The Declaration of Independence, a declaration of war. Today, Dr. Don's message is the Declaration of an Almighty God. Welcome to The Encouraging Word, featuring the Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton, well-known author, evangelist, seminary professor, and pastor.
And in these moments together, we'll head to Hebrews Chapter 8 to discuss this message, the Declaration of an Almighty God. While we do so, we would encourage you to visit our website. It's www.tewonline.org. That's www.tewonline.org. Right now, you'll discover a remarkable series of messages. As a matter of fact, you can hear today's message and any of Dr. Wilton's messages on demand right there at www.tewonline.org. And while you're there, sign up for the daily devotion. You'll begin getting it in your email within the next 24 to 48 hours.
That's www.tewonline.org. Today's message from Dr. Don Wilton. I'm going to ask you to turn with me in your Bibles to Hebrews Chapter 8. And you know, every year when I study the Word of God and I ask the Lord to prepare my heart, it never ceases to amaze me how God knows just exactly where we need to be on the exact occasion when we need to be there. Our subject this morning is the Declaration of Almighty God. The Declaration of Almighty God.
Now friends, I want you to get ready. You need to have your Bibles open. God's going to speak to our hearts. He's going to say something to you and to me and to America. Let's open our hearts and listen.
This nation will crumble and it is crumbling. I want to say to you, beloved friends today, that when God wrote the words that God wrote in Hebrews Chapter 8, God was making a statement concerning the peoples of the world. Let me read it to you. Hebrews Chapter 8 and verse 8. But God found fault with the people and he said, The time is coming, declares the Lord, and I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel. After that time, declares the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds. I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor or man his brother, saying, know the Lord, because they will all know me from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and I will remember their sins no more. Now by calling this covenant new, he has made the first one obsolete. And what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. You analyze the declaration of Almighty God, you've got to come to some conclusions.
Here they are. Number one, it was written by God. Now that's a profound statement. It was written by God. God says I will make. Our founding fathers, and I'm not trying to draw unnecessary parallels here. But I'm going to tell you, my friends, that our founding fathers from Thomas Jefferson on down, they made no bones about the fact that God was involved in human history. When it came to the declaration of God concerning his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, there was no room for negotiation as far as God was concerned. He made a declaration. God so loved the world, God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world to himself. Every time you come to the foot of the cross, you're going to discover that the sovereign God was inextricably bound into the heart of Jesus Christ. That God was acting before the foundation of the world and he set in motion this declaration for all people. Number two, it was different to the old covenant.
Oh, it was radically different. It's not that the old covenant was wrong or bad. We've looked at that in our study of Hebrews. God instituted it, but this according to the letter to the Hebrews was a much better covenant.
Why? Because it was a final covenant. It is the covenant that we have in Jesus Christ.
It is the greatest declaration that could ever be made. In the old covenant, there was so much legalism. You had to go to the synagogue, you had to write the law on your wrists, you had to wear things. Jesus himself was a Jew. He understood these things. Our Messiah was a Jew.
So many of these Jews had come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, they were confused. You can come with me today. My favorite trip in all the world is to go to Israel. I can't wait to go back there again. Come with me to the Wailing Wall.
I respect those people so much. You'll see them standing there, saying their prayers, wrapped in their garb, in their religious garb, following the law to the letter of the law. What did God say? He said, listen, I'm going to make a declaration. It's going to come from the heart of Almighty God. My new covenant is not anything like the old covenant because I've come to set you free. You no longer come to me because you go to your priest or to your rabbi or to your preacher. You no longer have to have permission to come into my presence. You no longer have to have your sins forgiven for every sin you commit. You no longer have to do all these rituals. It's not whether you go to church or how many sermons you preach or the number of times you sing.
You are saved by grace through faith, not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. Somebody say amen here this morning. Folks, what a declaration. Man, I tell you, people get standing on their head over the Declaration of Independence and we should do so.
We celebrate America and we should do so. But I tell you something, this declaration by Almighty God, my friend, it was written by God. It was different to the old covenant.
Number three, it was given to the people. You can go into verse 10, into verse 8. The Bible says very clearly, I will make this covenant with the House of Israel.
