Genesis 4:6 Then the LORD asked Cain, “Why are you angry, and why do you look disappointed? Nehemiah 2:1–2 In the month of Nisan, in Artaxerxes’ twentieth year as king, after some wine was brought for the king, I picked up the cup of wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence before. The king asked me, “Why do you look so sad? You aren’t sick, are you? You must be troubled about something.” (I was really afraid). A man’s face will often reveal that which his words try to conceal.
BE ALERT, RECOGNIZE, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN FACIAL EXPRESSIONS REVEAL MORE THAN WORDS FROM THEIR MOUTH. BE ALERT, RECOGNIZE THERE ARE TIMES WHEN FACIAL EXPRESSIONS WILL REVEAL THE TRUTH WHEN THERE MOUTH IS TELLING A LIE.
Genesis 6:5–6 The LORD saw how evil humans had become on the earth. All day long their deepest thoughts were nothing but evil. The LORD was sorry that he had made humans on the earth, and he was heartbroken. Isaiah 59:1–2 The LORD is not too weak to save or his ear too deaf to hear. But your wrongs have separated you from your God, and your sins have made him hide his face so that he doesn’t hear you. The very animals whose smell is most offensive to us have no idea that they are offensive, and are not offensive to one another. And man, fallen man, I believe, can have no just idea what a vile thing sin is in the sight of that God whose handiwork is absolutely perfect.
HOW DO YOU THINK GOD FEEL AS HE WATCHES YOU? DON’T LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A WAY THAT CAUSES GOD TO WISH HE NEVER MADE YOU.
OUR GOD IS GOOD TO US Romans 2:4 Do you have contempt for God, who is very kind to you, puts up with you, and deals patiently with you? Don’t you realize that it is God’s kindness that is trying to lead you to him and change the way you think and act? Psalm 31:19 Your kindness is so great! You reserve it for those who fear you. Adam’s descendants watch as you show it to those who take refuge in you. Lamentations 3:25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to anyone who seeks help from him. Acts 14:17 Yet, by doing good, he has given evidence of his existence. He gives you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons. He fills you with food and your lives with happiness.” Psalm 86:5 You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, full of mercy toward everyone who calls out to you.
RELATIONSHIP THE POWER TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD John 1:12 is a powerful verse that speaks to the heart of Christian faith. It states: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” This verse emphasizes that those who accept Jesus and believe in Him are granted the privilege of becoming children of God. It highlights the personal relationship believers can have with God—not just as followers, but as members of His family. The phrase “believed in his name” signifies trust in Jesus’ identity, authority, and mission. In biblical times, a name represented a person’s character and essence, so believing in Jesus’ name means placing faith in who He is and what He stands for. The verse also underscores the idea that this relationship is not earned through good deeds but is a gift received through faith. It offers hope and inclusion, assuring that anyone who accepts Christ can experience the love, guidance, and protection of being part of God’s family. Biblical adoption is a profound metaphor expressing how God welcomes believers into His family, not through human effort but by His gracious initiative. This concept means that once a person accepts Jesus and embraces faith, they are no longer outsiders but are granted full rights as children of God—complete with the privileges, protection, and love that come with this new identity. In the Old Testament, the idea of being God’s child was expressed mainly through declarations of special status. For instance, God referred to Israel as His firstborn, emphasizing a unique, chosen relationship with His people. Although legal adoption in the contemporary sense isn’t explicitly detailed in Jewish law, the imagery of God as a caring father laying claim to His children provided a firm foundation for understanding the intimate bond between God and His people. The New Testament, however, puts this idea into a cultural context familiar to its readers. In a Roman world with very defined legal procedures for adoption, the Apostle Paul uses the term derived from the Greek word huiothesia—meaning “to place as a son”—to describe how believers are received into God’s family. This adoption isn’t earned through deeds or merit; rather, it’s a gift emanating from God’s eternal plan and grace. Verses such as John 1:12 highlight that faith in Christ transforms individuals into God’s children, setting them free from slavery to sin and inaugurating a new status as heirs of divine blessing . This adoption carries not just legal and social implications but a deeply personal transformation. It represents a shift in identity—from alienation and separation from God to a relationship characterized by love, acceptance, and belonging. Believers gain the rights of sonship, which includes not only a spiritual inheritance that is everlasting but also a profound assurance of God’s presence and guidance throughout their lives. Biblical adoption, therefore, encapsulates both a present reality and a future promise. Presently, believers experience a renewed identity and relationship with God as His children. Looking forward, it speaks of a future inheritance and eternal fellowship—a hope that motivates many in their walk of faith.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED AND RECEIVED FROM THIS DEEP STUDY. DO YOU FEEL THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE THESE DEEP STUDIES.
LIFE AND DEATH Only in the Bible can any satisfying light be found on the mysterious and baffling subjects of life and death, Deut. 30:19. In the beginning God breathed life into the nostrils of the man He had created, Gen. 2:7. That breath was the spirit of man. “The body without the spirit is dead,” Jas. 2:26. The normal life span is 70 years, Psa. 90:10. Those who keep God’s precepts ordinarily live longer than those who do not, Prov. 3:1, 2. Life is likened to a shadow, Psa. 144:4, and a vapor, Jas. 4:14. “A sound heart is the life of the flesh,” Prov. 14:30. “The life of the flesh is in the blood,” Lev. 17:11. By one man came death through disobedience, Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12. Under the permissive will of God, Satan has the power of death, Job 2:6. The fear of it brings men into bondage, Heb. 2:14, 15. Death is an enemy which will finally be destroyed, 1 Cor 15:26. Christ has the keys to it, Rev. 1:18. It will be banished from God’s new order, Rev. 21:4. For believers, “to die is gain,” Phil. 1:21. For all others, after death there is judgment, Heb. 9:27. Like Enoch and Elijah, believers who are living at the time of the translation of the church will never die, 1 Cor. 15:51, 52; 1 Thess. 4:14–18. All unbelievers will ultimately experience the second death, Rev. 20:14, 15. THERE IS A LOT OF FOOD IN THIS QUICK REFRESHER. I HOPE YOU ENJOY AND RECEIVE FROM THIS QUICK REFRESHER. Everlastingsalvationchurchofgod.com PASTOR ANDRA HIGGINBOTHAM
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