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John 16:13-14 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (KJV)
Did you ever stop and really consider all that has been done already on your behalf? I know that when I was stuck in the realm of the flesh I could never find true peace and contentment, but I was always looking for more, you know like a child, if I could only have one more piece of candy. God sent a Savior to the world; and for those of you that choose to give ear to His message of deliverance, look at it like having your own personal trainer, one who will show you how to get in the shape you need to be in to run the race of salvation, an endurance race to the end. Williams New Testament translation John 16:13-14 13. But when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into the whole truth, for He will not speak on His own authority but will tell what is told Him, and will announce to you the things that are to come. 14. He will glorify me, because He will take the things that belong to me and tell them to you. This same message of faith that Jesus of Nazareth relied on to get Him through this life and home with His Father in heaven is the same one He was dying to give His people. In fact, once you allowed the Lord into your life it was like having a personal fitness trainer come to your house to show you what it will take to make it to the same destination our Lord did. God speaks His message through His Son; words that are Spirit and life so that you can be a partaker of His divine nature. You know, as you look at the life of a personal fitness trainer you will find that they are in good shape and healthy, having practiced and lived what they preach. No one has left this life in better shape Spiritually than Jesus Christ, now it’s time for you to follow suit. Psalms 31:2-4 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. 3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. 4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength. (KJV) All through the Word we see it is our Lord’s desire to lead and guide His people to victory, if only they would trust in Him. Despite the fact that many were led out of Egypt, it was never the Lord’s desire to see them overthrown in the wilderness. It is not our Lord’s desire to see you overthrown and blown off course on the path of life either, but rather He would like to see you get built up and stronger on a daily basis. Proverbs 2:13-17 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; 14 Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the forwardness of the wicked; 15 Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths: 16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; 17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God. (KJV) The enemy will manifest himself in many disguises to get you distracted and not following your Spiritual exercise regimen. Given the fact that the Lord said He would never leave us nor forsake us it would do you well to make sure you haven’t left or forsaken Him, your only personal Spiritual trainer that can get you in the shape you need to be in this day. Dearly loved, exercise yourself unto godliness which is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. God bless. John 14:21-24 He that hath my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loves me not keeps not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. (KJV)
Do you desire to keep your first love alive and real today? Keeping watch constantly in the Word will make that a reality. Many have left their first love that they had for the Lord because they allowed the enemy back in with something inferior. I John 3:22-24 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. 24 And he that keeps his commandments dwells in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. (KJV) Do you wonder why at times your prayers don’t seem to get answered? Salvation is a two-way street where we not only pray to God and expect a response from Him, but He also communicates to us and expects us to respond to Him. 2 Timothy 4:5-6 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (KJV) All this week we have been looking at the term keep, which refers to watching, guarding, and holding fast to. As we see above Paul the apostle was able to make a bold statement concerning his walk with the Lord knowing that his end was near. My prayer for the Church today is that they can make the same statement when they are facing the end. Staying awake spiritually, letting the peace of God keep or guard your heart and decisions today, will go a long way toward making that happen. John 8:51-52 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou say, if a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. (KJV) Today many are missing the point and are unable to keep the things of God because they still see our Lord after the outward man and not for who He really is. We are to know no man after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Knowing our Lord after the flesh is why they crucified Him instead of embracing His message. Those that know who Christ is will be able to see beyond the veil of the flesh and hold fast their profession of faith without wavering while all others will be confused. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (KJV) We can be our own worst enemies when we revert back to the ways of the flesh. So today, hold fast to Him and stay in the Spirit. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord dearly loved. Luke 12:37-40 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 And this know, that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. (KJV)
