"Keeping On Into 2009 ”

1COR 15:58 “KEEPING ON KEEPING ON INTO 2009 ”

I DON’T KNOW WHETHER YOU ARE A LOVER OF BOXING AS A SPORT OR NOT BUT WHEN A BOXER HAS HAD ENOUGH THE TRAINER CAN ‘THROW IN THE TOWEL’ THIS SIGNIFIES WE JUST CANT GO ON ANY FURTHER….. WE OFTEN USE THE TURN OF PHRASE TO SAY WERE GIVING UP.

IF WERE HONEST THERE MAY BE TIMES IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES THAT WE FEEL LIKE GIVING UP IN A PARTICULAR GIVEN SITUATION. BUT OUR PURPOSE IS TO STAND FIRM, TO CONTINUE FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT, GIVING UP IS NOT REALLY AN OPTION.

IF WE WERE TO PICTURE THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AS A BOXING MATCH EVERY CHRISTIAN WOULD HAVE TO BE LIKE The SOUTH PAW JOE CALZAGE , NICK NAMED THE PRIDE OF WALES OR THE ITALIAN DRAGON. WHO HAS HAD 46 FIGHTS AND WON 46 FIGHTS YES HE HAS HAD MANY A BRUISING ROUND WITH OPPOSITION HE HAS BEEN KNOCKED DOWN ON THE CANVAS BUT HE HAS GOT BACK UP, HE HAS STOOD FIRM , HE HAS GIVEN HIMSELF FULLY TO THE TASK AND HAS COME OUT VICTORIOUS.

HERE THE APOSTLE PAUL IS URGING US TO JUST THAT, ‘BROTHERS AND SISTERS’ HE IS NOT ONLY ADDRESSING THOSE 1ST CENTURY CHRISTIANS IN CORINTH BUT US TODAY IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

1COR 15:58. THEREFORE, MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, STAND FIRM, LET NOTHING MOVE YOU. ALWAYS GIVE YOURSELVES FULLY TO THE WORK OF THE LORD, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOUR LABOUR IN THE LORD IS NOT IN VAIN

THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS A GREAT LEADER, WHO LEAD BY EXAMPLE, HE STIRRED OTHERS TO MOVE AHEAD IN DIFFICULT TIMES, HE ENCOURAGED HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO DO THE SAME. WHAT WAS THE GOAL IN SIGHT WELL THE THEREFORE IS THE KEY TO FIND OUR ULTIMATE GOAL WHICH IS A CAUSE FOR KEEPING ON KEEPING ON …

V56 THE STING OF DEATH IS SIN, AND THE POWER OF SIN IS THE LAW. BUT THANKS BE TO GOD! HE GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. ULTIMATE VICTORY IS GUARANTEED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

WE WHO ARE PERISHABLE WILL BE CLOTHED WITH THE IMPERISHABLE, AND WE WHO ARE MORTAL WILL BE CLOTHED WITH IMMORTALITY WE WILL BE VICTORIOUS! THIS IS OUR CAUSE OUR GOAL OUR ULTIMATE DESTINATION IN VIEW OF THIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS CONTINUE TO STAND FIRM IN THE WORK OF THE LORD INTO 2009.

1) BE STEADFAST IN THE TRUTH OF GODS WORD 2009

STAND FIRM, LET NOTHING MOVE YOU

WHY IS PAUL CALLING THESE BELIEVERS @ CORINTH TO STAND FIRM TO LET NOTHING MOVE YOU?

THE REASON IS THERE WERE THOSE AMONGST THEM WHO WERE DISTORTING THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL. DENYING CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AND THE BELIEVERS FROM THE DEAD - BY SAYING THERE WAS NO RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD. 1COR 15:12 – 19 READ .

V29 -33 HE POINTS OUT THE FOOLISHNESS OF WHAT THEY ARE SAYING……

V29 WHY BOTHER WITH BAPTISM – IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION 30 WHY BOTHER RISKING MY LIFE IF THERE IS NO RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD? THEN JUST LIVE FOR TODAY THEN HE QUOTES ISAIAH “LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.”

V33 HE CALLS THEM NOT BE MISLEAD “BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER” QUOTE GREEK POET MENANDER 342-291 B.C TO COME BACK TO THEIR SENSES AS THEY OUGHT - SOME ARE IGNORANT OF GOD. THEY SAY IGNORANCE BLISS, BUT IGNORANCE IN THE THINGS OF GOD IS FOOLISH AND WILL CAUSE INDIVIDUALS TO FALL.

I REMEMBER A COUPLE WHO HAD SUPPOSEDLY COME TO KNOW THE LORD – IN FACT I WAS VERY CLOSE TO THEM - THERE SON HAD BEEN SAVED AT A DRUG REHAB CENTRE AND IT APPEARED TO HAVE A BIG IMPACT UPON THEM BOTH – WE WENT THROUGH A BIBLE STUDY TOGETHER IT APPEARED TO BE GOING ON WELL – ATTHIS POINT THE HUSBAND HAD PROFESSED FAITH AND IS WIFE DID DURING THE STUDIES –BUT OVER TIME THEY STARTED TO QUESTION THE SCRIPTURES - WHAT IT WAS SAYING – THEY BEGAN TO BE INFLUENCED BY IMPOSING HUMAN THOUGHT ON THE SCRIPTURES – GOING OFF ON TANGENTS- THEN HE MEET UP WITH A GNOSTIC WHO FURTHER LED HIM INTO ERROR . I ENDEAVOURED TO REDIRECXT HIS MIND TO THE SCRIPTURES AT THE SAME TIME HE WAS DOING HIS UPMOST TO INFLUENCE OTHERS WITH HIS FOOLISH IDEAS. ULTIMATLY HE LEFT THE CHURCH AND TODAY HE IS NOWHERE, HE WENT ON TO BELIEVE THAT ALL RELIGIONS ARE ON ROUTE TO GOD.

HERE WAS A MAN (GROUP) WHO WERE SINNING AND CAUSING DISRUPTION IN THE CHURCH HE WAS IGNORANT OF GOD. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON IN CORINTH AND IT NEEDED ADDRESSING BECAUSE THEY ALLOWED THE ERROR TO GO ON TO THEIR SHAME V34 .

GOD’S WORD WARNS

JESUS WARNED US TO MATT.7.15.WATCH OUT FOR FALSE PROPHETS. JESUS SAID MATT 24;10-14. MANY WILL TURN AWAY FROM THE FAITH IN THE END TIMES V24. EVEN DECEIVING THE ELECT IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE. 2 PET.2.1 PETER TELLS US THEY INTRODUCE HERESIES.