PRECIOUS INDEED

James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

Pastor Rick Jackson

What is it that you value? Years ago, I was staying for the summer with my brother. He had a two-car garage and in one side was his vehicle and on the other side was his new riding lawnmower. I asked him one day, without attitude, why my car was left out in the weather and his lawnmower was sitting in the garage. He replied simply and without sarcasm, "Because the lawnmower is worth more than your car!" That made perfect sense to me. It was a used car, but a new riding lawnmower and the mower actually cost more than the car and was more likely to be damaged by the weather as well.

Your vehicle is probably worth more than a bike. But your house is worth more than your vehicle (not always). But then your family is worth more than your house. If you were lost in a desert water would be more precious than a million dollars and if you were in space air would be worth more than a billion dollars! So, it is sometimes hard to decide what is precious.

Our text teaches that food is precious. Obviously if you were starving you would trade a diamond for an apple. What are some things we should consider as precious? The word "precious" (timios) here is used less than 15 times in the New Testament. What does God tell is precious?

1. A GOOD NAME

Acts 5:34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

2. A GOOD MARRIAGE

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

3. THE SAVIOUR'S BLOOD

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

4. THE WORD OF GOD

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Psalm 19:9-11 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward

5. FAITH IN CHRIST

1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

6. HEARTFELT SERVICE FOR CHRIST

1 Corinthians 3:11-14 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

7. HEAVEN

Revelation 21:11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

Revelation 21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

1 TIMOTHY 2

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE POWER OF PRAYER [v. 1-4, 8]

1. All Kinds [v. 1, 3]

2. All Men [v. 1b, 4, 8]

3. All Authority [v. 2]

II. THE PERSONS OF SALVATION [v. 3-8]

1. From God [v. 3]

2. For All [v. 4]

3. Through Christ [v. 5-6]

4. Through Our obedience [v. 7-8]

III. THE PLACE OF WOMEN [v. 9-15]

1. An Undeniable Profession [v. 9-10]

2. An Understandable Prohibition [v. 11-12]

3. A Unique Participation [v. 12-15]

STABILITY

PSALM 119

Rick Jackson

In a universe of uncertainty (asteroids) there is stability. In a world of conflict (Jihad, communism, global warming or global idiocy) there is stability. In a nation of petty political posturing there is stability. In a state of moral ambiguity there is stability. In a community, a church, your family, in your life there is stability. You may say, but brother Rick all you have done is mention a few of the myriad of problems facing us on every conceivable scale and yet you say, "there is stability." Where? Where is the stability?

The psalmist, like us, had many outside forces that tend to unsettle a person, but he found stability in the Word of God and the God of the Word. The word faithfulness is found four times in Psalm 119. Each time it is the same basic Hebrew Word (or a form thereof) and Young's Concordance says it means "stability".

Strong's concordance says the literal meaning is firmness (my hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name, On Christ the solid Rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand).

Strong goes on to say that it figuratively means security and speaking morally it means fidelity like the Marines motto "Semper Fi". "Semper Fidelis" is Latin for "Always faithful." Besides being translated as faithfulness, it is also translated into the English as stability, steady, truly, truth, and verily. It is that. So, amidst chaos and uncertainty the believer has stability. Let's see how the psalmist applied it.

The psalmist had stability:

I. IN THE MIDST OF GOD-GIVEN [OR GOD-ALLOWED] AFFLICTION [V. 73-80]

Other believers are encouraged. God afflicts us (or allows it) for a reason, reminiscent of Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. The Lord is the friend that sticketh closer than a brother. The Psalmist doesn't ask to be removed from afflictions but to be comforted in them.

II. IN THE MIDST OF PERSECUTION [V. 81-88]

When it seems the Heavens are brass we still can trust in the Word. Knowing God's Word strengthens us in persecution. God's loving kindness revives us and reminds us to live for Him!

III. IN THE MIDST OF EVERY AGE [V. 89-96]

The Creator's Word is settled and so we should be as well. This passage is similar to Colossians.

1:16-17 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Since He is the all-powerful Creator, and since He has given His Word, every person in every age can find stability in Him!

IV. IN THE MIDST OF INSIGNIFICANCE [V. 137-144]

How small we are but how great He is.

Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psalm 144:3 LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

Many years ago, a scholar named Muretus lived. He was very educated but also very poor. He became very sick, and he was taken to the place where the destitute were kept. The doctors didn't know that he was a scholar and that he understood the scholar's Latin. One day the doctors were discussing his case in Latin and said that he was a poor creature of no value and they questioned aloud what experiments they could do on this worthless beggar. Muretus looked up and answered in their own Latin, "Call no man worthless for whom Christ died." Christ's payment for sin makes every soul of infinite worth.

Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Question of the Week: How does Saturn confirm a young universe?

From the highly recommended: Answers in Genesis <www.answersingenesis.org>

Subject: How does Saturn confirm a young universe? 

 

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John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

We are frail, sinful beings. Jesus died for us and He gave us who are saved a new heart. But we still have the old nature, and so we need, day by day, to resist the Devil and to get cleansing and help from God. But we ought to know that we are in the family of God. We are born of God; we have everlasting life. I am talking about saved people who have a new heart and the Holy Spirit moved in to take charge and such as have trusted Jesus are born again Christians. We can thank God that is settled for good. - John R. Rice

When you were saved, you got everlasting life. It is not honest to say everlasting means something else. Everlasting means everlasting, and if God promised everlasting life when you trusted Him, then that is what He gave you when you trusted Him.
But you say, "You may not deserve it." Neither you nor I deserved it to start with. That is not the way we got it. One may say, "You may not hold out faithful." We did not start faithful. That is not the way we got it. No, we trust Jesus and He saves us by His loving mercy and never lets us go. - John R. Rice

I talked to a young backslider who had been taught that when you sin, you are lost again. Nearly all the tomfool heresies and ideas got started by some preacher. Some preacher had told her that. She thought she was lost again. I said, "Now, you have sinned since you were saved?"
"Yes, I have."
"Is Jesus going to come back to die again on the cross to pay for those sins of yours?"
She was certainly very much puzzled. "Well, no, I don't think so."
"Then do you think He paid for them the first time He was here on the cross?"
"Oh, yes," she said. "I see it."
He paid for all my sins and the sins of the whole world when He died on the cross. She could see that; so can you and I. And we ought to thank God for it. Ah, thank God He gives everlasting life.
He atoned for our sins. They are all paid for. - John R. Rice

That chapter [Romans 8] starts out with "no condemnation," and ends up with "no separation." Everlasting life! My dear, troubled friend, if you don't know you are saved for sure, saved forever, I am sorry for you. - John R. Rice

When Christians are first converted, they are still baby Christians. They are still young Christians. They need to grow in grace. They need to come to trust the Lord day by day. They need to read the Bible and serve God and have joy and peace and assurance. But the security is already there. - John R. Rice

Sinlessness is not what the Lord is talking about when the Bible speaks of sanctification. Oh, but doesn't the Scripture say in the Sermon on the Mount, "Be ye therefor perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect"? Yes, it says that. Do you think God would say it is all right for you to sin a little? Do you think God is going to set up an imperfect standard? When God gave the Ten Commandments, did he say, "Now serve idols part of the time, but most of the time serve the Lord"? No, the Ten Commandments set up a perfect standard. And here the Scripture sets up a perfect standard. - John R. Rice

All should long to be sinless, and seek to be. Somebody said, "Now Brother Rice, we are Baptists (or Presbyterians or Methodists) and we don't believe in sinless perfection." Well, I would have to say I believe in it, but I don't practice it. That is, I believe that is right. I don't believe I have reached it. I don't know anybody else who has reached it, and if you are pretending you have, I don't believe you. - John R. Rice

AT THE FEET OF JESUS

AT THE FEET OF JESUS

LUKE 8:26-28, 41, 47

Pastor Rick Jackson

As I was reading Luke 8 the other day I was struck by the fact that three very different people were found at the feet of Jesus and mentioned in that one chapter. What might a person find at the feet of Jesus?

I. AT THE FEET OF JESUS THERE IS DELIVERANCE [v. 26-39]

1. The Demons Recognized His Person [v. 26-30]

2. The Demons Recognized His Authority [v. 31-33]

3. Those Delivered Recognize His Deity [v. 34-39]

II. AT THE FEET OF JESUS THERE IS HEALING [v. 43-48]

1. Healing for the Helpless [v. 43]

2. Healing for the Hopeful [v. 44-45]

3. Healing for the Faithful [v. 46-48]

III. AT THE FEET OF JESUS THERE IS HOPE [v. 40-42, 49-56]

1. Hope for the Dying [v. 40-42]

2. Hope for the Dead [v. 49]

3. Hope for the Daring [v. 50-56] Dare to take God at His Word!