God's Unfailing Word

Thank you for tuning in to the radio ministry. Your focus is making Christ visible providing worship come check us out at 3485 Oxford Rd. visit us online@ubc.org join us for this week's message by Pastor Albert on shop as many of you know Nicole and I and the kids were in India for the past couple of weeks visiting my parents and some of you may remember that last November, which was 2016 that I received a phone call from my sister that my dad had fallen and he had broken his ankle now. The injury was bad, but because of some other complications in how they try to help him. It just made things from bad to worse, it did not have to be that bad, but shuttling him from this doctrine that hospital. It was, it became a big mess and we were really hoping to go visit him. Then visit the family that my mom and my dad but you can only imagine you are trying to just stay afloat. You're trying to find the best treatment to try to figure out what's happening in six people move into your house that now you're also responsible for food and and beds and all these things and you felt like this would be more of a burden than of help.

So we did not go then we went now. It was a wonderful trip if you seen it on Facebook and all those other social media. You saw how much fun the kids had.

It was a great time for them to actually bond with my family with my mom and dad. It was a time of blessing in my dad as you saw him on in the church he saw me preach next to him was very humbling to be able to stand next to somebody who's a theologian who was a present of a Bible college who was a trustee over a seminary standing next to you in your preaching and he is translating for you. He is a translator for the Billy Graham Association back in the day and to have someone like that it was intimidating to say the least and really I was blessed. But after the service and during the time they are in fact many times my dad said to me it's a miracle it's a miracle that I'm still standing today he he said repeatedly that God has been more than faithful to him.

He also said repeatedly that God has more than kept his promises that his word doesn't feel and that really stuck to me when I heard him say that. So when he asked me to preach a priest on that passage, God's unfailing word and that's the same message I want to preach to you this morning with some new illustrations and things like that but but is basically the same message and what I want you to understand is that what I'm about to preach to you. I preached in India you seen it. The message doesn't change because human beings don't change because our problem is the same problem. It's the sin problem and the solution is the same solution which is the one solution Jesus Christ is the way it is. The truth is the life. There is no other way to God through Christ and so this morning I want to preach the same message to you. If you have your Bibles with you turn to first Peter chapter 1 starting in verse 23 having been born again.

Everyone is born. Once you have to be born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible through the word of God which lives and abides forever. Because all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.

The grass withers away and is flower also falls away by the word of the Lord endures forever.

Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you, I want to ask you some questions to prepare you to prepare your mind and your heart to receive the truth. This is not just about what I went to church.

I heard the gospel heard the message there has to be a response of the reason I ask questions is to get you ready to respond to what is coming in. The question I have this morning to all of us, including myself, is this what are you basing your lifelong doesn't come from your experience does it come from your emotions how you feel is how you act doesn't come from human wisdom.

Things you heard people say books you have read people you admire in your life. Family and friends and leaders and heroes. Or does it come from the word of God is very important because if you're trusting your life on anything other than this book you will doubt and you will drift you will flounder and you will fail you will struggle and you will stagger if you build your life on this book. This will never ever fail you can Blake base your life on it. You can base your marriage on it.

You can base how you raise your children on this book and at times they will go through ups and downs but in the end they will win you base your life on anything other than this book.

It will fail as a matter of time and the second question which is more important than the first is are you saved is it oh yeah I'm saying I'm a Christian, which gospel did you believe in, to get say if the gospel that you believed in came from anything other than this book is a false gospel. The gospel has to be based on the word of God and the gospel is this Jesus died for me to save me and it's only in trusting in him that I can be saved unless that has happened. You lost judge membership baptism. Anything else doesn't really matter. I'm a good person. I help people all this Christmas. I want to give him a gift to this organization and that nonprofit doesn't mean a thing that will not get you to God, the passage we just read comes from the first letter of Peter.

Peter wrote two letters that we have in the Scripture.

He wrote this letter to the various churches of Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey. The reason Peter wrote this letter is because these Christians in these churches were going through some very difficult times say how do you know that all you have to do is read first Peter and it will tell you what was happening in their lives. If you read between the lines, it tells you what they were going through. The charges were being grieved by various trials. They were made, sorrow full, they were made up they were being grieved by various struggles. There were also getting ready to go through more fiery trials is not enough to say man you been going to strum struggles.

