Only By Grace

Old Testament Scripture Reading Genesis 6:3 – 8 (NASB)
Gen 6:3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
Gen 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
Gen 6:5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:6 And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”
Gen 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

New Testament Scripture Reading 2 Peter 3:10 – 18 (NASB)
2 Pet 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
2 Pet 3:11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
2 Pet 3:12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!
2 Pet 3:13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
2 Pet 3:14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,
2 Pet 3:15 and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,
2 Pet 3:16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.
2 Pet 3:17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness,
2 Pet 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Study Notes
Transforming Power Statements:
#1) There are only two views of the world; Man’s view and the biblical view. Each of us hold one of these as our own and it determines the foundation of what we believe about every crucial matter in our lives.
#2) The biblical view of the world teaches us that since “the fall of man”; mankind has been on a downward spiral in route to judgment and destruction and will only get worse & worse as time goes on; and that mankind can only be saved “Only by Grace” from self-destruction and the wrath of God; where as man’s view is the opposite; in that he thinks mankind is progressing and is getting better & better, and therefore, man is going to be able to save himself from the impending destruction through his own abilities.
#3) The position of where we individually stand on this issue alone sets the status of our present state, the course of our future and ultimately our eternal position with God who has given immeasurable grace through His Only-begotten Son Jesus the Christ!

Defining Your Purpose {Even in troubled times}

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Old Testament Scripture Reading 1 Chronicles 12:23 - 32 (NASB) 1 Chr 12:23 Now these are the numbers of the divisions equipped for war, who came to David at Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.

1 Chr 12:24 The sons of Judah who bore shield and spear were 6,800, equipped for war.

1 Chr 12:25 Of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor for war, 7,100.

1 Chr 12:26 Of the sons of Levi 4,600.

1 Chr 12:27 Now Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron, and with him were 3,700,

1 Chr 12:28 also Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father's house twenty-two captains.

1 Chr 12:29 And of the sons of Benjamin, Saul's kinsmen, 3,000; for until now the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.

1 Chr 12:30 And of the sons of Ephraim 20,800, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers' households.

1 Chr 12:31 And of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were designated by name to come and make David king.

1 Chr 12:32 And of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command. New Testament Scripture Reading 1 Thessalonians 1:2 - 10 (NASB) 1 Th 1:2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;

1 Th 1:3 constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,

1 Th 1:4 knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;

1 Th 1:5 for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

1 Th 1:6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

1 Th 1:7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

1 Th 1:8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.

1 Th 1:9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,

1 Th 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. Study Notes The Chosen / Elected people of God have always been used by God as a tool to bring about the salvation of themselves and others, which is one of the major features of God’s relationship to mankind. (John 3:16 – 17; 1Tim 2:3 - 4; 2 Peter 3:9; )

Isa 45:22 "Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; For I am God, and there is no other.

Isa 45:23 "I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.

Isa 45:24 "They will say of Me, 'Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.' Men will come to Him, And all who were angry at Him shall be put to shame.

Isa 45:25 "In the LORD all the offspring of Israel Will be justified, and will glory."

The Elect of God are those whose lives are affected by God’s specific, directive, and promised providence to shape the course of their futures in a manner that glorifies God as they are instructed and move in accordance with His desire. (Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 8:28 – 29; Hebrews 11:6 – 7; )

Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The deeper we come to understand the love of God and the plan of God, {which are revealed in the Word of God} the more defined our purposes shall become as we walk with God.

Gen 5:21 And Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.

Gen 5:22 Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.

Gen 5:23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.

Gen 5:24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

Rescued From Wrath


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Old Testament Scripture Reading Genesis 6:1 – 8 (KJV)
Gen 6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
Gen 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
Gen 6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

New Testament Scripture Reading Romans 1:18 – 25 (KJV)
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Study Notes
Transforming Power Statements:

#1) Throughout the history of mankind, God has always shown mercy in dealing with man and rather than giving us what we truly deserve for our transgressions, God has chosen for His elect to rescue them from the ultimate consequences of their rebellion against His will. (Adam & Eve, Cain, Noah, Israelites, Daniel, Hebrew Boys, Jeremiah, etc. to name a few)

#2) Throughout the history of man, there have always existed a portion of the human family who has acted against their God-given conscience and against the tremendous display of the immeasurable majestic power of God revealed in His creation; and through the hardness of their hearts have rejected God throughout there entire lives and have received the judgment of God’s wrath instead of His mercy.

#3) Salvation by the gospel of Jesus Christ is God’s well revealed and only chosen way for sinners to come to a right standing with God {Justification} and to attain rescue from God’s wrath which is revealed in time but will be far greater in eternity against all who reject Jesus as LORD.