[0:00] Greetings to each one this morning and blessings to all of you. It's good to be together, good to be here. Many thoughts have gone through my mind this morning already and the meditation devotional that Michael had and the songs that we sang about the cross and about trusting God and everything that's been sung or shared this morning already.
[0:31] It's been a blessing. And I know some of you ladies have been blessed this week with being up there and wherever you were at the ladies' retreat.
[0:48] So it'd be good to hear about that as well. So, like if we could turn our Bibles to Philippians chapter 4. I've been just thinking about lately of preaching on the subject of witchcraft and I'd like to sometime soon preach about that or at least look at that subject.
[1:24] I'm not going to this morning. I've felt like the Lord wanted me to share something else. But I think I mentioned it maybe to one or two of you that we want to do that soon, but not today.
[1:39] So what I'd like to look at here in Philippians chapter 4 is, we're just going to read down to verse 13, but I'll stop in a few places.
[1:50] And the subject this morning is about our name being written in the book of life. Is your name written in the book of life?
[2:02] Is it written in heaven? That's the subject, or at least one of them, that I'd like to just preach on. Philippians 4 verse 1.
[2:12] Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved, and long for my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech Eudeus and beseech Syntek.
[2:27] I probably don't know how to say those quite, but these were brothers that Paul was beseeching. That they be of the same mind in the Lord.
[2:39] In fact, I don't know for sure what he's saying there. Were they brothers? Or was he challenging them? I'm not, I wasn't quite sure. But maybe they weren't quite the same mind, at least.
[2:50] And he's beseeching them. Verse 3. Paul isn't just addressing fellow laborers and Christians and believers as such.
[3:21] He's also saying, your names are in the book of life. Is that how we think about each other? Brother Dan, Brother James, Joe, and all our brothers and sisters.
[3:35] Do we think about each other as whose names are in heaven? Is that how you think about yourself if you're a believer? Remember, that's what Paul is saying.
[3:46] Then he says, rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say, rejoice. It's like a commandment. He's adamant that we rejoice in the Lord.
[4:00] He said that right after he said that our names are in the book of life. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
[4:13] We are to let our moderation be known. What is moderation? Something we should look into if that's what we're supposed to do, right?
[4:26] Now in verse 6, it says, be careful for nothing. I thought we're supposed to walk carefully. Well, what does this word mean?
[4:38] Be careful for nothing. But in everything, by prayer and supplication and with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
[4:56] I want to read that verse 6 again in the Amplified. In fact, maybe verse 6 and 7. It says, do not be anxious or worried about anything.
[5:08] But in everything, every circumstance and situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your specific requests known unto God.
[5:22] Be anxious or worried. I mean, don't, do not be anxious or worried about anything. That's what be careful for nothing means in the King James.
[5:37] Are we anxious? Are we worried? Are we trusting? Like Mike said. In verse 7 in the Amplified, it says, In the peace of God that passeth, I'm sorry, the peace of God, that peace which reassures the heart, that peace, which transcends all understanding, that peace which stands guard over your hearts and over your minds in Christ Jesus.
[6:09] that peace. That peace. Do we have that peace? Sometimes circumstances and situations make us anxious.
[6:25] They make us not trust. They make us fearful sometimes. Paul, the man that wrote this, where was he when he wrote this?
[6:39] I'm not sure. But many times, the things that he wrote, he was in prison. If any man could have been anxious and worried about his life and his, yeah, situation, it would have been the Apostle Paul.
[6:59] And here he's giving us a word this morning. God is. God is giving us the word to not be anxious. Jesus said, Come unto me, all ye that labor, and I will give you rest.
[7:15] Verse 8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, always think on these things, you know, if we take the time to just read that verse 8 and just meditate and let God speak to us whatsoever things are honest, we start beginning to just think on these things.
[7:47] What else will we even have time for? Will we have time to think about the things that are not lovely, the things that are not honest, the things that are not just, the things that are not pure, the things that are not of a good report?
[8:04] Will we even have time to think of them if we're thinking of all the positive? This is instruction for us today. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do, and the God of peace shall be with you.
