Remember to Whom You Belong

This morning I attended our neighborhood church service and the minister brought the thought that when ever you attend a court of law, you have both the one who stands for you and those who stand to oppose you. And so it is in the heavenly.  But when we are saved, Christ stands for us. We now have royal blood coursing through us and the Bible tells us in Romans 8:31, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? [33]  Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;” If the king of all kings, and Lord of all Lords is standing on my behalf, who can stand against me? [34]  who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” 

Again the Bible says in Romans 14:4 “Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

The popular saying goes, “You can please all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can not please all of the people all of the time.”

So I would like to encourage you this morning by reminding you who you belong to when you belong to Christ.

“[F]or through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,   having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:18-22

• You are the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16)
• God has your name written in the palms of his hands. (Isaiah 49:16)
• You are God’s child (John 1:12)
• You can go to God in confidence. (Ephesians 3:12)
• You do not need to go to any man, but Christ alone. (1Timothy 2:5)
• King Jesus has made you all glorious within. (Psalms 45:13)
• No man can take you out of God’s hands. (John 10:27-29)
• You are free from all condemnation (Romans 8: 1-2)
• All your circumstances are working for your good. (Romans 8:28)
• Nothing can separate you from God’s love. (Romans 8:31-39)

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From Strength to Strength

. . .[M]y heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. . . .Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee;. . .They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. . .For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. Psalms 84

“From strength to strength” -not from strength to weakness. But How, when I feel so weak? How, when I feel I cannot go on another day? How, when my heart hurts? How, when my body is wracked with pain? How, when sorrow engulfs me? Where is my strength?

In God! Our strength is found when our heart and flesh cry out for the living God- when we continue to trust God, placing our cares in his hands, enduring hardness as a good soldier, doing what is right inspite of how we feel. Our battle is won in our secret closet of prayer. Our battle is won in God.

Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31

The days are evil. Darkness surrounds us. But did not the Lord Jesus Christ warn us of this? Can we not take courage that Christ has told us, “be of good courage; I have overcome the world.” Don’t lay down your armour dear soldier. Do not go AWAL. Hang in there. The Lord will never leave us nor forsake us. Get on your knees and gather strength from God. Be a proper representative of Christ in this present world. Press the battle on!

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. Psalms 27:13-14

From strength to strength, we sometimes go;

Then again, we’re sinking low

In the shadow, of a mountian

looming high above our head.

We need not fear, what lies ahead;

For the word has clearly said,

That our faith, would be sufficient

to make the mountains disappear.

Speak to the mountain,

You’ll not triumph over me;

Be thou removed from here to yonder

disappear into the sea

Speak to the mountain

Speak with authority

and the mountain must move

and you shall claim victory!

In the midst, of the battle

When the foe is gaining ground

Look up!!! and see the MIGHTY

hand of GOD, reaching down

Speak Gods name, Satan trembles;

Speak God’s word and watch him flee.

Once again, our GOD delivers

The mountains crumble at our feet!

Author Unknown

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God Keeps His Promises!

“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen.”  2 Cor 1:20

When Christian and Hopeful strayed out of the path upon forbidden ground, and found themselves locked up in Doubting Castle by Giant Despair for their carelessness, there they lay for days, until one night they began to pray. “Now a little before it was day, Good Christian, as one half-amazed, broke out in a passionate speech: ‘What a fool!’ quoth he, ‘am I, thus to lie in this horrible dungeon, when I may as well walk at liberty. I have a key in my bosom called PROMISE, that will, I am persuaded, open my lock in Doubting Castle.’ Then said Hopeful, ‘Thats’ good news good brother; pluck it out of thy bosom and try.’ Then Christian pulled it out of his bosom, and began to try the dungeon door, whose bolts gave back, and the door flew open with ease, and Christian and Hopeful came out.”  Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan

“And they  that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The restorer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.” Isaiah 58:12

“And Elijah went up to the top of Camel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, And said to his servant, Go up mow, look toward the sea, And he went up, and looked, and said, there is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand…And it came to pass…that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain….”  1Kings 18:42-45

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”  Ps 37:4

“Be not afraid, only believe” ~ Jesus

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