Matthew 28:20

And I will be with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20

Three thoughts:

1. I will

A word of confidence and joy. Do we believe it? How many have the confidence and ability to say this? No politician can say that. No religious leader can say that. No evolutionist can say that. They can say, but they can't follow through.

2. ...be with you always

Often we feel alone, even when surrounded by people. Sometimes we are all alone in the darkness of our mind, our soul suffering from heart break or sorrow. The Lord Jesus is with us. Doesn't a verse come to mind? In the deepest sorrows I've felt, God was there to help me.

3. ...to the end of the world.

He never leaves. No matter what happens even if the end of the world. The word is sometimes translated "age", but there is no indication that he would only be with His people only while He was alive or the nation existed. Be assured, He will be with us and not leave us. We are not abandoned.

Ecclesiastes 7:1

1 A good reputation is better than expensive perfume; and the day you die is better than the day you are born. Ecclesiastes 7:1

Three points:

1. Expensive perfume

According to the Guinnes World Record, the world's most expensive perfume is Clive Christian No. 1.

It is believed to be made of some of rarest ingredients in the world. No expense was spared.

For only $2,350 you can buy 30ml of it. There are only 1000 bottles made every year.

Even from this perfume, the most expensive was the Clive Christian perfume No. 1 in a Imperial Majesty bottle made from Baccarat Crystal with a white diamond inset. Only 10 bottles were made. The price? Only $200,000 (another source said $215,000).

2. Good reputation is better

There is no price for a good reputation. A reputation of dependability, honesty, fairness, and initiative. The Lord Jesus is the perfect example.

3. Dying is better than being born

For the Christian dying means going to heaven. It is going to our real home, our real country, an eternal home. We are full of courage and would much prefer to leave our home in the body and be at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)

1 Peter 5:8

Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Three points:

1. Be alert

Eyes wide open, ears focused, mind with full attention to the possibility of attack. The devil is sneaky, tricky, deceitful; he will come wearing the clothes of righteousness. He will sound comforting, loving, pleasant, and safe. We need to be aware of these things. We need to have a standard; we do--the Bible.

2. A roaring lion

Everything seems safe. There is nothing to indicate danger--no sounds, no smells, no movement. We feel it is safe to advance. Suddenly, the pounce! The kill. It is all over. When we hear the roar in the distance, believe he is coming.

3. Devour

To ruin, to destroy. King David was with Uriah; David had him killed after sinning with Uriah's wife. The testimony is this: "You have given the enemies of God an opportunity to blaspheme Him."

Where then is safety? The Bible is the Book of Truth. Prayer is the voice of seeking help. The Holy Spirit is able to keep us from falling. Let us be alert, pray, study, be alert, and pray for each other.

Psalm 99:1

THE LORD reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells [between] the cherubim; Let the earth be moved! Psalm 99:1

Three points:

1. Who reigns?

Money? Greed? Self? In many ways it seems so doesn't it, but the ultimate King of kings is the Lord. Today is our day of decision. God allows us this freedom to choose life or death.

2. Trembles

Some day there will our judgment. Do we fear God in love and run to Him for mercy, or do we fear God and hide. Adam in the Garden of Eden choose to hide. King David when confronted with his sin, asked for mercy. How precious, O God, is your constant love! We find protection under the shadow of your wings. (Psalms 36:7) You will be merciful to us once again. You will trample our sins underfoot and send them to the bottom of the sea! (Micah 7:19)

3. Dwells [between] the cherubim

All kings would like to have such glory and prestige. Yet, He with such power and authority, is tender to heal the unlovely. When Jesus came to the territory of Gadara on the other side of the lake, he was met by two men who came out of the burial caves there. These men had demons in them and were so fierce that no one dared travel on that road. (Matthew 8:28)

Hebrews 13:5

Let your conversation be without covetousness: and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5

Three points:

1. Conversation

This is an old word for lifestyle and worldview. Covetousness is wanting what someone else has--the old keeping up with the Jones. Greed and covetousness has ruined many people, not only the person with the covetousness but those affected by it. This life is filled with self seekers instead of God seekers. We need to be helping others, too.

2. Contentment

It is to be happy with what I have. All too often I catch myself thinking, "If I only had ____, then things would be better." We should be content with our work and calling, our wages, and what we have.

3. God with us

"I will never leave you, nor forsake you." It is a fear of many that their loved ones will leave them, a spouse, friend, parents, or children. We must remember that the Lord Jesus has promised that He will NOT leave us. Let us be happy during the day and sleep well at night knowing He is with us.

