[Shark's Cove, Oahu, Hawaii]
Do you try and try to be obedient to the good Lord and to do His will, but you fail time and time again? What is the cure for this? First of all, the following Scriptures will be of great help in explaining part of this dilemma.
Many of you, if not most believers, are familiar with Romans 7, and following are a few verses from that chapter concerning the struggle against sin:
(14) For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (15) For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (17) Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (18) For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. (19) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (20) Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."
Please read all of Romans 7. It was written by the saintly apostle Paul! Even he struggled to stay pure! In the following verses of Romans 7, he tells us the "antidote" to overcome this difficulty:
Romans 7, verses 24 and 25 tells us: O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."
Following is a wonderful 37 minute audio sermon by Andrew Murray on this subject, and he speaks of Philippians 2 as well. It helped me tremendously and it will you as well. He speaks of the stages of the Christian life, and how believers MUST put God's will first in their lives. The reason we fail so many times and have no victory is because we need Jesus and the Holy Spirit and we need to put our entire dependence upon God -- we have no power on our own to be victorious in our Christian walk and life!
"The future is as bright as the promises of God." - William Carey
"Life's trials are not easy. But in God's will, each has a purpose." - Warren Wiersbe
"Our first duty is not to understand but to believe what God has said." - A. W. Pink
"I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am." - John Newton
"Let God have your life; He can do more with it than you can." - Dwight L. Moody
"For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not." - Isaiah 30:15
"All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." - Jesus at John 6:37
Below is a wonderful 11 minute video which explains five ways that God guides you to heaven - a must watch!
Below is a wonderful 11 minute video which explains five ways that God guides you to heaven - a must watch!
Following is a recent 12 minute video titled : "These Four Things Stop Your Prayer From Being Answered":
It is imperative for all to watch the above excellent video, but especially for any who struggle with prayer and wonder why their prayers are not answered.
Prayer is the way we can fellowship with the Heavenly Father, and thereby learn to love Him more and more. By frequent prayer, we will learn to "listen" to Him in our spirit and to feel His presence and to know His guidance concerning us -- and to better understand His will and His purpose for our lives.
The same is true when we diligently and frequently pour over God's Holy Word - the Bible. As has been said many times on this blog, the Bible is God's Love Letter to us, as well as His Instruction Manual for us to follow.
We live in urgent times!
Soon the 7 year Tribulation will begin! You do not want to be on this earth to suffer God's wrath which will be poured out then on the unbelievers left behind --- after the Rapture to heaven of true believers occurs, that is. The Tribulation will be an unprecedented time of horror and destruction - a "shaking" and an upheaval of such magnitude that we cannot even begin to imagine the enormity of it!
(Read Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 for the signs Jesus gave concerning the time of His return in these last days !! Also go to the search box at the top right hand side of this page and enter such things as "end time signs, Bible prophecy converging now, the Rapture, the 7 Year Tribulation." Articles will appear on these subjects and some include videos with prominent scholars and pastors.)
The question is, are you Rapture Ready?
If you are a true believer and have put your faith and trust and belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior and the only way to heaven; and believe that His shed blood at the cross will wash away your sins because He took our place at Calvary and paid our sin debt in full by His sacrificial death....became our Redeemer; then you have the hope of eternal life !
" Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?" - John 11:25-26
Following are Bible verses concerning the way to salvation:
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him." - John 3:36
"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
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16
Have a blessed and Christ centered weekend - and life !!
