THE HARSH REALITY!

 

I feel like this new sermon series has been filled with some pretty harsh messages. It is not always easy to share those difficult messages. The parable of the mustard seed was about the easiest, but I did challenge the congregation to stop sitting in the church pew and go out to plant seeds for the KINGDOM.  Last week and this week, though, have been very pointed messages from JESUS. The message of the parable of the bridesmaids is directed straight at the church, to those people that think they are faithful followers of JESUS but are NOT. Then yesterday, it was much of the same. Jesus left nothing to the imagination in the parables. If you are not serving the Lord like he has called, you are in danger of being thrown into the darkness of HELL. I know, that is not a popular message to share, but it is what JESUS taught and it is the TRUTH. Sometimes it is just hard to share the HARSH REALITY of the GOSPEL. 

I kind of feel like I am "BEATING UP" the congregation with those messages. But I was encouraged to keep going when I read 1 Thessalonians2:1-5

"You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure. You know how badly we had been treated in Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly in spite of great opposition. So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery. For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alne examines the motives of our hearts. Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money!" (1 Thessalonians 2:1-5, NLT)

This is such a power message. God has given me the courage to BOLDLY declare the GOSPEL, THE TRUTH. I always tell people, I am too old to beat-around-the-bush. Time is short, I need to make sure the message is clear. Like Paul, I am not concerned about the opposition. GOD has ENTRUSTED ME and he has ENTRUSTED YOU with the GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL. We are not hear for praise or accolages or honors, or awards. We are here to SHOUT THE GOSPEL from the mountain tops. 

I don't apologize for making a few people squirm in their seats. I do not apologize if you feel uncomfortable or feel I am speaking directly to you. That truly is the reason I am here. I praise God that he TRUSTS ME WITH THE GOSPEL. I am humbled by this calling and will never take lightly the message he puts on my heart. 

Heavenly Father, I praise you for the message of truth you have given me to spread in our community. I am always shocked that you chose me to be your ambassador to SMDCOG. For that reason, I will never take lightly your call to serve them. Please, Lord, may I never forget the message you have given me. May I always speak it with boldness and the power of JESUS. Thank you Lord, I love you so dearly! AMEN!

Are you OPEN to the HARSH REALITY of the GOSPEL?

Sometimes IT IS HARD!

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If you haven't repented of your sin, accepted what Jesus did for you on the cross, dying for your sins, or if you have not committed your life to Jesus, TODAY could be that day. give your life to the Lord. 

"because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." (Romans 10:9-10, ESV)

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