Outline and notes in the Song of Solomon Ch. 7:1, Exams of Law

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Got My Traveling Shoes On

Outline and notes in the Song of Solomon Ch. 7: Preached on 8-19-

In Ch. 5:3 she was barefoot, but now she has shoes on her feet:

As chapter seven begins, we once again find our Lord describing the beauty of his bride. This is at least the third occasion in Solomon‘s Song that the groom, boasts of the glorious beauty of his church. He has every right to do so because it is by his grace that God’s people have been transformed into such beautiful creatures. Paul said in I Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” But I want us to notice the reverse order in chapter seven. In chapter four and six the Holy Spirit led Solomon to begin his description with the head or face. But in this chapter the beauty is first found in the feet. Why?

1. It reveals the humility of God’s people:
2. It shows that we are steadily balanced on the right foundation. (He set my feet on a solid rock)
3. It proves that Christ loves the poor and the lowly, or those who are less esteemed, with the same love as those who may be highly esteemed in the church:

But please notice her feet is said to be beautiful with shoes. To be barefooted can imply…

1. A shameful condition: Isaiah 20:4 “So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked

and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.”

2. Sad affliction and sorrow: Illus. David fleeing from Absalom: II Samuel 15:30 “And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.”
3. Unfitness for travel: Illus. Israel’s departure from Egypt (Passover): Exodus 12:11 “And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover.”

The beauty of the feet with the shoes implies…

1. The honouraly estate and dignity to which we are called: (Illus. The prodigal who received shoes from the father)
2. A prosperous spiritual condition:
3. A readiness and promptness of obedience to what we are called.

I. Our Renunciation Of The World And Worldly Ways: Exodus 12:11 “And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover.” Why? A. We are strangers here: Hebrews 11: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them , and embraced them , and confessed that they

were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” (Stranger) (One who belongs to another country)

B. The world’s structure is temporal: II Peter 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

C. The sin that abounds here: II Peter 3: “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

II. Our Readiness To Spread The Gospel: Ephesians 6:15 “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” A. We are debtors: (To be delinquent) Romans 1:14 “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.”

1. Be ready to preach:

a. Because of it’s transforming power: (It is the power of God unto salvation)

b. Because of it’s revelation of righteousness: (v.17) “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith .”

c. Because it reveals God’s wrath: v. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness

and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”

2. Ready to pray:
3. Ready to be a personal witness: Psalm 126:5,6 “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.^6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him .”
4. Ready in our pocket book:

III. Our Righteousness In Christ: Illus. The prodigal son: Luke 15:22 “But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:”

A. Covered his defilement: (Hog pen mud)

B. Completed his apparel: (Christ’s righteousness is from top to bottom and from beginning to end.) Colossians 2: “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

Let’s Get Out Of Joint

Outline and notes in the Song of Solomon Ch. 7: Preached on 8-26-01 A.M.

I want to preach today on, “Let’s Get Out Of Joint.” Some people can get out of joint in a bad sense. But, the out of joint I’m referring to, is a good and positive sense. In continuing his description of the bride Solomon says that, “the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman.” This verse in its primary interpretation is dealing with the walk of the believer. The feet, shoes, and thighs are all used in walking. When I speak of a Christians walk I am referring to our character, our conduct, and our conversation of life. We should behave ourselves as becometh holiness. Please notice that, it is not the thighs themselves that are like jewels, but the joints. The word jewel here is an ornament that has been hand rubbed or polished by hand. Thus, the walk or conduct of a believer is developed only by the hands of a cunning workman. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them .” The word thigh means: To be soft, or to be fleshly because of its softness: The word joint means: To enwrap, or to withdraw self: In Genesis 32:25 the same word means to sever or abandon. These joints are what separate the spiritual man from the flesh, and being polished as jewels, enables us to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:24 “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

1. Live in the Spirit: Conversion
2. Walk in the Spirit: Conduct and conversation

Romans 8:1 “ There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,” - we like to quote the first part of the verse, but the last part says, - “who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” I could say many things about the believers walk, but I want to emphasize our walk in the Spirit and distinguish it from walking in the flesh. Jacob was a man who spent much of his life walking in the flesh, but in Genesis 32 , as he returned home he met a man who he wrestled all night. And, “ He touched the hollow of his thigh; man the hollow of Jacobs thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. ”

1. He wrestled with the man until the break of day:
2. He refused to turn him loose without being blessed first:
3. As he passed over the brook, v.31 the sun rose upon him (It was the dawning of a new day)
4. He halted upon his thigh: (A different walk)
5. Jacobs life was changed, he went from a supplanter, to a prince:

Def. Supplant – To seize by the heel; to prevent another by wiles or fraud; to register by tripping up the heels.

