Author: marshallclayton3519

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON ( APRIL 4,2021 )

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( HEBREWS 4:16 )

LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY UNTO THE THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY, AND FIND HELP IN TIME OF NEED.

Today is the day that we take time to remember the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior; Jesus Christ. I am very thankful continually for his saving grace and, the Holy Spirit he placed within me the day of my salvation. In reality, God, through and by his grace gave us a way to remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus ( according to his will ) and, that apart from how men choose to remember it. Man devised a way to remember it each year. God the Father said it do it ( as often ); that is, when ever you desire to. His way is ( the Lord’s supper ). Many Churches have, what we might call communion, each Sunday, some, every quarter and others, whenever the pastor feels led to do so. In other words, ( communion can be done ) as often as one desires to.

While I’m not anti- Easter in any means; I do believe it has become a ( religious ritual ) and, if it is the only time that a person ever considers the death, burial and resurrection of Chirst then that, in itself becomes a shame! As a matter of fact, if the very act of having communion can become the same way if we do not truly reverence and become closer to Christ because we commit that act.

On any given Sunday, just like this one; I truly seek God’s will for what I teach. In the last few Sundays it’s been in Hebrews. It just so happens that today we are looking at ( Hebrews 4:16 ) which is actually one of the most powerful attributes, other than our salvation we can contribute to Easter; which is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I want you to consider something here. Do you realize that God, by his Holy Spirit, under the writings of the Apostle Paul chose to describe the act of Communion in the book of Corinthians? The Church was the most carnal Church we see in all of the Apostles Paul’s writings. They, in fact were, by their actions, making a mockery of the whole concept of the Lord’s supper. You can read about it in ( 1 Corinthians 11 ).

So, let’s get to what I feel led to teach today. In this verse; look at what he says: ( Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace ). Do you realize that up until the death of Jesus Christ that no person other than the high priest could ever go behind the veil? However, the very moment that Jesus Christ ( gave up the ghost ) that veil was rent from ( top to bottom ). That ( top to bottom ) signifies ( God coming down to man!

( Matthew 27:51-53 )

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; ( 52 ) And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, ( 53 ) And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

In the Old Testament if any man went behind that veil, he would die instantly. As a matter of fact, even the High Priest had to make sure he followed ever ordinance given by God the Father precisely or, he would die as well.

We commerate Easter, not to remember his death necessarily but rather, the resurrection, althouth it all goes together. When Jesus Christ was raised from the dead it was proof that God the Father had excepted his sacrifice for the sins of this world. He, Jesus Christ became our high priest. While we see that in the previous verses here, we can also study it further in ( Hebrews 5 ) and possibly we will get to that.

What might be significant about that fact? In the Old Testament, God the Father looked at Israel, typlically theough a veil. He could see them but, they couldn’t see him. In the New Testament, the ( Blood of Christ ) became that veil. Now God the Father looks at us, sees us through the Blood of Christ once we are born again. His blood blocks out everything about us that is not Jesus Christ, therfore, God the Father see us as perfect through Christ. Our sins are filtered by his blood. His blood is that veil!

Therefore, we can boldly come before God the Father just like Jesus Christ. However, it is actually through him we can see God the Father.

Now, let’s look at something here and you see if you agree with me. The next part of ( Hebrews 4: 16 ) says this: ( that we may obtain mercy ). Once we are born again, I, for one will have to admit that I am not perfect! We go back to ( verse 12 ) we see that he, God the Father knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts. There is nothing hid from him. Therefore, as a born again believer, when I know that I fall short, I can obtain mercy! In: ( 1 John 1:9 ) It says this: ( If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Can you see how God’s will is for each of us to be like Christ? Although we will never reach that perfection in this life; it’s still God’s will for us to be just that sensitive to the sin that easily besets us, having a desire, by the Holy Spirit to overcome every sinfil weakness we have. This has nothing to do with salvation but, our desire to walk circumspectly in Christ, to be obedient to his will. God’s mercy, through the Blood of Christ allows us not to be perfect but, his mercy will always be there, continually.

I love my wife! does that fact make me a perfect husband to her? Take my word for it, no it doesn’t but, although I cannot reach perfection as her husband, my desire is still to be pleasing to her. Therefore, I don’t live in a way that is displeasing to her and, if I do something that is upsetting to her, I confess; honey, I was wrong. If I fall short as her husband, are we not still just as married?

It’s the ame picture with each born again believer and God the Father. We are still just as much his child even when we are less than perfect but, if we truly desire to be pleasing to him, we will confess before him and continue to move foward toward being like Christ.

Now, look at the last part of this verse:

( Hebrews 4:16 )

and find ( grace to help ) in ( time of need ).

There is a very important question we must ask ourselves here. Just how willing are you to overcome the sinful weakness in your life? We often seek to tie our physical bodies to this verse of scripture. I suppose that there are times that God helps us in a physical sense however, God’s true desire is to have us walk with him in a very healthy spiritual life, and that; far beyond any problem we might face in our flesh.

Many people that say they are born again are very content living in the sin they live in. They are simply looking at Christ as a way to stay out of hell; never even considering changing anything about their lives. Most people that say they are born again are not even sensitive to the little things that might be displeasing to God the Father. They look at it as ( God saved me ) here I am. If that is your mindset, maybe you should actually consider whether you are truly born again or not.

I’m going to insert something here about a husband and his wife. In either case, whether you are ( a husband ) or ( a wife ) if you are not at least seeking to be pleasing, are you truly married? If marriage hasn’t taken place within the heart of a man and a woman then, the paper work that comes with marriage is worthless!

It’s actually the same way with being born again. If God; by his Holy Spirit hasn’t moved into your heart then, Church membership and baptism is completely worthless. It’s a terrible thing to die, to wait to late to find out you are actually not born again. The very same way with marriage; once the paper work is done, by law you are maried but, if it’s not in your heart, you can look for problems!

The spiritual needs we have are real! God didn’t say he would take anything away from you just by asking. He said you could ( obtain mercy ) and ( find help ) in time of need. God’s grace can help you overcome anything, however it must be your desire to overcome those things in your life. One of my favorite pharses in scripture is this: ( and Jesus said: and it came to pass ). No matter what you might be facing in your life, it will come to pass.

I’ll share this story in closing. I come home from work one afternoon; my wife was standing at the pation door and a young man was sitting on the patio. As I walked up, my wife told me that the young man wanted to talk to me. I sit down and, he begin to talk. He said: he didn’t have a job, he had one offered to him but he didn’t have gas money to go to it. He also said, he had a speading ticket that he had to pay. I could have been more but it’s been so long I’ve forgotten. What he wanted from me was to borrow some money, I didn’t know this young man, had never seen him before.

As I looked at him, I felt impressed by God’s Spirit to help him. This is what I said. Son, I’ll loan you the money you ask for. You know, I have never seen you before, I don’t know you. However, this is what I want you to know. Everything you just told me will shortly come to pass, you’ll get a job, you’ll pay the speeding ticket, life will move foward. At the same time, what you do from this day foward is completely up to you, even whether you repay this money or not. If you are not careful, you will continue to make the same mistakes over and over again but, that’s completely up to the choices you make from this day foward.

This young man did give me the money back in about a month, what else he did from that day foward, I don’t know, I have never seen him again.

My point is that, you have the very same choices to make! We either make a choice to be pleasing to God or remain like we are. His desire is to help but, are you willing to allow that help to change your life?

Marshall Clayton

2 Timpthy 1:7

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON ( MARCH 28, 2021 )

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THE WORTHLESSNESS OF MY FLESH

last night as my wife and I sit and done our nightly Bible reading and prayers, we were reading in ( Deuteronomy 7 ). God had instructed them to kill all the people, every one. My wife expressed the fact she did not have an understanding about God having them kill all those people, men. women and children. Where did they go? Did they all go to hell? As we sit and talked about those things ; God’s spirit began to stir in my heart about a Sunday School lesson to I might be able to teach.

We often misunderstand the actions of God because we can’t see God’s purpose even in our own lives. What is God’s will for me as an individual? ( I believe ) that the nation of Israel is a perfect picture of every born again believer. In the Old Testament, God chose a people. His desire was for ( this nation ) to be a people that completely yielded to his every word. His desire was for ( that nation ) ( that mindset ) to completely take over the complete world as we know it.

