These works will follow.

It is not our rest; it is God’s rest.  It is wonderful that we can have access and enter in.  The Pharisees and others did not fully accept Jesus Christ. 

Heb 4:1  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

Heb 4:2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Heb 4:3  For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Heb 4:4  For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

Heb 4:5  And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

Heb 4:6  Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

Heb 4:7  Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Heb 4:8  For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The marrow is where the blood is refreshed.  Every now and then we need to refresh that blood on our heart and our mind. 

We need to endure.  Those that endure to the end shall be saved. 

Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

1Th 5:8  But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

1Ti 1:18  This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

1Ti 1:19  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

1Ti 6:11  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

1Ti 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Heb 10:19  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Heb 10:21  And having an high priest over the house of God;

Heb 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Love will cause us to provoke one another and faith will encourage us to come boldly before the throne of God.

Caleb was as strong at 85 as he had been when he was 45.  He exercised his faith. 

Hebron was a city of refuge chosen and Caleb cheerfully gave it up. 

Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

Joh 16:9  Of sin, because they believe not on me;

The comforter will not reprove the brethren but will reprove the world:  We can have faith that He is working on our loved ones.  If people could get their faith going in God then they would see things from a whole different perspective. 

The comforter will hold to righteousness.  Jesus is not here physically to do it but the Holy Spirit will do it.

Joh 8:24  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

It gets right down to a battle for faith in God.  We can do as this dear father:

There is nothing wrong with praying, “lord help my unbelief.”  How do we exercise?  By having a battle that we cannot get around and we must go through it. 

Mar 9:17  And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

Mar 9:18  And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

Mar 9:19  He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

Mar 9:20  And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

Mar 9:21  And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

Mar 9:22  And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

Mar 9:23  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Mar 9:24  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Mar 9:25  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

Mar 9:26  And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

Mar 9:27  But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

Mar 9:28  And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?

Mar 9:29  And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

God help our belief.

2Pe 1:1  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

Our faith is the most precious thing that we possess.  Don’t let anything mar that faith in God.