6. He was born a supplanter: ( Genesis 25:26) He took Esau by the heel at birth. (Mention other incidences)
7. He was crooked in his dealings:

8. But after he encountered the Lord at the ford Jabbok, and got his thigh out of joint his walk was in the Spirit and not in the flesh. (Haman hanged himself)

How was this accomplished?

I. Time Alone With God: Genesis 32:24 “And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.”

A. God proved his heart: v.27 “And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.” (I’m a supplanter)

B. God endued him with the power: v.28 “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”

C. God preserved his life: v.30 “And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (The life which we now live)

1. Don’t lose everything you’ve fought for. Go on with God, crucify your flesh and make your life count.

II. Toiling In Prayer: v.24 “and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of day.”

A. The price he paid: v.31 (He halted upon his thigh)

B. He prevailed over the flesh:

C. His past was overcome: ( v.28 “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel.”)

III. Touched By The Workman’s Hand: v.25 “And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.”

A. He knows where and when to touch us: Note: Jacobs touch and Paul’s thorn, brought the same results. Song of Solomon 7:1 Cunning: In the sense of training; an expert workman; to foster; to parent or nurse; be firm & faithful.

A Belly Full Of Jesus

Outline and notes in the Song of Solomon Ch. 7: Preached on 9-2-

The Lord in his further description of his bride makes mention of her naval and belly. In verse one the feet, shoes, and thighs refer to the Christians walk, or his outward conversation. But here in verse two the thought shifts to that inward man, or that “new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” He says, “Her naval is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor.” ( Ezekiel 16:4 “And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee ; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.) The word naval is only mentioned four times in the word of God. In Job 40:16, Proverbs 3:8, Ezekiel 16:4, and here in Solomon 7:2 and it means, “a twisted cord”, or figuratively speaking it is the center of strength.

1. The naval is the lifeline from a mother, to her inborn baby.
2. It carries all the sustenance necessary for a healthy baby.
3. Whatever the mother eats or drinks will manifest itself in the baby. (Truth, wisdom, love, joy, peace)
4. As a baby is nourished by its mother, even so is the child of God nourished by the Lord. Colossians 2:19 “And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” II Corinthians 4:16 “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward

man is renewed day by day.” Jeremiah 31:33 “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

I. We Are Nourished By The Saviour: Illus. Joseph & his brethren: Genesis 45:9-11 “Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: 10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine;”

A. He came into the land as a servant: (Jesus) came to minister

B. He resisted sin:

C. He was exalted as Lord over the land: v.

1. He nourishes the entire family: v.
2. He nourishes us even in famine: v.

a. The place he nourishes in: v.11 “and there will I nourish thee” v.10 “and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen”

1. A place of love: (no plagues)
2. A place of light: (Darkness in Egypt)
3. A place of life: (The passover)

b. The promise to nourish our children: Genesis 50:21 “Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.”

II. We Are Nourished By His Sacrifice: (Illus. The Bread of Life) John 6:51 “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

A. He must be personally received: (If any man) Note: Christ may be presented to me in all his attractiveness, I may respect his wonderful personality, I may admire his perfect life, I may be touched by his unselfishness and tenderness, I may be moved to tears by the sight of him dying on the cruel tree, but, not until I receive him as mine, shall I be saved.

1. A glimpse of his goodness is the appetizer: (The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance)
2. To experience (or taste) of his grace is the main course: (O taste the Lord and see that he is good)
3. To behold his glory is dessert: (I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness)

III. We Are Nourished By The Scriptures: Proverbs 3:1,8 “My son, forget not my law ; but let thine heart keep my commandments:” v.8 “ It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” Illus. The Lord in the wilderness of temptations: Matthew 4:4 “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

A. His word is vital to the spiritual life: I Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”

A Heap Of Wheat

Outline and notes in the Song of Solomon Ch. 7: Preached on 9-8-01 A.M.

