Sister Alice Sunday School 11/29/15

Sister Alice Sunday School 11/29/15

What made Joshua and Caleb different than the other ten? 

Moses changed Joshua’s name so that it had the first part of Jehovah on His name to give Him confidence and cause him to feel the special unction of leadership. 

Because Joshua had already been appointed Moses’ minister, he let Caleb be the front runner in taking the stand against the other ten.  He stood with Caleb.  Even though they were threatened with their lives from the others, they stood.

If we have a low spot in our character… I decided I wanted to be called ‘loved and faithful’.  Maybe it may be to reach out and not be timid.  I want to encourage every one of you to claim a name and live it.

Rev 3:1  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

It does no good to ask someone to give us a label unless we are going to be strong in living it.

It must have been important for Joshua to get that first part of Jehovah in his name.  Our name must be important because the enemy is always trying to tear our name down. 

It is also important to ignore negative labels that are put on us.  And to let the strength of God show through.

Joshua and Caleb had an identity not only with the city of Hebron, but also with the rest of the land.  They were not only going to conquer, but possess and take the land back over. 

When the Israelites went through the red sea it was only a year before this.  How quickly we can lose our faith in God!  It is as the snowball effect.  You just loosen a little bit or even a rock and soon there will be a big snowball in the bottom of the canyon. 

We must hold fast and keep that identity.  My grandmother believed in God with al her heart.  Her most important thing was to teach us about God.  She wanted to teach us to read so that we could read the bible. 

Today as we look around we don’t see many grandmothers that want to serve God.  We can know that children will still have the identity with God because the plan of God is for us to serve Him. 

The gentleman that wrote Amazing Grace could not wait to get out from under his mother’s hand.  His mother prayed for him daily.  He became a slave trader.  Even way out there on the ocean, God got ahold of his heart. 

He had an identity with a praying mother.  Even those that do not and cannot find any in their family that have served God before, can have an identity with God.

Mar 14:36  And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

Abba, Father, has the connotation of tender affection.  We were not born into the Jewish family or first intended to be God’s people but because of Jesus we can be adopted in.

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

We have received the Spirit of adoption that bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Gal 4:7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

We are not servants but an heir and have a right to call God: Abba, Father.  We have a right to God and to our identity. 

Are we truly enjoying the kingdom of God?  Righteousness, peace, and joy? 

The enemy will try to move us off of any of them to try to get us to give up.  Gloomy Christians are letting the enemy move them off. 

Return to thy rest.  Don’t be afraid of the battle, get back to God and win.  We didn’t come to a dark shadow, but to Christ the victor of all.

Some battles will be long in our life.  45 years Caleb was in the wilderness.  Yet he did not lose his identity: “Give me that mountain.  I will have it.” 

The years pile up but we want to be found servants of victory.  We want to be found holding the promise.

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

How important is it that our faith be tried?  As we work our way through it we know that Christ wants us to have the victory.  The trial is important so that we will have patience. 

Jesus told us about the gardener with the tree: “Chop it down.”  The gardener pleaded, “No, one more chance, let me dig around it one more time.”  It is important that we have patience.

I am convinced the battle is for us to see a weakness or for us to see a strength that will rise within us one more time.

We have a right to call Him “Abba, Father”.  We have an identity. 

Caleb and Joshua showed an absolute, total consecration.  None of us will make it without this.  They followed Him fully, kept close to His duty, and went through even though they were deserted and threatened. 

This consecration means: universally, a single mind, not divided.  Cheerfully without disputing. 

Jesus said, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” 

Encourage ourselves as David, “Didn’t God help us here? I know He will help us.”

It means: Constancy without declining.  Full consecration.  Another spirit. 

With sanctification we must have the Spirit of Christ or we will not make it.  Things that will dislodge us or shake us will come along if we do not have His Spirit.

In my study Josiah, Asa, David, and Paul were totally consecrated. 

Brother Bill - Joshua got a taste of what it was like to be in the presence of God.  Ex 33:9- he departed not from the tabernacle.  He had a taste of what it was like to commune with God and be in the presence of God and it was a help to him in wholly following God.

When Sister Marlene came back she said it was like she had forgotten everything that she had when she was here.  She was skinny: her mind, body, and emotions were not healthy.  There was a table spread for her of good things. 

How do we get people to taste of the reality, the preciousness, and wondrousness of serving God? How do we spoon feed them of just a little taste of the goodness?

Sister Brenda - There has to be a desire.  When the Kelly’s first came I remember how beautiful and lovely that sister Kelly looked to me.  She was simply and humbly dressed.  It was just the presence of God that was beautiful.  We can only present the things of God.  There must be something in them that wants to reach out.  Blessed are they that hunger and thirst. 

Sister Timberly - Sometimes we don’t know when we are giving them a taste.  Chambers says that we should focus less on the outpouring and more on God.  God is the one that does that work. 

The Word of God will not return to Him void.  I can hold onto that I have given the absolute Word of God.  They may not want me back, but with God’s help I am going to go back. 

Can I give someone a little something good and sweet on a regular basis so that they develop a desire, a taste and a wanting? 

I read a wonderful track of a lady minister that would call on miners a hundred years ago.  The miner was not interested in the scripture or whatever she was passing out.  She went many times. 

She happened to stop somewhere where there was a child.  The child asked to go or the lady asked the child to go.  When she knocked on the door of the miner that rejected her, when he saw the child he started to cry.  There was a child in his life that was lost through tragedy.  All the other times she went were not in vain.  They were preparing for that day.

Brother Gary - Karen and I had an experience that was even dryer than the one that you had as far as I’m concerned.  Sister Sharron asked if we could go to the home of one that had a child that was very sick.  The home was very cold and unaccepting.  The father continued doing whatever he was doing at the table.  The wife said, “You are here, go ahead.”

I explained that I was not the healer and if anything happened it would be because of Jesus and God.  I prayed the driest prayer that I had ever prayed; I searched for words.  When we went to the car we prayed again, “It is your Word; you can do whatever you want to do.” 

We are without any defense, we are just doing our best.  That very night Mrs Billings called and said, “I cannot believe it.  There has been a miracle.  The antibiotic caused a reaction and when we called, they told us that the doctor was not going to be there for three or four days so call back then.  The child was just thrashing from one side of the bed to the other.  Within 15 minutes of you praying, the child stopped thrashing.” 

She said, “I don’t care what anyone says, you can pray the prayer of faith.” 

I said all that to say, “We are just servants and just available.  However it turns out:  If we are scorned, we did our best.  If a miracle comes out, God did the work.”

Unless people taste and see, all they know of us is, “They are whoever and believe whatever.”  When they get hungry, sow beside all waters. 

Sister Toots - Live in the joy of the Lord.  Don’t be talking of your battles.  Everyone’s life is that way, be sharing the joy of the Lord. 

We must hold faith.  How long?  To our very last breath.  We must make it victorious over.

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Heb 12:28  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Heb 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.