It was also more is coming your way.

They were suffering. As Peter says, for righteousness sake. It's one thing to struggle because you making foolish decisions is one thing to struggle and suffer because you know you are stubborn. They were suffering because they were doing what was right. Has he ever happened to you. You did what was right and you suffered P Peter was writing to tell them don't give up. This is simply a test of the genuineness of their faith is very hard when you going through a tough time physically health problems, relationship problems, friends and families don't act right. Financial problems spiritual problems is very hard in those moments to say this is a test God is simply testing me. God is simply bringing to the surface.

The ugliness in my life and removing those things to make me pure and holy unto God. Peter wrote this letter to tell them don't lose hope this is simply a test. He also told them to rejoice because they were sharing in the sufferings of Christ your problems in your life you have health problems you have relationship problems you have financial problems are you going to spiritual struggles.

Are you going to depression the people who come talk to me this if you have been going through depression. What have I done wrong and I tell them nothing is as part of life you're struggling God's going to use this to teach you more about walking with Christ. You are suffering with Christ and Peter even told them to cast all their cares upon God because he cared for them this morning. Some of you are going through those difficult times, God's word to use again the same. Don't get discouraged. He is still with you. A man he will not leave you he will not forsake you. His record is still the same perfect you may not understand why things happen but you never have to wonder where God is. He is with you and he is working as Romans says all things together for good. Even your mistakes and that amazing in this letter Peter has so much to say about obedience during suffering. He has much to say about prayer during suffering. In fact, I encourage you if you're going to some tough times right now, go home and read first Peter but something else. Peter tells them he tells them not to lose their love during suffering ill of the first things to go out the window when you go through a tough time is love you I love anybody what you want to say is please love me please love me please be kind to me please be gentle with me. We don't want to love anybody in this type Peter tells them. You gotta love specially during suffering and to make that point clear. He tells them.

Don't forget that the reason you can love is because all of us are based upon the word of God, not us a very deep concept that I don't have time to really goad in depth, but what want to focus on this morning is the importance of the word of God during suffering. It helps you love it helps you base your life on the truth. It helps you to trust God's promises to listen again to a verse 23, Peter says, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible everyone is born. Once you have to be born again, not of corruptible seed, something that will fall apart, but incorruptible seed but listen to something else through the word of God.

What is the incorruptible seed is the word of God to be born in this world we need to parents. One is a father or another is a mother so. Also, if you want to be born again. You knew need to parents. The first is the spirit of God. John chapter 3 verse five and six, Jesus told Nicodemus you have to born of the spirit was a second parent. The word of God. You need both to be born again.

What does it mean that you are born again through the word of God.

It means that God's word saves us none of that sounds strange, doesn't it, because we say Jesus saves us we say God saves us. How can the word of God save us night may sound strange to us but he was not strange to the early Christians. In fact, I want you to hear these three references the first one is James chapter 1 verse 18 of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth. How are you saved by the word of truth.

Paul says the same thing in Ephesians 526 that Christ will sanctify and cleanse this church with the washing of water by the word. Both James and Paul agree that to be born again, you need the word of God and by the way, Jesus said the same thing in John 15 32 his disciples.

He said you are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. The question is how does the word save us. I can look at the creation and know that there is God you believe that when people claim that they are an atheist, or they are don't believe in God look at some of the most ancient cultures. They all believe in God, they logged into the cycle of atheism and then back to believing that believe that something made us the Bible doesn't waste time on an atheist, it only gives one half of one verse. The fool has said in his heart there is no God.

I can look at the creation and know that there is a God. I can look at the heavens and the deep oceans and know that God is powerful.

I can look at a newborn baby and know that God is so infinitely wise. How could he create this little child with the mind with with with a heart with a post with all the features and they look like their parents. How in the world can God do the he is infinitely what I can with the beautiful sunset and know that God loves beauty. There are so many things that the creation tells us. I can look at human beings and no that God is creative, but there's something that the world cannot tell me is that God is holy. I am sinful and I need a Savior Jesus Christ is that Savior word will find that information.