In the Old Testament, it’s all about a picture and, what we can learn from that picture. If you read after me, you know that I taught ( Hebrews 4:12 ). This can be totally related to what is said in that verse. We know for a fact that all flesh is going back to the dust of the earth. With that being said, can you see that even the ( flesh of Israel ) was going to do the very same thing? God’s desire to destroy all flesh that didn’t obey his will was even true when it came to his own people. Every person in Israel had to die just as every other person did. If you will read his account all the way through the Old testamant, he instructed Israel to teach their children and grand children his statutes, his will. When we see ( the law ) God gave that law to Moses only. He presented that law, by Moses to Israel. He instructed them to learn it and obey it. Put another way, he is not going to change or give that law to a different person in every generation. It became the responsibility of Israel to keep it and to see to it that the next generation did the same.

The spiritual picture we see is one of seperation. God knew that if Israel didn’t destroy all that was not of him; then the strength of their enemy would slowly overtake them and they would be corrupted. The very first enemy that had to be defeated in Israel was the weakness of their very own flesh. As a nation, they never became able to do just that.

When we are born again, just like the picture of Israel; God seperates ( the soul ) part of us from the other two parts within each of us. That being our flesh and our spirit. Just as Israel was supposed to destroy every other group of people, every other city or mindset, it becomes our responsibility to allow the very power of God within us to overtake our spirit and flesh, destroying our own will as we walk in our flesh.

I’d like to share some verses of scripture with you.

( Matthew 25:24 )

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: ( 25 ) And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there is thou hast that is thine.

Now, look at this:

( Matthew 25:30 )

And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: ther shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Personally, I believe these statements are related to nations, such as the ones that God wanted destroyed by Israel but, the spiritual point is still the same. Let’s say that you, as an individual are born again. That makes you a servant/ child of God. He has performed surgery on your heart and seperated himself within you. Now, it’s your responsibility to yield your members to his own will. We know this:

( Romans 8:8 )

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

That, we know; is an absolute fact! Now, look at the very next verse:

( Romans 8:9 )

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

He’s not talking about the fact we are still in our fleshly bodies but rather that he has placed his spirit within our flesh. He’s saying that if that spirit is not in you then, you are simply not saved. Now, I ask you, does God’s Spirit live within you? Only you can answer that question?

If you consider the servant that hid his talent ( in the earth ). That servant never took God’s talent within him did he? It was hid in the very place God’s desire is for each believer to turn their flesh away from. If you will notice; that servant says this ( there thou hast that is thine ). It never became the servants did it? He never received it?

I truly believe that there are many Church members that live ( in the flesh ) meaning that their desire is the please their flesh. The reason they don’t seek to please God is because ( his Spirit ) is not in them. God has never performed surgery on their hearts, there is nothing within them for the spirit to build on! He can’t work on you flesh until you allow him in!

That means that they will be thrown into outer darkness. Where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!

Do you see that the servant with the most talents and, was willing to use them all was the very best compensated? or, at least the very same as the other servant that was willing to use all? We see that all people might not have the same talents so to speak but, are you willing to use what you have for God’s glory? Are we willing to slowly allow that spirit to overtake our worldly desires of our flesh?

If your answerer to that question is no then, explain to me what good you are for God’s purpose? The whole picture of Israel and the other nations was to bring about God’s will in this world by his people yeilding to his will and guidelines. If Israel was not willing to allow that to happen then what good was Israel to God the Father?

All Israel will be save, that as a nation, They will inherit the earth however, they have faced and, will face the chastening hand of God because of their unbelief. There is no differece in a single born again believer! If you are born again and, yet you refuse to be obedient to God’s will for your life, you will suffer loss at the ( Judgement Seat of Christ ). Exactly what does that mean. A subject for another lesson:

Next week by God’s grace we will look at the last verse in ( Hebrews 4 ).

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

CONTINUING IN ( ACTS 6 ) CAN A BIRTHRIGHT BE STOLEN AGAIN?

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As we consider all we see in ( Acts 6 ) I can see well the struggled to allow the very Spirit within us to be in control of our actions. The understanding of all these things is a part of every person’s spiritual education. That, not just at this time but as far back as when the Church was in its youth.

As we look at the apostles seeking to make decisions, the picture of a stolen birthright comes into play. We first see that picture revealed in ( Genesis 25:20 ) with the birth of twins to the wife of Isaac. I’ll be making some comments about this and, how it relates to the early Church. You can study behind me and even see far beyond what I might teach.

I’ll start this by looking at Rebekah, the wife of Isaac. We see that she was barren, Isaac prayed for her and she had twins. We see in ( Genesis 25:22 ) that the children struggled together within her. In ( Genesis 25:23 ) God told her she had two nations within her and that they would be seperated from her bowels, the elder would serve the younger.

If we go back in Genesis where Abraham sent his elder servant to get a bride for his son Isaac. ( Genesis 24 ). In the picture we see in that chapter; Abraham is ( God the Father ), The elder servant is ( the Holy Spirit ), Isaac his son is ( God the Son ) Jesus Christ. and, Rebekah is ( a type of the Church ). The Elder servant went and found a bride for Isaac. After some time he brought her to that son, Isaac. I just wanted to mention that because that journey, bringing that bride to the son is a picture of the Churches journey to the rapture.

In ( Genesis 25 ) we see where the two sons were born. Esau was born first. He is a type of ( flesh of man ) and Jacob was the second born. He is a type of ( God’s Spirit within each believer ). As you continue to read in ( Genesis 25 ) you will see that ( Rebekah ) helped ( Jacob ) steal the birthright from ( Esau ). Many people overlook this fact but, ( Rebekah ) being a type of the Church is totally responsible for the strength of the inner man. ( The Church ) seeks continually to steal the birthright from our flesh, to feed and make the inner man the strongest, to create a situation where ( the elder ) serves ( the younger ) in the sense that each of us are born in our flesh first and, we are born again second, being the younger.

As we continue to mover foward in ( Genesis ) we see that we follow the family of ( Jacob ) and not ( Esau ). The reason; because it’s the spirit that matters and not the flesh. In the next few chapters of ( Genesis ) we watch as the battle between these two sons unfold.We see both men began to build families. However, we still follow the family of Jacob in the end. As a matter of fact, the twelve tribes of Israel come from Jacob’s family.

Let’s not forget that the Lord told ( Rebekah ) the elder would serve to younger. As we continue to read we see that Jacob actually had twelve sons. In ( Genesis 37 ) we see once again that Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob, being the youngest at that time tells his brothers about a dream he had. In that dream, they had to submit unto him. His brothers hated him because of that fact. However, that dream did come to pass.

As you study through ( Genesis ) you will see that ( Joseph ) is a type of Jesus Christ. He became the savior of Egypt and, in turn also the savior of Israel. If you will notice here, he was the savior of Egypt first, then Israel. When Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to get food, Joseph learn’s he has still a ( younger brother ). A brother that he actually knows nothing about.

Now, let’s consider something here. The Lord told ( Rebekah ) ( the elder would serve to younger ).

How does all this tie to ( Acts 6 )? Do you remember that, actually at that time it was only eleven apostles? Although ( Genesis ) is just a picture of the Church as it unfolds, we still see that same picture. In the minds of the brothers of Joseph, it was only eleven brothers; Joseph being dead. They were now servants to him but, they didn’t know it.They sill have a younger brother, Benjamin, which actually made ( twelve brothers ). They would spiritually be servants to him, they just couldn’t see it. As a matter of fact, Joseph instructed them to go and get that younger brother.

In the minds of the eleven apostles, they were servants of Jesus Christ and, that was exactly what they should have been. However, they could not see the next person that they would have to be subject to. As you study through ( Genesis ) you will see that the youngest son born to Jacob was a man named ( Benjamin ). He was born (came into being ) after Joseph’s brothers had sold him to Egypt. Can you see a picture of Israel crucifying Jesus there?

After Jesus Christ was crucified, what came next? The Church was born. Now, the next apostle that Jesus Christ will call, we will see in ( Acts 9 ). His name was ( Saul ) who later became the ( apostle Paul ). Guess what tribe of Israel that the Apostle Paul was from?

( Philippians 3:5 )

Circumcised the eighteth day, of the stock of Israel, ( of the tribe of Benjamin ), an hebrew of the Hebrews; touching the law, a pharisee; ( Also ) this is what the Apostle Paul Said about himself:

( 1 Corinthians 15:8-9 )

And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time, ( 9 ) For I am the least of the apostles, that I am not meet to be called an apostles, because I persecuted the Church of God.

Can you see the scripture here ( the first shall be last and, the last shall be first )?

