I Am Persuaded!! Are You? A Word from THE WORD!!! #474

One of my favorite songs is based on one of my favorite verses from Paul’s writing, and I’d like to share a few thoughts in regard to our confidence in Jesus Christ The Lord, which have brought me comfort and peace, and I hope it will do the same for you today. (And just so you’ll know, the song is titled, ‘I Know Whom I Have believed’, written by Major Daniel Webster Whittle in 1883).

“Be not thou therefore ashamed

of the testimony of our Lord,

nor of me his prisoner:

but be thou partaker of the afflictions

of the gospel

according to the power of God;

9 Who hath saved us,

and called us with an holy calling,

not according to our works,

but according to his own purpose

and grace,

which was given us in Christ Jesus

before the world began,

10 But is now made manifest

by the appearing

of our Saviour Jesus Christ,

who hath abolished death,

and hath brought life

and immortality to light

through the gospel:

11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher,

and an apostle,

and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 For the which cause

I also suffer these things:

nevertheless I am not ashamed:

for I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded that he is able

to keep that which I have

committed unto him

against that day.

13 Hold fast the form of sound words,

which thou hast heard of me,

in faith

and love

which is in Christ Jesus.”  2 Timothy 1:8-13

I encourage you to ponder these things which Paul so boldly and confidently shared with his son-in-the-ministry, Timothy, and that you will find the courage to have this same confidence in our Lord Jesus; for my friends, trials and persecution are on the way!  Not to be doom and gloom, but the days are here when we who stand fast for Jesus will find ourselves and our devotion to God’s Word maligned and opposed.  Paul reminds us clearly that his confidence is in Jesus and that there is no shame in Him, or His ability to deliver and keep His Word to deliver our salvation, and to bring us unto Himself as He has promised.

“Let not your heart be troubled:

ye believe in God,

believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions:

if it were not so,

I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again,

and receive you unto myself;

that where I am,

there ye may be also.

4 And whither I go ye know,

and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him,

Lord, we know not whither thou goest;

and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him,

I am

the way,

the truth, and

the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.”  John 14:1-6

Jesus told us (and his disciples on that day) clearly that He was about to depart, but He would return and that return is even closer today than it was then!  Do we really believe that?  If we do are we living like it?  Are we sharing Jesus with not only our words but with our lives; I know I have failed so often, but we serve a Lord of forgiveness and restoration—the Lord who committed no sin, but died in our place; the sinless Lamb of God who takes away “the sin of the world” for all who will believe and receive Him in repentance and faith in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for that very sin.  The author of Hebrews makes this perfectly clear—do you believe it?  Will you stand in confidence no matter how or when the world comes against us and our Lord Jesus?

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest,

that is passed into the heavens,

Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points tempted

like as we are,

yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly

unto the throne of grace,

that we may obtain mercy,

and find grace to help

in time of need.”  Hebrews 4:14-16

“Nor yet that he should offer himself often,

as the high priest entereth

into the holy place every year

with blood of others;

26 For then must he often have suffered

since the foundation of the world:

but now once in the end of the world

 hath he appeared to put away sin

by the sacrifice of himself.

27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die,

but after this the judgment:

28 So Christ was once offered

to bear the sins of many;

and unto them that look for him

shall he appear the second time

without sin

unto salvation.”  Hebrews 9:25-28

And Paul put it a little differently, as he declared that we not only receive forgiveness of sin, but we receive the righteousness of Jesus applied to our account!  Jesus’ blood allows us to exchange our sin for His righteousness.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us

the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

So, we can walk in victory no matter the circumstances, when our name is written down in the Lamb’s book of Life!  How about you?  Are you ready to stand for Jesus knowing that the perils of the world’s powers can’t change my relationship with Jesus, nor interrupt my destiny—but there is surely coming a time, and now is in much of the world, when they will try vehemently!

“Yea,

and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus

shall suffer persecution.

13 But evil men and seducers

shall wax worse and worse,

deceiving, and being deceived.”   2 Timothy 3:12-13

And in closing a reminder that there is a test coming; and there’s only one right answer—have you been born again?  I encourage you to read all of John chapter 3 and ponder it as well as these passages which we have looked at today.  May God encourage you in His truth today.

“And I saw a great white throne,

and him that sat on it,

from whose face

the earth and the heaven fled away;

and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead,

small and great,

stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged

out of those things which were written

in the books,

according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead

which were in it;

and death and hell delivered up the dead

which were in them:

and they were judged

every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell

were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written

in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”   Revelation 20:11-15

Just a word of clarification—we will be judged by our works, not because “works” save, but because whatever is in your heart will come out in your actions—your works!  What are your works and mine saying about us?  Jesus knows our heart, and it will be revealed one day—I think maybe sooner than we think!  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, as you can see, there is a test; and as I have heard it said, “Life has many choices, but eternity has only two!”

Amen and Amen!!!