In other words, you no longer are restricted by the Levites. You no longer are restricted by your gender because in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female, neither bond nor free, neither Jew nor Gentile. Jesus Christ, the Son of God has drawn a line in the sand. He has created all men equal with equal access and this announcement by God, this incredible declaration, it was given to all people that all people might come to know Jesus Christ. There is not a single person who is excluded from this declaration by Almighty God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Number four, it was directed at the heart. The second part of verse 10 there, the Bible says, I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. Well, how did they do that according to the Old Testament? They wrote the law on their wrists. They said prayers ad infinitum. They quoted, they read from books. They went to their synagogues and their churches.
They did all kinds of things. God said, no, the declaration of Almighty God considers your heart. Now, boys and girls, what happens when you give your life to Jesus?
We say to one another, won't you invite Jesus to come and live in your heart? And that's special. Wilson Wildman came in the early service.
That was real early this morning, 8.15 this morning, a long time ago. I mean, Wilson Wildman came. I just love him so much. And he came up here and stood with me and I told everybody in our early morning worship service, I said, this is my friend Wilson, and he has given his heart to Jesus. You see, God no longer resides on a tablet or a wall. He's not a picture postcard.
He's not something that we do. He's my personal Lord and Savior, and he lives within my heart and within your heart. Number five, it was highly personal. I love this part.
It was highly personal. He tells us in verse 11, they will all know me. Did you know that Jesus Christ knows you?
Did you know that? In fact, when the Lord Jesus came to this earth, he used the analogy of sheep. I've often wondered about that because God calls me a sheep. I've been around a lot of sheep, folks. They can be pretty dumb sometimes.
I'm just telling you that. Every time I get a little bit more highly than I ought to be, I just think about the fact that God calls me a sheep. Do you know the Bible says, I know my sheep, my sheep know me.
I know them by name. Do you know the Bible tells us that God has numbered even the very hairs upon our heads in his presence? Did you know that he made you?
He created you. Did you know that the relationship that you have with the Lord Jesus is no different to the relationship you have with your absolute best friend? My best friend in all the world is my wife. She really is. She's my favorite person. We do everything together. We've been married for a long time. We love each other. She's my best friend. You know, the Bible says that when Jesus comes into my heart, that I can enjoy the same relationship means I'm never alone. He's always with me, even sometimes when I feel pretty awful, when I'm down in the dumps, or I'm lying in a hospital bed or something goes wrong. I can always know that Jesus Christ is there with me because the declaration of Almighty God is highly personal.
It's one on one. But there's another one. Number six, it was based on the opportunity for all men to be set free.
It's another hallmark of the declaration of Almighty God. You know, I look back at our founding fathers and I know it could never happen, but don't you sometimes wish that you could get into a time machine like some of those movies and go back to the future? You know, I'd love to just go back to the future just for a day or two, not any more than that.
But I'd like to just go back to the future. I'd like to go and sit on Plymouth Rock and just watch how the boys arrived, you know? I'd love to see what went on. Can you imagine the content of the conversation and the debate that was going on? Can you see those farmers running around and arming themselves and what people talked about?
Do you know something? They were striving for freedom. They wanted to be free from the British Empire. They wanted to be able to write their own rules, call themselves their own people. They wanted to be independent.
That's what they wanted. You know something? The Lord Jesus Christ came to set us free.
Isn't that incredible? He came to set us free. He tells us here exactly how it happens in this declaration. He says in verse 12, I will forgive their wickedness and I will remember their sins no more.
Here's what happens. Our sin has separated us from God through the declaration of Almighty God concerning His Son, the Lord Jesus. When I trust Him and receive Jesus Christ into my heart, I am forgiven of my sin.
My sin is taken and cast as far as the east is from the west. The chains are released. I'm set free. There are no more shackles. I'm no longer in bondage. I'm set free. I'm a free man. I no longer walk around with this big load on my shoulder. I wonder if there's someone here today worshiping with us. You've got just a big load on your shoulder.
Now maybe nobody can quite see it. Maybe it's in your heart, that load is in your heart. And you've got this big old bag of junk. I mean, your marriage went wrong. Your family went wrong. Your finances went wrong.
What you said went wrong. Everything about your life. You've just got an accumulated whole lot of hurt. Maybe you've got pain in your heart. Maybe you lost a loved one that you love very much. You're carrying burdens. You're just carrying burdens. Do you know that Jesus Christ sets us free?
