God’s mercies are new every morning. The opportunity to humble ourselves before the Lord is always there. He never despises a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
It’s true we can’t always “re-set” consequences – what’s done is done… but relationships can be restored… between ourselves and the Lord and between ourselves and others. If we are ready to humble ourselves, repent… and the hardest one, forgive, then there is hope for restoration.
Either way it takes a readiness to “carry my cross” …death for me but life for you.
The gospel is powerful if we let it work in us.
Psalm 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart– These, O God, You will not despise.
2 Corinthians 4:12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.
Ever got a counterfeit bank note? It looks genuine but it’s eventually exposed for what it is.
Same in the Church, what’s built will be exposed.
So what is being built? It’s our lives. The state of our hearts and our attitudes. Are our lives Christ’s or our own? Can we forgive? Can we repent quickly? Are we ready to pay a price and even suffer for what we believe?
To be frank, Church would be not helpful to us if we are not hearing a message that helps us mature.
Although the Pastor and Teacher are have different gifts they both take us to the same place… to the cross… for the same reason… to be sanctified… or to grow towards maturity.
Neither will take me off the Apostolic foundation of Jesus Christ Crucified.
1 Corinthians 3: 11-13 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.
Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.
1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 (NLT)
Prophecies are not limited to just the end times. They include anything God reveals about the future. Many predictions are made in the name of God about life. Unless they are clearly verified by God’s Word, accept them with extreme caution. God only speaks from the context of His Word. He never says anything that contradicts or conflicts with His Word. Never. Therefore, be discerning about what you believe about the future. Test what you hear in light of God’s Word. If His Word is in agreement, then you have reason to believe it is true. So many of us are way too quick to accept and believe what we hear simply because someone who is supposed to know what he is talking about says it. Examine everything you hear in light of what God has already said.
One of the sure ways of knowing that the Bible is true is the way history has unfolded in light of the prophecies of the prophets of old. We read often of what they said was going to happen and it did. The Bible is historically accurate on all it proclaims. It can be trusted to be accurate on all the prophecies not yet fulfilled.
Everything that God has proclaimed is both true and good. Do not let Satan confuse you about it. Don’t doubt God’s Word, no matter how convincing someone’s words may be. All Scripture comes directly from the mind and heart of God. It is absolutely true in everything it says from beginning to end. Unless you stand on that truth, you will be led astray. It is very important that we understand this, especially in these days, because we live amongst so many smooth talkers and people who have personality plus. If we are not careful, we get caught up by the messenger instead of the message.
Prophecies are anything that speaks of what God is going to do. Pay attention to them, but always put what man says about them to the test of God’s Word. Be wary of anyone who adds to or takes away from what God has already said.
God never contradicts himself. If there seems to be a problem with what has been said, the problem is with man’s understanding, not with what God has said. God is absolutely trustworthy in everything He declares. If He said it happened, it happened. If He says something is going to happen, it will.
Hold on to that which is true and good. Let it guide your living.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
