Preparation (2)
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I don’t believe anyone here would doubt that we are living in the last of the last days.We’re there! Along with that,there has been such a great apostacy in this nation that christians have become not only the minority,but i believe soon we will become the persecuted.Just look around;listen to the news once a week ;just try and watch what seems to be a GOOD tv show. Even the commercials are turning to perversion and outright evil. It seems that more and more people who were once on fire for the LORD - are now serving the world-or to put it more bluntly - now serving the devil!!! Think thats too harsh of a statement? It’s NOT!!!People like to refer to it as taking time off. I’ll tell you something,taking time off is dangerous!! And it’s dangerous because it means your taking time off from GOD!!Taking time off from going to church-taking time off from reading your bible;; and taking time off from praying!!Look now is not the time for taking time off!!!Taking time off,is actually,by default,taking time away from GOD!!!And giving it to the devil. S0 in ROMANS chapter 6 : We read that because of what JESUS has done for us by dying on the cross,we are no longer bound by the law,but we are now living under grace;and because of that;sin shall not have dominion over us.So let’s pick it up in verse 15. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law,but under grace? Certainly not!!!! VERSE 16 Do you not know to whom you present yourselves slaves (servants) to obey,you are that one’s slave(servants)who you obey,whether of sin leading to death,or of obedience leading to righteousness?So it’s making a choice who your going to serve. So who is it in your mind that promotes sin? The devil; right? And who is it that promotes obedience unto righteousness?GOD;right?So if your being obedient to righteousness _wouldn’t you say that’s making a choice to serve GOD?Sure it is.See this is the deal:Your either obedient to righteousness:which means your choosing to serve GOD.Or your being disobedient to GOD ;which is sin.And who is it that promotes sin?The devil!!! So if your taking time off from serving GOD you are by default:: Serving the devil. There’s only two choices;Righteousness or sin!!! your either a servant of GOD or a servant of sin.It’s a simple fact,if we sell out to sin,sin becomes our master to which we become servant’s. And the bible clearly says sin leads to eternal death!!!But on the other hand,if we choose to serve righteiusness, we become servants to GOD!!! If we choose GOD,we have a new nature;and our new nature is one of love,and that frees us from the bondage of sin.So when we make that proclamation to serve GOD the enemy dosen’t like that ,and there are things we need to do to be prepared for what will surely come against us.Look JESUS may come back tonight,he may tarry for 10 years. We just don’t know.But irregardless,we as christians are supposed to be living our life to please and serve GOD!!!There are steps we can take to assure us that we’re headed in the right direction. 1JOHN 1:1-4 That which was from the begining,which we have heard,which we have seen with our eyes,which we have looked upon,and our hands have handled,concerning the word of life-; the life was manifested,and we have seen,and bear witness,and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us- VERSE3 That which we have seen and heardwe declare to you,that you may also have fellowship with us;and truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his son JESUS CHRIST. VERSE 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. If we are going to serve GOD we have to have fellowship with Him.We have to really know who He is.The bible often describes our relationship with GOD as a marriage.So for those of you who are married,how long or how genuine would your marriage be if you and your spouse had no or little fellowship?Probably not very long!!So John is giving testimony of facts.When he says that which was from the begining:: Declares that our LORD is from everlasting!!HE always was.And look that’s hard for us to understand,but it is a fact! So John is reflecting on time he spent with JESUS.he’s giving a true testimony.Look at the words he uses!!He says we have heard we have seen our hands have handled HIM and then refers to JESUS as being the WORD OF LIFE!!! In VERSE 2 he says the life that was manifested, the life they were witness to,THAT LIFE,is eternal and was originally with the FATHER,and now was manifested to them.