You will never see where Israel or the sons of Jacob were subject to Benjamin in the Old Testament because the ( Church was hidden in the Old Testament to a great degree.With that being said, can you see how the very fact that had to go and get their younger brother points toward the Church and their relationship with it? We still see that Israel would not be blessed by Joseph unless the younger brother was in the picture, Also, notice that The brothers of Joseph do not recognize him in Egypt. It’s not until they bring their younger brother that he truly reveals himself to his own brethren. Can you see a picture of the ( rapture ) and tribulation in that picture, the way things will be in the end?

Now, I say all this, recognizing that ( Benjamin ) is actually the younger brother. It’s so much to teach here! First of all, if you will notice in all the apostle Paul’s writings, he continues to impress upon the readers that he is an apostle. You can read his desire to prove that point in almost the beginning of every letter he wrote. If you remember the phrase ( the elder shall serve the younger ) ( Romans 9:12 ) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

The is referring to ( Esau and Jacob ). However, that picture continues to be true all the way to the Church. The last apostle chosen is the apostle that Jesus Christ chose to give ( the mysteries ) concerning the Church.

( Ephesians 3:1-8 )

For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, ( 2 ) If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given me to you-ward: ( 3 ) How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; ( as I wrote afore in few words. ( 4 ) Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ ) ( 5 ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophests by his Spirit; ( 6 ) That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: ( 7 ) Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. ( 8 ) Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

( The Church is the last )! Can you see how difficult it could be for ( the Jews ) ( the other eleven apostles ) to except this fact? Jesus Christ himself had told ( the twelve ) at that time this:

( Matthew 19:28 )

And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

If we consider this whole picture, it appears to the ( eleven apostles ) they have lost their birthright; having to except the teachings of ( Paul ), which is ( the younger ). They, at that time were expecting Jesus Christ to return and set up his kingdom at any time. What the ( Apostle Paul ) was teaching concerning to concept of the Church had to be revealed unto each of them by God’s Spirit. We know according to ( Ephesians 3:5 ) that they will come to that knowledge and, be used by God’s Spirit. ( Which in other ages was not made known into the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

The Church is a vessel! We are placed in that vessel when we believe on Jesus Christ as our savior. The Church had its beginning on the day of Pentacost and, it will end at the rapture. Jesus Christ will keep his promise to his apostles at the end of this age. At the time we are studying in ( Acts 6 ) they were just having a hard time understanding it all. When Jesus taught them that ( the first shall be last and, the last shall be first, he meant it. ( Matthew 19:30 ) But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

If you will notice; this verse is just two verses beyond the promise to make them judges. Therefore, they actually didn’t lose their birthright in that sense, it just wasn’t time for it yet.

I’d like to make one more point here before we move on. In the Old Testament it was all about the Nation of Israel. God the Father spoke to them by his prophets. Basically, it was the same in the Gospels. However, now God the Father is speaking to the Nation of Israel by his Son, Jesus Christ. In both of these circumstanses, the Nation of Israel rejected what God had to say to them. They rejected the prophets and, now as a nation, they are rejecting the son. I know I’ve made this statement before however, it is a very important thing to remember.

( Matthew 12:31 )

Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Here, God the Son has just been accused of commiting blasphemy against God the Father. Jesus Christ, looking right into the eyes of the man, a pharisee of the Jews that accused him of blasphemy and, said this. Therefore, let’s consider what has happened. Blasphemy is total rejection. The nation of Israel totally rejected; God the Father, now, they are totally rejecting , God the Son. As we live now, God the Spirit speaks to us. At that time, that Spirit was just before being revealed even to the Nation of Israel.

In reality, there is nothing else left to give. What Jesus Christ is telling them; I’m sending God’s Spirit among you, God’s forgiveness goes beyond you rejecting Him and, the fact you reject me but, if you reject God’s Spirit, there is no where else for you to turm, that’s it! For the nation of Israel and, for every person on the face of this earth. ( the last ) ( the Church ) is where God’s power to saved is revealed. The nation of Israel, the apostles, the pharisees, every person must surrender it’s birthright to the last chosen apostle, the least of all apostles!

As we consider this: what do you consider your bitthright? If you’ll go back and study ( Esau and Jacob ) you will notice that actually Esau gave up his birthright but, Jacob still had to steal it. As member of the body of Christ, ( the Church ) we have the very same problem. When we surrender ourselves to Christ, at that point we walk inside the ( Church ) the vessel Jesus Christ died for. We are not our own, we’ve been bought with a price. That price is the blood of Christ! When we are born again, just like Esau, we see a spiritual need in our lives. Esau seen a physical need in his life, we see a spiritual. Just as Jacob had to steal the birthright from Esau, we have to take over our flesh by force, stealing our will and yielding it to the spiritual aspects of our lives.

If you will study through ( Genesis 27-33 ) looking especially at ( Genesis 32:22-32 ) you will see where Jacob would not let go of God’s spirit until he blessed him. This is a type of any person totally surrendering themselves to God’s will. Once this happens to Jacob; you will notice that he and Esau come together once again. The whole picture is one of our spiritual battles we have within our own flesh.

Once we are ( born again ) our birthright becomes our ability to be just like Jesus Christ. That right is born into us by God’s own Spirit. As we study through ( Acts 6 ) we see this very thing happening to the apostles. They, just like us struggle with the leadership of God’s Spirit and make good and bad decisions. I say all of this to simply show a Biblical picture of the struggle we all have. However, just like Jacob, we must submit ourselves to that Spirit to grow spiritually, if not, we will make unwise decisions all our lives.

Therefore, in reality when we are born again, we give up our physical birthright and surrender ourselves to another birthright. When we ask the question whether we can be stolen again; yes it can!. Here, we are not speaking of salvation but rather to whom we yield our members to. Once we are born again and begin our spiritual journey we begin to yield ourselves to God’s will. The question might be; are you doing that if you say you are born again? Are you even seeking to do so?

In the picture we are presenting; it’s a matter of spritual groweth. If we begin to grow spiritually, then begin to once again yield to the will of our flesh then we can say that our spiritual birthright is trying to be stolen. The goal of every person that confesses Jesus Christ as their savior should be to be more and more like him each day. I personally believe that, as we look at ( Acts 6 ) that was the desire of the apostles. There are many people that believe that you can fall from grace. That is, once you are born again, you can be lost again. However, the teaching has nothing to do with being lost again. It is all about how you stand before your judge, Jesus Christ one day. If your desire is to hear him say to you on the day ( well done my good and faithful servant ) then you must surrender yourself to his will.

As we seek to spiritually relate, Jacob and Esau, The leadership of the Nation of Israel and the apostles, that is in a physical and spiritual sense and, also our own physical and spiritual abilities as it relates to ( the world ) and ( our eternal lives ) what birthright would you rather build upon. Consider: no matter how much Jacob or Esau gained while living here, to whom does it belong now? If the apostles gained physical control of the Nation of Israel, to whom would have that power now? If I, in my flesh gained the whole world, once I’m dead, to whom would it belong to?

Can you see how that our ( spiritual birthright ) is a far more precious thing than anything we will ever gain here? That aspect of our spiritual walk is a complete different study but, one that each believer needs to understand. Far too often we treat our day of salvation as ( the total of all we are ) which is a complete false satatement. As a matter of fact; that is all we might be taught in the average local Church. Consider this statement: While we might be taught ( right living ) in our Churches, there is a great difference in ( Spiritual living ) and simply living good clean lives!

Seemingly, we seek to live lives that are pleasing to man but, we seem to neglect the nurturing power of God’s Holy Spirit. As we continue in the ( Book of Acts ) we will see the apostles as they grow spiritually. We will see major changes in what they teach and, how they grow spiritually. In the next few chapters we will see a great change in the leadership role. Many people never think about this fact but, the original eleven apostles basically stayed around Jerusalem and, in Israel. We well learn that ( the twelveth apostle ) was the one that carried the gospel to the Gentiles.

In closing; you were giving a birthright the day you were born into this world! You can gain many things and, possibly become very rich or very satisfied with you life just as it is. However, when we are born again, we give up that birthright and except a God given, God inspired birthright to become just like Jesus Christ. Look at these verses:

( Romans 8:28-29 )

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ( 29 ) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

I realize that it’s a lot said in those two verse, a study for another day! However, we see there that we are to be conformed to the very image of his son! That change begins on our day of salvation. As we grow more like him each day, we mature spiritually. When we stand before him, we will be like him!

