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Christ Jesus is our Salvation (pt2) 

   Noah used the attacks and mocking, as motivation to work harder & faster. Here's a warning to us all that when the devil comes a knocking, don’t be a hiding. Tell him to be gone in Jesus name …
Math 4: 10 … “..Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve ..”

   Tell me, ‘do you run from your faith?’ OR, ‘do you press into your faith’? In other words, ‘is your faith that shallow, that’s all only for show’? We all have Gods ‘armour’, but you put is on? Your friend comes around, late and soaked through to the skin, do you put on a coat that is also soaked through, will you still go out? OR put on this brand new coat that you bought because you know you’ll be warn and dry?

   Next time the devil turns up, to beat you down and discourage you, don’t hide your faith, be strong and know you are not alone. Let God rise up in you and let His enemies scatter.

   Always remember that your children are forever watching you and from your behaviour learn how conduct themselves. Children are like giant sponges, they soak up everything you do ~ everything you say; your reactions to how your treated; as well as how you treat people. How can you expect them to grow up and with pride, this is my partner/wife/husband. When they see that you don’t treat their mum/dad with such pride. 

   The same goes for your faith, what do they see you do that shows everyone how much you value having Christ Jesus in your life…

• Mothers, what do you do, when your neighbour wants you to compromise you convictions? 
•  When they want your Sunday worship to be a one day thing, and your Worldly relations to for 6 (six) days with God. 

Mark 11: 22 “..So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God...”
… from an outsiders view, to see a bunch of people putting faith into something they have never seen ~ heard ~ touched, looks pointless. But we know better as we have faith in God/Jesus Christ presence.

Hebrews 11: 1 “..Now faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen..” 

   Noah could have just laughed at God, He told Noah about the flood to come, as there had never been told of before, nor nor had Noah seen one. When all was said and done Noah’s faith was such that he went ahead and built the ark anyway…
1 Thessalonians 5 5: 2&4 “..2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night… 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief..”
4: 16&17 “..16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord..”

   Why is that we don’t put any substance in this book in our hands, When ~ How ~ Why ~ What? ..

#by Reading, by Praising, by Praying# 

… how else. 

   Just as Noah built an Ark, so by doing these things daily without skipping a day, Or we will come to a day that we no longer have faith. This can happen in a blink of an eye, till we can’t be bothered to go to church, and no longer have any faith. If you want to become say a ‘carpenter’ you have to continually, persevere when trying to make joints, and so read how to do it. Here’s a saying I heard, and it summed up what I’m trying to say...

(("Perseverance is stubbornness with a purpose")) !! 

   You need to do all things daily to keep your faith strong. Like reading your bible daily, for instance every day I read ‘Proverbs’. Say it’s the 10th then I’ll read the 10th Chapter of Proverbs, and so on. You will find comfort in the Bible, it will illuminate the path for you to walk, in God’s direction for you. Don’t be ashamed of your faith when those around you start to pressure you, instead stand your ground, put the whole armour of God on. (Ephesians 6)

   Because Noah’s faith was strong, he put actions into his faith. His sons could see this, dad behaves as he believes. When Noah’s name is mentioned it is also known that he was able to save his family…
Genesis 7: 1 “..Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation..”
&V13 “..On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark..”

Hebrews 11: 7 “..Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household..”

2 Peter 2: 5 “..and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness..”

   It is that Noah was one of 8 (eight), so who were they? Well we all can work this out, have you guessed yet? OK OK I’ll put you out of your misery..
1~ is Noah 2~ Noah’s wife 3~ Shem     4~ Shem’s wife

5~ Ham     6~ Ham’s wife  7~ Japheth 8~ Japheth's wife
...but if they were all preachers, questions arise such as

• Where was the Church?
• Who Preached? 
• Surely what was the sermon on? 

    As old as Noah was when he died, it is believed that Noah ‘never’ stood behind a lectern during his life. He may have never had buildings with room to seat 500+. The adage says that ‘actions speak louder than words’. Just as then, it is the same, that ‘non-believers will hold us to a higher standard than themselves.

   Fathers what are you watching, saying; doing; treating family and friends. Your children are watching; listening; seeing how to behave around others, Then taking what have learnt from you, to take it in to school and their lives. Thinking if it’s OK for you then it’s OK for them to do like wise.

   What is it that you do daily that outwardly shows your faith to your family and others? .. without a word being spoken? Surely this has to be your best and most important sermon? The most important thing your children must have in you is .. trust. For without trust, your family will not follow you to Church. They won’t understand why you tithe. As a child, I’m sure either & both parents told you ‘I told you so’. The more you show your child, whilst they are young, and so seeing the benefits they will teach their children.

#Never underestimate the power of teaching through showing# 

   This is how Noah showed others his faith, and trust daily through showing. Parents, are you doing the same as Noah? This is not just for yesterday .. for today .. but for every day till your called up yonder. You need to be that lighthouse that helps them steer clear of danger. Or, are you someone that still looks out for number 1.

   Is your family saved, a Christian, because of your actions? Your family can't move forward when everyone else is against them unless you are someone who is for them. Noah's wife told him off or put him down the moment he and his sons got home. So long as you and your spouse are together in harmony then, the easier it will be for your children to follow your example. What example are you showing to others today? So even the rest of your family know where the 'Ark of Salvation' is?

