Time to Deal with Loose Ends - Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Time to Deal with Loose Ends - Part 2
Time to Deal with Loose Ends - Part 2
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;
14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
We have loose ends that need to be tied up. They are holding us back. They are tripping us up. Sometimes we are running ahead for God, a bad memory or experience pops up and knocks us out of the race. We need to take control and not let the loose ends control us.
Jesus said:
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
The thief comes to use our loose ends to steal, kill, and destroy us. We have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb. We have been set free. Stop living in the past. Jesus Christ did not die a cruel death for you to be constantly knocked down by past experiences. Put your past in the past where it belongs. God may use it for a greater purpose, not as a reminder to you, but as a beacon of hope.
Lets look at Rahab. She was a prostitute. She had no husband. She sold her body to provide for the necessities of her family. Now there is rumors of a group of slaves who have left Egypt. Actually Egypt was decimated and there is fear in the city of Jericho of this group of people. Two spies come to the city and Rahab hides them.
9 and said, “I know that God has given you the land. We’re all afraid. Everyone in the country feels hopeless.
12 “Now promise me by God. I showed you mercy; now show my family mercy. And give me some tangible proof, a guarantee
18 here is what you must do: Hang this red rope out the window through which you let us down and gather your entire family with you in your house—father, mother, brothers, and sisters.
A man named Salmah was able to look past her past and take her as his wife. This may seem minute except for the fact, God was going to work through their family and they had a son. They named this son, Boaz. Boaz grew up and fell in love with a non-Jewish woman and married her. Her name is Ruth. She is the great-grandmother to David, the greatest king Israel had ever known. Salmah married someone who was not the first pick to bring home to meet mom. Boaz had a non-Jewish mother who believed in the power of the God of Israel and who was willing to step out in faith and leave her past behind. This mixed marriage opened Boaz’ mind to the possibility of a mixed marriage for himself. God took these mixed marriages and brought forth King David and eventually Jesus Christ. If Rahab did not wrap up her loose ends, the spies would of been killed and she would have never met Salmah. If Ruth did not tie up her loose ends, she would have never traveled with Naomi to Israel and then David would not have been born. Due to their faith in the unseen God of Israel, they are listed in the genealogy of the Jesus Christ.
They were redeemed. We are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We were bought with a very high price that we could never pay back. We need to tie up our loose ends that is affecting our mind.
Elam is a Christian organization wanting to reach those in Iran and beyond with the love of Christ. They met a young woman named Jaleh from Iran who had atrocities perpetrated against by family and relatives. Her shame drove her to prostitution. She had gotten saved through a house church. She had heard testimonies from others how Jesus had spoke to them or appeared in their dreams. She wondered why this had never happened to her. Fear and doubt so overcame her, the loose ends from her past were attacking her mind. She began to feel that she was not worthy of Him getting near her. She wanted some form of glimpse of Jesus. She was not experiencing it. A painful darkness began to grow in this woman to the point she was thinking about going back to prostitution because she felt there was no hope for her. She went back and asked for prayer again. The leader told her,
”You cannot box God in. It is up to Him how He reveals Himself to you.”
They prayed and prayed.
I began to feel God’s presence and His presence was thicker and thicker, until I could not stand up any more. I was frightened with a Holy fear. I kept screaming:” I am frightened! Do something! He is awesome…help me. I am frightened!” But I could not come out of His presence. The lady told me not to be frightened and to enjoy His presence. Oh, I was so full of praise! His presence was wonderful. I wanted to stay there for ever and praise Him. I could not find words for the adoration I felt. A jumble of songs came out! It was as if my whole being was rejoicing and dancing before Him. I could not see His face but He was there looking at me.
He said, “Were you about to give up? Did you know that I am your friend? I love you! I love you! I have always loved you. You are mine!”
I felt that my body was light and lifted to Him. I was free from any burden of guilt and shame; I was light as a feather. I was so full of joy. When I went home, my husband could not believe the changes in me. I told him about my encounter with Jesus. He asked me to pray for him. He started coming to church with me and now he has become a Christian. I was a prostitute but as He told me in my vision, I am His; I belong to Him for ever; and nothing can take this away from me.
Jaleh’s story doesn’t stop with her salvation. Like Mary Magdalene in the Bible, her life, and her family’s life has been truly transformed by the grace and love of Jesus Christ. She, with her husband (who is now clean of drugs), are now committed members of a house church where they are growing as Christians. Life for them is hard, Jaleh’s husband works as a market trader in a notorious part of town where drug dealers and prostitutes congregate. This presents much opportunity to evangelize but also temptations from the past are never far away.
https://www.elam.com/article/%E2%80%98i-was-prostitute-jesus-told-me-i-belong-him-forever%E2%80%99
Conclusion:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.