February 14, 2006 – THE POSITIVE LINK
The Spirit of the Lord entitled our message today “The Positive Link” and is helping me write about that which is absolutely “positive.” The word “positive” is defined as: with certainty, unquestionable, and definite.
Lately, I have been around people who are living like they have a million tomorrows to make their decision “for” or “against” God. They are good and decent people yet they are not conscious of God in a real and experiential way. Every person who turns to God has an encounter with God which teaches that He is real and His promises are to be trusted. When you choose God’s will for your life, you learn of His love and faithfulness and that the decision for Christ is a matter of “life” or “death.” God has given each of us the right to choose what we are going to do with our lives and what type of lifestyle we are going to live. But if we do not choose God’s expressed truth and will, then by default, we choose to be in opposition to God and live dangerously among satan’s deceit and lies. John 3:36 whoever believes in the son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
We either build our lives on the “rock” that cannot be moved or on “sand” that is shifting and has no foundation. Jesus Christ is the only positive link between “life” blessed of God eternally and a “life in bondage” to our sinful nature with present and eternal judgment. John 3:18 whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only son.
We have not known “perfect love” until we know God. His love never fails us, and His love ordains that everything that befalls us will be for our spiritual and eternal good. Many live with all kinds of fear, but listen to the word of God: 1John 4:17 in this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 we love because he first loved us.
If you have never encountered God in a life-changing way, aren’t you curious as to whether He has planned something special for your life that you are going to miss? What about eternity? Will you leave your soul in the bondage of sin, blinded to the truth of God? ~Deliverance from bondage Romans 8:1 therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Truth is given by the inspiration of God, the creator of all things. Has the prince of this world (satan) blinded your eyes? On close examination you can tell what is “real” and what is “fake.” Why don’t you cast off your pride and rebellion and examine the promises God gives to you in His word? 1Timothy 2:3 this is good, and pleases God our savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. Titus 2:11 for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
God did not come to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. We, as His children, have a responsibility to tell the world: Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Matthew 23:37 “o Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. We are engrafted through God’s love into His Beloved and we have a commonality with Israel. I know God is saying to today’s world, “I have longed to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.” You are loved by God, hear His voice, and answer Him, “Lord, here I am.”
God says we are not going to know the day or the hour of His return, but the children of God are going to know the “season.” We are all aware that we are now in the season! As I said before, it grieves me that there are not more eyes looking heavenward to make sure they are ready for His coming. Don’t gamble on your life! Christ is your “link” to eternal life with God. Joshua 3:9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “come here, and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 this is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, invites, parasites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. God’s blessings will fall upon the obedient and any enemy that would keep you from God’s ordained purpose and will for your life will be driven out.
Christ is the link that cannot be broken between you and eternal life. Christ stands all powerful and filled with love and revelation of the truth that will set your free. There is no such thing as a million tomorrows for any of us. In fact, the Bible says: James 4:13 now listen, you who say, “today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 instead, you ought to say, “if it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 as it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
What more can I say to you? 1John 3:18 dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 this then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 and this is his command: to believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: we know it by the spirit he gave us.