When we, as born again believers revert back to seeking to please our flesh, it’s a picture of ( seeking to steal our heavenly birthright back from the one that died for us! We are seeking to be like ( Israel ) desiring to go back to Egypt. And that my friend is not a wise thing to do!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

( PROVERBS 11:22 ) AS A JEWEL OF GOLD IN A SWINE’S SNOUT, SO IS A FAIR WOMAN WHICH IS WITHOUT DISCRETION.

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( A jewel of gold )!

I found that jewel of gold! Here I was, buried in a slime pit of sin, Basically, without hope of ever having any way to crawl out of the life of sin I lived in. As you might have seen me, it was absolutely nothing that was special or note worthy about me. As far as this world was concerned, I fit right in! The way I talked, to things I said, the way I dressed, my whole life was a perfect picture of any person that was a part of this world. There is a place called hell that I was bound for and, at any moment in my completely ungodly life, there would be where I would spend eternity.

As I walked through this world, my mind and heart was all about me and, everything that please me. I didn’t even have the mental capicity to consider anything beyond this world and what it had to offer. I was completely void of any aspect of Jesus Christ or anything that concerned God. I realize now that I was simply just like every other person that is born and lives in this world without Jesus Christ. I was in a slime pit, a mud hole, a place of continual degradation. What made matters worse was the fact that I, myself was my own worst enemy. I was completely destroying myself, without any help from any other person. I could have been a poster child for ( the army of Satan ).

Then It happened! I seen and felt the very power of The Holy Ghost of God Almighty. I held it in my hand, I felt it in my heart! ( HE WASHED MY EYES WITH TEARS ) that I might clearly see all that he is! I found something that is the absolute most precious thing that will ever be found on the face of this earth. Most people call it salvation. I said; ( I found ). Do you understand that what I found I was not looking for at all? I went to Church one day, that precious gift started stirring within my very being. Here, I’m going to take the time to show you a verse of scripture that it took me some time to get a grip on what he was saying.

( Hebrews 6:4-6 )

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, ( 5 ) And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, ( 6 ) If they fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame.

When I was around twelve years old, we were members of a Methodist Church that was not far from our house. One night during a revival service; God spoke to my heart. Still today, I can take you to that Church, even show you the, pew, the place I was sitting when that took place in my life for the very first time. God’s convicting power was all ove me! I knew I was supposed to ask him into my heart. However, I left that Church; that night, just like I went in.

These verses in Hebrews is showing us a picture of what happened to me that night. I was enlightend to the fact that I needed salvation, I tasted the heavenly gift. I was made a partaker of the Holy Ghost. I tasted the good word of God and, the powers of the world to come!

All that; and I walked away from it! I cannot repent from that fact. From that very moment foward if any person had asked me if I had ever felt the ( Power of the Holy Ghost ), no matter how I answered that qusetion, whether I lied or not, the truth was ( yes I have ). If I would have died lost and undone without Jesus Christ and, one day, stood before him at the ( Great White Throne of Judgement ) and tried to tell him ( I didn’t know ). He would have taken me back to that little Methodist Church and said; ( you remember this night )?

Any person, like me can still be saved after that fact. God’s mercy will still draw conviction on your heart. As a matter of fact, about twelve years later, once again I felt that same conviction and yielded to the call of God. Thanks be to God for his Amazing Grace that reaches far beyond my sinful actions!

Could we agree that the act of rejecting God’s Spirit when he draws conviction on a heart is very simular to seeing a great chunk of gold laying on the ground in front of you and, passing right by without picking it up?

When people, just like me, feel the power of God, He makes us partaker of his glory; He takes to time to care about us, we actually taste just how good it is but, simply spit it out as if it means nothing to us, what a shame for me or any person to do any such thing to something as priceless as God’s Holy Spirit!

Now, something of this nature is one thing, I or, we all have a God given right to reject him and live in open sin if we choose to do. What a blessing to have and, know a God of ( second chances )! If that were not the truth I’d be bound for hell today!

However, In ( Proverbs 11:22 ) we see something that I believe is completely different than that. We see ( the art of Deception ). Here’s a ( fair woman ). Let’s say she’s a virgin, very beautiful to look upon. She would draw any man’s attention.

I’m going to share sometthing that happen to me once as a teenage boy. I don’t share this to make myself look good in any way, as a matter if fact; now I have made mistakes far worse that what she did to me. Thanks be to God for his amazing grace! I tell this only to make a point.

I had the priviledge to meet a very beautiful young woman. I almost, instantly was drawn to her. Her family was good friends with our next door neighbours. As youngsters we had played together for years. She was a little younger that I was. When I was old enough to get my driver’s licience, a friend and I actually went riding with this young lady and another young lady one Sunday afternoon. Neither of the young ladie’s parents knew they were riding with us.

This young lady and I sit in the back seat. At that time, I had never even kissed a girl. That whole afternoon, sitting beside all that beauty, I never did one thing beyond kissing her on the cheek. I sought to be a perfect gentleman to ( what I took to be ) a perfectly beautiful lady. She and I talked often on the phone, almost nightly. I had become very close to her. Not long after we went riding that day, a friend of mine asked me about my feelings for her. As we talked he told me she was actually giving herself to another young man. To be honest, this made my blood boil! I knew the young man, so I went to talk to him. As we talked he told me that he had been with her a number of times. He said he didn’t have a reason to lie about it and, at the same time it wasn’t any of my business.

After that converstaion, I called her and asked her if it was true? I could tell in her voice, by the way she answered, it was true! I told her, I’ll never call you again, you froget you ever knew me. I told her just how much I respected her and always sought to treat her with the respect of a lady, just as a gentleman should.

I could go on but, can you see the picture of ( a jewel of gold ) in a swine’s snout in that story? Often, beauty is destroyed by the actions of a young woman or, it can be by the ways she talks, the things she talks about. I realize, in it’s simplilest form, that’s what that verse is speaking of however, I’m going to give you a spiritual message there as well.

When we speak of a local Church, exactly what are we seeing or, saying? I’ll start this by making this statement. The Church I was born again in was nothing special to look at, just a very plain type of Church. However, because of Jesus Christ and his grace, from that Church to me, t became to most beautiful place I had ever seen!

Let’s say you have a Church close to where you live. Just to look at it, it’s one of the most beautiful buildings you have ever seen. For too often, we are impressed by the beauty of a woman or, that of a building.

However, back to the original question, what is a Church anyway? In reality, a Church building is supposed to be a perfect picture of the ( bride of Christ ) in all his glory! Every person in that building, every member is a person that, just like a ( submissive wife ) has completely surrendered themselves to the perfect will of God. In other words, the building might be very beauitful but, when you walk inside that building, you see more of what inhances the true beauty of that building. In that case, it actually doesn’t matter what the outside looks like does it? What’s inside that building is what the ( beauty of Jesus Christ ) is truly all about. That is, if every person there is sold out, surrendered to the very will of God.

When a sinner or any person that might be looking for a place to meet with God; stands in front of a Church building they might be impreseed with the beauty of that building and, even the amount of people that are in attendance to that building. Often, we are even drawn to a Church by what we hear about it’s beauty. I personally believe that what the true beauty of ( A Church ) is has been greatly diminished by man. The true definition of what it is has been redefined to make it more conformable to the eyes of the world.

Now, you women might not like this but, it needs to be said. When men see your beauty on the street as they might walk by you, is it real? Or, is it what you decided that you desire for them to see. Are you more concerned about them being attracted to how you look or, what is truly inside of you? Personally, I don’t have a problem with hair dye, make up, nice clothes and so on; as long as you are perfectly willing for every person to know who you truly are.

The Bible puts it this way: ( Matthew 23:27 )

Woe unto you, scribes and pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto a whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautifil outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

The woman that we are speaking of in ( Proverbs 11:22 ) is exactly this picture! A woman, period; is ( a type of the Church ). When men see you they need to see truth! Don’t misunderstand me. men also need to reveal, in every way what and who they truly are. Deception is a very wicked and terrible attribute, no matter how it is carried out.

A Church can be classified the very same way. When any Church, no matter how it appears on the outside does not reveal within all the true attributes of Jesus Christ then, that Church just took the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ; placed it on a Swine’s snout and, that pig just stuck it down in the nearest mudhole!

Many Churches are hypocritical by nature. They create their own salvation, they set their own version of righteousness and, there pastor’s abide by their version of ( The Church ). These people, this Church, the pastor has actually ( crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put to an open shame ). ( Hebrews 6:6 )

In reality; whether we are speaking of a beautiful woman or a beautiful Church that is not real, who actually gets hurt in the end? What if I marry a fair woman that has me deceived all the way up to we are married? What if I become a member of a Church that keeps me deceived all the way to hell? I’d hate to stand in that pastor’s shoes or, be one of those Church members!