Now folks, that doesn't mean to say that we just walk around with a smile on our face. See, I lost one of my dearest friends in all the world this past week, Miss Hazel Norris. I'm telling you, you can't find a more precious lady. I'll be preaching her funeral service this afternoon at two o'clock.
She would sit right there, faithful. What a precious lady, loved her with all my heart. Listen, the pain that we have in our hearts, the hurt, the things that we go through. Yeah, we struggle with those things because we're human beings, but we've been set free. You see, the Bible says that burdens are lifted at Calvary. He takes our burdens and he carries them for us. He takes our sin. He cast it as far as the east is from the west, and he remembers it no more.
What a powerful God we serve that chooses to forget our sins after he's forgiven them. Welcome to Dr. Don Wilton. Don't go away.
He'll be back to complete today's message, the declaration of an almighty God in just a moment. But Dr. Don wants me to remind you that we're here for you, connecting 24 hours a day on our prayer line at 866-899-WORD. That's 866-899-9673.
Not only would we be thrilled to pray with you and for you, but we also would love to connect you with grand resources that are available. You'll find them also at www.tewonline.org. Again, that's our website, www.tewonline.org. Or feel free to call us at 866-899-9673. And yes, we still have available copies of Dr. Don's latest book called Saturdays with Billy about his 20 plus years of being the pastor to Dr. Billy Graham. Again, it's online at www.tewonline.org.
Call about getting your copy at 866-899-9673. Now back to today's teaching from Dr. Don Wilton. Number seven, it was absolute.
It was absolute. By the way, did you know something about the Declaration of Independence and more specifically about the Constitution? Maybe you don't know this. Did you know that the Constitution of the United States of America is absolute?
Can I put that into modern day terminology? It's the law. Now folks, there's a whole lot of lawyers and attorneys that have risen up over the years.
There are judges and justices. There are people like you and me who are doing everything we can to try and interpret the Constitution. But can I just tell you something folks? It's the law.
There's nothing that you and I can do about it except. But did you know that the Congress of the United States of America has the power to change the Constitution? Can you believe that?
I don't know. It's happened very often. But do you know that with all the laws and everything in place and the states operating, I mean, it's very common. The Congress can actually change the Constitution.
Folks, let me make an announcement. The Declaration of Almighty God can never be changed. You could send it to the Supreme Court.
It wouldn't matter or amount to a hill of beans. You can get every lawyer you've ever hired. You can make every decision. You can get the school board to vote God out. He's not going anywhere.
You want me to tell you why? This is the Declaration of Almighty God. He's unchangeable. This is set for all time and for all eternity. And this declaration which was made possible in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ will never change. It is there for all time and eternity. That's the kind of God who loves us. Rule number eight, it was set to begin immediately when Jesus died. I mean immediately. That's what verse 13 tells us.
It says the obsolete will soon disappear. The moment Jesus died, what happened, folks? On the cross. Oh, I love to quote the words of Jesus.
What did he say? He was hanging there on the cross. And he said, it is finished.
Nothing more to be done. That's why Jesus Christ is superior. That's why he's the one.
He's the one who loves us completely. Folks, it's all centered in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. It began immediately.
It was set in motion immediately. And how long? For all time and all eternity. Do you know as long as you and I have got breath to breathe, we've got an opportunity to give our hearts to Jesus. Would you bow your heads with me this morning? Lord Jesus, as we come to this time of invitation this morning, if there is one person within the sound of my voice who doesn't know Jesus, please, Lord, let them open their hearts and give their heart and life to you today.
Right now. Father, surely there can be nothing more important than knowing you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. You know something? As I've traveled from time to time, particularly when I have an opportunity to be overseas, every now and again I have somebody come up to me, Steve, and they say to me, where are you from?
And of course I tell them, well, I'm from America. No. No. I say, yes, I am. I'm an American. No.
There is no way. You come from Oxford, England. No. I say to them, no, I'm an American. You know, I often think about that. I often think in my own life what this country has meant to me, this country that adopted somebody like me. I could never repay America. But you know what the truth is, though, Steve?
It's not about my American citizenship. Did you know that when you give your heart to Jesus Christ, you try and send all boundaries? You become a citizen of the kingdom of heaven where there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither bond nor free. You know what you discover when you give your heart to Jesus?
