Thursday, March 18, 2021

* If we give up hope, we join the hopeless.

 
Comments by Joan Boney:

It the last days, some will give up hope.  They risk spending all eternity hopeless.  They are like stubborn teenagers who cut off their noses to spite their own faces.

The devil may tempt you to go that way and to return to your old sins but you must resist and hold fast to the end even when you cannot see the end, clinging to scripture, stubbornly refusing to let go.

There was a time in my life that it was so bad that I just got into bed and kept saying over and over, "Praise God.  Thank YOU for my salvation... Praise God.  Thank YOU for my salvation... Praise God. Thank YOU for my salvation."

In 20 minutes or so, the devil fled and I went to sleep.  When I awoke all depression was gone.

For it is God who has saved us and we cling to God through a deliberate determination.

Jacob wrestles with an angel and will not let him go until he blesses Jacob:

Genesis 32:24-28 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

25 And when he (the angel) saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he (Jacob) said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

27 And he (the angel) said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

***

We fight for our faith in God.  We hold on and refuse to let go.

We know the following truth:

I Corinthians 6  

9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

We know what we were and we know what we are now and we refuse to go back to our old sins.

***

Hebrews 10:26-20 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

***

Hebrews 6:4-8   For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put HIM to an open shame.

7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.


***

II Peter 2  

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

***

Revelation 3:5   Jesus says:  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

 
*****