Solomon continues his description of the bride and says, “Her belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies.” Please notice, that this is not wheat standing in the field. But, has already been harvested.

I. Wheat That Has Been Gathered: (A heap of wheat) Illus. John the Baptist Matthew 3:11,12 “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

A. The reaper: (The Lord Jesus: Lord of the Harvest)

1. Is mightier than John:
2. His fan is in his hand:
3. He will thoroughly purge:

a. Is wise in the harvest: (He can distinguish between the tares and the wheat) Illus. Tares and wheat: His servants wanted to immediately gather up the tares and wheat but the Lord said nay: “Lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest : and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the

tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn .”

b. He waits patiently for the harvest: James 5:7 “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it , until he receive the early and latter rain.”

II. Wheat That Has Been Garnered: Matthew 3:12 “and gather his wheat into his garner.” (Threshing floor)

A. Free from all chaff: v.12 “but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

1. It is winnowed: (“Whose fan is in his hand) Winnowing fork – Explain: The fan lifts both wheat and chaff into the air. The wheat being heavy falls to the ground in a heap , but the chaff being light is driven away by the wind.

a. The winnowing fork: (The word of God)

b. The wind: (The Holy Ghost)

1. What is chaff?

a. Ungodly men: Psalm 1:1-4 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he

shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.” (And chaff he burns with unquenchable fire)

b. Unfruitful works: I Corinthians 4:12-15 “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (^13) Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

III. Wheat That Has Been Ground: (Pulverized) Luke 22:31 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:” Def. Sift: to riddle (Sifting is temptation in several areas of our life, in a consistent fashion) not just adultery or fornication

A. Tempted in Christian duties: (Illus. Peter)

1. Sleeping in prayer:
2. Silent in his devotions: (Denied the Lord)
3. Self-centered: (I go a fishing)

IV. Wheat That Is Guarded: “Set about with lilies” Hosea 14:5 “I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.”

The Church At Rest

Outline and notes in the Song of Solomon Ch. 7: Preached on 9-16-01 A.M.

The Lord continues his commendation and description of the church and says, her breasts are like two young roes that are twins. In chapter four and verse five the Holy Spirit used this same term except he added, “which feed among the lilies.” (Breasts of blessing) A young roe is a gazelle that has never given birth to an offspring. The bride uses this likeness because the church is the espoused bride of Christ. The bride of Christ, unlike Israel the adulterous wife of Jehovah, is chaste. The church considered to be a virgin; pure and holy before the Lord. Paul says in II Corinthians 11: “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” Please notice also that the church is always mentioned in the feminine gender. Why?

1. Because we are the weaker vessel: I Peter 3: “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel.”
2. Because of our submissive spirit: Ephesians 5: “Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”
3. Because of our tender heart: Ephesians 4: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Again I want to say that the church is likened to breasts of two young roes.

1. The breasts are a source of food for babies: (Feed at the house of God)
2. Affection and love are associated with a mothers bosom:
3. But today I want to look at the bosom of the church as a place of rest and safety: Isaiah 40: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” Acts 9:31 “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified ; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied .”

(A Church Has Rest When)

I. Its Members Are Healthy: (As sickness and disease deprives the body of needed rest, even so does sin the same to the church)

A. Heart disease robs our strength: Illus. Joshua 1: “Have not I commanded thee? Be though strong and of a good courage.”

B. Lung disease deprives us of breathe: Ezekiel 37: “Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.”

C. Eye disease dims our vision: Revelation 3:18 “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that

thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”

D. Ear disease dulls our hearing: Amos 8: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:”

E. Broken leg hinders our walk and causes great pain: (Disease or fall! They are different) Micah 6:8 “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” The body; I Corinthians 12:12 “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”

II. Its Members Are In Harmony:

A. No schism: I Corinthians 12:25 “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”

B. No sarcasm: ( James 4:1 “Speak not evil one of another brethren”) Ephesians 4:32 “and be ye kind one to another.” I Corinthians 4:6 “That no one of you be puffed up one against another.” I Corinthians 13:4 “Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.”