You can be traveling in Africa, China, Australia, the United States, South America, Great Britain. You're gonna run into people everywhere who've got the same citizenship that you've got. They took hold of the same declaration of almighty God. And when they did, Jesus Christ set them free. Do you know the Lord Jesus? Have you given your heart and life to him?
He's the best friend you'll ever have, I promise you. Don't hold on. There's someone here today who's holding on, holding back.
Isn't it time for you to let go? You know, I wish I could save you. Many times when I preach, I wish I could walk down the aisle and get someone and say, you're saved. I don't have the right or the power to do that. Only Jesus can do that.
My responsibility is the same as yours. It's just to share with you that what Jesus Christ has done for me, he'll do exactly the same thing for you. So I want to ask you today, would you give your heart to Jesus?
I'm gonna ask you to get up out of your seat and make your way to the front and take one of us by the hand and allow us the privilege of praying with you so that you too would be set free. When Jesus comes into your heart, your marriage will never be the same. Your family will never be the same.
Your hurt and your pain, it'll never be the same. Tomorrow will never be the same because he'll set you free. I want to invite you to come today. God is moving in this place. Don't go through life without a church family. Folks, I don't know where I'd be without you. I don't know where we'd be without one another. God has given us to one another.
What a precious gift. I just invite you to come. I don't know how else to do that. I don't want to go chasing after you. I don't want to come and knock down your door and give you the impression I've just come to visit you so you can become a member of the church.
I don't do that. I believe God will put it in your heart. And when he does, there's no holding you back. I want you to come.
I'm jealous for you to come. I want you to know that you've given your heart to Jesus. What a powerful time of teaching and preaching from the pulpit with Dr. Don Wilton. But in these next few moments, he's stepping into the studio to not only wrap up today's message, but perhaps to share with you his most important question of the day. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ?
I'm so happy to hear that. Why don't you pray this prayer with me today? Dear God, I know that you love me very, very much. And I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came and died on a cross so that I might be forgiven of my sin. Today, I repent of my sin.
I confess my sin to you. And I invite you to come into my heart and into my life by faith. In Jesus' name I pray. If you've prayed that prayer, let me be the first one to welcome you to the family of God.
This is wonderful. I hope that you know how much I'm gonna be praying for you and how very important this is for me. Call us so that we can talk to you and connect you in the right place so you can begin this wonderful journey.
And in just a moment, I'm gonna come back with a final word. Perhaps you've heard more than the voice of Dr. Don Wilton on today's edition of The Encouraging Word. And perhaps moments ago, as Dr. Don was leading that prayer of salvation, you prayed along with Dr. Wilton and gave your life to Jesus for the very first time, or rededicated your life to Jesus.
In those situations, we would love to not only celebrate with you, but walk alongside you and encourage you in the next steps. Dr. Wilton has prepared unique free resources he wants you to have if you'll call us. 866-899. Word is our phone number. Jot it down.
Store it in your cell. 866-899-9673. And let us know that you've given your life to Christ or rededicated your life today, and you'd like those free resources from Dr. Wilton. We'll be sure and get them out to you right away. And before we get away, Dr. Don has an opportunity for you to get connected with us on a daily basis. Here's Dr. Don with details about our daily encouraging word. You know, I'd love to be a part of your daily devotional. Love to be able to send you the encouraging word daily devotional and be a part of what God says to each one of us through his word every day.
You can become part of that and receive one yourself from me. Just go online to TEWonline.org. That's TEWonline.org and get your copy of the encouraging word Bible devotion today. Our time's gone for today, but I hope you'll consider joining us again at this same time tomorrow for the next message from Dr. Wilton called Who's Your One?
Oh, it's a powerful message coming from 2 Samuel 9 and we'll dive in together on the encouraging word. Now, between now and then, we'd love to stay connected with you on our website, TEWonline.org. That's TEWonline.org. It's the place to hear today's message again or share it with a friend.
Maybe find the links to share it on your social media. One of the most remarkable ways the Lord has used this ministry to grow and reach even more people for the cause of Christ is friends like you sharing the message. Again, you'll find it easy to share on our website, TEWonline.org or any of our social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We'd love to connect with you. Now, before we get away, I want to remind you that many friends are joining along with us in prayerfully and financially supporting the ministry. If you're interested, discover more at our website, TEWonline.org.
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