Hope

I want to remind everyone today if you have sinned and are thinking there is no hope, there is.  The Lord is merciful, passionate, patient, loving and kind.  It says this in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness but is patient towards you not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

Some may think that the Lord doesn’t love them because they have lived a horrible sinful life but that is not true, what the Lord hates is the sin not the sinner.  Take the apostle Paul for instance he said in 1^st Timothy 1:15, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners among whom I am foremost of all.” Paul said that he was the ‘chief of sinners,’ in another version of the Word it says that he was the worst of all sinners.  

The strange thing to me is that Paul was very religious but yet he thought of himself the worst of all sinners.  This is what he said about himself in Philippians 3:4-6, “though I myself have reasons for such confidence.  If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.”  Like I said before Paul was a very religious man, if this is true, and it is, how could he persecute the church?  Wasn’t he part of the church?  No, he was part of a religious organization.  There where Temples before the true church was established in Jerusalem. These Temples were full of religious people that didn’t understand the importance of a relationship with Jesus.

This was Paul’s condition before he was converted in Acts 9:1-15, “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’  ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked.  ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’  The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.  In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, ‘Ananias!’  ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered. The Lord told him, ‘Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.’  ‘Lord,’ Ananias answered, ‘I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.’  But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’  Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.  Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.”

       

I have put all this here to show you there is hope.  If Paul, a man who persecuted the church; having some thrown in prison and some even killed, could find grace, mercy and forgiveness so can you.  Admit you are a sinner and tell the Lord that you are sorry and repent, which means to turn away from your sins.  Then ask the Lord to forgive you and to be your Lord and Savior; if you are sincere you will be forgiven and be born-again. Then you will experience the Lord’s peace, love and joy that surpasses all understanding, praise the Lord.  Then find a good Bible believing church and start growing. God bless you and have a great day!!