After all these weeks of discussion about the United States of America at risk, I wonder how to conclude. So many worrisome things are occurring, even beyond economic problems, unemployment, staggering national debt, terrorists’ bombing attempts and nations who hate us building nuclear bomb arsenals.
I worry about the spiritual state of our nation, where it seems everyone—even those who claim to be Christians—use the Lord’s name in vain for every emotion under the sun. Although churches schedule prayer meetings, few attend. During services, we pray for the offering and the folks in the hospital, but seldom do we storm the gates of heaven in earnest intercessory prayer for a generation going to hell because they don’t understand what the Gospel is about. Our secularistic society has effectively interfered with reaching young people with the truths of the abundant life Jesus gives on earth, that there is a divine purpose for each person to be here at this time in history, and that Jesus is their only hope of exiting from this world alive.
There are no easy answers to the mess in which we find ourselves. If we’re honest, we know perilous times have come. It’s tempting to be discouraged.
Then I remember Paul’s questions, inspired by God, to the church: “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:30-32KJ).
The Bible is full of promises about God’s faithfulness. Peter wrote, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
He adds, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love” (2 Peter 3-7NIV).
What are some of those promises?
Nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8).
He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)
He will supply all our needs. (Philippians 4:19)
He watches over us and even notices when a hair on our head turns loose. (Matthew 10:30-32).
He answers prayer. (Luke 11:9-11).
He gives joy and peace. (1 Peter4 7-9).
He will give us power to witness when we are filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:8).
If we resist the devil, he’ll flee from us, and greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world. (James 4:7).
We can overcome through the word of our testimony. (Rev. 12:10-12).
The promise of salvation and infilling of the Spirit is for us, our children and our children’s children. (Acts 2).
Through accepting Jesus as Savior and making Him Lord of our lives, we will live forever.(John 3:16).
Jesus will come again and take us to where He is, where we will live also. (John 14).
Sometimes it pays to read the back of the Book. Have you read Revelation 21 and 22 lately?
These words were told by Jesus to John in his vision: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
He continues with a promise and a warning, “I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of water of life freely. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
In chapter 22, he declares, “ Behold, I am coming soon!” not once but three times. “My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done…. Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city….”The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come! Whoever is thirsty let him come and drink of the water of life freely.'”
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