For a great and effective door has been opened to me and there are many adversaries. 1 Corinthians 16:9 When God opens a door for us Satan the thief comes through the window to try and block us, but God is with us. Rebuke him!
Whenever we try to do something good, especially the work of the Lord, we find many who try to derail our efforts; you don’t ask their opinion but they are quick to tell you why it’s not going to work. But, scripture reminds us to watch, to stand fast in the faith, to be brave and to be strong, and let all that we do be done in love and to the glory of God, for he who does the work of the lord will not be alone, and his labor will not be in vain; therefore, when God impresses upon our heart the work He has set before us, we should be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor will never be in vain. God knew beforehand that when He opens great and effective doors for us to walk through that there would be many adversaries, and that is why He said, lo, I will be with you always, I will never leave you nor forsake you. My brothers and sisters in Christ, if God has called you to do His will He has already equipped you, don’t allow the enemy to steal your tools, use them against him. Amen!
“But, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” Praise the Lord!
“All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet, He opened not His mouth, He was led as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before its shearer is silent.” God did this for us, yet, we are not willing to bear the shortcomings of our brothers and sisters. We are quick to judge, we are harsh with criticisms, we are evil in backbiting, we are swift to condemn and slow to forgive. But, God who is rich in mercy has borne our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, and we still beat Him with cruel stripes every day, but because of his mercy, by those same stripes, we are healed. Thank you Lord!
For all things are for your sakes, that grace having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15
“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet, the inward man is being renewed day by day, for our light affliction which is but for a moment, is working for us far more exceeding weight in glory. While we do not look at the things which are seen, but the unseen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” But are we faithful enough to understand these things? Do we trust God enough to bring us through the situations we face? Are we so overwhelmed by our afflictions, that we lose hope? My brothers and sisters in Christ, we cannot lose heart, we cannot give up, we must be confident of this very thing, that all things happen for our sakes, that grace having spread through us, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
“I hear thy welcome voice that calls me Lord to thee, wash me in thy precious blood that flows on Calvary. I am coming Lord, coming now to thee, wash me cleanse me in the blood that flows on Calvary.”
My brothers and sisters in Christ, if you hear God’s voice calling you this morning, harden not your hearts. No matter what you have done, or where you have been, come to Jesus, the God of second chances. Do not allow the past to define you, let it refine you, for where you have been will not hinder you from going where God is leading you. What you have done, will not stop what God will do for you, so if you are burdened with the weight of sin, give it all to Jesus, he is a forgiving and an understanding God and He will turn your sorrows into joy. Praise the Lord!
“The mistakes of my life have been many, the sins of my heart have been more, and I scarce can see for weeping, but I’ll knock at the open door. Knock and the door will be opened unto you.”
“I know I am weak and sinful, but I hear that voice calling me, come, and I know it’s the Savior who calls me, so I’ll answer His knock at the door. I am the lowest of those who love me, the weakest of those who pray, but I will come as He is bidding, for He will never turn me away. The mistakes His free grace will cover, my sins He will wash away, and my feet that shrink and falter, will continually walk in His way. The mistakes of my life have been many, and my spirit was sick with sin, and I scarce could see for weeping, but Christ Jesus let me in.” God is knocking at your hearts door today, sinner, won’t you let Him in? I heard His knock and answered His call, and now He is my all in all. Praise the Lord!
“I’ve wandered far away from God now, I am coming home, the paths of sin too long I’ve trod, Lord I am coming home. I’ve wasted many precious years, now I’m coming home, Lord, I now repent with bitter tears, and now I’m coming home.” God is waiting with open arms, come home.
“Like wandering sheep o’re mountains cold, since all have gone astray, they have been scattered from the fold, how will they find their way? Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Christ is the way, the truth and the life, and I will no more roam, for he will guide me to my Father house and to my eternal home.” Thank you, Lord!
Many say that the ways of the Lord are not fair, but are we fair to the Lord who is merciful, forgiving and kind to us? No! It is our ways that are not fair. The Lord is just and fair in all his dealings. Praise the Lord!
When a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right he preserves himself alive. Therefore, if we repent, none of the transgressions we have committed will be remembered against us. Who else could be this merciful forgiving and kind to us but our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Come to Jesus and make no delay. A ruler once came to Jesus by night to ask Him the way of salvation and light, and Jesus said to him, ye must be born again. We too, if we are ashamed, we could come to Jesus in the still of the night, in our quiet places and repent and be forgiven of all our transgressions, for he promised that if we call upon His name that we shall be saved. The Lord did not come to save the righteous, but that all sinners through him might be saved. Thank you, Lord for forgiveness.
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Acts 4:19
My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us call upon the name of the Lord and be saved from our transgressions, for there will not be found salvation in any other name under heaven by which we must be saved. “Repent therefore and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin, cast away from you all transgressions which you have committed and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. The Lord has no pleasure in the death of one who dies. Turn and live says the Lord.”
“Thy word O Lord, is a lamp unto my feet, thy word is a light to my path, it shines in my soul like a star by night, and comforts and cheers me by day.” Thank you, Lord!
“Thanks for thy word O blessed Lord, open our eyes its beauty to see, grant us the grace to study it wisely and draw every heart to thee. Thanks for the Bible which so freely offers, pardon and peace to all who believe, help us O Lord, its counsel to follow, meekly by faith and in truth receive. Thanks for thy word of precept and promise, lamp to our feet and light to our path, blessed are those who keep its commandments, they shall abide forever with thee.” Amen!
And we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God and are called according to His purpose, for those whom He foreknew He predestined. Romans 8:28-29
We know that God causes all things to work together for our good. How then are we not faithful enough to endure the things we go through, so that God could work our purpose out? God has assigned a purpose to every one of us. Some understand that purpose early in life; some find that purpose through adversity; some find that purpose in helping others, but many never experience it because they are afraid to embrace it. My brothers and sisters in Christ, God loves us, and as we love and trust Him more he will cause all things to work together for our good, for he made us, he knows what we are capable of and that is why we may experience tough times and come out smiling, because God will never place a burden on us that we are not able to bear. Endure all things for Christ’s sake; for he knows you as you are, He knew you before you were, and He predestined you for His good work. Walk in it!