SATURDAY'S SOUNDNESS...

HEBREWS 3: 12-15... 
12+++Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.
13+++But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
14+++For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
15+++while it is said,
“TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,
DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME.”

Days of temptation are often days of provocation. But to provoke God, when he is letting us see that we entirely depend and live upon him, is a provocation indeed.  

 The hardening of the heart is the spring of all other sins. The sins of others, especially of our relations, should be warnings to us. All sin, especially sin committed by God's professing, privileged people, not only provokes God, but it grieves him. God is loth to destroy any in, or for their sin; he waits long to be gracious to them. But sin, long persisted in, will make God's wrath discover itself in destroying the impenitent; there is no resting under the wrath of God.

Take heed: all who would get safe to heaven must look about them; if once we allow ourselves to distrust God, we may soon desert him. Let those that think they stand, take heed lest they fall. Since to-morrow is not ours, we must make the best improvement of this day. And there are none, even the strongest of the flock, who do not need help of other Christians. Neither are there any so low and despised, but the care of their standing in the faith, and of their safety, belongs to all. Sin has so many ways and colours, that we need more eyes than ours own. Sin appears fair, but is vile; it appears pleasant, but is destructive; it promises much, but performs nothing. The deceitfulness of sin hardens the soul; one sin allowed makes way for another; and every act of sin confirms the habit. Let every one beware of sin.

ROMANS 11: 17-21...
17+++If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,
18+++do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
19+++You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.”
20+++Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble.
21+++For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

The gospel is the greatest riches of every place where it is. As therefore the righteous rejection of the unbelieving Jews, was the occasion of so large a multitude of the Gentiles being reconciled to God, and at peace with him; the future receiving of the Jews into the church would be such a change, as would resemble a general resurrection of the dead in sin to a life of righteousness. Abraham was as the root of the church. The Jews continued branches of this tree till, as a nation, they rejected the Messiah; after that, their relation to Abraham and to God was, as it were, cut off. 

 The Gentiles were grafted into this tree in their room; being admitted into the church of God. Multitudes were made heirs of Abraham's faith, holiness and blessedness. It is the natural state of every one of us, to be wild by nature. Conversion is as the grafting in of wild branches into the good olive. The wild olive was often ingrafted into the fruitful one when it began to decay, and this not only brought forth fruit, but caused the decaying olive to revive and flourish. The Gentiles, of free grace, had been grafted in to share advantages. They ought therefore to beware of self-confidence, and every kind of pride or ambition; lest, having only a dead faith, and an empty profession, they should turn from God, and forfeit their privileges. If we stand at all, it is by faith; we are guilty and helpless in ourselves, and are to be humble, watchful, afraid of self-deception, or of being overcome by temptation. Not only are we at first justified by faith, but kept to the end in that justified state by faith only; yet, by a faith which is not alone, but which worketh by love to God and man.

1 CORINTHIANS 15: 58...
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

All the saints should not die, but all would be changed. In the gospel, many truths, before hidden in mystery, are made known. Death never shall appear in the regions to which our Lord will bear his risen saints. Therefore let us seek the full assurance of faith and hope, that in the midst of pain, and in the prospect of death, we may think calmly on the horrors of the tomb; assured that our bodies will there sleep, and in the mean time our souls will be present with the Redeemer. 

Sin gives death all its hurtful power. The sting of death is sin; but Christ, by dying, has taken out this sting; he has made atonement for sin, he has obtained remission of it. The strength of sin is the law. None can answer its demands, endure its curse, or do away his own transgressions. Hence terror and anguish. And hence death is terrible to the unbelieving and the impenitent. Death may seize a believer, but it cannot hold him in its power. How many springs of joy to the saints, and of thanksgiving to God, are opened by the death and resurrection, the sufferings and conquests of the Redeemer! 

In verse 58, we have an exhortation, that believers should be steadfast, firm in the faith of that gospel which the apostle preached, and they received. Also, to be unmovable in their hope and expectation of this great privilege, of being raised incorruptible and immortal. And to abound in the work of the Lord, always doing the Lord's service, and obeying the Lord's commands. May Christ give us faith, and increase our faith, that we may not only be safe, but joyful and triumphant.

People have an age old tendency to dismiss, disregard, negate, and deny that the WRATH of *GOD* IS REAL, and IS coming upon this world! Just as Eve's heart was changed by the words of the evil one, who told her that surely she would not die, most generations since, HAVE way-sided the TRUTH of THE LORD'S WRATH, and hell!!!

THE LORD HAS set before us BLESSINGS and CURSES; our CHOICES matter, BELIEVE it! If we CHOOSE to ignore the PROMISE of HIS WRATH, then our regard, and respect for HIM is diminished, and serves against HIS WILL! If we deny that hell exists, and that there are those slated to spend eternity away from THE LORD, then we deny also, HIS PROMISES OF LIFE FOR those who LOVE HIM, FEAR HIM, and MELD INTO the TRUTH of our existence!  ALL things written of ARE TRUTH, and DO apply to ALL! There is NO exception, NO partiality; THE WILL of *GOD* SHALL BE DONE ACCORDING TO THE WORD! The HEAVENS and the Earth may, and will pass away, but HIS WORD IS FOREVER, and MEANS what it says!!!

ALL IN CREATION is made with contrasts; right, wrong, good, bad, weak, strong, and so on; which works as part of free will, and balance! Who can understand the mind of *GOD*, let alone the necessities involved in these contrasts? All we should know is that HE IS CREATOR, FATHER OF THE UNIVERSE, and ALL IN IT, and THE SOVEREIGN LORD, ABOVE ALL else, which INSPIRES AWE, AMAZEMENT, and REVERENCE FOR HIS LOFTINESS OVER everything, THAT we respect, regard, and fear the contrasts of HIS POSITION, and HIS PROMISES!!!

The world, the enemy likes to tell us that we are free to do what we want, and still SERVE *GOD*; this affects our TRUTH from the heart outwardly, our FAITH, our FAITHFULNESS, our ability to LOVE as HE COMMANDS, and to exist IN HIS WILL! We would be far better off listening to THE LORD FIRST, before we allow the world to harden us, confuse us, and deceive us! ALL HE DECREES IS TRUTH, and SHALL manifest, if it hasn't already! We HAVE THE OLD TESTAMENT AS WITNESS to WHAT awaits those who do NOT FOLLOW HIM, or whom FOLLOW HIM with lip-service only, and on it goes!!!

UNBELIEF of ALL HE has placed before us IS a dangerous snare, and WILL see many wayside; we CAN'T believe only part of the whole! BEING a CHRISTIAN is MORE than a thought, more than ritualistic, more than passed down by tradition, well, let this be said, “Everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” When Jesus truly saves us, it makes a difference in how we think, act, speak, and conduct ourselves. We are NOT of the world, and we ARE a NEW CREATION, with hearts SOFTENED BY HIS LOVE, GRACE, MERCY, and WILL!!!

Let us NEVER wane, doubt, or assume, instead let us study, learn, and LIVE IN HIS WILL, and LOVE, while existing IN TOTAL REVERENCE of HIS HIGHNESS! Let us PRAISE, WORSHIP, REJOICE, BE THANKFUL, HONOUR HIM, PRAY without ceasing, HONE our FAITH, develop our FAITHFULNESS, and STAND STRONG IN HIM, HIS WILL, and LOVE!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2015
BIBLICAL, and/or other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS

“Believing is putting everything you have, your heart, soul, life, putting everything (into) standing for what’s right.” Sen. Ted Cruz