#188 Common To Man

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P.O. Box 416, Gravette, AR 72736 501-787-6026

Dr. Arnold Murray, DRE

Let's talk about things that are common to man. TI1is lec­ ture will draw the distinction be­ tween natural man and spiritual man. We at Shepherd's Chapel often receive letters from thQse with a great J deal .of anxiety cQncerning what is going to happen in . these end times. This is understandable because people generally do not know where to look for relief of this anxiety. They see the enemy hard at work in this world causing peQple to turn away from God. It is important for you as a senrant of God to be able to show those that are searching for guidallce God's promises and assurances. The Father is in control and His plan will be accom­ plished just as it is \\tTitten. God's promises are yours, if you will claim them. How does .one even know what His promises are? By studying His WQrd. God cares a great deal for us. Let's turn to the Psalms for one proQf of this fact.

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1/ PETER 2.B And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrh -; into ashes condemned them with an over­ throw, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

Do you know what was going on in SodQm and Gomorrha? Do you know where the word sodomy came from? God destroyed the perversion .of Sodom and Oomorrha as an example of what He will do to those that live ungodly even untQ this day. /I PETER 2:7-8 And delivered Just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: § (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

God loves mount ZiQn. He will establish His eternal Kingdom there. Those that trust in the Lord are loved by Him and wili not be moved. On the other hand, those that dQ not trust in the Lord will be moved and de­ ceived. What harm eQuId possibly come to those that the LQrd is round about?

Lot would have nothing to do with the perversion of Sodom and GomQrraha. God delivered him from that city before it was destroyed.

The rod is fQr CQrrectlQn. YQU have a chQice. You may have the Lord proti,;cting yQU as the mountains arQund Jerusalem prQtect that city, or yQU may feel the rod of correctiQn resting upon you.

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God doesn't play favQrites. If He didn't spare the angels that sinned from judgement, He isn't going to spare the human beings that sin. The Word is talking about the fallen angels, or nephilim. God brought the floQd on the world to destroy the offspring of the nephilim that took wives of the daughters of men (Genesis 6). This was a genealogy which certainly was not fit for Christ to be eventually born through.

PSALMS 1451-2 They that trust in the LORD Shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. 2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, So the LORD is round about His People From hence­ forth even for ever.

PSALMS 125:3 For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; Lest the righteous put forth tfleir hands into iniquity.

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Newsletter # 188 - June 1994

PSALMS 125:4-5 Do good, 0 LORD, unto those that be good, And to them that are upright in their hearts. Ii As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, The LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: But peace shall be upon Israel.

Trust in the Lord and you will have the peace of mind .of knowing the Father is round about His good people protecting them. There have been bad peQple and angels from the beginning. Let's turn to II Peter. /I PETER 2:4-5 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement; Ii And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

/I PETER 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished:

Will judgement day hQld rewards or punishment for yQu? If you trust in the Lord and walk through life His way, God will deliver yQuout of temptations. /I PETER 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

The United States of America is a great nation. Yes, we have our share .of problems, but the constitution guarantees our right to worship God and teach His Word. Don't hate a gQvernment which guarantees something SQ valuable that many have Leen willing to die for. II PETER 2:11-12 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the LORD. 12 But these, as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

We are still talking about the nephilim and geber.

y /I PETER 2.13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? .1l For. we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

Beware of those that talk about their own agenda while feasting and worshipping with you. They will receive the reward of their unrighteousness.

We are one in Him. TIle way of escape is His way. In closing let's turn to I Cor 2:9.

11 PETER 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls; an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed Children,

Do you have a stable soul? One that will not be moved, or easily beguiled. If you trust in God, you will 110t be moved. What did Paul write 011 this subject? I CORINTHiANS 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the de­ stroyer.

Paul is teaching us not to allow the destroyer, Satan, to destroy us as he did some of our ancestors.

1 CORINTHIANS 1011

Now all these things happened unto tt.em for ensamples: and they are written for our admomiion, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Eh:rything that happened in the Old Testament are examples for our learning and should serve as a \varning, This generation should pay particularly close attention. This is the generation of the fig tree.

i CORINTHIANS 10:12-13 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall, 1,' There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man.' but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but wiJI WIth the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

There is no temptation that is not common to all man. When you trust in Him, God will not allow you TO be tempted by more than you are equipped to handle. He will always provide you with the means to bear the temptation or escape the temptation. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:14 flee from idolatry.

Wherefore, my dearly beloved,

Worship your Father. Don't allow your job, your house, or any other idol to come between you and God. Don't be beguiled, or seduced, by the destroyer that will soon return to earth pretending to be Christ. Common to man comes from a Greek tenn meaning "these things are common to all man". Today's man has one thing very much in common. He is biblically illiterate. If you don't believe me, just ask someone if they have read the second chapter of Nebuchadnezzar the next time an opportunity presents itself. They will probably say, "Yes, I think I did read that chapter". As you know, there is no Book of Nebuchadnezzar in the Bible. God has given you an escape to that which is common to man because you sought that escape through studying His Word. You have found the light of His truth and understand the Father's promises. I CORINTHIANS 10:15-17 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what i say. 1f The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?

I CORINTHIANS 2:9-11 But as it is written, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him," l.Q But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep thmgs of God, 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Paradise is coming to those who love and trust God. Just as it is impossible for you to know the thoughts of someone sitting next to you, it is impossible for you to know the things of God. The Spirit of God knows your thoughts. I CORINTHIANS 2:12-13 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 1.;1 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

The latter part of verse thirteen would be better translated, "interpreting spiritual things with spiritual facts", This is important. Christianity is a reality. There are spiritual facts. Every time the Holy Spirit teaches you, every time the Spirit moves you, and every time you recei ve blessings you should recognize the spiritual fact of the matter. Keep a log in you mind of these spiritual facts, and the next time you are feeling down about something pull your log out and thank the Father. I CORINTHIANS 2.'14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness into him.' neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

111e majority of natural men think the things of God are foolislmess. They don't care about God. I CORINTHIANS Z:15-16 But he that is spiritual judgeth 131/ things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 1f For who hath known the mind of the LORD, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Are you prepared to instruct the Lord? I think not; however, if you absorb the Holy Spirit, you have the mind of Christ. Having the mind of Christ will allow you to live in this flesh body knowing how to do the right thing for God, yourself and your family. Doing the right thing for God is what trust is all about. When you trust someone, it means you know they are going to do the right thing without any doubt. God wiII protect you. He will provide you with an escape from temptations common to man, and He will give you spiritual discern­ ment through the Holy Ghost. In His Service,

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