( DISCRETION ) The quality of having or showing discernment or good judgment: the quality of being discreet: ( circumspection ) the quality of being wary and unwilling to take risks; prudence. ( discreet ) careful and circumspect in one’s speech or actions, especially in order to aviod causing offence or to gain advantage.

Simply put ( truth )! Good judgment tells me that whatsoever I might gain on this earth, I lose in eternity! that is: unless I do all for the Glory of God!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON ( MARCH 21,2021

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In the last couple of lessons we’ve been looking in ( Hebrews 4 ). We will continue on this course today as well. Last week it was ( Hebrews 4:12 ), so today we will look and study, make comments about at least the next three verses.

Hebrews 4:13-15 )

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 has 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 feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

In our lesson last week I sought to show how that God the Father seperated our ( soul and spirit ) at the moment we were born again. With that being the case, can you see how he is still connected to us. He completely dependant on us to carry out what he, spiritually wants to do in this world. Do you remember the song ( In The Garden )? the words of that song says this: ( And he walks with me and he talks with me. He tells me I am his own. And the joy we share, as we tarry there, none other has ever known.

Jesus says it this way:

( John 14:10 )

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The word that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

He is so close to you, he becomes you! In ( verse 13 ) it says that ( there is no 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. As we consider that verse and what is being said, it becomes one of the most powerful connections between God the Father and every person that is known to exist! The last part of that verse says ( with whom we have to do ). Let’s consider something here; I’m left handed. Often when I’m using a hammer I might miss the nail I’m seeking to drive and hit the thumb on my right hand. When that happens, do you realize that it’s not just my right thumb that hurts? My whole body is somewhat effected by that one member.

It says that ( all things are naked and opened before his eyes ). As I mentioned hitting my thumb with a hammer, do you realize that we can suffer pain that is much more hurtful than any physical pain we might feel? I once sit in my pickup with my oldest sister and cried like a baby telling her about the pain I felt. There is no way she completely understood all the pain I felt and why. As a matter of fact, I could not even put it all into words myself, still can’t. With that being said, The God that I’m eternally connect to, that lives within me knows exactly how I felt, what I had done, what had been done to me and, guess what, in time ( He ) gave me a comfort that probably not many people understand!

I often try to relate the connection that God has with us with a woman with a child within her. Together, that mother and child feel every move, every pain. In most case there is a love that grows that no man can completely understand. It’s like that mother and child become one in all things! When we become willing to allow God’s spirit to ( feed us ) instead of ( we trying to feed him ) them spiritual growth becomes very real. You see, a child within the mother is completely dependant on that mother for all the nurishment he or she gets. To the contrary, that spirit within us, when we are born again desires to feed us all the spiritual food we need that we might grow spiritually. A child becomes strong and healthy because of the food its mother feeds. We become spiritually strong and healthey because of our yielding to that power within us.

Now, let’s look at the next verse:

( Hebrews 4:14 )

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

I’ve already stated that I believe that the Apostle Paul wrote the book of Hebrews. He is speaking directly to the Hebrew people however, it also applies to every born again believer. In the Old Testament the Hebrew children could not grasp the concept of God being with them. Basically, every time the were faced with adversity that always went back to leaning on their flesh rather than simply trusting God to take care of them. I could use many examples of how they should have been and, how they should have simply based their faith on what God had told them but, I think this one best relates to how God desires for each of us to live our lives.

In ( Genesis 22 ) we read where God instructed Abraham to take Isaac his only son and offer him for a scrifice. Now, look at what ( Hebrews 11:17-19 ) has to say about that account.

( 17 ) By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ( 18 ) Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: ( 19 ) Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Can you see the picture here? This is exactly what God’s desire was for the whole nation of Israel to see and understand. Abraham never flinched! In his heart by faith he knew, he understood that even if he killed Isaac his only son, God would have to raise him from the dead. And that, simply because of what God promised.

What we far roo often forget is that we all live in a sin cursed world. We are not exempt from the pain and suffering that comes with our lives in this world. In reality, the only person you can completely trust is Jesus Christ. The flesh of other people, even our flesh will let us down. When we learn that, simply learn to expect flesh to fail but, to depend on the one that never will let us down then it will make our walk through this world a little easier. By faith we walk and not by sight. That was the heart felt belief of Abraham.

We must learn to ( expect the unexpected ). Peter told Jesus, I’ll never leave you, I’ll never forsake you! Jesus knew the very moment he said that, it was coming! I told my wife before I married her, ( you can lay your heart in my hand ) I’ll protect it! Guess what! She knew that at my very best, that’s hard to live up to as a man. It’s not that I don’t try and seek to live as a Godly man should and, to be all I am supposed to be for her but, I’m still in my flesh. She knows and understands that. She also understands that in my weakness, she can still find needed strength in Jesus Christ! The very fact that I seek to be that way is a blessing to her. That’s the same picture of each born again believer and Jesus Christ. As long as we are seeking to be what he desires then that is a blessing to him.

And last for this lesson:

( Hebrews 4:15 )

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

What are you facing today? What do you battle in your flesh? According to this verse, you are not facing or being tempted with anything that Jesus Christ hasn’t been tempted with. Consider this: Jesus Christ was tempted to murder, lie, steal, fornicate, have a homosexual lifestyle, be depressed, hate, reject the Father, be lazy, be a work far too much, get drunk, do drugs, commit suicide, yield to the desires of Satan himself, love this world, what else can you think of? Yet, he never yielded to any of those temptations. How did he overcome those temptation? He allowed the spirit man within him to guide his complete being!

As soon as we say that; he also understands when we are weak and why we fall. His blood was shed because he completely understood our weaknesses. He also loves us although we are weak. His desire is to take the things we face and, to help us to grow strong spiritually because of what we learn from our failures.

If we allow one of our weaknesses to be ( not being willing to learn ) if we are born again, then, whose fault is that?

I pray God’s Spirit will use this lesson to be an inspriation to all that read it!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

( MENTALLY ABUSED MEN ) AND THAT BY HIS WIFE!

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I said a few days ago I was going to write something about this. Since then I’ve been praying about how to go about it. As you that follow me and read my atricles know, I’m a spiritual writer. I very seldom ever write anything that is not Biblical in content. I last article I wrote was about depression. ( I believe ) that both of these articles can be a very spiritual issues.

If you happened to be a man that has an mentally abusive wife, let me ask you something. When your wife was your girl friend; was she abusive then? In most cases I’d say that the answer to that question is ( no ). If she would have been, you; more than likely wouldn’t have married her. I understand that there are wives that are abused by their husbands as well. However, I’d like to address this problem because I can see a very spiritual problem here and, that to a degree that we never think about.

Before we get into this, I will say this. Any man that will abuse his wife in any way, physically or mentally is a ( brute beast ) and, he has no concept of what the true role of ( a Husband ) is all about. As a matter of fact, he cannot be defined as a husband at all. Personally, I don’t believe we as in ( husbands or wives ) are taught the spiritual concept to those words, ever, not by parents nor by the Churches we attend. We are left to assume that ( just because ) we get married we become ( a husband ) or ( a wife ). This is not so! Both of these words have ( spiritual meanings ). If it wasn’t for the word of God; how would you know to call a woman a wife when she is married or, a man a husband? The very concept of marriage is Biblical. Therefore, when we speak of Husbands and Wives, it’s a very spiritual topic whether we realize it or not.

I believe we also need to make this point clear. As men and women, people; we have a way of defining things to way we like for them to be. For instance; if my dad spanked me when I was a boy, did that fact make him abusive to me? If I was scholded as a child, was that being mentally abused? I thought so at the time!

As time moves foward I’ll try and write something concerning ( abusive husbands ) but in this article we’ll be looking into the mental abuse a wife gives her husband and, to my best ability, Why?

First of all, I’d like to point this out. ( Spiritually speaking ) Jesus Christ is the most mentally abused ( spouse ) that has ever walked this earth! He was when he lived and, even today he still is. We often fail to understand that ( the Church ) is his bride. In more cases than not, he is not allowed to speak in his own house and, if he is allowed to speak he is instructed what he can and cannot say! In the average Church, she decides what she considers right and wrong, if he is to stay inside then( He ) must abide by those guidelines. In many cases when ( He ) tries to speak his heart, even truth thern ( He ) is locked out and ( His Wife ) will not even let him in! Do you doubt that fact?

