Sunday Message, October 24, 2021

Three Tests for Salvation

1 John 2: 3 - 11

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Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

At every turn we are seeing struggles in our lives. War, protests, shootings, murders, natural disasters, change in our climate and families are being torn apart. These events cause us to look around and scratch our heads.

Yet, as Christians, I hope that we don’t spend too much time wondering about these things. Scripture is clear that events such as this will take place. Matthew 24 tells us of the troubles and perilous times that will precede the coming of our Lord Jesus. I won’t use this time as a study of events leading to end times, but to simply say that the fig tree is putting forth its leaves.

Yet this makes me ask – What do you do when you come to the end of the money and there is still some month left? Or when a child determines that they no longer need to abide by your guidance? Or when you find out that they no longer need your services at your work?

You question what is going on. You may respond in anger. You seek to work out every scenario so that you can make sure your needed comforts are met. In the past when issues arose in my life, there were times when I questioned God because I didn’t know how I was going to make it.

But the wonderful thing about this is that no matter how wrong things seem to go in our lives, God is still God. He tells us not to worry because just as He clothes the flowers in the field and provides for the sparrow, He will take care of us (Mt. 6:25-32). In fact, He says in 6:33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”

We often get angry about the situation in which we have found ourselves. I don’t feel there is anything wrong with being angry unless we allow it to fester and become sin. Eph. 4:26-27 says, “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and do not give the devil an opportunity.” All too often it isn’t the situation that throws us off, but the way we handle it.

There are those in our lives that are making some big decisions in their lives. They don’t need us worrying whether they will make the right choices. They need us praying for them so that as God reveals His will for them, they will be able to make the right choice. All our worrying will not change the fact they have a choice to make. Yet our praying will put it in God’s hands and there is no better place.

God has promised that He will take care of us. He promised He would take care of the exiles. When God spoke to the exiles in Jeremiah 29 they were in the midst of 70 years of captivity. He said in 29:10-12 --- “For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. 11 ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12 ‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.”

That promise comes to us even today. Romans 8:31 says, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” When God is on our side nothing this world does can keep us from accomplishing the task before us nor separate us from Him. Yes, satan will try to discourage us, make us worry, even cause us to be angry. But God will work in the midst of all that takes place to bring us to Himself.

As you go through the coming days, just remember that with God on your side you are on the winning team. God will help you to be all you need to be in the midst of your struggles. Open yourselves to God as He seeks to move in your life. He will bear you up, give you strength, and give you victory. Seek Him first and He promises you’ll have all you need.

JESUS, JESUS, JESUS, there IS something about that name!!

Christ only, always,

Bro. Paul