NEW YEAR LESSON - Wishing You a Year Filled with Spiritual Wisdom, One Day at a TimeTrust the plan...His plan.
Welcome To BARAH MINISTRIES a Christian Church
Rory Clark Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with worldwide impact. My name is Pastor Rory Clark. Welcome to this Bible lesson!
At Barah Ministries we know this truth…that Jesus Christ is God. As the Lord He is 100% Deity…He is God the Son, a member of the Triune Godhead. He is also 100% human just like you and me, and His name is Jesus Christ. The Lord…God the Son…became flesh…Jesus Christ...and lived among us. He is the uniquely born One…100% God and 100% man in one Person forever. He is the Sovereign God of the Universe. He is the Jewish Messiah.
At Barah Ministries, we make a difference by teaching the Word of God from God’s perspective and not from man’s perspective. As those who make Barah Ministries our spiritual home, we are Christians. Being a Christian means we believe in the DEITY of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with Him.
God has an enemy, Satan, whom God made ‘the ruler of this world.’ He is a liar who deceives the whole world, including you and me. He doesn't want us to get to know God, and he interferes with our chance to know God. In John, Chapter 12, Verse 31, the Lord says…
JOHN 12:31 “Now judgment is upon this world…now the ruler of this world (Satan) will be cast out (he will be dethroned from ruling planet earth at a future time).” Satan’s strategy against the human race is religion, which is designed to make us either indifferent or antagonistic to God. In Matthew, Chapter 23, Verse 15, the Lord castigates those who are religious…
MATTHEW 23:15 “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees…you hypocrites! You travel around on sea and land to make one convert to your religion and when he becomes converted, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are!”
Religion deceives many into thinking they are saved when they might not be…and it works really well! Billions of people are deceived.
The Word of God is the truth…and it informs us about Satan’s insidious deceptions. As believers in Christ, we are in union with Christ, and we have the victory over Satan through our Lord, who has overcome the world.
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON Wishing You a Year Filled with Spiritual Wisdom, One Day at a Time
LESSON INTRODUCTION
Often, the end of one year and the beginning of another is a time of reflection and anticipation. We look back to see what we went through in the previous year. We look forward with anticipation to the new year. Seldom, unfortunately, do we simply look at the facts of the present moment.
My wish for you, as you start the year, is that you receive the spiritual insight that you need nothing new…that you are already as good as you will ever be, and as believers in Christ, you are perfect in God’s eyes. Colossians, Chapter 2, Verses 8 to 10 suggest this…
COLOSSIANS 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception…according to the tradition of men…according to the elementary principles of the world…rather than according to Christ.
Many love wisdom, yet without loving Christ. They love “the doctrine” but they don’t love the God who teaches the truth. They prefer false teachers who encourage worship of themselves instead of the worship of God.
COLOSSIANS 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form…
With Christ is fullness. Apart from Christ is emptiness. Those who are "part-time" in getting to know Christ are empty. Sure…we all hope that one day our families will love us just the way we need them to…sure…we all hope that our relationships will go just the way we want them to…sure…we all hope that our friends will be in our lives without a perverted agenda…yet that isn't the reality is it? Sure…we all hope that we can have a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with Christ while dedicating the majority of our time to the elementary things of the world. Once again, a year comes and goes and we are not able to pull off our fantasy.
COLOSSIANS 2:10 …and in union with Christ, you believers in Christ HAVE BEEN MADE COMPLETE…
With God, we don’t need anything new. We already have everything we need. WE are full. Philippians, Chapter 1, Verse 6…
PHILIPPIANS 1:6 For I (Paul) am sure of this very thing…that God the Father who began a good work in you will keep on perfecting it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Hebrews, Chapter 10, Verse 14…
HEBREWS 10:14 For by one offering the Lord Jesus Christ has perfected for all time those who are sanctified (and that’s every believer in Christ)...
A friend of mine, who is currently in a cult, is realizing that we are complete in Christ.
REFLECTION OF A CULT MEMBER
“A lot of people think that we can become righteous by what we do…but we are already made righteous by Jesus Christ through believing in Him.”
REFLECTION OF A CULT MEMBER
“In this cult, we are not living based on faith in what Jesus did. We are living based on our confidence in what we can do for Him."