Many are called by God, yet in the end only a few are chosen. Many vowed their lives to the Lord; however, just like in many marriages today they strayed and allowed the enemy back in. Oh you may think this doesn’t happen that much, but one only needs to wake up and see how many denominations man has dreamed up thinking they knew better than God. I would be willing to say that if the truth be known most Christians would be more apt to keep a closer watch on a lottery ticket than they do their own souls. Luke 21:34-36 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch you therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (KJV) Today many are ignorant of the fact that the Lord has made a way of escape for His people so that they will not have to go through the tribulation. Obviously at some point in their walk they fell asleep spiritually and allowed the thief back into their house. For those that claim they will still be here during the tribulation, they are half right; however, the only reason that is happening is because they didn’t keep a close watch on the things that pertain to salvation. Ezekiel 33:6-8 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. 7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shall hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. 8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shall surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. (KJV) You know it’s a lot easier for a thief to pull off a heist if the watchmen are asleep. We are supposed to be the watchmen, blowing the trumpet when the Lord asks us to. Instead many of God’s people are dancing to the beat of a different drum. Ephesians 6:17-18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (KJV) Once you have taken the whole armor of God and put it on, it is time for you to stand and watch, not falling asleep again which is what the word ‘watching refers’ to. God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Psalms 141:2-3 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. 3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. (KJV)
Given the fact that death and life are in the power of the tongue, it would do you well as a Christian to keep a watch on what is coming from it. You are either bringing forth words of life like rivers of living waters, or you have become a spiritual arsonist starting fires and fanning them with many winds of mans’ doctrines. Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 Keep thy foot when thou goes to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. (KJV) Fools are the ones that know what is wrong with everyone else except themselves. Fools are the ones who run to and fro seeking peace and never stay in one place long enough to find it. Foolish people are those that talk a lot, but never say anything. Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 When thou vows a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou should not vow, than that thou should vow and not pay. (KJV) Now paying a vow doesn’t necessarily mean just money. Paying a vow means to follow through in your commitment to the Lord by presenting yourself as a living sacrifice daily, fit and ready for the Master’s use. However, you will be of no use to our Lord if you keep chasing things in the realm of the flesh and continue ignoring those of the Spirit. Proverbs 29:11 A fool utters all his mind: but a wise man keeps it in till afterwards. (KJV) Sometimes we hear only half the story and then go off on others only to find out later on that there were actually two sides, and that we had only heard the untrue part, which puts us in the category of a fool because we didn’t take time to hear the whole matter. Proverbs11:12-13 He that is void of wisdom despises his neighbor: but a man of understanding holds his peace. 13 A talebearer reveals secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealed the matter. (KJV) Do you desire to keep the peace? You can start by keeping the tongue in subjection to the Spirit. Those that are constantly talking about others are a real turn off because you know that as soon as you leave they will be blabbing about you too. Proverbs 12:22-23 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight. 23 A prudent man conceals knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaims foolishness. (KJV) Just because you heard something about someone else doesn’t always mean it needs to be repeated. There is a time to speak and a time to keep silent. It would do you well to know the difference between when the Lord is asking you to speak up and when it is time to keep your mouth shut. James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God. (KJV) Maybe if something is rubbing you the wrong way, instead of playing the blame game take a look at your own life to see why that is happening. Before you speak foolishness take the time to hear the whole of the matter first. God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord dearly loved. Philippians 4:6-8 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (KJV)
The peace of God is what keeps or guards the heart from things that will cause you to wander off the path of life. The peace of God is what tells us when it is okay to move forward in our prayer request, or just the opposite when there is not a peace, knowing that you should not move forward. What happens with many is the enemy presents a scenario that is just too good to be true which is what the end result will be. The Lord provides His peace in situations that appear impossible to the outward man. The enemy will only show you the highlight reels of the pleasures of sin while leaving out the consequences which can be eternal if not dealt with properly. Colossians 3:15-16 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also ye are called in one body; and be ye, thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (KJV) That term rule means to govern; prevail and the word umpire was also used. The peace of God means that you are letting the inward man have more of an influence on you than the old outward one. Simply put, if you can’t do something or say something faithfully, then you are wandering back onto the enemies turf which is just what he wants. 2 Timothy 2:24-26 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (KJV) Those that oppose themselves are those that profess to know God, however their lifestyles is a polar opposite. These are people who began in the Spirit, but became hypocrites because they reverted back to the flesh thinking that they would perfect their walk. Well the only perfect thing it produces is the spiritual storm created by those that should know better. Instead of walking in the liberty we have in Christ, many have become the devils puppet, with just a pull of the strings they have allowed themselves to be attached with him. I John 5:18-20 We know that whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not. 19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness. 20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (KJV) The Bible tells us to come out and away from any unclean thing and be separate from the world. Many times Christians are a product of their environment because they hang out with those that are more of the world than the Word. Had they been watching, they would not have allowed the enemy to even lay a hand on them. God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Deuteronomy 7:8-9 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; (KJV)
