July 23, 2017

Sunday School
The Seven Dispensations
Promise

After a quick review  of Innocence, Conscience and Government, Promise is the fourth of the Dispensations.
God calls Abram and gives him promises. 

• Genesis 12:1-7 The Lord had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you.  I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all people on earth will be blessed through you."  So Abram went, as the Lord told him; and Lot went with him.  Abram was seventy-five years old.....
• Genesis 13:14-17  The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.  All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.  I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.  Go, walk.......
• The sign of the covenant is circumcision.  Genesis 17:9-14  Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.  This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep:  Every male among you shall be circumcised.  You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between Me and you........
• Hebrews 6:13  When God made His promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for Him to swear by, He swore by Himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."
• God's Abrahamic Covenant was an unconditional covenant; a literal covenant about the promise of land on earth and; an everlasting covenant.
• Israel as a nation that will possess the totality of the land in the future because Israel will be forgiven and restored.  Romans 11:25-27  I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited:  Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.  As it is written:  "The deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob.  And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins." 

Sermon
Psalm 51:10 -  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Topic: "A Right Spirit"

There is power in the Holy Spirit
There is presence of the Holy Spirit
There is prompting of the Holy Spirit

• David was a man after God's heart.
• David's cry for forgiveness to create in him a clean heart was heard.
• David did a self examination.
• Do we, like David, go astray?
• God will bless us if we have the "right spirit."
• God look at the heart.
• 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 -  If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
• We all will be tried in the fire!!

A Right Spirit

1. Fruit of the Spirit - Galatians 5:22-23 -  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
2. Exercise your faith - Hebrews 10:38 -  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him.  Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them those diligently (earnestly) seek Him.
3. Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--thing about such things.

Psalm 51:1-13 -  Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.  Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou might be justified when thou speaks, and be clear when thou judge.  Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.  Behold, thou desires truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shall make me to know wisdom.  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow........