Just Like in Noah's Day

Genesis 7:1 - Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation." 

We are familiar with the story of Noah and the ark. We have known it since childhood. But how many believe it? Was it just a story? I believe it because the Bible "told me so." I also believe that history repeats itself...nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). 

If you remember the Noah story, you know that the reason for the ark was to save the lives of Noah, his family and anyone else who wished to be saved from a flood that was to occur. Of course, no flood had ever happened before, so Noah pretty much had to have faith in God alone and in that which was not seen. (Hebrews 11) So we are to believe also.

The world had turned corrupt (Genesis 6:11) Man had turned wicked and every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil. God was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart (Genesis 6:5-6). So He decided to destroy all living things, except those that would enter into the ark He asked Noah to build. He chose Noah because of his righteousness, his trust and devotion to God.

If history repeats itself, could it be this might happen again? I so totally believe this because I've read the Bible and I know how the end of the story will take place! God may not ask another earthly man to build yet another, greater ark, but I know a Man who became the ark. His name is Jesus.

After the flood, life began again...and again it became corrupt and evil, as evidenced throughout His Word. This time God sent His only Son to be born to become that ark in which all mankind would be allowed to enter into, into a relationship with God, through Jesus Christ. Enter into Christ and be saved. Repent, admit your sin and weaknesses and enter into a life of righteousness, like Noah, and no longer have fear of what the evil in this world dishes out. 

Trust in the one true God. Commit your ways to Him. Share the Gospel and do it without being ashamed. Let your light shine in the world. Listen for the prompting of His Holy Spirit. This is all available for anyone who is willing to submit to the Lord. Our religion can't save us. Our goodness can't save us. But Jesus can. He is the Way, Truth and Life (the Door...to the ark). No one goes to the Father but by Him (John 14:6).

I know this hard for some to believe. But read Genesis 6 and 7 for yourself. It's an easy read! See what happened to the people who did not choose to enter into the ark. Jesus saves! Enter in. If you've balked all your life, it's not too late. He will not reject a heart willing to seek Him now. Just as Noah walked with God, so can we all...through Jesus Christ.

Hallelujah! Do you trust God and believe with all your heart? This is for you:

Romans‬ ‭10:8-11‬ ‭- But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

Salvation is of the Lord

Isaiah 52:10 - The LORD has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. 

Our salvation is of God. We cannot bring about our own salvation. We cannot expect a heavenly kingdom without first knowing Who created it, created us and eventually saved us. Nothing can be done without a relationship with God. That's what it was supposed to be all about 6,000 years ago with Adam and Eve. They walked with God in the garden. They were in relationship with Him. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭8)  They had this relationship for a time. 

Our pastor, Terry Fischer, talked about testimonies yesterday. Jesus had a testimony and He gives each of us one if we have come to Christ for salvation. He Said a testimony is evidence of a changed life, changed minds...all brought about through the power of God, nothing we could have done ourselves. It all has to be about who God is and what He does! We can have the mind of Christ.

But the deceiver, the enemy of our souls, the accuser of the brethren, satan, angered at being cast out of heaven because of his belief that he could be like or greater than God, made certain that God would receive less and less of those creatures He created. Pride. It's the major reason for not receiving Him. Because we think we can do it on our own...

Oh, but God in His infinite wisdom and mercy, saw to it another Way was made for this great salvation. He knew we could not do it. It had to come through Him. 

Salvation: The act of saving someone from sin or evil; deliverance from the power and effects of sin. - Merriam Webster. Deliverance, salvation (by God), welfare, prosperity, victory - Strong's Bible Concordance. 

What was needed was a great sacrifice. While animals did the job of being sacrifices in the Old Testament, they did not cover sin completely and repeated sacrifices were needed to be made, much like the idea that if we are basically good people, do good things, striving ourselves at being good, God will be pleased and allow us into heaven. But it was not/is not enough. Why did God need to bring Jesus into the picture if we could do it ourselves? Why did He need to suffer rejection, scourging? Why did He need to die? The enemy of our souls is still deceiving us into thinking we do not need Jesus. 

I would not have believed any of this 15 years ago. I was deceived. But God...showed me something one day. He had been leading up to this day but I was resisting. He pierced the hard heart within me and softened it enough for me to receive Him. Did I understand what had happened? Not immediately. I just knew I wanted Him. Oh how He can pierce the hardest of hearts. But it's the people with those hard hearts who ultimately make the decision. He pierces but we can still reject. Look at how many rejected Jesus in His day and how few followed. 

Some day He will return for those who have called on His name for this so great a salvation. It will be precious few because the way is narrow and few walk on it. If you have your doubts, seek Him for the answers. Ask Him to reveal Himself in such a way you understand it. You have probably been contacted many times but have either rejected the invitation or misunderstood it. Seek Him for eternal life. 

Some day He will return. When He does all the world will see it. The world will know to whom or what their allegiance was. We sang a song in church yesterday, Your Great Name. 

On the day that He returns, all will praise Him. For it is written: “As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”  (‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭11) and ...that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭10-11‬) 

Salvation does belong to our Lord. We must receive it for eternal life. Without it we have eternal death. Both these topics are in the Word of God. It might be called the Testimony of Jesus Christ because it explains from Genesis to Revelation the sovereignty of our God, His great plan for salvation and the plans He has for those who choose to receive and the consequences of not. God's Word is powerful unto salvation for all people. 

Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

BEHOLD! The Word

Nothing says it better than the Word of God.

The beginning:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God SAID, “Let there be light"; and there was light.

Then God SAID, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.”
Then God SAID, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so.
Then God SAID, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so.
Then God SAID, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;
Then God SAID, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.”
Then God SAID, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so.
Then God SAID, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬)

And God SAID it was all good. God the WORD, which word He spoke and it was accomplished. And He brought forth His Son Jesus, the one and the same WORD. I can't think of the One without going back to the beginning. Jesus, Alpha AND Omega, Beginning AND End because the WORD spoke the Word. Jesus, the light of the world which was rejected then and still is. What a great time to receive Him.

The truth, good news and the promise:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word WAS God. He was in the beginning with God. All things WERE MADE through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was LIFE, and the life was the light of men. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, AND THE WORLD DID NOT KNOW HIM.
[Then] the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. (‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭1-4,10,14‬)
Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. (‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬)

And the light shines in the darkness, AND THE DARKNESS DID NOT COMPREHEND IT. But as many as RECEIVED Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who BELIEVE in His name: who were born, NOT of blood, NOR of the will of the flesh, NOR of the will of man, BUT OF GOD. ...“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"(‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭5,12-13,29‬)

More good news and conclusion (end):

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (‭2Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬)

Behold, [some day soon] He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. (‭Revelation‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬)
"Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (‭Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭11,20‬)

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” ...And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts." (‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭5-6‬)
“Behold, I am coming quickly!... “...behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work." (‭Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭7,12‬)

We are about to celebrate the Word who became flesh just for us, for our sins. Do not forget who this season is truly about. Santa can't save, government can't save, good works and all our giving can't save, money can't save. But the Word who is Jesus can. Behold! The best gift is the gift of eternal life in and through Jesus Christ.

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬)