- Friends. are one of the greatest blessings in life! o A friend is one who always speaks well of you.

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1 - Friends. are one of the greatest blessings in life! o A friend is one who always speaks well of you. o A friend is one who always has your best interest in mind. - Many times we're not even aware of the nice things that are done for us or said about us. o I've been very fortunate in this regard --- and I'm sure you have too. o Friends should never be taken for granted --- they're a great blessing. - Over a Memorial day weekend. several years after our moving from Nebraska to Texas Melanie and I returned to visit our youngest son and his wife as well as my parents in Norfolk, Nebraska. o We also had the opportunity to see some very good friends that we had gone to church with, raised our four children with and loved dearly for about 11 or 12 years of our life. o It had actually been over 6 years since I had seen most of them ---- we had a great time. - When we lived there I taught the adult Bible class for about 10 years. o And since we were going to be there for services on Sunday. I asked my son ahead of time what they were studying in the adult Bible class.! I asked because they, like my children, expect me to know something about every subject in the Bible. It goes without saying I don't! Preparation is good. 1

2 - I'm glad I asked ---- they were studying angels --- (I later found out that they spent a year on the subject). o This is territory where brave men fear to tread.! Not many books are written on angels and most of those that are written tend to deteriorate into endless personal testimonials.! It's a somewhat difficult subject but it offers some great lessons --- we really shouldn't ignore it.! It's another one of those subjects that we wish we had a couple more chapters on but a study of angels helps us put many things in perspective -- we can see the big picture just a little better. In fact, I think we can see the big picture much more clearly after such a study. - As I began to study. it became very apparent to me that angels are our friends. but we give them very little thought. o And.. at least half of what we believe about them is probably wrong. - Angels are an integrate part of the Bible --- from Genesis to Revelation. o Angels are mentioned in 34 of the 66 books of the Bible.! 17 books of the Old and 17 books of the New.! They are mentioned 108 times in the Old.! They are mentioned 186 times in the New. o Angels are created beings -- distinctly unique!! Neither God, human or animal.! They were probably created before the creation of the world --- Job 38. 2

3 o Angels are never portrayed as feminine as many picture them.! In the Bible they are known for their great strength and power.! Angels guarded the tree of life after Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden.! Two angels. were involved with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah - Gen. 19:13.! They shut the mouths of lions - Dan. 6:2.! They rolled back the great stone from the door of Christ's sepulcher Matthew 28:2.! And on and on! o Angels are sexless.. not given in marriage.. they do not reproduce... Matthew 22:30.! Angels are never presented. as babies in the Bible. Yet many see them this way because they are more familiar with art than the Bible.! Only two angels are mentioned by name. Michael... the arch angel and Gabriel. Angels have a celestial (heavenly) body but are able to take on human form or a terrestrial (earthly) body. o Angels can sin some did. o When they appeared to men.. they were as men.! Jude 6 says... 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. KJV 3

4 ! II Peter 2:4 tells us.. 4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; KJV o Angels are not dead saints in heaven.! The departed not even babies are as some think and say, especially during funerals... "another of God's angels."! Lazarus was carried to paradise by angles. but he was still Lazarus... he didn't become an angel. o We think of an angelic choir. but what we actually see in the Bible is angels, saying, proclaiming & announcing.! Even at the birth of Jesus.. the angels "said" glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men. Luke 2: And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. KJV o Many.. (in fact most).. Old Testament events showing God's power and presence. was carried out by angels.! God's will was carried out by angels. and people thought many times that they were dealing directly with God.! The Angel of the Lord. is a subject in and of it's self. o The Bible talks about legions of angels.! Multiple 10,000 times 10,000.! The Bible says they are innumerable... Heb. 12:22. 4

5 ! There are orders of angels and they are ranked. There is order in all that God does. o Angels have feelings.. they are not heavenly robots.! They have curiosity. 1 st Peter 1:12 says 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. KJV! Angels care for us! Luke 15:10 says 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. KJV! This is amazing! Have you ever.. worried about an angel? Have you ever.. prayed for an angel? Have you ever.. anything for an angel? o Yet they care for us.! They are concerned for us.. in ways that we are not concerned for them. o They could even resent us!! Christ is uniquely the Savior of mankind.. not angels.! As best we know.. they have no Savior. o God's providential care is clearly taught in the Bible!! 1 st Peter 3:12 says For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil. NKJV 5

6 ! Paul says in Romans 8: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. NKJV o Angels emphasis a great aspect of God..agency!! Christ was the agency of creative power.. John chapter one & Colossians 1:16.! The Holy Spirit inspired men with Scripture. II Peter 1:21 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. NKJV! Christ died on the cross. God uses agency. To do something via another.. is to do the job yourself. This is the law of delegation.! Angels are not ornaments. They were created to work, serve and praise. They carry out the providence and will of God. o Angels underscore the majesty of God and the superiority of Christ.! This is one of the major themes of the book of Hebrews. o A Bible understanding of angels:! Enlightens the doubting.! Confirms and encourages the believing. 6

7 ! Comforts the sorrowing. o Hebrews chapter 1:14 says (speaking of angels).! 14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? NKJV That includes us! Each and every Christian that has ever lived or ever will live is included. o The Bible clearly teaches that the age of miracles has ended.! But.. the invisible world around us is still a reality.! Eternity.. is still beyond our comprehension.! And.. our God is not man sized.! He is still in control. of the universe, the nations and mankind in general. o I believe it s safe to say that angels are still involved in God's creation.! Prayer.. is not magic.! And providence.. is not superstition. o I don't pretend to understand the how, the why, or when of all these things.! We won't ever clearly understand on this side of eternity.! That s where our faith comes in.. and our faith is built on a firm foundation. Heb. 11:1 says.. 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. KJV 7

8 o Angels have been called heavenly deacons by some.! They carry out God's will. We should appreciate them.! I don't know about you but I want and need as many friends as I can get in this life.. and I deeply appreciate each one. We need heavens help even more. o We must always realize that we need to be about our fathers business.! He's given us much to do. We have our lives to transform. o Rom 12:1-3 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. KJV! God's not mocked (Gal. 6:7) he expects us to change our lives to more closely reflect Him and our Lord.! And we must seek the lost as we have the opportunity. God has given us this task and us only. o The Gospel is charged to."earthen vessels." 8

9 o But we need to realize, understand and take comfort in the fact that we re not alone.! God, Christ and the angels in heaven are on our side. its already been determined... we really do win in the end. They are looking out for our eternal good.! As Christians we can truly say, as the prophet Elisha did to his servant.. II Kings 6: And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. KJV 9

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