[8:22] But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again, wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
[8:39] Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. Paul's talking about himself here, about his state and how this church has helped him and so on.
[8:55] And he has learned to be content. Now there's a key here in verse 12. I know both how to be abased, that would mean lowered or low, and I know how to abound when there's plenty.
[9:13] Everywhere and in all things, I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
[9:25] Sometimes the road is rough. This is the end of that verse, but just my own note, sometimes this road in life is rough. And sometimes our circumstances aren't easy.
[9:41] But are we satisfied in Christ? Are we fulfilled in Him? And are we rejoicing in the fact that your name is in heaven?
[9:53] God has recorded your name. I want to talk more about that. But the last verse I wanted to read here is from Paul here, is I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me.
[10:05] He can abound. He can have a lot. He can be doing well and still be strong in the Lord. That doesn't distract him. Or he can have nothing and be in prison in shackles.
[10:19] And he's still okay. All things through Christ. Isn't that amazing? Through Christ. That's the key.
[10:31] You know, a person that has the joy of the Lord and is rejoicing in Him will bring so much more glory to Him, to Christ, to His name, than those that are focused on their problems and the dreary road of life.
[10:54] That dreary road that gets rough and rugged. We've all had it. We've all faced that, haven't we? Your focus changed, didn't it?
[11:06] That dreary road, that hard road. But when we get our eyes on Jesus, and I believe that God, with all my heart, is calling His church to lift up their eyes and look unto Jesus.
[11:24] Because a church that is rejoicing is a church that has power. It's a church that overcomes. It's a people that overcomes.
[11:35] A body, a church that draws others to Christ. You know, if we're always dreary and downcast and licking our wounds and woe is me and pity me because of this hard road, who's going to want that?
[11:55] Sinners that are lost and looking and they're looking for hope, they don't want that. They already have it. But if we're rejoicing because of our name being written in the book of life, then we have an answer.
[12:12] We have hope. The lost want to find what is real. Many of them, not all, but many of them want to find out what is real. What is life all about?
[12:25] And they're wondering, when will I know the meaning of life? But if the church is no different than the world in that area and we're just as downcast as the world is, they'll never find it.
[12:41] God wants to use His people. Whom shall they turn to for answers if we're just as bad off as the rest of the world?
[12:55] The joy of the Lord is our strength. The question is, will we receive it? Do we have it? Will we have it? Let's turn to Psalm 23.
[13:12] I know this is a psalm that we use a lot and it's used a lot in just about anything, especially in funerals.
[13:23] And it's right. But I'd just like to look at this and see what David is saying here.
[13:38] And this is just a few of my thoughts, but there's a lot more. But let's just read Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
[13:53] I couldn't understand that for years. I got confused by the King James way of putting it. I shall not want. I didn't know what it meant growing up.
[14:06] But if the Lord Jesus is your shepherd, then you lack nothing because He is taking care of you regardless of how you feel, how rough the road is, how rough that journey might be that we're on.
[14:24] Are we fulfilled in Jesus today or are we lacking? That's what that means. I shall not want. Perhaps if we're lacking and wanting, maybe He's not your shepherd.
[14:38] Has that thought ever crossed your mind? Because if He's our shepherd, then we will have what we need, spiritually speaking. In fact, we'll just have what we need.
[14:55] Is He your shepherd? He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. If Jesus is our shepherd, then we will have peace in our soul.
[15:10] Peace. That's a picture of peace. Of rest. Maketh me to lie down. What a blessed invitation for a weary traveler, for one that is on a road that can be rough and things come our way that are difficult.
[15:31] To know that we have a shepherd that gives us that kind of peace. Jesus said, come unto me and I will give you rest.
[15:46] Verse 3, He restoreth my soul, He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Will you this morning allow Jesus to restore your soul?
[16:01] Sometimes we need to be restored. He restoreth my soul. From time to time we need to be restored so we can walk in the right path.
[16:16] Why? For His name's sake. For His sake. For His benefit. For His glory. Ye, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.
[16:29] For Thou art with me. Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. No, it's when we face those difficult battles in this life.
[16:40] Even death, David said. We don't have to fear because our great shepherd is with us. He is our comfort no matter what we face.
[16:54] That doesn't mean that the battle isn't real. That doesn't mean we're not in a battle. We are, if we're a Christian. And it may even look impossible.
[17:06] But look up and see our shepherd. Look up and see Jesus. He has written your name in heaven and He is preparing a mansion for you.
[17:19] And He will soon be saying, My child, come home. If you're His child. And I believe most in here today are.
[17:31] His child. My child, come home. And we will be wondering someday why we were so discouraged. Why we were so gloomy.
[17:43] Why we trusted so little. Why we worried so much. And why we didn't allow Him to heal us.
[17:59] Soon as we're there, we're going to know it all. We're going to know what we've been waiting for. We're going to experience it all.
[18:10] Are you glad your name is up there waiting for you to come home? Written in the Lamb's book of life. Then He says, Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.
[18:27] Now back to earth here. In the presence of mine enemies, thou anointest my head with oil and my cup runneth over. Who are our enemies? You know, I thought about that for a little while this morning.
[18:42] Who are our enemies? Isn't it whoever and whatever hates the things of God?
[18:54] Whoever and whatever hates the things of God. If you're His child, those things and even people are your enemies. the old nature, the old Adam hates the things of God.
[19:12] Doesn't like it. Doesn't like the cross. The Bible says that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to them that perish.
[19:25] But to those of us that are saved, it is the power of God. welcome Chuck, good to see you. But to those that are saved, it is the power of God.
[19:42] It's not foolishness, is it? Only to those that perish. But there's many enemies. But here, Jesus, He doesn't promise to remove us from our enemies.
[19:58] He doesn't say that we're going to get rid of all your enemies right now. But what He says is, Thou preparest a table before me.
[20:12] He promises us a table, many good things that will fill our hearts to overflowing right in the middle of the enemy, right in the middle of the battle. He still fills us.
[20:25] He anoints us. He fills our cup until it can't contain it and it'll overflow. We like to think that that all happens when we're, you know, in that green pasture in the still waters.
[20:44] Now our cup's full and overflowing. And it is. But it is also right in the middle of our enemies, right in the middle of the battle in the heat of it all.
[20:57] When things come against you and it seems so difficult, things that want to destroy you, God will fill you to overflowing.
[21:10] So what are we worried about? The Bible says if Christ is for you, who can be against you? In my own words there, I didn't quote it quite right.
[21:23] Verse 6, it says, Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. You know, if we walk with the Lord, goodness and mercy shall follow us.
[21:41] Follow us. Every day. And we can and shall dwell in the presence, in His presence now and forever.
[21:51] You know, I used to think, and it may mean this, David might have meant this as well, but that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, meaning heaven.
[22:03] And that's coming. But he meant more than that. David knew that in his day the house of the Lord was where God's presence dwelled.
[22:15] Now today, where is the house of the Lord? After Jesus came, where is the house of the Lord? Anybody? They're pointing to here. It's in you.
[22:27] And we can dwell forever with Him. We can have that relationship with Jesus and He's dwelling with us. Are you part of that?
[22:39] Are you part of that kingdom? Because if you are, then these promises all apply to you. They all apply to me and you. If we're walking with Him and we've trusted Him, by the way, back to, is your name written there?
[22:57] The only way your name is written there and my name is if we've trusted in Him. If we have trusted in His provision for forgiveness of our sin.
[23:14] Have we trusted in the blood of the Lamb? and as I was studying for this, I looked up a lot of verses and different some of these Bible translations and websites that give you the verses and all those different things.
[23:38] It's really hard to find verses like this without comments about our names being blotted out or that once your name is written it can never be removed and things like that.
[23:56] I was amazed at some of the things that I read where people believe that once you're saved even if you were just 12 or whatever age you were saved you made a commitment to the Lord and now you're locked in and it can never be changed.