I find it in this book you will not find it anywhere else you can walk out and you can enjoy the creation but it will not tell you that you are sinful. God is extremely holy. The only way you can get to God is through Jesus Christ and he died to pay the price for your sins trust in him and be safe. Do you believe in the gospel is that what is the gospel. Let me give you three references on the screen, but I want to follow it very carefully. The first one is acts chapter 16 verse 31. What is a say leave on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved you and your household. The creation can tell me that human beings can tell me that. But the Bible tells me if I want to be safe leave of the Lord Jesus Christ. You and your whole family can be saved. Something else in Romans chapter 10 verse nine how to be saved, if you confess with your mouth. Meat is not enough to say my fate. That's my own personal fadeout I don't I don't like to wear my face on my sleeve is just my personal thing know to be safe you have to confess with your mouth, means people around you know that you have made a decision.

There is no private, secretive Christianity, even in places where Christians are persecuted other Christians know that you are a Christian you have to confess with your mouth, what the Lord Jesus that you believe that he is God's son, who gave his life on the cross for you but something else has to happen and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead is not enough to say I confess you have to actually believe the folks if you don't do those two things you're still lost you. So I feel like a Christian up and going to church all my life and I have a membership way that I was baptized. You can do all those things but you gospel is not coming from this book. This is the gospel of this book is another reference Ephesians chapter 2 verse eight for by grace you have been saved through faith. What is that mean grace.

Grace means this. You cannot earn your own salvation. Grace means his unmerited favor something you don't deserve.

But God gives it to you so if your salvation is by works is not a gospel, salvation. This is the gospel. For by grace you have been saved through faith, all you can do is say I trust Jesus as my Savior. I believe you got on my for my sins on the cross and he rose again and he is my Savior. He has forgiven me of my sins.

I'm trusting in him for eternal life. The question this morning is have you received this gospel as given in the word of God.

This gospel as given in the word of God, something else Peter tells them.

Listen again to verse 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible through the word of God.

But now he describes that word of God.

He says which lamps and abides forever. This gospel which comes through the word of God is that word of God never fails. Everything in life will fail. Health will fail. People will fail. Technology will fail. Everything in life will fail. Governments will fail. But one thing we can be sure of God's word never fails when God saves you by this gospel. He saves you forever.

It will not fall apart know what Peter does here is he actually quotes Isaiah chapter 40 Isaiah chapter 40 was God's word to the people who were in Babylon. His people who were in exile. God gave them this work, he gave them this were to tell them that even though they were in exile many of y'all this morning are in exile is exile what you mean, I'm still here if you're struggling or struggling physically or struggling mentally or struggling relationally, emotionally, spiritually going through some tough time. God's word to you is this, listen to verse 20 through four all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. All human beings are like grass that would wither away and then among this big fast field of human beings that look like grass. There are some that will rise to the surface as flowers. The successful people, the rich and the famous, listen to what God said to his people in the same word to us. The grass withers, means every human being will one day wither away and its flower falls away, but something else is in verse 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. Hebrews 412 it says for the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, I'm preaching to you this morning. These are my points but guess what the Holy Spirit is doing away more than what I have written here he is using the word of God to do that.

He pierces between joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the parts and intents of the heart.

You can fool me. You can fool your spouse you can fool your friend. You can for your parents or children. But the Holy Spirit. The word of God will discern the parts and intents of your heart, and there is no creature hidden from his site, but all things are naked and opened the eyes of him to whom we must give an account babysit is very quickly the gospel comes from this book is a true gospel number two if you place your faith in that gospel then your say this gospel number three this is the book that will never fail you.

So what does that mean it means this what God has promised in this book, it will happen then we give you some of those promises. I don't have time to list all of them we would be here for weeks, but to give you just a few Psalm 50 verse 15 God promised call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you honey if you would say that God has delivered you when you called upon to verse Isaiah 40 verse 31.

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. Many of y'all have been in a place where you are. So you are so feeble you felt like giving up. There was no hope. But she what you put your hope in the Lord and somehow strength came back and unfortunately we give credit where credit is not due until OR have friends great doctor and I am the way I am and I'm a survivor know it's the Lord will renewed your strength is another one I've coded this before. Romans 828 and we know that all things work together for good, all things means even your mistakes, folks, I can understand that how God can use. Even my mess ups and work all things together for good. Philippians 419 my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Well, wait a minute limit. But a lot of things I prayed for God did not answer.