When you pray to God in a time of need, seeking an escape from this present evil world, you trust in the fact that He will keep His word and supply the need according to His promises. In turn He expects us to keep His Word alive and working in us so that when He calls on us, we will have an answer to any of His people that would cross our paths. Luke 11:27-28 And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the pap’s which thou hast sucked. 28 But he said, yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. (KJV) The word ‘keep’ refers to watching, guarding, to be constantly observing at all times. When you accepted salvation and were born again you not only became a receptacle for the blessings, but you also became a target of the enemy. Proverbs 3:13-15 Happy is the man that finds wisdom, and the man that gets understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. (KJV) What I found in the beginning of my walk with the Lord was a peace and contentment I never knew existed. Once I found this there was no going back, well at least without suffering the consequences of losing that peace. Today when you hear all these prosperity messages claiming money is the answer to all of life’s issues, you see people who may have begun their walk in the Spirit, but then allowed the enemy to distract them with something in the flesh, that being the root of all evil, the love of money. Proverbs 3:16-18 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retains her. (KJV) Retain refers to holding fast, seizing control of, or simply to keep hold of. Remember Church, the Bible is quite specific in the fact that only those that endure to the end will be saved. All those that didn’t hold fast to the gift of Christ will be left out of His kingdom because they didn’t keep a watch on their soul. God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Revelation 2:25-27 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26 And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (KJV)
Our Lord wasn’t a wishy-washy double talker was He? Because of this He is now seated at the right hand of our Father showing us the way to get there too. Are you keeping the faith alive and real in your walk by being more than a conqueror through Christ, or are you barely hanging on by a thread? 1 Peter 1:23-25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower thereof falls away: 25 But the word of the Lord endures for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (KJV) I can tell by talking with many Christians what their love and commitment to the Lord is by their knowledge in the Word and how much time they spend in it. Given the fact that the Word is the only thing that will endure forever, I would think that should be the first thing a Christian would want to get a hold of daily. After all the question begs to be asked, what could be more important? John 15:9-11 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (KJV) The joy of the Lord is our strength, something you want to keep yourself built up in. I know many who desire a closer relationship with the Lord, but fall short when it comes time to keep their commitment of spending time in the Word to keep the spirit man fed and full. 1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (KJV) We were all like sheep gone astray until our Lord came along and woke us up from a spiritual stupor. We are kept alive by the power of God which is the strongest thing available in the universe. With a deal like this there is no reason or excuse for not making it home. Proverbs 21:23 Whoso keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles. (KJV) By our words we will either be justified or condemned, and whatever you put into the heart is going to come out of your mouth. Given the fact that our Lord said His words are spirit and life, I would suggest you put them into the heart first thing so that you can keep yourself in the love of God. Luke 11:21-23 When a strong man armed keeps his palace, his goods are in peace: 22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he takes from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathers not with me scatters. (KJV) When you have armed yourself with the mind of Christ you will experience His peace. If you stray and revert back to the flesh then the things of this realm will have more of an influence on you than the Lord and you will end up being overtaken again, the latter being worse than the beginning. Bottom line Church, it is vital for you to hold fast your profession of faith daily without wavering and keep your heart and mind guarded so that you can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Revelation 2:25-26 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26 And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: (KJV)
The intent of salvation is not only to find a new life in Christ, but to follow through with your commitment so that you will be rewarded in the end. Many begin so well with zeal and exuberance for the Lord, but then the things of this life seem to become more important. Luke 18:18-21 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said unto him, why call thou me good? None is good, save one, that is, God. 20 Thou knows the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother. 