Good Morning Beloved Family,
Heavenly Father,
Holy Spirit, how we need to feel Your presence with us
Lead us to good decisions, while we face this difficult time
decisions that will not only protect our families
but others we come into contact with
help us to know when and how to reach out to those in need
Guide us O' Lord, as we walk step by step towards normalcy and healing.
grant us courage, grant us hope
grant us strength to endure
encourage us to encourage others who are struggling
Perfect us in Your image
that we may follow Your example
of love, forgiveness and compassion toward others
In Your name we pray
Amen
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world."
1 John 4:7-14
Today's Message: Jesus Christ The Indispensable God - Part Three
When I began studying for this first of these messages, I had no idea the impact and overwhelming response it would have, I only knew that God, wanted me to teach it. But this isn't about me, it's about Him. All praise and glory to God! May He be glorified in and through it all...
So, we have been essentially talking about Jesus, and abiding in Him, the Holy Spirit abiding in us. To abide is to remain, and for all who remain, they give evidence of a genuine salvation, and how is that defined? It is defined as God living in us. God living in us, taking up residence. We also discussed how we should react when asked if we're are a Christian. I asked the question, "How do you talk about yourself as a believer?" I hope that what you took away from the last message, was that learned to talk about yourself as the residence of God, the temple of God.
"You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error."
1 John 4:4-6
So why is it that so many today, worry about Satan in the world? While we must remain aware of his presence on the earth, staying vigilant, we certainly need not worry about Satan in the world. Why? Because "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."
And we can have confidence of that, because, "By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us." - 1 John 4:13 How do we know that? "Because He has given us of His Spirit. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him." And then in verse 16, "We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."
Wow, would you just let that sink in for a moment! What wonderful, what astonishing truths!
Now, I don't know about you, but rather than to debate one another over which translation of the Bible is better, not to mention the other things some become so absorbed with, I wish we’d all come together and start talking like this, am I right? Seriously, how can you not wake up with a smile on your face every day with having that knowledge?
If you remain, if you stay, if you abide, then He abides in you. This is an incredible reality. You think about the condescension of our Lord to take on a human body, but He took on a sinless human body. What kind of condescension is it for the triune God to take on a sinful body, take up residence in us?
"yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel..."
Colossians 1:22-23
Is it any wonder why the message of the gospel is called "Good News?"
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls."
1 Peter 1:3-9
So, we're born again, in Christ, we have new life, a divine life. And we are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation! So let me get this right, on the one hand, we persevere and remain and stay and endure. On the other hand, God keeps us. That's cause to rejoice! And we're even reminded "In this you greatly rejoice" - And the we have this, "even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials," Hold on a minute...Wait! What? What am I rejoicing again? Why would I rejoice in trials?
Why is James telling us to, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials..."?
James 1:2
Why would I want to face trials? And then rejoice in having them?
Well, allow me to tell you why, because, that’s the proof of your faith! How else is your faith proven unless it’s tested when something goes wrong? The best thing that could possibly happen in your life as a believer in Christ, is to have your faith tested by various trials, because when it’s tested and it holds, this proves its reality! When we face trials, in which the circumstances are beyond our control, it reveals what is false.... and what is true, what is sure.
What happened in the parable of the soils? Tribulation, distress; the plant died out, fruitless. Deceitfulness of riches, cares of the world, trouble with problems, that’s the test.
In Closing...
The greatest gift a believer could possibly receive, is to know, beyond the shadow of all doubt, that your faith is real. Am I right? Who wants to continue in having false faith?
Proven faith is what keeps the hope of heaven bright. That keeps the knowledge of forgiveness clear. That brings unprecedented joy into your life. And it's what removes the fear. I know a great many Christians who struggle with that.
The formula is pretty simple, really. The more times in your life things go wrong, and the more years you experience the things that go wrong, the more times your faith is tested. The more times your true faith is tested, the stronger it becomes. That's so rich, such a wonderfully astounding truth to cling to! Not only does God give us a divine life. And we are protected by the power of God through faith. And if we stay, He abides in us...
Tested faith is what? It’s stronger, and that beloved, becomes the proof that it’s a saving, enduring faith.
"Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also."
1 John 4:15-21
Does your interactions with others let others know that God abides in you?
Is the way you are living your life, in secret testifying to the faith you proclaim before others?
I pray every one of ask ourselves these questions and answer them honestly....
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
Brian Monzon Ministries