They were your wants. As the famous theologian Garth Brooks once said, thank God for unanswered prayers. Amen thank God that he did not give me what I wanted, but he gave me what I needed his promise doesn't feel folks there many things this man has asked God for and I'm so glad he didn't give them to me so glad those present come to pass.

Here's another promise first John chapter 1 verse not to be. This is a beautiful promise. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So if you are carrying guilt and shame, but you have already confessed to God. God has forgiven you. It is the enemy who is convicting you now as far as God is concerned, he is saying you don't know me a thing in the Jesus himself promised.

Matthew 24, 35 heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away the Bible that you hold in your hands, from Genesis to Revelation is the word of Jesus Christ.

It will never fail you can base your life on it.

You can base your marriage on. You can base your children on it.

You can base this church upon the word of God. It will never fail if you are afraid about what's happening in the world trust with this book has to say. If you're afraid of what people are telling you trust with this book has to say to people tell me all the church is theirs and the church is that we are living in a post-Christian world. I don't listen to them because the Bible tells me the gates of hell will not reveal against this. I trust this book not only save me, but it gives me a foundation in the midst of any storm and trial when I was spending time with my dad in interviewing him. We were filming here we go with that in mind when I got there, God laid on my heart to film my father's testimonies last a method that you care. You had no clue what happened is like okay whatever and he shared again that night when he told his father that he was a Christian. Now keep in mind he came from a Muslim home. My dad grew up in a Muslim home and educated Muslim home a very successful Muslim home. The family tree goes way, way back, but the night when he told his father that he had become a Christian, Muslims or Muslims. He said that he will give you till tonight if you still believe in the Jesus leave as if I find you here tomorrow morning.

It is because you don't believe in this Jesus stuff, but if I do find you here and you still believe it will not be good and that night my dad.

He went back to his room and the way he described it. I never heard him say that even the hardest testimony so many times.

This was the first time I heard the way he put it, he said the distance from his bed to the door was about 8 to 10 feet. It took him two hours to cross that distance because the question was, and I really trust God cannot really trust as Jesus Christ because now I am losing everything I'm losing my family.

I'm losing the stability I'm losing wealth I'm losing prosperity I'm losing everything. Cannot really trust this Jesus to take care of me in a voice came to him, not audible just in his heart. Do you trust me to take care of you in the life to come and ask us of the same question, do you trust God to take care of you and the life to come all ye believe in Jesus, I'm going to heaven in the second question is why can't you trust him in this life that you can actually see the cross. The distance and he left that night not knowing what was going to happen. The cooks, 50 years later would could he have ever imagined 50 years ago that his son would be standing in a church in Henderson North Carolina preaching the gospel, the people God's word never fails this morning as we going into our invitation. The first think the gospel that saves you, has to come from the word of God and the word of God is this believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be safe for by grace through faith. You are saved, when you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, then you are saved, that better be the gospel. All this other stuff of trying to get to God is no different than those saw the news were walking the streets of India there trying to get to God. They can't, God has to come to you.

Only Christianity has God coming to you.

I have a lot of questions, folks, you can have all the questions in the world at some point in time you had to place your faith in safe base and all that I know this is the truth. I have questions to you know that God is with you. My questions are way deeper. But based on all that I know I know this is the truth.

Number two.

If you have believe the gospel that's coming from the word of God. Are you walking in the word of God.

Are you trusting that word of God but God tells you to do this and don't do that do you say well but you know I don't know about that have to think, but daddy says there's a mama says that what I've always believed or do you say God is your word.

I know that will not fail. His promises will never fail you can trust in this morning.

Whatever you're facing.

Don't listen to those people don't listen to that Tom diagnoses don't listen to anything that's coming at you. Listen to what the word of God's will bring peace and joy.

You will thank you so much for joining us for this week's message God's word is unchanging and it never fails to live by placing our faith and our trust in him we can find hope for future. For more information visit us online@clearviewvc.org for this sermon's notes.

Check out Pastor Shah's blog that I would on shock.com