HANG IN THERE

“For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.” I Jn.3:20

“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee…thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” Ps.86:5,15

     The GOD of heaven has but one purpose in His relationship with His children: to serve the wellbeing and perpetual peace of all life. This is the way it was, “In the beginning” (Gen.1:1). Jesus testified of heaven’s objective in restoring all that was lost because of the intrusion of sin: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” The LORD’S promise of abundant life has but one objective: “that your joy might be full.” Jn.10:10; 15:11. This is what salvation is all about.

     Today, multitudes are in misery. GOD never intended this course for the lives of His children. But with His gift of freewill, all are given the liberty to choose their manner of living and the destiny to which it leads, whether to live forever, or to cease to live—forever. The choice is simple. To exercise the path marked out in the life of Jesus Christ is the finest manner of living one can receive in a sinful world. But with this decision comes all manner of obstacles, heartaches, temptations, and blunders in the course of one’s Christian life. Discouragement, persecution and perplexity is common in the life of a Christian. And the Bible believing Christian suffers a thousand fold above those who deny GOD’S existence and/or authority. It is precisely as David said 3000 years ago:

“For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” Ps.73:3-17.

     David’s words sum up the conflict between the righteous and the unrighteous: the humble vs. the proud. Times change but the age-old struggles never change—not until Christ comes to sweep away all that afflicts us in this day and age.

     To give yourself to the faith “that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (II Cor.5:19), one quickly finds himself in a spiritual battlefield that requires patience, perseverance, and above all the call to maintain the Presence of the Holy Spirit, Whose unselfish love will aid you to steer clear from the world that is drowning in fundamentally immoral values.

     If only men understood the controversy between Satan and Christ: sin and righteousness: and had the wherewithal to choose “the way, the truth, and the life” (Jn.14:6). How freely the gift of receiving salvation truly is through a simple faith in the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Yet how few have prayed as did Gideon and receive GOD’S approbation: “let me prove, I pray thee, but this once…And God did so that night.” Jud.6:39, 40.

     Nevertheless, Jesus said it plain enough: “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (Jn.6:37). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (Jn.5:24). “These words are true and faithful” to all who with “faith as a grain of mustard seed” embrace the promise of GOD’S redemption through Jesus: “not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (Rev.21:5; Lu.17:6; II Cor.5:19). The Gospel of Jesus Christ calls all to come, “without money and without price” (Isa.55:1).

     Christ will see you through, if He lives in your heart: to lead, to guide—and to comfort.

“I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.” Ps.85:8.

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” I Jn.2:1-6.

“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” I Jn.3:21.