Finishing well, 2021

1 Protect your faith

Finishing 2021 well.

2021 was a challenging year for many of us, is so important that we hold on to what God taught us during this year.

As I begin to pray for this message the Lord led me to 1 John.

the letter of first John was written to a group of believers in the middle of an unsettling situation. Most scholars believe the letter it was written by John the apostle who also wrote the book of John.

Some of them had abandon their faith in Jesus the Messiah as it was first taught to them. They found the announcement that God had come into the world in a human body, impossible to reconcile with the common Greek idea, that the flesh is evil and only the spirit is good. But despite their denial of the Messiah, their immoral lives, and their lack of practical love, didn’t stop them from claiming they knew God and belong to Him.

John writes assuring us that Jesus came in flesh, reassuring the believers that they have access to the truth. It emphasizes godly living and practical caring as the signs of those who genuinely know God.

At the end of every year, we need to review what we learned from the Lord, what has impacted us, and we embrace the good and let go of what brings death.

I believe our Heavenly Father’s desire is for us to finish this year of 2021 well.

1Jn 1:1 [I am writing about] what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life [the One who existed even before the beginning of the world, Christ]--

1Jn 1:2 and the Life [an aspect of His being] was manifested, and we have seen [it as eyewitnesses] and testify and declare to you [the Life], the eternal Life who was [already existing] with the Father and was [actually] made visible to us [His followers]--

1Jn 1:3 what we have seen and heard we also proclaim to you, so that you too may have fellowship [as partners] with us. And indeed our fellowship [which is a distinguishing mark of born-again believers] is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

1Jn 1:4 We are writing these things to you so that our joy [in seeing you included] may be made complete [by having you share in the joy of salvation].

In the first chapter of 1 John he reminds us of 3 things

1 Protect your faith,

That what you heard from the beginning is true,

How did 2021 impacted you?

Did bring you closer to God or pushed you away from Him?

Has anything in 2021 try to robe your beliefs about the reality of Jesus, about He, being the word of life?

If you can’t answer this question right now, take it home and pray asking the Lord to help you.

I will tell you something that impacted me in 2021.

The increase of Lawlessness in the US is disheartening.

I grew up in Rio Brazil, I remember what was to live in a war zone, over 40 years ago when I came to Hawaii it was a major transition, I realized I didn’t have to have 6 eyes around my head, to protect myself and suspect everyone including children because they were the ones who would shoot you because they also were afraid. To hear that some of that is happening in our big cities Is very hard, when I hear about the suffering and the poor quality of life of so many families, what they need go through just because of the miss behavior of a few, and that the laws that are supposed to protect the innocent are no longer working for them, makes my heart ache.

God’s love for people has not change, His love is the same and His plan for us stands, He wants to see everyone who believes in Him, in His kingdom.

When the disciples asked Jesus about the end times and when He would come back, He answer this way

Mat 24:4 Jesus answered, "Look out that no one misleads you about it,

Mat 24:5 for many will come bearing the name of the Messiah, and saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many people.

Mat 24:6 You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars; take care not to be scared out of your wits. They have to come, but that is not the end yet.

Mat 24:7 For nation will go to war with nation, and kingdom with kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in many places.

Mat 24:8 But all this is but the beginning of the agonies.

Mat 24:9 At that time they will turn you over to torture, and will murder you, and you will be hated by all the heathen, because you bear my name.

Mat 24:10 Then many will fall by the way, and will betray one another and hate one another.

Mat 24:11 Many false prophets will appear and mislead many people;

Mat 24:12 Because lawlessness is increased, the love of most people will grow cold.

Mat 24:13 But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved.

I’m sorry to inform you that the world will not become a better place, we who know Jesus must keep our eyes own Him, endure to the end or we will be deceive like many others.

Every year the enemy of our souls tries to throw challenges at us trying to make us question and doubt Jesus, Let’s close some of these doors before we go into 2022. Lawlessness makes our hearts grow cold, we need to be ready to forgive.

In 2021 many of us lost loved ones, is painful and devastating, but they are in the hands of God, they have completed their race and now they are in the arms of our Heavenly Father, rejoice with them.

2 God is Holy,

Have you become unpopular with your friends because of your Christian Believes?

Our children have to walk through this almost daily, we know how challenging this is, statistics shows that good Christian kids, who were attending church frequently will drop out of their faith with in the first year of college about 75% of them lose their faith before the end of the first year.

We remember the temptation we had to walk through, trying to please teachers and piers, if our relationship with God is not the most important thing to us, we will compromise in our walk.

We know that God is Holy.

1Jn 1:5 This is the message [of God's promised revelation] which we have heard from Him and now announce to you, that God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect in righteousness], and in Him there is no darkness at all [no sin, no wickedness, no imperfection].

To walk in a relationship with our Heavenly Father we need to walk in holiness be set apart for God,

for many today, to say no to sexual immorality and practice kindness is not a cool thing to do. Parents pray for your children

Gal 5:16  But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. 

3 Walk in the light?

Am I being honest with myself?

1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness [of sin], we lie and do not practice the truth;

1Jn 1:7 but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

1Jn 1:8 If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.]

Honesty and truth will allow God to work in our hearts. We need to ask him for help,

King David prayed

Psa 139:23 Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart; Test me and know my anxious thoughts;

Psa 139:24 And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

We know that our hearts are deceitful, that we lie to ourselves often but our Heavenly Father the one who knows us well will help us.

How many times I have caught myself believing, that I’m walking in forgiveness and when I ask the Lord to search my heart He always finds something or someone that I have to make things right, with.

1Jn 1:9 If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose].

1Jn 1:10 If we say that we have not sinned [refusing to admit acts of sin], we make Him [out to be] a liar [by contradicting Him] and His word is not in us.

If we humble ourselves, He is faithful and just, he will forgive us and cleansed us.

Our heavenly Father desire is for us to finish 2021 well

Protecting your faith, embracing Holiness and walking in the light

Here at our church, we have seen the goodness of our God, how He has provided for us, protected us and blessed us, we have also experienced some challenges from not being able to finished our preservation to the lost of loved ones, family or close friends, how did that impacted you?

Jn 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

To receive Jesus, we need to accept Him as God’s son,

repent from your sins and a life of selfishness,

ask Him to be your Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.

If this is your desire tonight, please repeat this prayer after me?

Heavenly Father I’m sinner, I’m sorry for my sins, I’m willing to turn away from my sins.

I receive Christ as my savior,

I confess him as Lord

from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,

in the fellowship of his church,

In Jesus name. Amen!

E mau aku ka loko maika’i o ka Haku, Iesu Kristo; me ke aloha a ke Akua, a me ka launa pu ‘ana mai o ka Uhane Hemolele ia ‘olua, a me makou apau. Amene.