Welcome to Promise Land Bible Church We re glad you re here!
Praise and Prayer Request Philippians 1:3-6 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Call to Worship Psalm 14
Psalm 14 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD? There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. You would shame the plans of the poor, but the LORD is his refuge. Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Victory in Jesus Hymn 82
Grace Greater Than Our Sin Hymn 105
Receiving of the Offering 2 Cor. 9:5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.
Famous Quote: That is the reason we have so many mushroom converts, because their stony ground is not plowed up; they have not got a conviction of the Law; they are stonyground hearers. GEORGE WHITEFIELD
Today s Message Will We Stand? Scripture text: Matthew 12:22-37
Matthew 12:22-24 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?" But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." What an interesting statement!
The accusation (vv. 22 24). The man that was brought to Jesus was certainly in a sad state, for he was blind, unable to speak, and possessed with a demon. Jesus delivered the man, something the Pharisees could not do. Their accusation was that He worked by the power of Satan and not by the power of God. They did not agree with Nicodemus evaluation of His miracles (John 3:2). John 3:2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."
Matthew 12:25-28 Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
The answer (vv. 25 30). Jesus pointed out that their statement was illogical and impractical. Why would Satan fight against himself? Jesus affirmed that Satan had a kingdom, for he is the god of this age (Matt. 4:8 9; John 12:31). He also stated that Satan had a house, which seems to refer to the body of the man who was possessed (Matt. 12:43 44). If Satan casts out his own demonic helpers, then he is opposing himself, dividing his kingdom, and destroying his house.
Matthew 4:8-10 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve. John 12:31-32 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself."
Matthew 12:43-45 "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."
Their accusation was also illogical from their own point of view, though they did not see it. There were Jewish exorcists (see Acts 19:13 16) who apparently were successful. By whose power did they cast out demons? If it was by Satan s power, they were in league with the devil! Of course, no Pharisee was about to draw that conclusion.
Act 19:13-16 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims." Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
Jesus was able to cast out demons because He had first defeated Satan, the prince of the demons. Jesus entered Satan s kingdom, overcame his power, and claimed his spoils. His victory was through the Spirit of God ( the finger of God, Luke 11:20) and not in the power of the evil one. This means that God is Victor over Satan, and that men must decide on whose side they will stand. There can be no compromise. We are either with God or against God.
A literal wave of liberal rage has marked the last three years since the rise and subsequent election of President Donald Trump. Antifa protestors clad in black hoods shut down college campuses, destroy property and indiscriminately attack those they disagree with. CNN parades Kathy Griffin for taking photos with a bloody replica of the president s decapitated head. The Huffington Post publishes an article calling for the execution of Trump and everyone assisting their agenda.
Liberals Silent Over Racist NYC Public Art Exhibit Depicting All Trump Supporters As White Trash, Bible-Clinging Christians Who Eat Chick-Fil-A http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/liberals-silent-over-racist-nyc-public-art-exhibit-depicting-all-trumpsupporters-as-white-trash-bible-clinging-christians-who-eat-chick-fil-a/
What if this was about blacks? Or about the LGBQT community? Or Antifa, or BLM? Would their be an outcry for the way they are being portrayed? We have a serious problem in this Country when over half the population can be mocked for their belief in Christ, their support for the President of the USA, and then they are seen as a threat to the rest of the population. Is our house/country divided? Can we Stand?
Matthew 7:12 "So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. The Golden Rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you. Psalm 14:2-4 The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD?
2 Peter 3:3-6 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation." For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.
Son, do not be afraid to speak of the lateness of the hour, nor of the desolation to come! I have told My prophets, My watchman, My servants and My hand-maidens to warn and they have! In My mercy, I always warn. I always warn!! Do not be afraid of what the world says, and do not be afraid of what some of My own people say. You speak forth what I show you and that which I have put into your mouth! The night is far spent. The day is at hand. Tell them, I am coming soon!
For I have said in My word, Isaiah 60:1-3 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Act 18:9-10 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, "Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people. Joshua 1:5-6 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.
Jeremiah 1:4-8 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth." But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD."
1 John 3:1-4 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.
Face to Face Hymn 128