( Revelation 3:20 )

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Mental abuse, no matter where it comes from is all about having control. If it happens to be a husband that is being mentally abusive to his wife then I will say that possibly he is in no way willing to submit himself to God the Father. Yet, he expects his wife to submit unto his every word!

When it is the wife being mentally abusive to her husband then she is not in any way going to be submissive to him and also, she will be awfully upset if he even tries to submit to God the Father! When husbands or wives are mentally abusive to their spouse, it is an absolute fact that they are not and cannot be in God’s will, no exceptions! Why do I make that statement? Because ( being Born Again ) in its complete spiritual mindset is all about ( submission ). Salvation has a ( chain of command ). When we refuse to follow that chain then it’s very possible that no matter what we say ( salvation is not within our hearts ).

I began this article speaking of ( the Church ) and ( Jesus Christ ). I wrote an article a few days ago teaching:

( Hebrews 4:12 )

For the word of God is guick, and powerful, 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 intent of the heart.

In that article and, in that verse we see that ( the word of God ) seperated our soul from our spirit. At the point of salvation; God actually reclaims what was already his. ( Our Soul ). We , in all of our sin currupted it. The act of salvation is each born again believer willingly giving that ( soul ) within us back to the control of God.From that moment on, God’s desire is to ( control ) everything about us.

Looking at this, let’s consider something. Once you give your soul back to God the Father, can you take it back? Can you dismiss him? The very ( act of salvation ) is the act of you becoming of two completely different mindsets. You live in your flesh but, God the Spirit live within your heart.

Why would I point this out, even as we speak of ( mental abuse ), espescially of a husband? The greatest reason for that is because; although God’s Spirit lives within you, he will never force you to do what is right. He will seek to guide you to truth, righteousness but he will never make you do anything!

Therefore, Let’s say a husband that is born again. Then that man ( has a God given right to tell his wife what he expects of her ). However, he will never, under the leadership of God’s Spirit demand anything of her. Just as ( God’s Spirit ) that lives within him will never demand anything of him, he, being in God’s will will never be demanding either.

The very same spirit that is placed within any husband when salvation comes to a husband is also within any woman that is a wife, if she is also born again. However, if the wife is to be in God’s will as led by the selfsame spirit then to whom is she suppose to submit to?

If we will truly say it in the right context, a husband that is mentally abusive to his wife is being non submissive to one person but, if the wife is being mentally abusive then she is actually being non submissive to two people.I still contend that in neither case; can they be that way and, be right with God at the same time.

Men and women, husbands and wives like to be seen often as ( good Christian people ). We like to set ourselves above those that don’t go to Church, seeking to draw a line between the ( mental abuse ) of those that are saved and those that are not. However, actually there is no difference.

Let’s say there’s a couple in your Church that are seen as a very Godly couple. However, he faces terrible ( mental abuse ) at home which is behind the seens. Is that not the very same sin that happens within a couple that never goes to Church and does not consider themselves to be born again?

I realize that there’s all kinds of different ways and situations that we can consider. However, I’m a spiritual teacher and, I simply believe that ever situation comes about in our lives because of our spiritual condition. With that being said, what a shame when ( a Church ) decides to get ( a pastor ) that they can dictate what he will say from the pulpit! What a shame when a wife is so overbearing ( mentally ) over her husband that, in reality they both die and go to hell because of her refusal to submit, even possibly, carrying their children with them.

Now, I’ve said all of that. Let me ask you something! Have you ever heard Jesus Christ complain? No, and he won’t! If, and I do say if; because if you are truly born again when you commit a sinful act such as ( mental abuse ) Jesus Christ is right there! When you say things you should say, He is still right there!

The reason we never basically hear a husband complain is because we, as men won’t do that sort of thing, it’s not in our makeup. There are men that face ( mental abuse ) each day, That from a wife that many think is a very Godly woman. These wives go to Church, teach Sunday School, some even pastor, they have high respect from many of there piers but, as her husbands sits, He knows what kind of heart she actually has. As a matter of fact, many of his wife’s piers are treating their husbands the very same way. It has become a very natural act to leave God completely out of all they do. What they say is ( simply words ) and that without power!

It’s one point that people that are ( mentally abusive ) seem to forget. Our lives are short. The very same man that is very willing to be your savoir today, very willing to lead you to righteous today will very quickly become ( your judge ). You will stand before him and give an account for your very actions.

That’s the very same for Church members that are abusive to our Lord, locking him out or, never letting him speak. Then that makes you leaders rather than the pastor, you are the dictator of your own future and, you will give an account! We could add to this ( the acts of pastors ) but that is a story for a different day. However, there are pastors that yield rather than take the abuse and, there are also those that simply will not even consider pastoring because they know ( the Church ).

You can count on this fact! Jesus Christ leads his ( true Church ). He leads with wisdom and meekness, never demanding, just simply speaking to his ( true bride ). The members of his ( true Church ) are never ( mentally abusive ) to him and they willingly listen to his voice and follow his leadership. A perfect picture of a loving husband and a very submissive wife! Never any ( mental abuse ) on either side!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

CHRISTIANTY AND DEPRESSION

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What is the difference in ( clinical depression ) and ( depression )? Is there an answer to that question that can be clearly defined and why? I’ve somewhat researched both terms and as far as I can see the only difference is that one is constant ( clinical depression ) and, the other temporary ( depression ). That means it can come and go. The word ( depression ) as defined means: feelings of severe despondency and dejection. ( Synonyms ) misery, saddness, unhappiness, sorrow.

Therefore, according to doctors there is no clearly defined reason for this problem. I, just as an individual can clearly see how any person’s mind, their very inner being can be disturbed just like any other part of our frail bodies. If a person lives a life that is basically healthy, does all the right things, exercises, eats heathhy foods but, the same peraon get heart disease, liver problems, diabetes and any other problem known to exist, our minds can be the very same way. That’s simply because we are all imperfect people.

There is two other terms we hear today. ( Maniac Depression ) and ( Bipolar ). Both of these are actually defined as the same. ( A mental condition marked by alternating periods of elation and depression ).

As we look at those things, one of the greatest problems is, we can clearly see other diseases. We can see the reason they occur and, in a lot of cases we can take a medicine to correct them.

I, myself have been married twice. My first wife which has now passed away was diagnosed as ( Bipolar ) and ( Maniac Depression ) in the early years of our marriage. Therefore, I know first hand what it can be like to live with those things.

I also once had a pastor friend that said this: I use to preach from my pulpit that if people would just get right with God, depression would be gone, He said he preached that until his wife was diagnosed with ( Clinical Depression ).

Often, men and women can be very hurtful when we don’t understand! I want you to consider this:

( John 11:21 )

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

Can you hear a form of depression in that statement? I can! However, even in that statement, look what she says in the very next verse:

( John 11:22 )

But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

Now we know that particular depression was temporary don’t we? We know that because Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. If we were to make that a ( spiritual application ), we can see the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The people of Israel knew he was the King of the Jews, the Messiah; at least those that believed. When he died on Calvary, we can see ( depression ) on most or all of his disciples. However, he return, being raised from the grave. Although they were excited and revived from depression, they still didn’t understand it all.

On the day of Pentacost when ( his Spirit ) came down, there was a transformation of their understanding! It might have taken a while for them to mature but, now they had the very life of Christ within them.

This brings us back to ( depression ) and ( Clinical depression ) that is, any way you might choose to describe it. Being Maniac or Bipolar or just depressed.

Being ( born again ) and being ( depressed ) have a relative point. Just as no other person in this world can see the ( circumcision ) that took place in my heart by ( God’s Holy Spirit ) other than by what they see in our lifes; no other person in this world can tell what kind of depression you have. That is ( other than the one person ) that has either, salvation or depression.

To the best of my understanding, there is a test they can give you to see if you have a chemical imbalance in your body, I don’t know that for sure. But, let’s say they can. Can they also give you ( a medical chemical ) to resolve the issue like they do with other physical problems?

My only reason for pointing this out is because, whether we like it or not, it becomes a very personal problem. Only you as an individual can decide what is real about you. The doctors confess they ofton don’t understand the reason for ( what they call ( clinical depression ).

As a man that has lived there, as a born again believer, I can tell you some things that I’ve witnessed with my own eyes. I know that ( in our flesh ) we love having our way! There is absolutely no difference in ( me desiring something and, not being able to have it ) and ( me having something I want to get rid of and can’t ). Both is all about bringing us down into a depressed state.

