Hallelujah! Amen. Exciting time as we're continuing along and looking at the four different aspects of what we really believe today as fundamental foundational truths; and we've talked a little bit about, of course, our position in soteriology, it has to do with our salvation. Aren't you glad for the grace of God? "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
We just delight in the goodness of God, and we went from there and talked a little bit about the doctrine of divine healing; and that's something that's lost in the church today because of all of the technology and all of the scientific advances. The great truth of Isaiah 53 is pretty much gone by the wayside and was a big part of the kingdom ministry in Jesus; and it says Jesus "http://...healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying..." Amen? (Matthew 8:16-17). We realize that by His stripes we are a healed people, praise God. "...I am the Lord that healeth thee" (Exodus 15:26). Then, we went from there to the understanding that we're a people that believe in the dynamics of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and we realize that the gift of the Holy Spirit, as the Scripture said, on the day of Pentecost was the fulfillment of the prophet Joel, "http://...the [gift] is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39). He said, "http://...your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams" (Acts 2:17), praise God.
So, we realize that the dynamics of the Holy Spirit are for this day, and I just speak to all of that to remind us that this whole teaching is to prepare us for this day of apathy that we're living in; because the coming of the Lord is drawing nigh. Amen? And all of these aspects of our belief are going to be under attack by the spirit of antichrist that John spoke of which was operating already in the first century; but it preceded the coming of the man, the son of perdition, the Scripture calls him, the Antichrist that's on the threshold today...
Jesus is Still Coming, Part 2
November 20, 2011 • Pastor Star R. Scott
Hallelujah! Let's turn to Titus and see if we can jump in here and, hopefully, be able to keep things a little tighter and more succinct this evening. The subject is very big and very detailed, and sometimes, in trying to keep to the general, we surely don't want to miss anything that's vital for us to understand. But I think we'll be real confident if the thing we focus on is this passage in Titus. These verses that we're familiar with in Titus, Chapter 2, verse 11, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." If we keep focusing on that, we're going to be in good shape, "...denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, [living] soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." Then look what it says after all of this responsibility we have of walking in sanctification, and walking in the Spirit, 1 John 3:3, "And every man that hath this hope in [the visitation of the Lord Jesus, seeing Him as He is] purifieth himself, even as he is pure."
As we're living godly in this present world, he says there is something else that's just as vital as us keeping sanctified and holy, pure and separate. Look what he says next, right in the midst of this. "Looking for that blessed hope..." Amen? It's as important as walking in holiness. It's as important as all of the teaching on sanctification. You would think that if we would just emphasize sanctification and holiness and purity and refraining from the world that we would be ready when He comes. He says, "No." In addition to that, "Looking for that blessed hope, [Amen?] and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things [purity, holiness, sanctification. These things] speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee" (Titus 2:12-15). These things, and in addition to these, looking for that blessed hope...
