NO_END_TO_IT  DUCKS_OR_SPONGES  IT_FITS_WHERE_  ETERNAL

IT FITS WHERE?

 The Bible is divinely inspired, but its order was determined by people. The Bible is not in chronological order. That makes it a little hard to see how the books fit together sometime. We covered the Law which was written by Moses. Those books fit together giving us a concise picture. Then comes Joshua. Then Judges. Ruth takes place during the time of the Judges. Many of the major and minor prophets were sent to the kings and lived during the time of I & II Kings and I & II Chronicles. Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all fit into the period of captivity and restoration of Jerusalem. But so do Daniel and Ezekiel. Daniel was just a youth when he left Jerusalem for Babylon in the first group of slaves. The book of Daniel takes place during the 70 years of captivity. Ezekiel was deported in the second group. Ezra is a priest and he writes about their return to Jerusalem at the end of captivity. Nehemiah returns to help build the walls. Esther is the wife of the Persian King Ahasuerus.

   DUCKS OR SPONGES 

Are you like a duck or a sponge? Before you say neither, listen carefully. Ducks oil their feathers from a special gland in their body. This oiling process causes the water to run off the ducks. The water doesn't soak the duck, it just runs off. But the sponge soaks up the water and actually feeds off the nutrients and the oxygen in the water.

 Now to repeat my question are you like a duck or a sponge? When the Water of the Word goes out in this classroom, do you let it roll off or do you soak it up like a sponge?                     

GOD'S WORD IS ETERNAL 

Bring in a large wall clock. We live in a world that is constantly changing. Life itself is uncertain. Spring and summer arrive with their warm sunny days and beautiful flowers, but it slips away so quickly into the barrenness of winter. Only one thing is certain- change. Our life is ruled by the clock. In this life  years, days and minutes are numbered. But God is not limited to a clock. God lives forever. Yet God does not change. His laws do not change. We discussed at length last week the permanence of God's rules, but His promises are just as permanent. His promises do not change. God was in the beginning. He will be there when time and this world are over. God has no end.

 But what does that mean to me? Moses told the Israelites in Deuteronomy 33:27 "The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them." God wants you to know that He will be there for you. He is your refuge. He is holding you in his everlasting arms. My arms would get so tired from holding my chubby babies. God's arms don't get tired. He is there for you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

 God doesn't change. He isn't moody. He doesn't get up today and decide He's going to change the rules. He doesn't decide he doesn't like that promise in John 3:16, so He'll just delete that one. No! God put the promises in the Bible to bless His children. He loves you. He wants good things for you. Every promise in the Bible is there for you. It is God's personal love letter to you.

 In Genesis 3:15 we see God's first promise of redemption. From that point Satan determined that he would stop God's plan of redemption-he would prevent the messiah. Then God pinpointed the prophesy. He told David that the messiah would be born from his seed. Satan didn't know which one, so he would stop God's word from coming to pass by destroying the Jewish nation. God's promises would not fail. God would move all heaven and earth to prevent that from happening. In Esther, we see a plot to destroy the Jewish people. The plot was not devised by a mere man, but devised by Satan himself. A plan that although carefully thought out was destined to fail because Almighty God had promised that the nation of Israel would not be destroyed. Not one time in the book of Esther do we see the word God, yet it vividly portrays God's sovereign power and love. You see God as Jehovah-Jireh. He sees ahead and provides. We can depend on His word. His Word will not fail. Not a single promise, not one.

 The world's resources are not inexhaustible. We are hearing conservationist warn, we must recycle. In spite of limited natural resources, there is no shortage of God's power or ability to move in our behalf. The shortage comes in our lack of faith and commitment to obey his instructions. 

Our God is the mighty Alpha and Omega. He is the beginning and the end. Omega means Great "O". God is the great O. You can trace around the "O" forever, because it doesn't have a beginning or end. There are no getting on ramps or getting off ramps. God has all power. There is no end to his power. God has all knowledge. There is no end to His knowledge, power or ability.

 God wants to give you eternal life. Jesus paid for your redemption on the cross. There is only one way to receive eternal life and that is through believing on Jesus Christ as your savior.

                         NO END TO IT?

 (Prior to the routine put a spool of heavy thread of a contrasting color in the inside pocket. Pull it up through the lapel and lay the string on the lapel. Unravel socks of a matching color to the thread and wear them with the clown costume.) Clown enters the room dignified yet excited with a note in his hand. He has been given the prestigious job of making the announcements. He straights his jacket. Waves at the kids. Wipes the dust off his pants. Claps his hands. Looks down at the list. Sighs excitedly, spots a string on his jacket and wipes at it. It doesn't wipe off. He tries again a little embarrassed. Motions to the audience one minute by extending his forefinger to indicate one. He picks up the thread and begins to pull. The thread will continue and continue. He should become entangle in the thread. He should get down in the floor and try to get untangled with his feet. He gets his feet entangled as well. The thread continues to come. He should comment, isn't there an end to this string. Where is it coming from. Pull up his pants leg to show the sock half gone. He is embarrassed gives the announcement to one of the children and exits still tangled.

 Even though the string may be long, it has an end. Believe me. Even though our life spans may seem long, this life is so short in comparison to eternity. Believe God's Word, it will still be there when this life is over.

          NO_END_TO_IT  DUCKS_OR_SPONGES  IT_FITS_WHERE_  ETERNAL

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