Often we are depressed simply because we can’t have our way! Did it ever occur to you that Jesus Christ is the only man that ever lived on this earth that never had one thing just as he desired it! The very battle between our flesh and God’s Spirit that lives within any person that is born again can bring about ( great depression ) if we are not willing to submit to his leadership in our lives. Again, I say, only you can decide where you, as an individual. That is, whether it falls on your physical condition or, your spiritual condition.

Let’s say your doctor tells you are clincally depressed. Is he not speaking as a man? What if your doctor simply looked at you and said: ( you have a spiritual problem ). Would just as readily except that and build on it as you are willing to listen to his diagnosis of you being Clinically depressed? What if he told you, you just need to grow up, take on adult responsibilities and meet your life head on. Would you be just as willing to hear that diagnosis as the one of clinical depression?

Often, the real medicine we need to fix our problems, we reject because we simply can’t have our way if we except that as the answer. For instance: what did it take for me to be bprn again? For me to be born again, I had to come to the end of myself, see myself as worthless, no good. I had to look at Jesus Christ and say, just as I am, I cannot help myself. However, I completely believe you can! Salvation is all about dying to self! Guess what? Dead people don’t hurt!

Many people might take this as being hard but, I’m not, I’m simply trying to get you to see that ( only you ) can say for sure, about many things in your life. In many cases concerning these things a doctor can no more say for certain what your problem might be than your pastor can say for sure you are born again. They don’t know, they simply know what you say.

I’ll say this in closing. If you looked straight in my eyes and said: I don’t believe you are born again! The fact that you said that to me would not bother me at all. Why? Because I know what I am, I have confidence in my total salvation! I, myself have a ( heart condition ) that, verified by my doctor. If you looked straight at me and said, you don’t have a problem with your heart, I believe you are lying. Just the same! That would not bother me at all. Why? Because I know the truth.

As you read all I had to say about ( Christians and depression ). If you know, within your heart that you have ( Clinical Depression ) you are a ( Maniac Depressant ) or ( Bipolar ) then all I had to say won’t bother you even a little, Why? Because you know the truth.

I am a pastor, preacher. If I look straight into your eye and say this: I don’t think you are saved, you have never been born again. If you know what you are, then that fact won’t bother you even a little. Why? Because you know the truth. Only those that will not except truth are bothered by ( the truth ).

Can you except your truth? Can you come to a resolve about who you truly are and, if it can be fixed, are you willing to take the medicine that’s available to make you whole? ( Only you ) can answer that question! Many people won’t except the diagnosis of one doctor, they’ll ask for a second opinion. There is nothing wrong with that. However, how many opinios do you need? Are you going to keep looking until you find a preacher, pastor, doctor, friend, maybe even an enemy to say what you desire to hear or, are you willing to hear truth?

There are many families, wives, husbands, even friends that face very difficult lives because of the desire for one family member or person being so bound and determinesd to have things like they want them to be! Often in, no win situations.

Selfishness in the heart of a person is completely contrary from all the ( the born again experience ) is all about. I went to visit a man with cancer a while back, a member of our Church. I was concerned about his salvation. It turns out, he was born again, I was glad to hear it. As we sit on the porch, his wife come out the door. She looked straight at me and said, I don’t want a preacher, a baptist peracher talking to my husband, I want you to leave. It took a few minutes but we got that settled.

She was on medicine for depression. What I couldn’t understand was; what did the fact that I was a preacher or Baptist have to do with me being there? If I would have walked up drinking a beer and using God’s name in vain, would that have mattered? Would that have been alright within a depressed state of mind? ( I say ) often it is a spiritual problem rather than a physical one!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON ( MARCH 14, 2021 )

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( HEBREWS 4:12 )

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.

Last week we looked into the ability of man to inner into the very rest of God. We looked at the verses here ( 4-11 ). In ( verse 11 ) we seen the word ( labor ) and sought to understand what he means by that word. God’s saving grace ( salvation ) is free but, the actual studying of his word takes work and time to gain the rest that he desires for each believer to have. It’s a continual fight between our flesh and the spirit that he has placed within us to teach us and guide us to that rest.

Here, in ( Hebrews 4:12 ) we see what it takes to bring us into that rest. He says here that the word of God is ( quick ). That word means ( alive ). The same word is used in:

( Ephesians 2:1 )

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in tresspasses and sins;

( Quickened ) Each believer has been made alive. We were dead in out trespasses and sins but, when the ( word of God was preached unto us, it did exactly what it says it’s capable of right here in ( Hebrews 4:12 ). Just typically speaking, when God’s word is preached to a sinner that is lost without God in there sin; that word does ( heart surgery ) on the sinner’s heart. It creates a distinction between the spirit of man and, the soul of man.

Now, to be perfectly honest with you, I can’t say I completely understand ( body , soul, and spirit ) and how it all works. However, just in my simple way of putting it, we have a spirit of our own, and, of course we can see our bodies. At the same time we have a soul. Within that soul is were we have a ( God Consciousness ). The problem is, although we realize that fact we live our lives governed by our own spirit, we do as we please and give little thought to waht God desire for us to be and become.

The Bible teaches us that ( our flesh ) is going to return to the ( dust from whence it came ). Therefore, if we live our lives simply pleasing ourselves, following our own spirit, when we die, it all ends at the grave. However, the ( God Consciousnes ) within us desires to be ( quickened ) and to take control of our very being. His desire is that ( His Spirit ) becomes the controlling factor in the believer’s life. We can argue that our sin, the sin in our flesh corrupts the very soul of any of any person that is left to themselves.

If our sin factor in our lives is not put in check you might say then, every lost soul ends up in a ( Devil’s hell ). However, when we are put under conviction by the preaching of God’s word and, we surrender to the very will of God, asking him to come into our heart for salvation then, just like it says; he has the ability to completely seperate our soul and spirit. In a sense, we become two people in the very same flesh. If you will notice, he mentions three sets of things in that one verse. ( soul and spirit ) ( joints and marrow ) ( thoughts and intents ).

Why would you think he would mention the ( joints and marrow )? ( In my opinion ); you can disagree if you like but, our joints is what gives our bodies flexibility, that help is to move. The bone marrow brings life to those joints. Therefore, when God seperates our soul and our spirit. Then, his spirit is the one he desires to be the one that feeds and nourishes our joints, directing our every move. When we are in our natural state, we are led by our own personal will. Our bone marrow, being dictated by our own will tells our joints to go and do as we please. Once God’s Spirit has moved into our being, his will is to feed our joints with a new food being God’s Holy Word.

When we get down to the ( thoughts and intent ), this is where men often misunderstand our motives and the way we might act. Let me give you something to think about. Once you soul and spirit has been ( divided asunder ) by God’s word; can it ever be put back again? Do you think you are strong enough to take it back from God? We could even say that we don’t have the ability to undo the surgery that God has preformed. We didn’t have the ability to fix it the first time and, we don’t have the ability to undo it either.

Once we are born again and, that operation has occurred in our hearts in essence, our appetite changes, we begin to crave the ( meat from God’s word ). If we are feed a healthy meal of God’s word on a reagular basis then, the very spirit of God begins to slowly transform our flesh into what he desires for us to be. What happens it that man within us is not fed?

Before I get into this I’d like to point out that we can’t see what has happened in the heart of man with our naked eye. We can see how people live, how they act,and, what they do but, we still can’t see what has actually happened within.

So, if you forget about yourself and look at some people you know. First of all, people ( you believe ) by what you see that they are truly born again. What you are seeing is a person that is allowing ( the God man ) within their body to feed their ( Joints and marrow ). It is so powerful that you can see God in their lives. However, you still can’t see the actual ( surgery ) that ( you believe ) has taken place in their heart can you?

Secondly, Let’s look at someone that you know that has been down to an alter, said they were saved but, you cannot see salvation in their lives. Does that mean that ( the surgery ) hasn’t taken place, simply based on what you can see? No it doesn’t! It’s very possible that this person is saved as well, this person just hasn’t been fed the spiritual food they need to allow the ( God man ) within him to grow. It could be just as real to say that the first person is simply putting on a show and, not actually born again.

Do you remember ( the thoughts and intents ) of the heart? What we can’t see and say for certain, God can! The word of God instructs us not to judge. I, as a man in my flesh can say that it’s much easier for me to say that a person that ( acts like God ) is saved rather than to see salvation in a person that doesn’t act the part but, the point is still the same.

If we leave this verse in the context of rest as it is written, can you see that ( the rest ) that any person has is simply within themselves and not something that can be seen by man? As a man that is ( born again ) I have that rest within me! I know that that ( surgery ) has taken place in my heart. You, as an individual has to find that rest within yourself and, with or without the approval of the people around you.