Job 42:10

And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Job 42:10

Three points:

1. Job

Job had gone a lot of suffering: loss of wealth, loss of children, his wife practically disowned him, and his friends (?) harshly and falsely criticized him. Time for revenge, right?

2. Job prayed

Many would think he should pray, "Lord, punish those jerks," but Job did NOT. He prayed FOR them. How do we pray for those who react against us, use us, or hurt us? We need to pray for them, for them to repent, for them be restored from shame, guilt, and sorrow, for them to be happy and at peace with the Lord Jesus.

3. Restored

Job was blessed after he prayed FOR his enemies and false accusers. What better to not have enemies than to be kind to them and pray for them. Even if anyone still treats you badly, you have done what was right.

2 Corinthians 12:9

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
(2 Corinthians 12:9)

Three points:

1. Paul plead with God

A "messenger of Satan" was bothering Paul. Why would God allow such a thing? Paul asked God to remove it, but God did not. Of the Lord Jesus it is written: Heb 5:8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

Sometimes the suffering we have has a purpose.

2. God's strength, Paul's weakness

Paul may have thought, "I just can't make it; I just can't go on." Have you thought that way? I'm sure we all have, but God somehow gives us the strength to go on. This way we KNOW that it was the Lord that made us successful and not ourselves.

3. God's power

God's power is better than ours. Pray, wait (if need be), trust, and He will come through. Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Psalm 34:4

I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

Three points:

1. Sought

I don't hunt, but I like to track animals. It is a challenge to go into the woods or fields, find some deer tracks, and follow them. Sometimes there is only a few scattered sticks or some scat; it is hard; it is seeking. Do we seek God with such diligence?

2. Heard

When God has "heard" us, He will answer us according to His will. He always knows what we say but to "hear" means pay attention. May God "hear" our prayers.

3. Delivered

Delivered means to snatch out of the hand of the enemy or a difficult situation. What joy to be delivered! We pray; He delivers. Let us turn to the Lord Jesus first of all when we need deliverance.

1 Corinthians 15:41

The sun has its own beauty, the moon another beauty, and the stars a different beauty; and even among stars there are different kinds of beauty.
(1 Corinthians 15:41)

Three points:

1. Sun



The sun's beauty is without question. This has been especially true since pictures has been taken in astromony.

2. Moon and stars



This is a supersatured image from and shows the beauty of the moon.

3. My wife and I were walking this morning. The fog was fairly thick and we could make out things about 50 yards away. Yet looking up we could see the moon and the stars clearly. The moonshadow were bright. Things may be difficult in life. What we can see is only a short distance, but things look very differently looking up. We are to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus.

We must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side of God's throne! (Hebrews 12:2)

Philemon 1:7

For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother. (Philemon 1:7)

Three points:

1. Great Joy

This didn't come from something they did; it came from something that someone else did. This someone, Philemon, was going out of his way to help others. The help he was giving was to refresh the heart of other believers. Joy is the heart-felt emotion of pleasure, satisfaction, sweetness. Joy can be felt in giving as well as receiving. Showing loving kindness to others and seeing that they are comforted. Truly, the Lord Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

2. Consolation

Consolation here is comfort and encourage. "Come on brother; come on sister, you can do it. Keep going. Keep the faith. Let's pray together. Need help to finish the joy, then let me help you." Are we doing this?

3. Refresh

The help he was giving was to refresh the heart of other believers. Refresh is the same idea of taking a nap or the refreshment that comes from a good night's sleep. Our hearts grow weary from the things we face; we need others who will minister to us refreshment--an encouraging, comforting word. Let's start today.

Titus 3:7

...that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)

Three points:

1. Justified by His grace

We do not deserve or have any right to be justified--being viewed by God as never have sinned. It is not by our works, but it is logical.
His grace is receiving what we don't deserve.

2. Become heirs

Jesus is the Son of God. He has chosen for us to receive part of His inheritance. Talk about not being selfish.

3. Hope of eternal life

This is not living in this sin cursed world with sickness and suffering; it is living in heaven.

All of this will happen, because Jesus Christ suffered for our sins, and we have confessed our sins, believed and asked Him to forgive us.

Revelation 1:5

Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Revelation 1:5

Three points:

1. He loved us

Past tense, so He loved us from before we existed.

2. We are cleansed

If we--realizing we have disobeyed the holy God's law--pray to the Lord Jesus for forgiveness of sins, then we are cleansed from our sins.

3. It cost something

God didn't just say, "O, forget it", when He forgive sins; He suffered death on the cross. Let us be thankful.