C. No shunning:

III. Its Members Are Happy:

A. When corrected with godly correction: Job 5:17, “Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.”

B. When we attend to God’s commandments: Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

1. The vision referred to in this verse is the revelation of God’s word:
2. Men are happy as they walk in the light of God’s word:

C. When we raise goodly children: Psalm 127:4, “As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”

The Great Link Between God And Man

Outline and notes in the Song of Solomon Ch. 7: Preached on 9-18-01 Tues. P.M.

I want to remind us tonight as we continue our study in Solomon’s Song, that Christ here in chapter seven, is describing his bride. We’re looking at the church, not through the eyes of man, but through the eyes of our deliverer; the Lord Jesus Christ. He says here, that the neck of the church is as a tower of ivory. There’s several things I could preach on concerning the neck as a tower of ivory.

1. It stands erect and is strong: Proverbs 2:21 “For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.”
2. It is ivory in color signifying the purity of the church: Revelation 21:2 “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
3. Ivory being costly denotes the value of the church: Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

a. With such a high price being paid, the value is high:

4. But the neck is that which links the head and the body:

a. Christ is the head of the church which is his body:

5. We could mention the blood as the great link: Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
6. We could preach the cross as that link: Ephesians 2:16 “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:”
7. That great link could be the love of God: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
8. But tonight I want to use as that link, the Grace of God: “For by grace are ye saved”

I. The Headstone Of Grace: Zechariah 4:7 “Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying , Grace , grace unto it.”

A. The mountain made a plain is the rubbish covering the headstone:

1. Clean out the trash and beneath it we’ll find the grace of God:
2. The headstone is Jesus: Psalm 118:22 “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.”

B. As the cornerstone he’s grace coming and going:

C. Jesus is the great link between God and man: I Peter 3:18 “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God , being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

1. Not Buddha – 2. Not Allah – 3. Not Joseph Smith – 4. Not Mary

Hebrews 9:24 “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:” Hebrews 9:12 “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us .”

II. There’s Holy Grace: Hebrews 12:14 “Follow peace with all men , and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”

A. Holy Grace Justifies: Romans 3:24 “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

1. Justification pardons us: Isaiah 55:7 “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
2. Justification perfects us: (Just like we never sinned)
3. Justification presents us faultless: Jude 24 “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before

the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,”

III. There’s Helping Grace: Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

A. Help us with faults:

B. Help us with failures:

C. Help us with fusses:

IV. There’s Healing Grace:

A. Heal our wounds: Illus. The good Samaritan:

B. Heal our wallet:

C. Heal our weariness:

V. There’s Holding Grace:

A. During combat:

B. During the crossing: Illus. The song He’ll Hold My Hand

Seeing Things More Clearly

Outline and notes in the Song of Solomon Ch. 7:4 Preached on 10-14-01

The Lord as he continues to describe his bride says, “thine eyes are like the fishpools of Heshbon.” I don’t have as much information on these Pools of Heshbon, as I would like to have. But, history tells us, that the water was so clear, that the fish could be seen very easily with the naked eye. This reveals at least two things. One, that we, as the bride of Christ, should possess an ability to see things about our Husband more clearly. I will assure you that Mrs. Hall knows more about me than anyone else in this world. (If we live with him we should be able to see things about him that an outsider can’t see.) Secondly, as a child of God, we should have an insight into spiritual matters that cannot be seen by others. I Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them , because they are spiritually discerned.” I Corinthians 2:9,10 “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. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” Ephesians 1:18 “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened;” Paul mentions three things here, that I believe, indicate three distinct phases of Christian growth.

1. The hope of his calling:

a. The misery of the sinners life unfolded:

b. The meaningless life that a sinner lives:

c. The mercy the sinner receives at deliverance:

2. The glory of his inheritance in the saints:

a. I have been purchased:

b. I am his possession:

c. I am being prepared: (For his glory)

3. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe:

a. His power to transform us: (A new body)

b. His power to translate us: (The catching away)

I. See The Heart More Clearly: Proverbs 4:23 “ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” ( Keep : to guard, to protect, to maintain)

A. Its deceitfulness: Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things , and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Psalm 53:1 “ The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God.”

1. We may not know the heart, but we can know something about it:

a. Illus. Adam: Thought he could cover his sin:

b. Illus. Cain: Thought the works of his hands could satisfy God: