curg10

Can You Reach God

Lesson Ten: by turtle

Do you reach up to God, or are you on the verge of reaching up to God. God has been reaching down to you for a long time,
have you been listening. There is no rest to those who refuse to listen to God. Many hear the gospel call and never grab hold of
it. Many hear the gospel call and never understand that Jesus is calling today and tomorrow maybe to late to pick up and
receive Him as Lord. Some want it but never receive it for many different reason.

Hebrews 4:1-2 KJV
(1) Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
(2) For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed
with faith in them that heard it.

Faith has to be added in order for people to receive it. If someone without faith shares the gospel it comes back nil and void.
However share it with faith and God will move mountains in the lives of those one ministers too. If you do not believe what
you share it will not bear fruit that will last. Share with faith.

Mark 16:15-20 KJV
(15) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
(16) He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
(17) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
(18) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick,
and they shall recover.
(19) So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
(20) And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs
following. Amen.

Do not tempt the Lord your God to prove a point. Mainly one needs to be prayed up and listening to God in order to see the
works of God manifest in their life. If you pray for those that are sick then healing will come in God’s way. Sometimes
miraculous sometimes by receiving a good report from the doctor. One does not go around drinking poison or giving poison to
someone to prove God that is tempting God. However if you are endanger and it not your time to go, God will provide away
of escape. Paul was beaten, tortured, and stoned and he lived to tell it, because it was not His time to die, but to press on
sharing the gospel of Jesus. Most would of laid dead. One instant in Acts where Paul is thought to be dead and he gets up and
walks to the next city.

Acts 14:19-20 KJV
(19) And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul,
drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
(20) Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with
Barnabas to Derbe.

Paul was called to testify to island leaders after being bit by a poisonous asp.

Acts 28:3-9 KJV
(3) And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened
on his hand.
(4) And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a
murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
(5) And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
(6) Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while,
and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
(7) In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and
lodged us three days courteously.
(8) And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and
prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
(9) So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:

It often appears ministers in the Bible get little rest. They were ever moving from place to place. Sharing the gospel where ever
God opened a door. Yet even God took a day of rest from his work. If you look at the next two verses they essentially mean
the same thing.

Hebrews 4:3-4 KJV
(3) For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest:
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
(4) For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

God created and when His work was done even since the beginning of time God would rest. Working for God there is a time
of rest. However while there those who need the gospel our work is not complete. Our work is not complete. Yet God’s work
is complete, His work was finished in seven days. God salvation plan was finished when Christ died on the cross for one sins.
Our task is to share that message so others can learn to communicate with God. To know God for themselves, to know the
Savior that bridges the gap between God and man. Who died on the cross for our sins.

Hebrews 4:5-11 KJV
(5) And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
(6) Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because
of unbelief:
(7) Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
(8) For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
(9) There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
(10) For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
(11) Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Our labor is to share the gospel. To share it with faith and belief, so others might believe and receive. The word of God is what
pierces the heart of man. It not our words, however we need to go even further and say that God knows every part of us and
cares for us. He knows our every thought and deed. He knows our hearts.

Hebrews 4:12-16 KJV
(12) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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.
(13) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him
with whom we have to do.
(14) Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession.
(15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin.
(16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

I believe in God’s redemption plan do you? To come to assurance of faith in Christ Jesus is to enter rest, but even so it is rest
for the soul. Our spiritual soul, no longer dreads what is coming, but looks forward to heaven. However we yet have work to
do and so does God, yet the work is light.

Matthew 11:28-30 KJV
(28) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
(29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
(30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Acts 15:9-11 KJV
(9) And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
(10) Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were
able to bear?
(11) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

Galatians 5:1 KJV
(1) Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of
bondage.

Rest for the weary comes with the knowledge that your sins are forgiven. It comes with the understanding that you are truly
set free. That what we are working for to help set others free of the yoke of sin and bondage. Allowing God to set His people
free.