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Start here first ... if you want to know what is important to know about me and why I write and speak weekly the things that I do! Except for my siblings and other relatives who call me by my first name (withheld!), I am known by all others as either Scott Riaubia or Brother Scott. The name originates from Lithuania (makes me wonder if that’s why my last name ends in “ia”). I was born in 1955 on a day when the country puts up our stars and stripes in June. I am a red-blooded American male, father and grandfather, and have been married to my bride of 42 years. I am a military veteran of the Viet Nam era, although not a U.S Army combat veteran. After leaving military service I spent the next 27 years working for some of the largest corporations in America, generally in financial services in one way or another. PORTERVILLE, CA -- I have never had the privilege of flying in the first class cabin of an aircraft but would have liked to. I have never owned a Mercedes or a Porsche or even driven a Porsche but would have liked to at least once. I am not a member of the Mensa International society, although invited to apply more than once—I didn’t think I would qualify and considered it to be a vain pursuit but thought it was cool to be asked. I didn’t get to fulfill my adolescent hope for a career in the military but left the Army due to the politics of the armed services (and as I later understood, it was not God’s plan for my life) and that was a great disappointment. PORTERVILLE, CA -- † Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. † Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: † Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe (a watch, to guard, keep an eye on, fulfill) all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (age) Amen. I have been speaking to you under the banner of “Taken for Granted: The Word of Jesus.” Defined again: PORTERVILLE, CA -- The broad theme that we are addressing in these few weeks is this: What are the words of Jesus that we are “taking for granted”? What does that term mean? Taking for granted: To believe that someone or something will always be the same or remain available or a benefit like it is today. To act like you can do whatever you like without any consequences of what has been stated. Failing to appreciate someone or something, especially as a result of over-familiarity. To underestimate the value or the importance of some counsel, advice, or a thing expected of you. [Giving little or no thought to things that are really important to our lives, our relationships, and especially our eternity. /SR] PORTERVILLE, CA -- In what is the general theme that we are working under (Taken for Granted: the Words of Jesus), last week I spoke on making “the Case for Forgiveness”. For anyone that cannot find it in their heart to forgive, that person should know this: Such a man or woman is in outright rebellion and disobedience to the will of God and His command to forgive and is still a slave to their old nature’s prideful independence from God, which without sincere repentance will be very, very costly. [† Genesis 3:4] And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. PORTERVILLE, CA -- This last week I began preparing an exhortation called “Taken for Granted: the Words of Jesus” and as I began moving through some of the things Jesus taught it became clear that by that theme I was today to reinforce in your minds and hearts (again, it never hurts to over-learn a subject) how very important forgiveness is to our thorough redemption; which is forgiveness received from God and forgiveness given by men, two sides to the same coin. The words of Jesus make it clear, “Forgive and you shall be forgiven”. I don’t know how that strikes you but for me it is a very ominous and frightening declaration from Jesus, Who is God; it is a statement that also includes a sure outcome: Don’t forgive and you will not be forgiven. PORTERVILLE, CA -- I have not been able to get past two related thoughts that have stayed with me now for several weeks: “Heaven” and “I am sorry”. Multitudes people alive today believe they will go to a place called Heaven when they die; many believe this that are not even Bible-believing Christians. And, just about anyone that believes there is a Heaven after this life also assumes that it will be perfect and blissful (it will be), and that Heaven will offer all who enter there equal delights, rewards and benefits (it will not). Jesus said that He alone is the way, the truth and the life and no man (lit. “not even one man or woman”) comes to the Father (whose realm is Heaven) but by Him, Jesus (John 14:6). PORTERVILLE, CA -- † Romans 12:1 One of the several aspects of becoming a Christian and disciple of Jesus that is almost always neglected to be informed of and understood to be part of one’s commitment before God as part of being forgiven and born again is the requirement of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus Himself. Being “saved” is not just coming to believe on Jesus Christ, being forgiven and washed from one’s sins by the shed blood of Christ, promised eternal life—and then resuming your former life with no thought of what all that is supposed to mean and help the believer become. PORTERVILLE, CA -- If you are paying attention to life, you have at least a faint sense that the things of your life are noticeably moving in a bad direction. In case you honestly haven’t recognized these things, let me mention some examples that I am aware of ... • Food prices are higher by 25-50% while incomes have not increased • For most, housing, some utility costs and insurances have climbed • Many places of business have closed their doors; others have raised prices • Major banks and financial institutions are on the precipice of failure • There are more homeless people walking the streets than ever before • Unexpected weather has become itself a mass murderer ... PORTERVILLE, CA -- In part 1 we covered what the meaning of “it” is to be understood as by many examples of what He had accomplished (“finished”). In part 2 the meaning of “is”, as it is to be understood by His followers throughout the ages, is that all that He “accomplished” (said “is finished”) is real-time-relevant and second-by-second powerful from the very moment of His death on the cross and through the end His 1,000 year reign upon the earth, which is to come. What Jesus did for us is always present-tense and never to be allowed to slip in the past tense of the yester-years of history and its relevance forgotten