[24:13] that's false that's not the true gospel it's not a gospel at all but it's false and because Jesus said to abide in him we must continue in him we can't go back and say well you know can you imagine people coming to judgment day and saying things like well I was saved when I was 12 but God knows that you live like the devil and for the devil the rest of the time you live for self you never accepted the cross in your life I wouldn't want to trust in something that was some experience back when I was 12 but rather we must continue to trust in him Revelation 3 5 says he that overcometh he that overcometh you see there's always a key there's always a clause not him that doesn't overcome he that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life right there it is he that overcometh he that overcometh the same shall not be clothed in white raiment and I will blot his name out of the book of life right there it is but people just skip over that and they don't worry about what it means he that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life but I will confess his name before my father and before his angels he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches are we clothed in that white raiment are we pure are we washed in the blood are we washed are we overcomers or do we just face defeat day after day if that's our standing where we are defeated and we have no way of overcoming you need to seriously think about your name whether it is in heaven
[26:49] Luke chapter 10 if you want to turn there when I read some verses there Luke chapter 10 verse 17 I assume that clock is correct is that the clock for me okay I was looking for one and couldn't find it but I see it now okay verse 17 Luke 10 17 now this is amazing 70 it says and the 70 returned again with joy saying Lord even the devils are subject unto us through thy name now listen to what Jesus said he said and he said unto them I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven how fast does light travel it's 186 thousand miles per second the fastest thing on the universe is light the speed of light and Jesus is saying of course
[28:13] Satan's subject to me I'm the one that kicked him out of heaven in the first place I mean these are just thoughts Jesus didn't actually say this perhaps but Satan will always be subject unto him so it's kind of like I mean they were coming back all rejoicing because the devils were listening to them and obeying them and that is powerful in of itself I agree but Jesus is almost like saying what's the big deal this is what I saw not only was it him that left it was a third of the angels a third of the used to be angels they're demons now but they all fell out of heaven at a very high rate of speed never to return there he says in verse 19 behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven you know this is the ultimate reason that
[29:39] Christians today rejoice are we are we joyful are we full of joy because this isn't where this we're not staying here we're going somewhere after this and we shouldn't even be living for now we're living for then and that gives us reason to rejoice but you know if I had to think of what the youth shared about some of Aaron's messages there in PA about Jesus being our master you know if Jesus is not your lord and master then the opposite is true for us if we have rejected God's truth and are walking outside of his ways and we're not walking with God then I also need to warn you that your name has been blotted out according to these scriptures let's turn now to
[31:00] Revelation chapter 20 Revelation 20 and verse 10 and the devil that received them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever that's where he's going and I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away and there was no place found for them and I saw the dead small and great stand before
[32:05] God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works just let that settle in for a moment this is in revelation this is in the new testament these are the words of God and the sea gave up the dead which were in it and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works you know we say that we're not saved by works no we're not we're saved by grace through faith but judgment will be by our works it's very clear because if we're saved and we've been redeemed and we're washed in the blood then our works will be right it's that clear our works will be right if we haven't been saved and our we're not walking with God then our works are not right verse 14 says and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire this is the second death and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire that's the verse I wanted you see the importance of our names being written in the book of life
[33:49] I just want to give a just now I had a thought you know I know that most of us in here were saved at some we all have a testimony of being saved and so on and walking with the Lord but I just have to think of one of the most recent ones just Timothy you know I remember when his name was written in the book of life think about that it's not just about what happens down here it's happening in heaven and when our names were written and if you continue on this journey of faith in the son in Jesus you're not part of some religious cult or something you're part of the kingdom of God in fact it's in heaven are we glad that our names are written in heaven let's make sure they stay there because we can choose to walk away but
[34:59] God said if you know he will not blot it out and here's another thought God wants your name written in heaven he wants our name to be there and stay there more than we do isn't that wonderful he cares he paid the price so that can happen so yes of course he paid the ultimate price couple verses in Matthew 25 I know we are turning to a lot of different scriptures this is an exciting subject I don't know why it just gripped me late last night about our names being written in the book of life should give us a burden for those that don't have their name there shouldn't it because of their destiny
