Newsletter #382 - August 2010 - By Shepherds Chapel - http://www.shepherdschapel.com/

Unfasten yourself from the worries and troubles of this world. Your Father wants you to leave the worries and troubles of this world to the unbelievers. Let's begin our studies in the Book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

Don' allow yourself to envy the possessions of others. We should be happy with what we have. God will never forsake you, as long as you stay hinged to Him. If you leave Him, He may forsake you.

Hebrews 13:6 So that we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

Why would you fear what a mortal man might do? If God is your helper, you have nothing to fear. Usfatesten yourself from the worries of this world, and be free.

Hebrews 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Jesus never changes; God's Word never changes. Don't allow some man to try and change God's Word.

Hebrews 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

God's Word is the only thing that will profit you as far as your eternal salvation is concerned. His promises are real. Turn with me to the Book of Deuteronomy. There is a second witness to this Scripture.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

You have nothing to fear, if God is with you. If God is for you, who can stand against you? You can always count on God to keep His promises.

Deuteronomy 31:7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. 8 And the LORD, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed."

I really have difficulty understanding how people can get all shook up about things in the world. With promises like this from Father, you have nothing to fear.

Deuteronomy 31:9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel. 10 And Moses commanded them, saying, "At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles,

Every seventh year was to be a sabbatical year. The last was to have rest and all things were to be renewed.

Deuteronomy 31:11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which He shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law:

The law was to be read so people could learn that God is never going to leave them. As long as you don't fasten yourself from God, He isn't going to unfasten from you. You hod up your part of the covenant, and you can count on God to uphold His part.

Deuteronomy 31:13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

Unfasten yourself from the troubles of the world. We have the victory in Father. Let's continue our study in the Book of Acts. Paul was completely innocent, yet he was put on trial. He was imprisoned, but God was in control.

Acts 24:23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

Felix, appointed to rule over Judea, allowed Paul the liberty he needed to continue writing and teaching. When God says, "He will never leave you, or forsake you", He means just that. When things get tough, remember your Father is on the throne, and He loves you.

Acts 24:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

Here we have a heathen ruler and his wife listening to the Word of God.

Acts 24:25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, "Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee."

Felix is a typical man of the world. He was almost persuaded, but then thought he had better things to do.

Acts 24:26 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

Felix was looking for a bribe to loose Paul. But Paul already had been loosed, or unfastened, by Felix at God's direction. Paul wasn't hampered from doing God's work by the Roman government. Who was in control, God or the Roman government? You know! Turn with me to the Book of 2 Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Thessalonians 1:2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you enjoy that peace? Or, do you get all shhok up about problems in this world? We are the watchmen; therefore, it is necessary the we pay attention to the things going on in the world. God is on the throne. Tomorrow is no great mystery to you; because you have read the letter God wrote to you.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

Paul was proud of their faith and love in Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

There are persecutions and tribulations on the horizon for God's election. Can God count on you to endure?

2 Thessalonians 1:5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

Those who don't become unfastened from God are going to end up in the kingdom of God.

2 Thessalonians 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

God considers it the right thing to do to pay those who trouble you back. You shouldn't fear them. You should pity them. This applies especially to God's elect.

2 Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,

When you rest, or Sabbath, in the Lord, you loose yourself from the troubles of this world. Unfasten yourself from this world, and find true peace of mind.

2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

The time for these events draws near. It is important for you to stay focused on the truth.

2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

That is the reason you don't want to be separated from God. Only you can cause that separation. God has promised He will never leave you or forsake you, but you can separate yourself from Father.

2 Thessalonians 1:10 When He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 2 Thessalonians 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with power:

It doesn't matter how bad things become in this world, don't ever let doubt concerning God enter your mind. God is in control, and He is on the throne.

2 Thessalonians 1:12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God should be glorified in His elect. Father didn't choose a bunch of worry warts that would become tied up in the ways of the world. Unfasten yourself, and enjoy liberty and true peace of mind. Let's turn to the Psalms.

Psalm 146:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. 2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

With my last breath I will praise the Lord.

Psalm 146:3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

Put your trust in God. Mortal man will let you down.

Psalm 146:4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

When man dies, his flesh returns to the earth. Do you trust God's Word, or the word of man.

Psalm 146:5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: 6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

God created your soul, as well. Your Father always keeps His promises. His promises are truth.

Psalm 146:7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: Which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:

God unfastens you. He cuts you loose from the troubles of this world, if you believe. Do you believe? Are you free? Or, are you imprisoned by the troubles of this world?

Psalm 146:8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous: 9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; He relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked He turneth upside down.

God can give you eyes to see, or He can turn you upside down. It's your choice. Stay fastened to Him.

In His service,
Arnold Murray