REFLECTION OF A CULT MEMBER
“We think that by what we do, we somehow become MORE righteous…but that’s not the case at all!!!”
In a nutshell, that's the deception of Happy New Year. In today's lesson, I hope you realize the importance of handling your problems with spiritual wisdom instead of human wisdom.
SONG INTRODUCTION
Lamentations, Chapter 3, Verses 21 to 25…
LAMENTATIONS 3:21 This I (Jerimiah) recall to my mind (amid despair)…therefore I have hope…
LAMENTATIONS 3:22 The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease…for His compassions never fail.
LAMENTATIONS 3:23 They are new every morning…great is Your faithfulness.
LAMENTATIONS 3:24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”
LAMENTATIONS 3:25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him…to the person who seeks Him.
Our God’s love for us cannot be exhausted! All He asks of us in return is ALL. Mark, Chapter 12, Verses 30 and 31…
MARK 12:30 ‘…and you shall love the Lord your God unconditionally…with all your heart…and with all your soul…and with all your mind…and with all your strength.’
MARK 12:31 ‘You shall love your neighbor unconditionally as you love yourself… unconditionally’
Here’s Cornerstone Worship to sing about our God…YOUR LOVE NEVER FAILS.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
YOUR LOVE NEVER FAILS Cornerstone Worship
OPENING PRAYER Let us pray...
We're grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Father, thank you for waking us up this morning, and for Your perfect provision of the Word for our edification…
…help us to realize our sufficiency because of what You have done for us through Your Son and through God the Holy Spirit…help us to witness the madness going on in the world without getting caught up in it…give us the good sense to invite others to believe in Your Son as their way out of slavery…show us how to influence others and how to attract others to the Light of Your kingdom…help us to reflect You and Your Word in every breath we take…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ's name...Amen.
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON Wishing You a Year Filled with Spiritual Wisdom, One Day at a Time
God makes His believers complete. As a result, we often think we are the captains of our own souls. That’s what William Earnest Hensley wanted us to believe with his poem INVICTUS (Latin for “Undefeated”).
INVICTUS William Ernest Hensley
Out of the night that covers me Black as the pit from pole to pole I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.
INVICTUS William Ernest Hensley
In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeoning of chance My head is bloody…but unbowed.
INVICTUS William Ernest Hensley
Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the horror of the shade And yet the menace of the years Finds…and shall find…me unafraid.
INVICTUS William Ernest Hensley
It matters not how strait the gate How charged with punishments the scroll I am the master of my fate I am the captain of my soul.
The funny thing is, that’s the set of thoughts we brought into the Year of our Lord 2020. Then not long into the year we learned how untrue it is that we are the masters of our fate. Instead, the words to the Seals and Crofts song are…
THE KING OF NOTHING Seals and Croft
When I was seventeen I dreamed of being king and Having everything I wanted…
THE KING OF NOTHING Seals and Croft
…but that was long ago and My dreams did not unfold So, I’m still the king of nothing
The year 2020 taught us that we are the kings of nothing. Yet many did not learn the lesson. Many are under the delusion that things are going to “get back to normal” in 2021. I don’t not share that fantasy. Yet I am encouraged, because what was true one year ago is still true today. As believers in Christ, we are COMPLETE in union with Christ. We don’t need anything.
What is the “normal” our God want for us? It’s detailed in Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 1 to 12…
COLOSSIANS 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God the Father, and Timothy our brother (in Christ)…
COLOSSIANS 1:2 …to the saints (believers in Christ) and to the faithful brethren in union with Christ who are at Colossae….grace to you and peace from God our Father.
COLOSSIANS 1:3 We give thanks to God…the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ…praying always for you believers at Colossae…
COLOSSIANS 1:4 …since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the unconditional love which you have for all the saints…
COLOSSIANS 1:5 ….because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which hope you previously heard in the word of truth…the gospel…
COLOSSIANS 1:6 …which gospel has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God the Father in truth…
COLOSSIANS 1:7 …just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf…
COLOSSIANS 1:8 …and he also informed us of your unconditional love in the Spirit.
