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P.O. Box 416, Gravette, AR 72736
501-787-6026
Dr. Arnold Murray, DRE
Newsletter # 188 - June 1994
Let's talk about things
that are common to man. TI1is lec­
ture will draw the distinction be­
tween natural man and spiritual man.
We at Shepherd's Chapel often
receive letters from thQse with a great
J deal .of anxiety cQncerning what is going to happen in
. these end times. This is understandable because people
generally do not know where to look for relief of this
anxiety. They see the enemy hard at work in this world
causing peQple to turn away from God. It is important
for you as a senrant of God to be able to show those
that are searching for guidallce God's promises and assurances.
The Father is in control and His plan will be accom­
plished just as it is \\tTitten. God's promises are yours,
if you will claim them. How does .one even know what
His promises are? By studying His WQrd.
God cares a great deal for us. Let's turn to the
Psalms for one proQf of this fact.
PSALMS 1451-2 They that trust in the LORD Shall be
as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth
for ever. 2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem,
So the LORD is round about His People From hence­
forth even for ever.
God loves mount ZiQn. He will establish His eternal
Kingdom there. Those that trust in the Lord are loved
by Him and wili not be moved. On the other hand, those
that dQ not trust in the Lord will be moved and de­
ceived. What harm eQuId possibly come to those that the
LQrd is round about?
PSALMS 125:3 For the rod of the wicked shall not
rest upon the lot of the righteous; Lest the righteous
put forth tfleir hands into iniquity.
The rod is fQr CQrrectlQn. YQU have a chQice. You
may have the Lord proti,;cting yQU as the mountains
arQund Jerusalem prQtect that city, or yQU may feel the
rod of correctiQn resting upon you.
PSALMS 125:4-5 Do good, 0 LORD, unto those that
be good, And to them that are upright in their hearts.
Ii As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways,
The LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of
I iniquity: But peace shall be upon Israel.
I Trust in the Lord and you will have the peace of
mind .of knowing the Father is round about His good
I people protecting them. There have been bad peQple and
angels from the beginning. Let's turn to II Peter.
/I PETER 2:4-5 For if God spared not the angels that
sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them
into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement;
Ii And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the
eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in
the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
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God doesn't play favQrites. If He
didn't spare the angels that sinned
from judgement, He isn't going to
spare the human beings that sin.
The Word is talking about the fallen
angels, or nephilim. God brought
the floQd on the world to destroy
the offspring of the nephilim that took wives of the
daughters of men (Genesis 6). This was a genealogy
which certainly was not fit for Christ to be eventually
born through.
1/ PETER 2.B And turning the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrh -; into ashes condemned them with an over­
throw, making them an ensample unto those that after
should live ungodly;
Do you know what was going on in SodQm and
Gomorrha? Do you know where the word sodomy came
from? God destroyed the perversion .of Sodom and Oomorrha
as an example of what He will do to those that live
ungodly even untQ this day.
/I PETER 2:7-8 And delivered Just Lot, vexed with the
filthy conversation of the wicked: § (For that righteous
man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed
his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful
deeds;)
Lot would have nothing to do with the perversion
of Sodom and GomQrraha. God delivered him from that
city before it was destroyed.
/I PETER 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the
godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto
the day of judgement to be punished:
Will judgement day hQld rewards or punishment for
yQu? If you trust in the Lord and walk through life His
way, God will deliver yQuout of temptations.
/I PETER 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh
in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government.
Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid
to speak evil of dignities.
The United States of America is a great nation. Yes,
we have our share .of problems, but the constitution
guarantees our right to worship God and teach His Word.
Don't hate a gQvernment which guarantees something SQ
valuable that many have Leen willing to die for.
II PETER 2:11-12 Whereas angels, which are greater
in power and might, bring not railing accusation against
them before the LORD. 12 But these, as natural brute
beasts made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of
the things that they understand not, and shall utterly
perish in their own corruption;
We are still talking about the nephilim and geber.
y
/I PETER 2.13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness,
as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time.
Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with
their own deceivings while they feast with you;
Beware of those that talk about their own agenda
while feasting and worshipping with you. They will
receive the reward of their unrighteousness.
11 PETER 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that
cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls; an
heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed
Children,
Do you have a stable soul? One that will not be
moved, or easily beguiled. If you trust in God, you will
110t be moved. What did Paul write 011 this subject?
I CORINTHiANS 10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of
them also murmured, and were destroyed of the de­
stroyer.
Paul is teaching us not to allow the destroyer, Satan,
to destroy us as he did some of our ancestors.
1 CORINTHIANS 1011 Now all these things happened
unto tt.em for ensamples: and they are written for our
admomiion, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Eh:rything that happened in the Old Testament are
examples for our learning and should serve as a \varning,
This generation should pay particularly close attention.
This is the generation of the fig tree.
i CORINTHIANS 10:12-13 Wherefore let him that thinketh
he standeth take heed lest he fall, 1,' There hath no
temptation taken you but such as is common to man.'
but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted
above that ye are able; but wiJI WIth the temptation also
make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear
it.
There is no temptation that is not common to all
man. When you trust in Him, God will not allow you
TO be tempted by more than you are equipped to handle.
He will always provide you with the means to bear the
temptation or escape the temptation.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved,
flee from idolatry.
Worship your Father. Don't allow your job, your
house, or any other idol to come between you and God.
Don't be beguiled, or seduced, by the destroyer that will
soon return to earth pretending to be Christ. Common
to man comes from a Greek tenn meaning "these things
are common to all man". Today's man has one thing very
much in common. He is biblically illiterate. If you don't
believe me, just ask someone if they have read the
second chapter of Nebuchadnezzar the next time an
opportunity presents itself. They will probably say, "Yes,
I think I did read that chapter". As you know, there is
no Book of Nebuchadnezzar in the Bible. God has given
you an escape to that which is common to man because
you sought that escape through studying His Word. You
have found the light of His truth and understand the
Father's promises.
I CORINTHIANS 10:15-17 I speak as to wise men;
judge ye what i say. 1f The cup of blessing which we
bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
The bread which we break, is it not the communion of
the body of Christ? .1l For. we being many are one
bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that
one bread.
We are one in Him. TIle way of escape is His way.
In closing let's turn to I Cor 2:9.
I CORINTHIANS 2:9-11 But as it is written, "Eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them that love Him," l.Q But God hath revealed them
unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep thmgs of God, 11 For what man knoweth
the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is
in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man,
but the Spirit of God.
Paradise is coming to those who love and trust
God. Just as it is impossible for you to know the
thoughts of someone sitting next to you, it is impossible
for you to know the things of God. The Spirit of God
knows your thoughts.
I CORINTHIANS 2:12-13 Now we have received, not
the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God;
that we might know the things that are freely given to
us of God. 1.;1 Which things also we speak, not in the
words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy
Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
The latter part of verse thirteen would be better
translated, "interpreting spiritual things with spiritual facts",
This is important. Christianity is a reality. There are
spiritual facts. Every time the Holy Spirit teaches you,
every time the Spirit moves you, and every time you
recei ve blessings you should recognize the spiritual fact
of the matter. Keep a log in you mind of these spiritual
facts, and the next time you are feeling down about
something pull your log out and thank the Father.
I CORINTHIANS 2.'14 But the natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness
into him.' neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.
111e majority of natural men think the things of God
are foolislmess. They don't care about God.
I CORINTHIANS Z:15-16 But he that is spiritual judgeth
131/ things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 1f For
who hath known the mind of the LORD, that he may
instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Are you prepared to instruct the Lord? I think not;
however, if you absorb the Holy Spirit, you have the
mind of Christ. Having the mind of Christ will allow
you to live in this flesh body knowing how to do the
right thing for God, yourself and your family. Doing the
right thing for God is what trust is all about. When you
trust someone, it means you know they are going to do
the right thing without any doubt. God wiII protect you.
He will provide you with an escape from temptations
common to man, and He will give you spiritual discern­
ment through the Holy Ghost.
In His Service,
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Arnold Murray
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