SO THAT SOME WILL BELIEVE
To be glad instruments of God's love in this imperfect world is the service to which man is called. -Schweitzer
Acts 17:4, And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
Paul had just seen the miracle of the Philippian jailor’s conversion. He left out of that city and was going from town to town, preaching the Gospel, so that some might believe. He made his way into a synagogue at Thessalonica. He stepped into that dead, religious building and began to preach unto them Jesus. He was there for three days with the Word of God pointing out how Jesus had to have suffered, how He had to die, and how He must be risen from the darkness of death. He was there to preach unto them Jesus was the Christ! Jesus was the Messiah they had been praying for. What happened next was another miracle, “And some of them believed”.
Friend, as many of us go knocking on doors today, never loose sight of the fact that some will believe the message. Our motivation is the love of God, we go because we love Him. But oh, never forget that within the pages of your Bible is the knowledge of how a man, woman, boy, or girl can be redeemed by the precious blood of the lamb. Never forget that the Gospel can save. Never forget, some will believe.
JUST TRUST GOD!
If we trust God we will toil for God!
Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: Matthew 1:24
Joseph had just been told his betrothed wife was with child. He hadn’t had any intimate relations with her so he knew the child was not his. I can only imagine how he felt; fear, disbelief, anger, helpless, hopeless, shattered dreams, etc. But in just two Words all of that started to drift away. “Fear not”, was the beginning of a message Joseph need to hear. After he heard the message, Joseph did what the angel of the Lord told him.
Friend, fear not! God has made the way of salvation! He has provided the only means of escaping eternal damnation in Hell! He said in Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” If you believe then do something about it! GET UP, GET READY, and GO TO CHURCH this morning!
DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR OR SEE!
Seeing isn’t believing anymore, but then neither is hearing.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1
The digital, computer generated age we live in propels images to us that are so far from the truth the FBI, CIA, Homeland Security, and NSA have trouble determining what’s real. So how do they determine what’s real? They study the real things! How do we know if a twenty dollar bill is real? I don’t! A cashier at the market runs a mark over them to check them out. But I don’t have one. The guys keeping check don’t study the fake ones, they study the real ones!
You and I are going to determine truth versus error by studying the Truth. It will not be by looking at the dead religions of the world. We will see Truth when we read His Word, study His Word, and apply His Word. Let’s be like the Bereans in Acts 17, “…they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
MIA- REPENTANCE
Sin and hell are married unless repentance proclaims the divorce. -Spurgeon
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9
I believe many people make salvation harder than what scripture proclaims. I believe they read into the Word of God something that just isn’t there. I do not know why they do this other than to make themselves seem to be more intellectual but many people are going to hell because they believe they are not and cannot be part of the chosen few.
While I do believe there will only be a few that repents and comes to Jesus, it’s not because God doesn’t offer it to them, it because many will not repent and choose to serve God. They will not accept Jesus so they choose to spend an eternity in a devils hell.
Have you repented? Have you chosen to serve the Lord? Have you cried out to Him and asked Him to forgive you of your sins? If not—why not? If not now—when? Do not put off today what you’re not guaranteed of tomorrow! “…And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31
WILL YOU NOT BELIEVE?
Whoso draws nigh to God one step through doubtings dim, God will advance a mile in blazing light to him. –Unknown
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. James 1:5-6
I recently read a short story of a young boy who had lost faith. His father had died and he had stepped up to be the man of the house. His mother was a faithful woman who kept pointing her son The Lord. One winter’s night, when it looked as if there wouldn’t be enough wood for the rest of the winter, Mom and her children set down to pray for the Lord to provide. The boy got up from praying and with doubt in his voice said, “I’ll head out tomorrow to go find some wood.”
That night there was an unusual boisterous wind. At day light the young boy went outside to find the wind had blown drift wood up onto their side of the river bank, plenty for the winter’s bitter cold. The young boy ran and told Mom the news. Mom said, “See son, your God is real and He cares for His children.”
Are you having a hard time taking God at His Word? Why not trust Him through the doubt one step at a time. Before you know it you might just be walking with Him every day!
LIFE IN CHRIST!
With every rising of the sun, think of your life as just begun. –Anonymous
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6
Someone once said, “Invest in your life as if you will live for eternity but live your life today as if it will be your last on Earth.” That was some of the best advice I have ever heard.
Investing in yourself with the Word of God each day will not only help you today but for all of eternity! Just the knowledge of the Bible isn’t enough to save you though, Ye must be born again! Ye are born again if you have asked Jesus to save you, confessed, and repent of your sin! That my friend is how you have life and have it more abundant! That is how you have life in Christ!
Profession or Possession...there is a difference!
Salvation is of the Lord!
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31
So many shout about how many people got saved at their tent meeting, VBS, or Sunday Service. I also rejoice when someone makes a profession of faith. I take pictures and rejoice with the Angels in Heaven!
However, I want to see those same people a year from the time of their profession. For at that time we shall see if they not only made a profession of faith but obtained a possession of the Saviour! Salvation is of the Lord friend…I don’t know who gets saved and who doesn’t. I just spread the seed and God gives the increase! What a privilege and responsibility we have to share the Gospel with a lost and dying world!