by us. We see this ever so clearly in the statement “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh” and ... PORTERVILLE, CA -- In part one we began to dissect these last three words that Jesus spoke before He died by examining the word “It” and what that word represented. What was “it” that Jesus had finished? When the Lord uttered the words “It is finished” from the cross just before His last breath and giving up the ghost, the meaning of “it” is to be understood by these examples of what He had accomplished (finished): • Jesus was born, lived and died sinless (a requirement to be the Savior) • He upheld the Word • He fulfilled the Law and the what the prophets had said about Him • He undertook and completed a work that no mere man could have done • Jesus had outsmarted and defeated the devil ... PORTERVILLE, CA -- We are going to look at three words in English and indeed the last three words uttered by Jesus before He released His physical life to death. They are three words that we have read for ourselves many times or at least heard others read them in the context of the story of the Lord’s brutal time on the cross. It is usually the case that the words are heard but generally are not given any thought or study. Every word that Jesus spoke is important and worthy of careful thought and to be added to our spiritual understanding because He said that His Words are life—life-giving and life-sustaining. In a quick review in sequence of what Jesus said about what He says we read this: PORTERVILLE, CA -- It is normal for us humans to usually take the easy way or resort to shortcuts—whether it is on a hike, in a relationship with conflict issues, a shortcut regarding repairs or the building of something, the easiest way to solve a problem involving money, or a thousand other situations that come up in our lives that demand our attention. Some time back I worked part time for a man who had a saying when something inconvenient happened that needed to be dealt with or fixed quickly; he would say with a smirk, “It may not be right but it’s right now!” The problem with that often enough was that that quick-fix was usually not revisited and fixed long-term or the repair job done in haste would not be later addressed in the best way. PORTERVILLE, CA -- I have become increasingly aware of something over the last several years, which is something needful for you as a Christian to know and do also. Too few believers today do not pray (or pray enough), and that will prove to be the undoing of their physical health, and unfortunately for some the undoing of their faith in God during the times ahead of us. Personal fellowship with God is a huge part of coming to trust what His Word promises and to have confidence in God to do what He says He will do. With that being said, the main point of what I will be sharing with you today puts an even finer point on the critical need for your prayers unto God, and that is this ... PORTERVILLE, CA -- When we lose someone close to us (as we just did here in our church family), or someone that we had known for a significant amount of time, it causes us to reflect on several things. We think about the person we lost; his or her life, contributions, hardships, and accomplishments, where they are now in the eternity that began when they died, what their absence will mean, and about those they left behind. For some people, there are the thoughts of “Did I treat that person right” or “Should I have done more for him or her,” and perhaps even deeper regrets about something between you and that person that you wish you could change. PORTERVILLE, CA -- What I share with you today is the conclusion of what has been to me over the years an impressive passage of the Scriptures. At 1 Chronicles 16, King David has written a psalm and given it to his chief praise and worship leader to be presented to the nation. As you now know, it has at least twelve expressions by God’s people instructed to be made unto the Lord our God and Savior. We are taught that as a people of God, and we as the most blessed of the three 2,000-year periods since Adam, and a people that should be the most spiritually advanced among all the peoples of God over 6,000 years, we are to: Give thanks unto the Lord, make known His deeds ... PORTERVILLE, CA -- 1 Chronicles 16:28-36 It takes three consecutive breaths for David to make the point that we are to “give unto the Lord”. In similar terms, you can think of giving to the Lord like this: “Hand over to God those things which He wants from us and the things He deserves from us”. The Hebrew word that is used by the psalmist simply means “give” or to “put before” Him. A more definitive definition for our 21st century understanding today would include “to freely transfer the possession of something to someone [else]; to hand over to. To provide or supply with. To present without expecting compensation. To make a gift of.” PORTERVILLE, CA -- This term “glory ye” is the Hebrew word halal, and is translated into English throughout the Old Testament as: Praise, to glory in, boast, shine, commend, and celebrate our God and Redeemer. How many of you have ever thought within your heart or said or sung out loud “Hallelujah”? That single English word in its original language is “Halal, Oh Jah!”; it means “Praise ye, Jah”, which [Jah] is an abbreviated version of Jehovah. Its Greek counterpart “alleluia” is used 4 times in the New Testament with all four found in Revelation 19. PORTERVILLE, CA -- I surmise that we have alive in America today two generations of men and women of all ages that profess to be followers of Jesus that have not been taught much at all about living each day as one redeemed from sin and its bondage; that would be Christians alive today that have been born in the last eighty years or so. Why do I believe that? Because many believers have no fear of God (no alarm bells ringing at how they still live yet will face His judgment seat or reverence of Him as the all mighty and eternal God) ... PORTERVILLE, CA -- The life of the shepherd boy who became Israel’s greatest earthy king has been to me a blessing, and should be to all Christians. He came to know the God of Israel early in his life and devoted his life to Him, learned the value of often praise and worship of God, was not shy in testifying to others about Him, and boldly defended Him against the armies that defiled Israel’s Divine King. And although David would make mistakes, he also knew well of the need for humility and repentance before his God. |
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