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. (KJV) At some point in your walk you will come to a place that I will call the cross road, a point where what has been working in the past needs to be changed so you can continue to grow in the Lord. Sometimes this involves a change in lifestyle, or the people you have been associating with who are no longer beneficial to your walk. We see above what happens with every Christian, something that is so highly esteemed among mankind is not something our Lord desires to see you pursue after or make a priority any longer. Luke 18:22-23 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lacks thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. (KJV) In the end what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? The Lord is going to ask you to give up things that are near and dear to you; the question now becomes will you do what it takes to continue moving forward in your walk or will you walk away grieving the Spirit? Luke 18:24-25 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (KJV) Bigger is not always better, and having more stuff is not always a blessing from above. Today many false prophets have sold out and walked away from our Lord by preaching phony prosperity messages which appeal to the lower nature, but are an abomination to the new one. If you are in a congregation where they seem more concerned with outward things than the inward I would suggest you head out. Romans 8:37-39 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (KJV) When the Lord comes to you personally and asks you to have a change of heart, will you have the mindset that nothing will stop or separate you from the love of God, or will you follow the rich young ruler down a path of destruction? God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord dearly loved. Revelation 2:25-29 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26 And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (KJV)
There are definitely terms and conditions concerning salvation based on what the Lord approves of and not man. If you don’t find out for yourself what those are, in the end you may find yourself on the outside looking in. Some claim that all you have to do is make a commitment to the Lord and it’s a done deal, but just like in a marriage, it can start out good, only to end in a disaster. Matthew 7:13-14 Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in there at: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it. (KJV) Mankind has widened the path and has made a broad way that they claim is the right way; the problem is, it’s the wrong way. If you have ever driven the wrong way on a one way street you know it can lead to destruction. The same holds true spiritually for those that don’t diligently seek the Lord daily to avoid these death traps. Your way of escape from this present evil world is a narrow path that few find and even fewer are holding to till the very end. Romans 11:19-21 Thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou stands by faith. Be not high minded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. (KJV) Salvation is not based on our works; it is one of faith, where we believe and hold fast to what our Lord has worked out for us. Many today think they are doing the Lord’s work without realizing that they have broken fellowship with the Lord; and their doctrines are highly flammable to say the least. Romans 11:22-23 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shall be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. (KJV) The natural branches are the Jews, and we the Gentiles have been grafted into the tree of life so that we can bear the fruit of the Spirit; however, don’t be so high minded to think that you can’t walk away or be cut off at any time by your lack of diligence in the Word and not keeping the faith first and foremost in your life. Once saved always saved is based on you continuing your walk in the Spirit and not reverting back to the flesh. Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (KJV) If only a few really find the narrow and straight path that leads to life then what happens to the many others? Simply put they were deceived and cut themselves loose. Dearly loved, continue in the faith grounded and settled for today is the day of salvation; God bless and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. Revelation 2:25-27 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26 And he that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (KJV)
So how would you categorize your walk with the Lord today, are you an over comer or is the reality more of an underachiever? Have you held fast to your commitment to the Lord like you did in the beginning of your walk? Have kept your relationship with Him first and foremost in your life? The most important part of your walk is not the beginning, but the end, how you finish is what will determine your eternity. Today, why not make sure that you end up the victor? Titus 1:7-9 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. (KJV) Many today show up on Sunday excited and giddy when they have an audience, but by Monday they look like something the cat dragged in. It’s not what happens when the congregation is around, but what takes place at home that will determine whether you will be used by our Lord or not. When salvation truly becomes a way of life for you, you will know that you are an over comer because you do all things heartily unto the Lord and are no longer concerned with what people think. Hebrews 10:23-24 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (KJV) Remember what our Lord said was the greatest love we could have for Him, laying down our lives for others. When you are around other Christians are you really an inspiration or more of a spiritual buzz kill by your whining and fussing? Hebrews 3:6-8 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. 7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost says, today if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: (KJV) Our old nature fusses and whines when it doesn’t get its way and like children we throw a hissy fit to get attention. For those that have grown and matured in Christ, they realize the sacrifice it took to get us into the kingdom, that which keeps the heart tender and pliable like clay. 2 Timothy 1:12-14 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. 13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwells in us. (KJV) You are going to run into some opposition along the way, but just like endurance runners you’re going to have to keep going. It’s nice to have sunny calm weather to run in, however, in order to keep fit and ready for the Master’s use you will have to endure some inclement conditions to finish the course. God bless dearly loved, and have a prosperous day in Christ Jesus our Lord. |
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