We live in a world of heightened tensions. The threat of
extreme terrorism now extends to all countries of the world. Violence and corruption
are on the increase. In Australia where I live, the nation's leaders have placed
our country on "high alert" status; due to the G20 meetings to be
held in Brisbane QLD in November 2014. The leaders of the G20 nations will
gather in Brisbane at this time to discuss matters of global significance.
Security in Australia has been increased; with the Australian
Defence Forces, the Australian Federal Police and State Police Forces all on
high alert status.
It would be good to live in peace and safety and not have to
worry about atrocities and acts of terrorism. All these are the result of sin!
Man's inhumanity to man are the results of sin in individual lives. The true
and living God will judge all people for their sins.
When Jesus walked among men He was not only interested in
their physical wellbeing but also in their spiritual wellbeing. He knew that
the end result of sin in a person's life was physical death and separation from
mankind and God.
Romans 6:23, "For
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord."
In John chapter 10 Jesus portrays Himself as the Good
Shepherd who will lay down His life for His sheep [followers]. He had power to
lay down His life and He had power to raise Himself up in resurrection.
Jesus in John 10:27-30 gives us a wonderful revelation
of the power of the Godhead in action.
"(27) My sheep
hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
(28) And I give them
eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out
of My hand.
(29) My Father, who has
given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of
My Father's hand.
(30) I and My Father
are one."
Did you notice the double security in verses 28 & 29?
The Son's hand and the Father's hand! I like to picture this as the Son's hand
underneath, the Father's hand clasped over the Son's hand and all the believers
cocooned safely inside.
Romans 8:31-39
"(31) What then
shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
(32) He who did not
spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him
also freely give us all things?
(33) Who shall bring a
charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.
(34) Who is he that
condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is risen, who is even at the
right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
(35) Who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
(36) As it is written:
'For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the
slaughter.'
(37) Yet in all these
things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
(38) For I am persuaded
that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor
things present nor things to come,
(39) nor height nor
depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love
of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
The apostle Paul believed these things, so much so that he
put it on record for us to learn from! God has an end in view for born again
believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. He will bring us safely home to heaven and
there is no created power or thing that can prevent this happening. As verse
31 so aptly puts it, "...If God
is for us, who can be against us?"
You and I are not promised an easy pathway in this life;
however the end result is glorious! We could possibly suffer at the hands of
sinners on our pathway down here. Let the words of the apostle Paul encourage
us in 2 Corinthians 4:16, 17, "(16)
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet
the inward man is being renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory."
With all these tremendous assurances how can anyone say that
you can be saved then lost? Impossible!
Jon Peasey
Biblical Perspectives blog www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com
Ebooks author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey
[All
Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted.
Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted
for clarity. Words in bold type
emphasise a point. You may notice some verses are
quoted with ... at the beginning,
ending or elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse,
that relate directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]
[If you have any questions or comments
you are invited to contact me via the comments section below.]