• Do you old friends see you as before you were saved, or do they see you making a stand for what you openly believe in?
• Do you old friends see & hear you talk of Earthly things you were saved, hence why they don’t think of Heavenly things? 
• Do you old friends see you enter their homes with thanksgiving for Lord Jesus now you were saved? Do your Children see & recognise .. “..when 2 or more are gathered in His..”?  
• Do they recognise Gods sanctuary?  
• Do they recognise that in Gods sanctuary/house, burdens are lifted and yokes are made easy? And their chains of bondage are broken apart?
• Do they recognise in this place your sin is forgiven, and your body is healed of all that ails it?
• Lastly I ask they see you openly worship … praise and give thanks, that they see this is why life is so worth living! 

Do they? Do they? Do you? 

  It’s time to show them, not just for this or next Sunday but every Sunday ~ Monday ~ Tuesday ~ Wednesday ~ Thursday ~ Friday ~ Saturday, I think you can see where I’m going with this. What an awesome God we have indeed. Q: Children do you follow the example of you Parents have set before you?

   Noah’s sons ..Shem, .. Ham .. Japheth, did just as Noah and his wife, (of whom we were not told the name of). What an example they set for their boys. Are you doing the same? 500Yrs is a long time to be with someone. They never gave up after a few years. As each of the boys grew up they looked and were they same.
Proverbs 18: 22 “..He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favour from the Lord..”

   Today & tomorrow us husbands must need to tell our wives “I found a good thing or the Lord” Children you need to honestly follow and heed and obey your parents, for your own good. Don’t stand there and spout “your not the boss of me”. You need to agree and heed what your parents are trying two impart on you.
Ephesians 6; 1 “..Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right..”

   Surly this a good ~ cheap ~easy solution to having “..a long life..”, this out come from this simple and easy thing right? All this from obeying your parents, not bad hey?
James 2: 17 “..faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead..”

   Noah heeded gods warning about the flood coming, and because he listened to God, then obeyed Him. As is the attitude of today by many, they must have heard God but, just wanted Him to give them a boat for doing ‘Nothing’. God wanted to show us, but today instead we wanted to be told when and where the boat will be for us to get on. God wants to show us that faith needs effort put in if we want to get something back.

   God’s blessing is for everyone who is willing to put the effort in to your daily faith & Bible reading. Noah may well not have been perfect, but his faith was strong. When the flood comes you will not just need the ark, but also his blessed word of salvation. I often wonder in the planning of the Ark, he must have asked the Lord ‘Why so big, there is not even a 12 of us?’

   You see the flood I’m talking about is not one of water, as the flood that nearly covered ‘Yorkshire, here in England’. Instead I’m talking about the one of mankind, such of getting bad news from you Doctor it’s Cancer/Covid19. It’s being laid off after 20yrs of loyal service.

   Being laid off, for instance, you need to come home and call on the Lord and say that … “They, were not my provider, but you are my provider. You promised you will provide and meet my every need, according your riches and glory. You would open all the windows, and pour out so much blessings I’ll not be able to contain them”

   As Christian's, there is one thing for sure, ‘we should never .. never .. never panic or worry about what is before us, even ask why?’ Just give God an elbow in the ribs and remind Him of His promises for you. Everything is going to work out just fine, because God is on the throne yesterday, today, tomorrow and for ever and ever.

Why do you think we call God the ‘Omnipotent one?’ ...

• meaning: a deity as having unlimited power ~ all powerful ~ almighty ~supreme ~ pre-eminent 
• having great power and influence.

… So when it is said that He knows everything, trust me He does. When you can’t see a path through the troubles we’re in, He will shine a light to show us the way. He will provide provisions, where there are none, is this sinking in yet. All things are possible when you put 100% of our faith in Him who makes everything. 

#You can’t wait till the flood comes build your Ark today# 

   

   Jesus already told us 2000 years ago “..Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham ” Luke 19:9 .. So many put this off. Our loved ones need to be shown the light. I know this from a personal stand point. When are you going to stop those you love going to hell and damn nation. You families may thumb their noses at the idea of becoming a Christian, remind them that God forgives ‘ALL’ their sins, so please don’t give up on them now.

   It’s simple just have faith in god, yesterday is gone you can’t change it. With God by their side Tomorrow can be beyond theirs & your wildest dreams. Please to take to heart what I have been saying here, and grasp Gods Salvation with both hands and never let go. If you have read this and want God in your life, seek out someone who can pray with you, and or, I want you to pray this prayer with me ...

Lord God I come before you a sinner, 

I want to turn away from my old ways. 

I have come to be reborn. 

I have decided to accept my position in Christian, 

and sit with Him in Heavenly places. 

When people say ‘who do you think you are?’ 

I will say unto them .. 

I’m a chosen generation, a Royal Priesthood, 

a Holy nation and a peculiar person. 

I’m steadfast, immovable, and abounding 

in the work of the Lord, for I know that my 

labour is not in vain in God. I’m not weary 

for in due season I will reap, if I faint not. 

I prosper and I am in good health, 

even as my soul prospers. 

Greater is He who is in me that he 

who is in the world. No weapon that is 

formed against me can prosper. ”for if God is 

for me who can stand against me” 

   If you have prayed this prayer today, seek out a Church or someone who you know goes to one soon. May Gods word not return empty.

In Christ Jesus name Amen.