Bible Study -Voice (2) - Does it bring Conviction - Acts 2:32-41 - January 29, 2023

 

Bible Study – Voice (2) – Does It Bring Conviction – January 29, 2023

This lesson two (2) in our series entitled, “How to Discern the Voice of GOD.”

Our focus scripture is Acts 2:32-41.

The voice of GOD seeks to convict us when we stray from the truth.

Background – Acts 2:1-31:

Pentecost (Fifty days after Passover – Feasts of Harvests – First Fruits.)

GOD is awesome. What a wonderful way to fulfill prophecy and demonstrate the coming of the promised Holy Spirit. Salvation is confirmed by the filling and sealing of every Spirit-born believer with the Holy Spirit.

Truth is the Hallmark of being and growing as a Spirit-born person. It is the Holy Spirit WHO confirms truth and exposes error. As a Spirit-born person, when you listen to a presenter of GOD’S Word and your feel like something is wrong, pay attention. Check what is being said with scripture to either confirm or deny what you are hearing.

JESUS had instructed HIS disciples and followers what was to come following HIS bodily ascension into Heaven to take HIS seat at the righthand of GOD. John 14:26 - ²⁶ But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

JESUS told HIS disciples and followers to go to Jerusalem and wait as Doctor Luke wrote in Acts 1: ⁴ While he (JESUS) was^[a] with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”

So, how many people had gathered in Jerusalem and were waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit?

We read in ACTS 1:15 - ¹⁵ In those days Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters^[c]—the number of people who were together was about a hundred twenty— But there were many more people who had come to Jerusalem during this time of festivals.

We read in Acts 1:15 that the Apostle Peter stood up and preached to fellow Christians and later to the Jews and others. Why Peter?

Peter, who denied JESUS three times, was preaching the first message of salvation through faith in JESUS, the CHRIST. WOW!!!

Why Peter? There could be for several reasons - Peter had denied JESUS three times but he repented and was forgiven by JESUS. Did GOD choose Peter to confirm to him that he was vital to the spread the Good News of salvation, through faith in JESUS? Once a person is Spiritually born into GOD’S Family, he or she is never Spiritually unborn.

A Spirit-born person can lose the rewards he or she would have received if he or she had not gone astray. GOD restores HIS Children when they repent and gives them opportunity, which I believe we see in Peter being given the opportunity to preach the Gospel of salvation through faith in JESUS.

We read in Matthew 16:19: ¹⁹ I (JESUS) will give you (Peter) the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound^[a] in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed^[b] in heaven.”

This same message is preached and shared today by Spirit-born Pastors, Bible teachers and believers.

What do keys do? They open a door. If a door is locked it means something of value is on the inside of the door.

What did the Apostle Peter have and what do we as Spirit-born people have that is of great value to others? Salvation through faith in JESUS! Upon the solid rock of JESUS GOD has established this fact and every Spirit-born person has the keys to unlock that door for others. Also, to bind and unbind using the keys to GOD’S Kingdom as Ambassadors of GOD’S Kingdom.

The Apostle Peter will use the keys to unlock the door to the Kingdom of GOD and we get to know what took place ----

When Peter spoke, he spoke with the power of the Holy Spirit, WHO was ready to confirm salvation to every person who placed their faith in JESUS. They all heard the Gospel of truth in their own language.

How fitting it is that GOD/JESUS sent the Holy Spirit to earth to indwell all Spirit-born believers. To guarantee and assure each Spirit-born person of his or her salvation.

Let’s read Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. ³ They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. ⁴ Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues (languages),^[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

These were known languages spoken to make known that Messiah JESUS had come and paid, in full, the penalty for sin for all who would place their faith in HIM!

⁵ Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people (likely non-Jew converts) from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷ They were astounded and amazed, saying,^[b] “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts), ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.” ¹² They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But some sneered and said, “They’re drunk on new wine.”

This was ground zero when GOD sent the Holy Spirit to indwell and equip every person who receives salvation. Spirit-born people were no longer under the law but GOD’S grace and empowered by GOD.

This event marked the coming of the Holy Spirit, WHO JESUS promised would be sent to indwell all Spirit-born people to confirm their salvation and empower, teach, enlighten, confirm, guarantee, gift, seal, indwell and so much more in every Spirit-born person. Now that is powerful and is just as true today as the Day of Pentecost.