(the desiples who were with JOHN).And that in VERSE 4 He’s writing about it , so that our joy may be full!! VERSE 5-This is the message we have heardfrom HIM and declare to you,that GOD is light and in HIM is no darkness at all. VERSE 6 IF we say we have fellowship with HIm, and walk in darkness we lie and do not practice the truth. So if someone says they’re born again and proclaim to know GOD, and they say they have fellowship with HIM,but are living in habitual sin, or are trying to hide there sin from GOD!! they’re a liar!!!Light and darkness can not co-exist. IT’S like walking in a room and flipping on a light switch. The light comes and the darkness leaves.Fellowship with GOD while living in sin is not possible!!! I’M not talking about making a mistake and then repenting. I’M talking about living in habitual unrepented sin. VERSE 7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of JESUS CHRIST HIS son cleanses us from ALL sin. SO IF we are walking in the light ,(living a life of repentance) And look none of us can live without sinning, the truth is we sin everyday.But repenting of our sin:WE can walk in the light and have fellowship with one another and fellowship with GOD!!!Living a life of repentance; The blood of JESUS, continually cleanses us from sin!We either walk in light or we walk in darkness. IF we walk in light we belong to GOD’S family.IF we walk in darkness,we have nothing in common with GOD and therefore fellowship with GOD is impossible!!! So we’ve been talking about fellowship with GOD by walking in the light. How do we do that? How do we walk in the light and what does that look like? Walking in GOD’S light,means we live our life in obedience to to the word of GOD.It means following JESUS to the point that our life reflects HIS character.IT’S about making choices everyday to turn away from sin!! And it’s about being so close to GOD,that HIS word shapes how we think,act,and treat other people. John 8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”” Taking that step to walk in the light,starts with following the teachings in the word of GOD everyday!!!IT,S an intentional act of our free will to be submitted to GOD!!! 1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” SO Peter is talking to christians(that’s us) who have been set apart by sanctification: (which is a process performed by the HOLY SPIRIT to work in believers to make us HOLY and seperate us from our old ways;AND seperate us unto GOD!!!) AND because of GOD’S abundant mercy;GOD has given us a new spiritual life,enabling us to live in a different dimension or a different atmosphere than what or physical birth alloted us.GOD has given us a sure and confident hope through HIS death and resurrection -which is our salvation: GOD keeps us safe and protected within HIS kingdom, and although we WILL experience trials, it will strenghthen our faith and purifies our faith.And Peter also mentions that we are SO blessed,that even angels are amazed at our salvation. BACK to verse 13 1Peter 1:13
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
In biblical times people would tie up their long robes around their waist so they could move around more quickly and freely.So we can apply that today to our lives by making sure that anything in our life that would hinder or trip us up in our fellowship with GOD,is removed!!!We have to do whatever it takes,to keep our focus on the things that help us to serve GOD!!!!! 1Peter1:14
as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;1 Peter 1:15 “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,” 1 Peter 1:16 “because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”” Our ways,our lifestyle,NOW,should be ALOT different,than what it was before we got saved!! GOD has called us to be HOLY and set apart from the sin of this world,and to be totally dedicated to HIM!!! IN the bible,light is a symbol of GOD’S purity. HE expects us to walk in that pure light, and reject the darkness of sin.The thing about light;is that it has a way of exposing what is hidden.I think we should ask ourselves,is their anything in our life that we think is hidden? because it will be exposed!!! walking in the light ,is about integrity-Doing what’s right,because it’s the right thing to do-even when no one is looking!!! Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
To walk in the light,is to allow scripture to shape our decisions, and the way we live our everyday life.So many people today,are walking in sinful ways because their decisions are not governed by the word of GOD!! And lastly back to 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from ALL sin”Light produces unity in the body of CHRIST,It causes us,as children of GOD,to have healthy, loving relationships. IN closing let me give you a biblical definition of “walking in the light” walking in the light appears over and over in scripture.IT’S the concept of living in alignment with GOD’S truth,HIS righteousness, and HIS holiness. The symbolic meaning of light,representing GOD’S presence and purity.Darkness on the other hand,symbolizes sin and seperation from GOD.So what does walking in light mean?IT means to continually pursue an obedient relationship with GOD andto reject the deeds of darkness!!!
