“I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”
John 14: 6
12 “Look, I AM coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Revelation 22: 12-13
Pastors Noreen & Henry Kevern
Stand Firm
…stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the LORD, because you know that your labor in the LORD is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Standing firm is not as easy as it sounds. In today’s world, when you stand firm in GOD and in HIS Word, people will complain that GOD and HIS Word is unjust, hateful and bigoted. But GOD and HIS Word is not. GOD created each of us and even if you do not believe in GOD, HE still loves you and HIS truth does not change. GOD has not changed, and neither has HIS Word. GOD and HIS Word remains the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is humans who change, being blown about by every lie of the devil, because we are weak. It is so easy for the devil to confuse and trick people because we humans are so very weak. Far too often, we want the easy way out and we do not like to accept that we are the problem and so we blame others for what is our own mistakes. Our problems are created by ourselves and it is easier to blame someone else because we are blind to see. We are prideful people and that is why it is so easy for the devil to trick us. Standing firm takes work and changing from a prideful nature to a humble nature. It takes putting others before ourselves and we are too selfish to see or understand that. Being late for work is our fault. Either we did not allow enough time to drive to work, or we did not get up early enough to get ready, or we hate our jobs and really don’t want to be there. Or it is a combination. Either way, it is still our responsibility to do what is right and that is to get to work on time. Or if we drink too much or take drugs, and knowing that these things are wrong, we choose to do them. There is nothing wrong with 1 or 2 glasses of wine or beer, but anything beyond that puts others at risk. One should never drink or take drugs and drive. Life is a chose between good and evil. There is no middle ground.
It is easy for the devil to confuse and trick people with his lies. Lying is a sin, my brothers and sisters. It is a simple as that. If we do not stand firm in the LORD, the devil will be able to have control over you. If we do not stand firm, his lies will bring you down the wrong path. Remember the road to hell is wide and many walk it, but the road to GOD is narrow and few people find it. The devil lies to you and tells you it is okay to be selfish. The devil lies to you and tells you it is okay to murder your unborn child. The devil lies to you and tells you that committing adultery is okay. The devil lies to you and tells you it is okay to have sex outside of marriage; that being a homosexual is okay and that porn is okay. The devil lies to you and tells you it is okay to lie, to steal something and says GOD wants you to have it. The devil lies to you and tells you it is okay to slander a person. The devil lies to you and tells you to murder someone. And JESUS equates hate with murder. Even if you hate someone, you are committing murder in GOD’s eyes. You may not like someone, but you never hate someone. There is no excuse for terrorism. GOD DOES NOT CONDONE MURDER. GOD DOES NOT PROMISE SEXUAL IMMORALITY WITH VIRGINS IF YOU KILL SOMEONE. If you lust after someone, you are committing adultery. Every thought that you think that does not line up with GOD is an evil thought. Following the devil is a sin because he leads you into all unrighteousness. Every time you commit a sin, which in turn hurts GOD, you are in essence crucifying JESUS again. That is why we have to stand firm and walk in the way JESUS walked. These things are all sin. There is no getting around it.
And each time you sin, you destroy another piece of your life, this one here on earth and your next life, which will be either heaven or hell. There are no other choices. And if you want to live eternally with GOD, you have to choose not to sin and to stand firm in the way of the LORD. Do not allow anyone or the devil to convince you otherwise. There is only one way to GOD and that is JESUS, WHO is GOD. There are not many paths to GOD, only in JESUS is the way, the truth and the life. We cannot go to the FATHER unless it is through JESUS. These beliefs are not hateful, bigoted or wrong. GOD is our CREATOR and HE gives us two choices, HIS way or the devil’s way. It is our choice to make. HE will not force you to love HIM.
As Christians we are to give our lives to GOD. Fully, every area, every aspect, every corner, every part. We need to be fully committed to the LORD. We manage to commit ourselves to exercise, to our jobs, to getting our nails and hair done. We commit to going out and partying, or movies or dinner. We commit to so many things in our lives so why is it so hard to commit to GOD?
We have put all these things before GOD and fail to give HIM our lives. My brothers and sisters, GOD is our CREATOR, our SAVIOR; we were created by HIM and for HIM. We were created in HIS image, in the image of GOD we were created. I think that is pretty amazing. When I think that GOD created me, saved me from my sins and died that death that HE died; when I think that I am created in the image of GOD, wow, that really rocks my world. GOD loves you and HE loves me.
GOD became human to show us the way in which we are to live our lives. It should not be hard to sit down for 15 minutes a day to read HIS Word. It should not be hard to spend a few minutes waking up and giving thanks to GOD for the new day and surrender your life to the LORD and to ask HIM to help you through the day. After all, JESUS was scourged and whipped and had to carry the cross after that, and was nailed and pierced for our transgressions, our sins. Do you realize how brutal that was? When I watch the Passion of the Christ and see how unhuman those who whipped HIM were, and how HE took it and did not call upon heaven and have the angels come down and stop them from doing what they did to GOD; do you understand this? This is GOD, JESUS allowing HIS own creations to inflict sure pain on HIM. Understand that GOD is hurt every time you sin. But HE loved us enough to come down from heaven and become one of HIS creations to show us HIS amazing love. HE took the punishment that HE had decreed for humans upon HIMSELF and died in our steed. HE died before even you and I were created because HE loves us so. What great love that GOD has for us. So why is it so hard to surrender all and stand firm?
And even though we have walked away from HIM or have not fully committed our lives to HIM, HE is still on the throne with open arms. All GOD wants is to love you and HE loves us in spite of our sins. HE will not force HIMSELF on us, because that is not what perfect love is. We have to choose GOD and surrender our lives to HIM and then fully get to work on our faith. That means reading HIS Word, coming to HIM in prayer and following the way of the LORD in all areas of our lives and yes, that includes politics.
Don’t be afraid, my dear brothers and sisters. No sin is beyond GOD’s forgiveness except one: Blaspheming the HOLY SPIRIT.
So if you are in bondage to sin; lying, stealing, any sexual sin, murder (and remember JESUS equates anger as murder), evil thoughts, slander, addiction, abuse, any sin—GOD already knows your sin. HE will not be surprised at what you tell HIM when you confess your sins to HIM. HE HAS ALREADY PAID IN FULL FOR YOUR SALVATION.
So surrender and stand firm. Live your life in the way of the LORD and commit fully to HIM. In all your ways summit to HIM and HE will direct your path. Labor in HIS love and be HIS light shining unto this world.