So, why don’t we witness the power of the Holy Spirit today or do we? Do we look for the work of the Holy Spirit? Would we welcome the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself in our lives to minister to others?

Often, it is ignorance or fear that we will be led to something that looks foolish. Seek the fulness of the Holy Spirit in your lives and move from being hearers of the Word to being doers of the Word.

In the world around those who know the truth is a desperate need of hope, the light of JESUS, encouragement, salvation and so much more. Who has the answer? We who know JESUS is the eternal answer.

FATHER, open our eyes to the opportunities waiting for us each day to share the joy of our salvation. When we see where GOD is working, that is our invitation for us to join HIM. Help us to recognize and discern YOUR voice from mind clutter and notions.

I have heard some people say, “if they encountered the Holy Spirit speaking, they would run”. Well, GOD does not want a person to run from but to receive what that person needs to confirm salvation and to equip him or her for service. It is the Holy Spirit WHO gives balance to a Spirit-born person’s life to be fully used by GOD.

The Apostle Peter, who denied JESUS three times was prompted by the Holy Spirit to preach and for him to witness the power of the Holy Spirit in himself and others. Yes, our FATHER knows the issues we have in our lives that need to be dealt with and it is the Holy Spirit WHO builds right relationship and trust with GOD.

Acts 2:14-31 - Peter’s Sermon

¹⁴ Peter stood up with the Eleven (12), raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words. ¹⁵ For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning.^[c] 16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all people;

then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.

 

[Folks we are still in the last days and getting ever closer to the return of JESUS.]

¹⁸ I will even pour out my Spirit
on my servants in those days, both men and women
and they will prophesy.
¹⁹ I will display wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
²⁰ The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
²¹ Then everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.^[d]

²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know. ²³ Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used^[e] lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him. ²⁴ God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death. ²⁵ For David says of him:

I saw the Lord ever before me;
because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
²⁶ Therefore my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices.
Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,
²⁷ because you will not abandon me in Hades
or allow your holy one to see decay.
²⁸ You have revealed the paths of life to me;
you will fill me with gladness
in your presence.^[f]

²⁹ “Brothers and sisters, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants^[g] on his throne. ³¹ Seeing what was to come, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He^[h] was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.^[i]

We read in Matthew 1 the genealogy of JESUS and see that King David was in the ancestral line of JESUS through HIS mother Mary. JESUS was 100% human and died physically. GOD raised JESUS from the physically dead to be eternally alive as proof that JESUS paid the penalty for sin, death and eternal separation from GOD, in full.

Eternal life is restored through faith in JESUS. Eternal life is GOD’S gift to all who place their faith in JESUS through the miracle of a person being born-again in his or her spirit. When the human spirit is united with GOD’S Spirit/the Holy Spirit, the human spirit is transformed to Spirit because the shed blood of JESUS removed the sin barrier. The resurrection of JESUS is proof that JESUS paid, in full, the penalty for original sin of Adam and Eve. JESUS is the second Adam.

Let’s read Acts 2:32-36:

³² “God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. ³³ Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear. ³⁴ For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:

The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
³⁵ until I make your enemies your footstool.’^[j]

³⁶ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

Call to Repentance

Let’s read Acts 2:37-38:

³⁷ When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Let’s read Acts 2:39-41:

³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” ⁴⁰ With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt^[k] generation!” ⁴¹ So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. (Considerably more than the 120 they began with.)

The Holy Spirit confronts every person with the choice whether or not he or she will accept JESUS as his or her Savior. We who know the truth can also deliver that opportunity for salvation or to return to JESUS.

The message of salvation through faith in JESUS has not changed AND WILL NOT CHANGE. The Gospel is eternal and salvation is eternal.

Salvation is confirmed by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and is every Spirit-born person’s assurance of his or her salvation. Once a person receives salvation, he or she is called to grow in CHRIST and to work in GOD’S vineyard as taught and led by the Holy Spirit until GOD calls him or her to Heaven. Blessings!!!

Bible Study - Voice of GOD -Does It Agree with the Bible -Genesis 3:1-6 - January 22, 2023

 

Bible Study – Voice of GOD – Does It Agree with the Bible – January 22, 2023

This is lesson one (1) in our series entitled, “How to Discern the Voice of GOD.”