In closing, I’ll share this story. I’ve told this many times. I went to visit a man once on visitation. When I drove up, he was standing in his yard. I walked up and introduced myself and, we begin to talk. During the converstion, I asked him if he were a born again believer in Jesus Christ? When I said that, he began to weep. This is what he said:

Preacher, four years ago in a little Church one night during revival, God drawed great conviction on my heart, I went down to the alter and gave my heart to Christ, i want you to know that for some time after that; I truly tried to walk with Christ. However, This liquor has got me and, it will kill me!

I want you to know that this man was completely resting in Christ. He was settled on the fact that he was born again but, realized as a man that his flesh we sinful and he was losing that battle over his flesh.

Now, was this man saved? All he is saying is that there has been a ( surgery ) within his heart. A seperation had taken place between his ( souls and his spirit ). He, just like me was a man that was completely unworthy of the grace of God. At the same time, God knew the ( thoughts and intents ) of his heart.

If we as people that are born again are going to place our faith in Jesus Christ then, we must realize that none of us are worthy of his grace. It is simply the grace of God ( I am what I am ). I can sit here and tell you all kinds of things that I am not but, It’s one thing that ( I Know ) for certain! ( I am still a hell deserving sinner ). The only difference in me and any other sinner is that I have had ( the surgery ) done on my heart that only God can perform! That simple operation is the only thing that seperates any of us from our journey to hell or heaven and, it must be done by God!

I preached that man’s funeral when he died. I told that story at his funeral. As I finished, his son came to me and told me, when you gave to alter call, I almost came to the alter. Just a few years ago, his son died of the very same problem. As I say these things, I can’t say where either one of them are today can I? Only God knows and, only they as individuals knew!

Has God performed that needed surgery on your heart? Have you been born again?

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON ( MARCH 7, 2021 )

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( HEBREWS 4:9-11 )

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 ) LRT US LABOUR THEREFORE TO ENTER INTO THAT REST, LEST ANY MAN FALL AFTER THE SAME EXAMPLE OF UNBELIEF.

As we begin to study the ( rest of God ) I see it as a great problem in our Churches today. It’s my desire to possibly shed some light on exactly what he is speaking of here. As you can see, we are looking at ( Hebrews 4 ). However I’d like to move foward and show you a verse of scripture in:

( Hebrews 6, verse 1 ).

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and faith toward God,

We could show more verses here in ( Hebrews 6 ) but, I believe I can use this one to make the needed point that we are looking into today. ( I believe ) that the book of Hebrews was written by the Apostle Paul. He is speaking to his own people the Jews. As he spoke to them, he is reminding them of their own ( unbelief ). What does he mean by that word? If we use the Nation of Israel for an example. they were ( God’s Chosen People ). There was no need in even considering that fact as they looked at unbelief. That was an established fact. If we relate that fact to any person that has been born again then, it is an established fact to you are now within the very body of Christ, ( the Church ).

The problem they had was not recognizing who they were but rather, could they trust God in any situation? The word ( unbelief relates to our inability to trust God in the situations we face in our lives. It’s not a question of salvation. Again ( I believe ) that our inability to ( rest in Christ ) is due to the lack of spiritual education we receive in our local Churches. We are continually taught ( salvation messages ) and we never move foward in our spiritual growth. If we never get satisfied within the ( doctrine of salvation ) then we are left in bondage to always seeking to grow spiritual because of our own ( unbelief ).

( We never ) ( enter into that rest ). So, what is he telling us in this verse:

( Hebrews 4:11 )

Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

He’s saying to us, as well as the ( born again believers ) among the Jewish people to learn to trust God ( rest in what he says ). I’m going to use ( David the shepard ) as an example here because I believe it shows a picture of The average person in the Jewish nation at that time and, compared to what God was looking for in them.

You can read this in ( 1 Samuel 17 ). David was the youngest of his brothers, he was the shepard of his father’s sheep. All the rest of his brothers we ( shall we say ) in the King’s army. David’s father told him to take food to his brothers. When he arrived where they were, there was a giant named ( Goliath ) that was making little of them and their God. These big brothers were afraid of him and, wouldn’t go up against him.

When David arrived on the scene and witnessed what was happening, this is what he said:

( 1 Samuel 17:29 )

And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?

Most people know the story of David and Goliath. We all know that little David killed him and so on. However, can you see that the army of Israel were afraid of him because of their own physical ability. David was not even considering his own ability but he was totally depending on God to do what he knew well he could not.

Therefore, if we go back to our own salvation. I’ll use myself as an example, I can no more live good enough, perfect enough to win my salvation than David could win against Goliath in his own strength. ( The unbelief ) of Israel’s army is what defeated them. ( The Belief and trust in God ) was what made David victorious.

God’s desire is for me as his child, a born again believer to look boldly at every sinner and tell them ( I know ) I have salvation and, ( I know ) I’m going to heaven when I die! To David, it was something more important that just his life. If Goliath killed him, then, as far as he was concerned another man should stand up and fight for the same greater cause. Aren’t we the same way? Often we fear being made fun of, even killed sometimes for what God desires for us to stand on. However, Is there not a cause? If I, as a man that says he’s saved look at my Children and only tell them them that ( I hope ) I have salvation, then what am I teaching them?

The verse we begin with said ( let us labour )! What are we labouring for? Look at this verse:

( 2 Peter 1:10 )

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

This verse ties back to what he is teaching in ( Hebrews ). There is no lobor to being saved, born again. It is simply you realizing your sinful condition and asking Jesus Christ to be your savior. However, it take ( labor ) as in studying to understand all that comes with the free gift of salvation. I often say it this way ( salvation is free but, everything else you have to work for ).

We are often left to believe by our Churches that we have to live right to be saved. Now I’m not saying that living right is not a good thing but, living right is not earning salvation. If we seek to live right to earn salvation, we will never reach that rest he is speaking of. I personally believe that the essence of Church teaching today is based on ( right living ) and, not helping people to understand the assuranse of their salvation.

God wants each of us to ( rest in his finshed work ) just as he did. When we speak of labor, we are speaking of allowing God’s spirit to teach us ( how to ) ( rest ) in his salvation, that he so freely gives. If we go back to David, was he not victorious ove the gaint? The giant we often face is ( unbelief ).

If you will study David, you will see that God had already prepared him for this day. He didn’t back down from the animals that threatened the sheep he protected. That my friend is a picture of you learning small lessons preparing you to face the big ones. Look at yourself, how do you feel about facing death? are you afraid of taking that step? If we never face the battle of ( making our calling and election sure ) then we will always be afraid of the gaint we face! ( Death ).

Often in our Churches and this , for many different reasons, we continuse to swim in the ( children’s pool ) and never dive of the diving board into to deep, deep water. We depend on the knowledge of our pastor or teachers as our complete understanding of God’s word. We never get grounded in faith and we stay continually in ( the salvation mode )!

My grand dad in law died in 1975. He had an aneurysm right next to his heart that he was to be operated on for. The night just before that operation, his pastor came to see him. He asked him if he were prepared for what might happen in the operating room? This is how he answered. He said, If I go into this opereration and everything goes well, I’ll get well and go home! If something goes wrong and I die, I’m going home!. In 1975, I wondered how he could make such a statement? By the way, he died on the operating table! Now I know, it goes far beyond just saying you are saved. You have to ( Labor ) to ( make your calling and election sure ). That labor is simply you studying and allowing God’s Spirit to give you the assurance you need!

I’d say; ( it a shame ) we can’t depend on most Churches to bring us to that ( spiritual understanding ) in our salvation journey. But, we must seek it if we are ever to rest in Christ Jesus!

God the Father desire for each of us to lay our heads on our pillows and rest, knowing that if we never wake up; ( we can rest in him ). If we get cancer, no matter what ( we can rest in him ). If we die in a accident ( we can rest in him ). This type of rest can only be taught you by God’s Holy Spirit. Pastors, teachers and study guides can help but, it must be made real within you by God’s Spirit.

I’ll close with this verse:

( Hebrews 4:10 )

For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

When God created the world in six days, the Bible says he rested on the seveneth. ( Genesis 2:2-3 ) It was finished. As you labor to learn to trust God, one day that labor will be complete meaning that from that day foward ( your rest is finished ). You will still work to help other people, even continue to study to ( know Chist ) more completely, maybe even to accomplish other things but, from that day foward, you will never be concerned about your ( security in Christ ).

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? If so, then kill the giants in your spiritual life, trust him in all things!

Marshall Clayton

2 Timothy 1:7 )