H.O.P.E. #4
H.O.P.E.
HEAVEN ON PLANET EARTH
This week we're talking about the third word in our acronym, EARTH
FOR US IT ALL STARTS WITH EARTH
Genesis 1:1 - "In the beginning God created the Heavens and the earth."
Job 38:4 - "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Declare if you have understanding."
The earth is a picture/proof of God's glory, creativity and diversity
Matt 6:28-29 - "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin, but Solomon in all His Glory was not arrayed as one of these"
GOD HAS CHOSEN THE EARTH AS HIS RESTING PLACE
Isaiah 66: 1 - "Thus says the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the Earth is His footstool. Where is the house that you will build for me? and where is the place of my rest?"
1 Chronicles 28:2 - "Then David the king stood up upon his feet and said, 'Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building.'"
Psalm 99:5 - "Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy"
Lamentations 2:1 - "How has the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger, and cast down from heaven unto earth the beauty of Israel, and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!"
Matthew 22:44 - "The LORD said unto my Lord, 'Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies a footstool.'"
These show God's desire to dwell with us on earth
God with us: Emmanuel
What is rest? Sabbath rest?
- Jesus is our Sabbath rest - not just a day each week, but living within us, living with Him out of rest rather than self effort
- Sit at His feet - His footstool, learn of His ways, read the word, worship at His footstool (together)
- Time for relationship, rest flows out of spending time in the secret place and in the gathering place
- God wants intimacy
- Rest is about creating space for God to be part of our lives, in us, through us
- Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath - A life generating habit, not a legalistic, rule based meeting
- The Sabbath is for engaging in God's presence - so our lives are healed, made whole, rejuvenated (He renews our youth), equipped, inspired, transformed, filled with spontaneity and creativity
GOD DELIGHTS IN US
Proverbs 8:31 - "Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men."
THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S
DESIGNED TO NURTURE AND FOSTER LIFE, GROWTH & INCREASE
Psalm 24:1 - "The Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein."
Psalm 47:7 - "For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding."
Psalm 33:8 - "The earth is full of the goodness of the LORD."
WE CAN INHERIT THE EARTH!!!
Psalm 37:11 - "But the meek shall inherit the earth: and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."
Psalm 115:16 - "The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men."
Psalm 96:1 - "O sing to the LORD a new song: sing to the LORD, all the earth."
Psalm 96:9 - "O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth."
- In Genesis God said to Adam and Eve - "Go forth and multiply"
- Initially Adam was a gardener and his job was to tend the garden - this is a picture of what God expects of us on earth - to look after it, tend it
- Matthew 28:18 - Jesus said He had all authority and He was delegating this authority to US - His people - to go forth into all the earth and preach, teach the gospel
- God's main objective for life on earth is for every kindred, tribe and tongue to be made aware that they can receive salvation
- We are responsible to care for this earth, but this earth WILL pass away - there will be a new earth and God's greater priority for life on earth is Salvation
THE LORD WILL JUDGE THE EARTH
Psalm 98:9 - "For he comes to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity"
There will come a time when we will all stand before God and make a reckoning of our lives
We can have CONFIDENCE in the day of judgement.