Our focus scripture is Genesis 3:1-6.

The voice of GOD never contradicts the Bible.

The title of our lesson is truth we can count on --- Does It Agree with the Bible and the voice of GOD never contradicts the Bible.

Our selected scripture takes us back to the Garden of Eden. Let’s go back to a very important question, “Who did GOD put in control of the Garden?” Let’s read Genesis 2:15-17:

¹⁵ The Lord God took the man (The First Adam) and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

GOD placed Adam in charge over the Garden. Adam was responsible for what went on in the Garden. Adam was accountable to GOD. But what happened?

Satan enters the Garden, as we read Genesis 3:1-7:

GOD allowed Satan to enter into the Garden? Why? GOD often tests us as humans. We never know how we will act or react until we are tested.

Now the serpent (Satan) was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. (YES, GOD made Satan.) He (Satan) said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Satan can take on many forms. In this case, he took on the form of a serpent. A talking serpent at that. Satan is a liar and the father of lies and is cunning. He goes after the most vulnerable and those with the greatest potential. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, you can’t eat from any tree in the garden?” I know some women will want to have my head but keep reading.

Why did Satan go after the first woman, Eve? The answer is clear as we read, Genesis 3: ²⁰ The man named his wife Eve^[g] because she was the mother of all the living.  When Satan influenced Eve to sin, it influenced the entire human race.

GOD made man from the dust of the earth and in Genesis 2: ⁷ Then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust from the ground and breathed the breath of life into his nostrils, and the man became a living being. When GOD breathed life into Adam, he became body, soul and spirit. Adam’s spirit was eternal but before Adam would become eternal, he had to be tested.

What do we read in Genesis 2: ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” ¹⁸ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.” ¹⁹ The Lord God formed out of the ground every wild animal and every bird of the sky, and brought each to the man to see what he would call it. And whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. ²⁰ The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the sky, and to every wild animal; but for the man^[k] no helper was found corresponding to him. ²¹ So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to come over the man, and he slept. God took one of his ribs (side or curved part of Adams body) and closed the flesh at that place. ²² Then the Lord God made the rib he had taken from the man into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³ And the man said:

This one, at last, is bone of my bone
and flesh of my flesh;
this one will be called “woman,”
for she was taken from man.

²⁴ This is why a man leaves his father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh. ²⁵ Both the man and his wife were naked, yet felt no shame.

GOD took a body part from Adam’s side and “made” Eve to be able to reproduce. The two became one. We see that Adam was overwhelmed with the person GOD had made for him. In essence, when Adam saw Eve, He went WOW!!! Eve was taken from Adam’s side, not his head or near his foot. Eve was made to be Adam’s helpmate, equal to come along his side.

So, Satan is crafty and went after the woman, Eve, the mother of all living. If he could get her to eat the forbidden fruit, then he would get all humanity to fall from GOD’S grace and sin. Plus, in essence, seemingly Satan would win the battle over GOD’S plan for the offspring of Adam and Eve to live eternally with HIM but GOD is greater than all. GOD already knew the outcome and had a redemptive plan for mankind through HIS only SON, JESUS, the second Adam.

How often do we hear the whisper of doubt in our ears? Why does GOD allow it? What do you think? Keep in mind, GOD tests and teaches. GOD’S desire is for HIS Children to stand and fight as HE gives us strength. Why? In 1 John 4:4 - ⁴ You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you (JESUS) is greater than the one (Satan) who is in the world. 

JESUS encountered Satan at the beginning of HIS earthly ministry as we read in Matthew 4:1-11:

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”^[a]

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, ⁶ and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:

He will give his angels orders concerning you,
and they will support you with their hands
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.”^[b]

⁷ Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”^[c]

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.”^[d]

¹⁰ Then Jesus told him, “Go away,^[e] Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”^[f]

¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him (JESUS).

Notice, how JESUS respond to Satan/devil? JESUS quoted scripture to him and the devil left --

This goes back to how we began our study, “Does It Agree with the Bible or the fact that the voice of GOD never contradicts the Bible.” This is why, GOD desires for all of HIS Children to know the scriptures, not just know about the scriptures but to really know the truth of scripture. Why? The Bible reveals to us in Hebrews 4:12:

¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged 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.

