Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Hope in the Midst of Evil

The lost have no hope! They face eternity separated from a loving, holy, creator who knows their name and wants a relationship with them but they are blinded by sin! When is the world going to wake up and realize that ignoring God has eternal consequences? Do we have to have some sort of natural disaster for God to get our attention? Do we have to get a terrible illness or maybe someone in our family gets cancer for us to fall on our face before holy God? Does some Satan-filled person have to commit mass murder for us to call on a Redeemer who has always been there? Satan is walking this Earth creating havoc and it will touch my life and yours. Are you ready? Have you trusted in Christ alone for salvation? Is He your rock and refuge? Do you have joy, peace and hope in all situations? Are you sharing that hope with the hurting world around you?
Lord, I pray for the ones who need You today. Let me shine for Your glory! Amen
I am just an ordinary person, a sinner saved by grace! My story is not much in the way of sins that hold a lot of people hostage, no drugs or alcohol addiction. Just plain sin that we hold as no big deal. I have been a liar, a disobedient child to my parents, had a big time foul mouth in my younger years, and many other things too numerous to list, just the things we consider sowing wild oats! Wrong!!  Being young is no excuse! I know that we are no longer under the law but it still convicts our soul of sin in our lives!

Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.


Hope....
1Cor.15:19-26

19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive
23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 
24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

You must repent....
1John 3:3-9

3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 
5 You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 
6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 
7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 
8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 
9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God.

Beware....
1Peter 5:
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.


Satan allowed to test Job....
Job 1:6-12

6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 
7 The LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." 
8 And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?" 
9 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Does Job fear God for no reason?

10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 
11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face." 
12 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.


Job 1:15-22
15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 

16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 
17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 
18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, 
19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you." 
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 
21 And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." 
22 In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.


Job 2:1-10
1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. 

2 And the LORD said to Satan, "From where have you come?" Satan answered the LORD and said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." 
3 And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason." 
4 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. 
5 But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face." 
6 And the LORD said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life." 
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 
8 And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. 
9 Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die." 
10 But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?"In all this Job did not sin with his lips. 











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