COLOSSIANS 1:9 For this reason, also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding…
COLOSSIANS 1:10 …so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God the Father…
COLOSSIANS 1:11 …strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience…
COLOSSIANS 1:12 …joyously giving thanks to God the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
There’s my wish for you…that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will…in all spiritual wisdom and in all spiritual understanding…
My wish for you is that the inadequacy of human solutions to problems becomes every apparent to you. When we come back from the break, we'll take the offering, and then we’ll see what else our God considers normal.
FIVE MINUTE BREAK NOBODY Casting Crowns
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON Wishing You a Year Filled with Spiritual Wisdom, One Day at a Time
Isaiah, Chapter 55, Verse 11 says…
ISAIAH 55:11 …My Word…which goes forth from My mouth…will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
When you contribute to Barah Ministries you help us to be a voice crying out in the wilderness. If your contribution makes it possible for one person to have the chance to be saved by hearing the gospel message, you have affected eternity. Be generous, just as God is generous with you.
Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with today’s offering message.
THE OFFERING Deacon Denny Goodall
OFFERING VERSE
JAMES 1:13-14 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” … for God cannot be tempted by evil…and God Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
OFFERING SONG THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU Don Moen
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON Wishing You a Year Filled with Spiritual Wisdom, One Day at a Time
Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 13 to 29…
COLOSSIANS 1:13 For God the Father rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son (our Lord…Jesus Christ)…
COLOSSIANS 1:14 …in union with whom we have redemption…the forgiveness of sins.
COLOSSIANS 1:15 The Lord Jesus Christ is the (visible) image of the invisible God the Father (John 14:9…Colossians 2:9…Hebrews 1:3)…the firstborn (in rank) of all creation.
He is deserving of highest honor because Jesus Christ is God!
COLOSSIANS 1:16 For by the Lord ALL THINGS were created (John 1:3)….both in the heavens and on earth…both visible and invisible…whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.
COLOSSIANS 1:17 The Lord Jesus Christ is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
COLOSSIANS 1:18 The Lord Jesus Christ is also head of the body, the Church…and He is the beginning…the firstborn from the dead, so that Christ Himself will come to have first place in everything.
COLOSSIANS 1:19 For it was God the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness (of Deity) to dwell in Christ…
COLOSSIANS 1:20 …and through Christ to reconcile all things to God the Father…having made peace through the blood of Jesus Christ’s Cross…through Christ (to reconcile all things), I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
COLOSSIANS 1:21 And although you were formerly alienated (from the resurrection life and from God)…and hostile in mind (toward God)…engaged in evil deeds (sins)…
COLOSSIANS 1:22 …yet Jesus Christ has now reconciled you (to God the Father) in His fleshly body through (physical) death (on the Cross)…in order to present you before God the Father…holy and blameless and beyond reproach—
COLOSSIANS 1:23 …if (1) indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.
COLOSSIANS 1:24 Now I (Paul) rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.
COLOSSIANS 1:25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God the Father bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the Word of God… COLOSSIANS 1:26 …that is, the (preaching concerning the) mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested (made clearly visible) to His saints…
COLOSSIANS 1:27 …to whom God the Father willed to make known what is the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles…which is Christ indwelling you…the hope (the absolute confidence) of (future) glory.
COLOSSIANS 1:28 We proclaim Christ, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in union with Christ.
COLOSSIANS 1:29 For this purpose I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Spiritual wisdom comes from your study of the Word of God. I hope this is the year you make the study of the Word of God a priority in your life, rather than just an afterthought.
How will you know you have done it? You’ll intentionally change your priorities…you have made a commitment…you discard the deception. Romans, Chapter 6, Verses 12 to 14 put it this way…
ROMANS 6:12 Therefore (in light of this knowledge) do not keep on letting sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts...
ROMANS 6:13 ...and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness…but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead would present themselves…and present your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
ROMANS 6:14 For sin shall not (any longer) be a master (a lord) over you, for you are not under law but you are under grace.
May God in His grace grant you the spiritual wisdom necessary to navigate the rough waters we will experience this year.
GOD WANTS YOU! Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life
The Lord Jesus Christ wants a relationship with you…His creature…His creation…and He wants the relationship so badly, that He was willing to die for you! How often do you think about eternal things?
As human beings, we tend to be concerned only with the here and now…the things that busy us… temporary things. Yet nobody gets out of this life alive, so there are questions about "the afterlife" … the things that happen when we die…the things eternal. Again, I ask you, how often do you think about eternal things?