Let’s read Genesis 3:1:

3 Now the serpent (Satan) was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Where had Eve’s information come from? It came from Adam. Satan twists truth. “Did GOD really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

NO! GOD did not say that but HE did say you cannot eat from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” What did GOD tell Adam in Genesis 2:16: Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

GOD does not mince words or show favorites. Man had eternal life but he would lose it the instant he ate the fruit from the “Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil.”

Let’s read Genesis 3:2-3:

² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. ³ But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’”

Oh, my when we add something to GOD’S Word, we are in trouble. Notice Eve left out the absolute “certainly” before die. GOD never said anything about not touching it. Could it be that Adam added “the do not touch it” to keep Eve safe? We only speculate. But for whatever reason it played into Satan enticing Eve.

But notice that GOD had placed the forbidden tree in the middle of the Garden. It was surrounded by many other suitable trees for Adam and Eve to eat their fruit. Often, GOD places stumbling blocks/hinderances which we have to cross over in an effort to keep us from sinning.

Now, I move into speculation about the dialogue between Eve and Satan. GOD said not to touch it? Oh, Eve, look how beautiful its fruit looks. Beauty often entices us until reality hits us. Reach out and touch it. Satan may have even touched it and said, look I touched it and nothing happened. Eve had to touch it before she took a bite. Satan, likely said, see I told you that you would not “certainly” die. So, take a bite. GOD lied to you; can you trust HIM?

The serpent, Satan, continued in his authoritative voice, giving the impression he was the greater authority over GOD. Satan is a liar and deceiver. But we need to keep in mind that GOD created the angel who turned out to become Satan.

Let’s read Genesis 3:4-7:

⁴ “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “In fact, God knows that when^[a] you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶ The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So, she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so, they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Satan is crafty and deceives today. Notice that Satan added back what GOD had told Adam, “you will certainly die.” Satan lures GOD’S Children and non-children into sin. Satan says “Oh, try this once and see it will solve all your problems.” OH! NO! It will be just the beginning of your problems. Sin blocks our relationship and fellowship with GOD.

I know of people who have been enticed to try a certain drug, just once that lasted a lifetime and eventually destroyed them, their loved ones and took their lives.

Notice, the first thing Eve did after she took a bite was to give Adam a bite. Adam was standing there next to her while all of this was going on. Was he afraid to open his mouth? Why, didn’t Adam speak up? We will likely never know. Was he letting Eve be the test case to test the honesty of GOD? All we do know is that Adam took a bite. They were bonded in love and instantly both of their eyes were opened and they noticed they were naked. Sin reveals our nakedness. We have nothing to hide behind.

Adam took a bite. He knew better. That is why GOD had to send the second Adam, JESUS to earth to offer redemption to all mankind by placing their faith in JESUS. There is no other way to get to Heaven.

When we sin, most often, immediately we want to cover it up or justify it.

GOD in HIS wisdom knew that Adam and Eve would sin and HE had a backup plan to redeem mankind. It would require GOD’S only SON, JESUS, to come to earth and live a 100 percent sinless human life and shed HIS sinless blood to pay, in full, for all sin. JESUS would die physically and GOD would raise JESUS from the physically dead to show that the penalty for sin had been paid, in full, and all who place their faith in JESUS are redeemed from eternal death. All who are redeemed are given the Holy Spirit as a security deposit or seal to assure them that they are fully redeemed. All who are redeemed will not be found naked when they die physically but are covered by a special Heavenly body which GOD is fashioning for every Spirit-born person.

As a Spirit-born person the Bible reveals in 2 Corinthians 5:1-5:

5 For we know that if our earthly tent (earthly body) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. ² Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiring to put on our heavenly dwelling, ³ since, when we are clothed,^[a] we will not be found naked. ⁴ Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.

For Spirit-born people, GOD is fashioning a suitable body for them

 when they exit earth in death. This special heavenly body will be suitable for the time we are in HEAVEN while we are waiting to follow JESUS to earth at the rapture of the church and all Spirit-born people to be clothed in their eternal Glorified bodies.  

WOW!!! GOD is wonderful! And that is Good News we have as Spirit-born people to share with those who are struggling in sin and need to be rescued from the mirey clay of sin and given hope in JESUS. To GOD be the Glory, Great things HE has done. HIS redemptive plan is awesome and HIS redeeming love is eternal! Blessings!!!