TRUTH IS ALWAYS RIGHT

JOB 40

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. RIGHT ANSWERS RIGHT UNDERSTANDING [v. 1-5]

1. Recognize the Qualification-Omniscience [v. 1-2, Job 38-39]

The story is told of a person who passed out. As a woman tried to help the unconscious person a man pushed her out of the way declaring, “That’s okay lady, I’ll help them. I’ve had CPR training!” The woman replied, “Fine. When you get to the part where you call the doctor- I’ll be standing right here.”

2. Recognize the Disqualification- Sin [v. 4, Ex. 3:4-5, Is. 6:1-5, Luke 5:8]

-God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground

-In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

-When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

3. Recognize another Option- Silence [23:3-4, 31:37, 40:5]

-Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

-I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near unto him.

 

II. RIGHT QUESTIONS WITH NO RIGHT ANSWERS [v. 6-14]

1. Should a Man Try to Outdo God? [v. 6-8]

2. Can a Man Be Like God? [v. 9-13]

3. Can a Man Save Himself? [v. 14]

 

III. RIGHT QUESTIONS WITH WRONG INTERPRETATIONS [v. 15-24]

1. The Creation of Behemoth [v. 15, Gn. 1:23-26]

And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

2. The Power of Behemoth [v. 16-19]

v. 19 suggests this was the largest land animal God had made.

3. The Care of Behemoth [v. 20-24]

LEARN THE LESSONS OF THE SPARROWS

LUKE 12:1-12

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. WHAT SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO YOU? [v. 1-5]

1. Doctrine is Important [v. 1]

2. Words are Important [v. 2-3]

3. Fearing God is Important [v. 4-5]

 

II. WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO GOD? [v. 6-9]

1. God Knows the Birds [v. 6]

2. God Knows You [v. 7, Ps. 139]

3. God Knows Your Profession [v. 8-9]

 

III. WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR ETERNITY? [v. 10-12]

1. Your Relationship with Christ [v. 10a]

2. Your Relationship with the Holy Spirit Before Knowing Christ [v. 10b]

3. Your Relationship with the Holy Spirit After Knowing Christ

[v. 11-12]

“IF” NOT “IFFY”

PSALM 66:18

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THE PROBLEM – Iniquity Regarding

1. The Problem is Personal  [Rm. 3:9-23]

2. The Problem is Pervading [1 Jn. 5:19]

And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness

3. The Problem is Perverse [Pr. 11:3]

The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

 

II. THE PLACE – Internally Residing

1. The Heart is Wicked [Jer. 17:9]

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

2. The Heart is Wanton [James 5:5] “seeking luxury”

Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

3. The Heart is Willful [Jer. 18:12]

-And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

 

III. THE PRODUCT – Intense Response

1. Divine Decision – “The Lord will” [Eph. 5:17]

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

2. Divine Determination “The Lord will NOT” [Ex. 20:7]

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

3. Divine Deafness – “The Lord will not hear me” [Is. 59:2]

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

 

IV. THE PREVENTION – “IF”, note the context in verses 9-20

3 STEPS CLOSER

James 4:8

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

If I asked how many of would like to be closer to God than you are now I daresay most of us would raise our hands or nod assent to such a thought. Close to Thee, Nearer my God to Thee, Oh to be Like Thee …this is the theme of many a song, the heart of many a prayer, and the longing of many a soul. Here are 3 simple steps to be closer to God. Some of these you may already be doing, others may not have occurred to you, but we can all profit from these simple reminders.

 

I. LIVE BIBLICALLY [Joshua 1:8]

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

1. In Thought [2 Cor. 10:5, Phil. 4:8]

-Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

- Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

2. In Philosophy [Col. 2:6-10] why we do what we do and how we do it

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

3. In Deed [James 1:22-25]

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

 

II. WORK LOCALLY “Brighten the corner where you are!”

1. Family [Jn. 1:41, Lk. 8:38-39]

- He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

- Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

2. Friends [Mk. 5:18-19, Jn. 1:45-46, Dan. 2:49]

- And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

-Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

- Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

3. Community [Mk. 5:20, Acts 1:8]

- And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

- But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

III. THINK GLOBALLY [Jn. 3:16]

1. Give to missions [Phil. 4:14-19]

- Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.

Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

2. Go as God calls [Acts 13:1-4]

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said , Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

3. Pray for missions [Eph. 6:18-19]

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly , to make known the mystery of the gospel

AND THERE IS NONE ELSE

Isaiah 45:5  

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THE KING OF KINGS [v. 1-5, 13-14]

Is. 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

Is. 45:1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

Ez. 1:1-2 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

Dan. 1:21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

 

II. THE GOD AND SAVIOUR OF ISRAEL [v. 3-4, 15-17, 25]

 

III. THE ONLY TRUE GOD [v. 5-6, 43:11, 44:6-8, Hosea 13:4]

Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

 

IV. CHRIST THE CREATOR [v. 7, 9-12, 18, Jn. 1:1-3]

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 

V. THE AUTHOR OF SALVATION [v. 8, 22, 24, Heb. 5:9, 12:2]

-And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

-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.

 

VI. THE GOD WHO SPEAKS [v. 19-21, 23]

LOOK UNTO ME

Isaiah 45:22                  

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THE SIMPLICITY OF THE TEXT - “Look”

1. Any Simpleton can do that [Psalm 119:130]

The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

2. The O.T. Example [Num. 21]

“the appearance of a serpent”

3. The N.T. Application [John 3:14-16]

“the appearance of a sinner”

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

II. THE SOURCE OF THE TEXT – “Look unto Me” [v. 22]

1. Not to Self [Titus 3:5]

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

2. Not to Religion [Ps. 51: 16-17]

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

3. Not to Others [Acts 4:12]

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 

III. THE SUBJECT OF THE TEXT – “Be ye saved”

1. From Damnation [Mark 16:16]

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

2. From the Wrath of God [Romans 5:9]

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

3. To Be with God Forever [Revelation 21:24]

And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.

 

IV. THE SCOPE OF THE TEXT –

“all the ends of the earth”

[Jn. 3:16, 1 Jn 2:2]

-For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life

- And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

3 GREAT PRAYER REQUESTS

Mt. 23:25-28

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. LORD, MAKE ME CLEAN

1. The Power of Salvation [Mt. 23:25-28, Rev. 1:5]

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

2. The Prayer of Sanctification [Jn. 13:6-10, 17:17]

- Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter . Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

3. The Process of Supplication [Ps. 19:12, 51:2]

- Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

-Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

II. LORD, MAKE ME CLOSE

1. Confession and Profession [Rm. 10:9-13 Eph. 2:13]

-That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

- But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.,

2. Confession and Forsaken [Pr. 28:13]

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

3. Confess and have Forgiveness [1 Jn. 1:9]

-If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

III. LORD, MAKE ME CLEAR - clarity

1. Concerning Myself [Lk. 6:41-42]

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

2. Concerning My Lord [Job 42:1-6]

Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes

3. Concerning My Obedience to God's Word [2 Cor. 7:8-11]

For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

An Old Day Dawning

 On April 12, 2006 I began this blog with the following post:

A New Day Dawning

A father was talking to his son and he told him quite emphatically, "Your mother and I have learned that you have been blogging. We don't know what it is but we want you to stop immediately!"

An acquaintance of mine had been kind enough to blog a few of my outlines, howbeit they had to be edited for size. In some cases it had changed the direction of the whole message. Now I don't blame them for this, had to be done for size, etc. but why not blog my own, then I have control over the direction, the diction, and yes, the occasional disaster! So here we are, a new day dawning.

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Now here we are 20 years later [to the month not the day] and still slogging and blogging. Thousands of blogs and some boo-boos along the way but still. Haven't missed a week. Not every day but several a week. Several dogs later but from the same location. Some readers have passed off the scene [literally] and others have left for other reasons but new friends have joined us and we rejoice in that. Thanks for tuning in. Wonder if I can make another score of years. Sure do miss those dogs.