The Bible tells us that God's enemy, Satan, deceives us into being short-sighted. Satan diverts our focus to temporary things so we don't prepare for eternal things. First Peter, Chapter 5, Verse 8 warns us to…
FIRST PETER 5:8 Be of sober spirit…be on the alert. The adversary…the devil (Satan) … prowls around like a roaring lion…seeking someone to devour.
For example, the Bible tells us how easy it is to be deceived by material wealth, a problem that pervaded the church at Laodicea. In Revelation, Chapter 3, Verses 15 to 18…the Lord says to the Laodicean believers…
REVELATION 3:15 “I (the Lord Jesus Christ) know your deeds…that you (like the water in your homes) are neither cold nor hot…I (the Lord Jesus Christ) wish that you were cold or hot.”
REVELATION 3:16 “So, because you are lukewarm (like the water in your homes) … and neither hot nor cold…I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
REVELATION 3:17 “Because you Laodicean believers say, ‘I am rich…and have become (materially) wealthy…I have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are (spiritually) wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked…”
REVELATION 3:18 “…I (the Lord Jesus Christ) advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become (spiritually) rich…and white garments so that you may clothe yourself (unlike the black wool that gave you material wealth)… so that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed…and I advise you to buy from Me eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.”
Material wealth often blinds us to our spiritual poverty. We think only about now and not about eternity.
What is it that the Lord wants us to see? Matthew, Chapter 6, Verse 24…
MATTHEW 6:24 “No one can serve two masters…for either he will hate the one master and he will love the other master…or he will be devoted to one master and he will despise the other master. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
The Lord wants us to see that He is the way to get to heaven. First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3 For I (Paul) delivered to you as of first importance the gospel message I also received … that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Scriptures…
FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4 …and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Scriptures…
Once you realize you can’t buy your way into heaven, the only other way to get to heaven is by means of God’s grace, which is free of charge. In John, Chapter 14, Verse 6, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself said…
JOHN 14:6 …to the doubting apostle, Thomas, “I am the way (to salvation), and I am the truth (through the Word of God…the gospel message), and I am the resurrection life (eternal life)…and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through believing in Me.”
Accepting the Lord Jesus Christ’s grace gift of eternal life saves you. As a result of the Lord’s work at the Cross…the work that paid for the sins of all mankind, including yours…sin was eliminated as a barrier between you and God. Second Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verse 21 says…
SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:21 God the Father made Jesus Christ who knew no sin to be a sin payment substitute on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God the Father in union with Him.
You can ask God the Father to credit your account with real wealth… spiritual wealth…His own righteousness…His own perfection...your admission ticket to heaven. God the Father will honor your request when you ask for His righteousness, and you will be saved. Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…
ACTS 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”
John, Chapter 3, Verse 36 warns what happens if you reject a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ…
JOHN 3:36 “He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment… but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”
Take the free gift of eternal life right now! There’s no time to waste! Just tell God the Father that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is the moment of eternal life for you. NOW is the time to think about eternal things. God wants you. Real wealth happens when you decide to have a relationship with Him. SONG INTRODUCTION
There was a time when all in the universe was peace. The Lord describes this time in Job, Chapter 38, Verse 7, as a time…
JOB 38:7 When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God (the beneha Elohim) shouted for joy…
When the Lord comes a second time, the time when His feet touch down on the earth in the Mount of Olives, He will restore this peace on earth. Until then…June Murphy helps us remember what happened…IN THE BEGINNING.
CLOSING SONG IN THE BEGINNING June Murphy
CLOSING VERSES
A Doxology of Praise to Our God
PROVERBS 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.//In all your ways acknowledge Jesus, and He will make your paths straight.
DEUTERONOMY 31:8 “For the Lord is the one who goes ahead of you…He will be with you…He will not fail you or forsake you…so do not fear or be dismayed.”
ISAIAH 30:18 The Lord longs to be gracious to you…He waits on high to have compassion on you…for the Lord is a God of justice…blessed are those who wait for Him.
FIRST PETER 5:6-7 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may promote you at the proper time…//…slamming all your cares on His back, because He cares for you.
God considers your problems to be His responsibility. CLOSING PRAYER Let us pray...
Thanks for coming! Thanks for watching! Thanks for listening! |