stand fast

Being a Pastor for nearly thirty years I got to see a lot of good things, unfortunately I had to see some things that were not so good.  I have watched far too many good people who were hot for Jesus  become lukewarm.  They joined themselves to Jesus at a time when their lives were a mess, He healed them and blessed them.  After a season they departed and set out on their own not saying a word to anyone, not even a goodbye.
 
Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty where with Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
 
Christ does not untangle us from the world and make us free so we can go back to our old ways.  Jesus does get us free of the world but He remains with us in order to keep us free.  Deliverance is not a one time event, it is a life time of spiritual influence.  When people begin to exempt God from their thoughts the devil will move in and put his thoughts into their minds.  Slowly they will begin to stray away from God and because their course is methodical their conscience won’t bother them.  Before they realize it they are right back where they came from and usually too ashamed to come back to the arms of Jesus.
 
John 14:23 Jesus said, If a man love Me, he will keep my words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode  with him.
 
How do we express our love for God?  We obey His Word, our obedience is a welcome mat to the Lord.  When We stop obeying Him we essentially pull up the welcome mat.  God will not enter a house where He is not welcome, He will not help a person who does not want it.
 
Hebrews 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
 
If you’re born again you must live by faith, there is no other option.  But if we draw back from our faith in the finished work of Christ, He does not approve of our decision.  People don’t recognize it but the devil is working behind the scene pulling people away from the security of the Lord Jesus.  There is a tug-o-war in the spirit realm, the Lord draws people with His love and the devil pulls people with deception.  The folks who are grateful to be saved don’t play tug-o-war, they made a decision and no one can persuade them otherwise.
Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.
 
The uncompromised Word of God will always draw you close to your Lord.  The doctrine of another gospel will tend to separate you from the one true God.  If a man flakes off from God his excuse can become another gospel.  Adam challenged God’s Word when he said it was the woman you gave me.  When Jesus came into your life He intended to stay forever, please don’t disappoint Him.
 

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