[36:03] Matthew 25 verse 26 his Lord answered and said unto them thou wicked and slothful servant thou newest that I reap where I sow not and gather where I have not strawed thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury or with interest you should have done something with what you had take therefore the talent from him and give it unto him which hath ten talents for unto everyone that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath you know it may be that you know
[37:06] Jesus point here wasn't probably wasn't money but the gifts that he gives us one of the greatest gifts ever given the greatest gift ever given is salvation is having our names written in the book of life and being set free from our sin our own way our own thinking and finding Christ as our Savior and our Lord what's happened with that gift in our life what are we doing with it has it grown has it have we grown in him and become more like him is our life portraying that we have that gift or will Jesus come back and find it worse than the day we received it and here's what he says I think
[38:12] I have my reference mixed up here but and cast ye that the unprofitable servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth you know God has given us so much Jesus has invested in you and I and he's returning for that investment he's coming back to receive us to receive his own what will it be like for you on judgment day like yet to turn to Hebrews chapter 12 and then I think I have yeah just a couple more scriptures after that but we're getting toward the end here Hebrews chapter 12 maybe in verse let's see yeah in verse 22 let's just start in verse 23 to the general assembly and church of the first born which are written in heaven and to
[39:46] God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel see that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escape not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven it's the verse I wanted was verse 25 you know are we refusing Christ we can refuse Christ when he speaks you know when I say something and you reject it that's one thing there's no real word for you on that necessarily but if you refuse and reject what
[40:48] God says if we do that the Hebrew writer saying that you're not going to escape see that he refuse not him that speaketh you know when Moses was up on the mountain the earth shook actually I'll just read a few verses of that you don't have to turn to this but in Revelation 21 26 it says whose voice then shook the earth but now he hath promised saying yet once more I shake not the earth only but also heaven and this word yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve
[41:54] God acceptably and reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire the reason I read those verses in connection with Hebrews there is that you know when Moses was on the mountain the Lord spake and the earth was shaken and Moses feared everybody feared when God speaks God is a consuming fire the question to us this morning how seriously do we take the word of God when he speaks to us whether that's just in reading the Bible whether it's just a thought that God gives us you know during the day whether it's you're hearing somebody preach whether it's a song and you're convicted it doesn't matter but if it's God's word if God speaking I believe that
[42:57] God would have us fear and get a little bit of trembling going on once in a while that we won't that we won't ever refuse it Lord help us to not refuse it if the Lord brings a conviction to my heart it is very important that I listen and I say yes Lord yes Lord you're my master you're my master you're my Lord it's you speaking it's not him it's not her even though it might come from a him and her but if it's the Lord speaking we better listen you know if our name is written in heaven I'm going to finish with Chronicles chapter second Chronicles chapter seven but if our name is written in heaven then we are to rejoice we can consider the
[44:08] Lord as our shepherd and you can face anything even death yes even death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death wow it's just that chapter is just powerful to me today familiar verse in 2nd Chronicles 7 verse 14 if my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from heaven and I will forgive their sins their sin and will heal their land people use that verse all the time they use it usually for a nation for you know even politicians it's one of the verses they use but as
[45:09] I was thinking of this verse I was thinking of me and us if John if James if put your name in there if you who are called by his name shall humble himself herself you know it's easy to think of that as a nation but you make it personal we gotta humble ourselves and pray and seek my face he says what does that mean you're not just looking to find Jesus somewhere physically no you're seeking his face because you want to know his will you want to know his heart you want to know what he says what he wants from me that's what we do when we have a master
[46:10] I want to know what he wants and I want to turn from my wicked ways my own ways those might not be some terrible gross sins out there somewhere it just might be my selfish heart that's a wicked way and I want to turn away from that if we do these things guess what then we'll hear from heaven then we'll find answers he will give it to us he will show us the answer he will forgive us and he'll heal you yeah it's for a people it's for nations but it's for us personally too why don't we stand together has he healed you has he forgiven you and is our name in the book of life and if it is are we rejoicing as much as we should are we a joyless individual
[47:29] I pray that we can rejoice let's pray together