Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God. Let us draw near with a true heart in full blessed Assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider on another in order to stir up love and good words, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some. But exhorting one another and so much the more as you se the Day approaching!
In our lives we find that in order to maintain certain elements, we must have various types of insurance. We have insurance for life and insurance for death. We have insurance for our health and we have insurance for various types of sickness. We have insurance for our automobiles. One in case we are in an accident and one in case our car is stolen or vandalized. We have insurance on our homes and property. So just in case it is burnt down or blown down or broken into. Our monies are insured, our loans are insured. Every aspect of our life can be insured for a fee. This insurance can take weeks and months to take effect, and can be canceled in a matter of seconds. This insurance has stipulations and circumstances that can cause it to be revoked, nullified, or non-existent. But this morning we are going to converse for a little while about something called Assurance!
You see insurance is man made, but Assurance is God obtained. Insurance is revocable, where as Assurance is undeniable. Insurance is costly but Assurance is free. Insurance has limitations, where as Assurance is limitless! Blessed Assurance!
When the author of this scripture penned the words, he was simply letting us know that we have an assurance because the death of Jesus supercedes anything and everything and the salvation it provided is obtainable by anyone. Once we accept the gift of salvation, nothing can remove it. Once we are in the hands of God, nothing or no one can take us out of his hands. No matter what, we are his......Blessed Assurance.
The song writer of the old familiar hymn Blessed Assurance, was a woman named Fanny J. Crosby who understood the importance of having faith in God regardless of the circumstance at hand. The opening statement is an exhortation of one who has a personal relationship for she says, Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine! Think about this, She is confident in the fact that the one who God sent to reconcile us to him, belongs to her! Isn’t that awesome! Jesus, the king of the Jews, Jesus, the bright and morning star, Jesus the miracle man! Jesus, who walked on the water, fed a multitude with a couple fish and a few loaves of bread. Jesus, the one who gave sight to the blind and caused the lame to walk and the dumb to talk! Jesus, the protector, letigater, and resurector! Jesus the gift God gave to us!
And since we know Jesus to be all that and a bag of chips, why can’t we be like this Psalmist and understand that this person who God gave to us is ours, and since he is Lord of Lord, and all knees will bow and tongue confess that he is just that, wouldn’t it make sense for us to recognize that our situation our circumstance our trial our problem is merely a meager imposition, and the one who calmed a raging sea can surely calm the mild winds that blow in our lives----BLESSED ASSURANCE!
Now when Fanny wrote the next phrase, you can actually feel the level of the joy she received from the knowledge "O what a foretaste of glory divine!" She is excited that God in his loving kindness and glorious grace and marvelous mercy loved us so much that he wanted to secure the opportunity for his children to have an avenue, a path, a way to glory!
Isn’t that wonderful! Our past cannot preclude us from obtaining the glory of God! Our sinful nature does not guarantee we will be locked out of the kingdom. Our parents transgression will not deter us from entering into the gates of heaven!
Some one is sitting here thinking "HUH?" Being saved doesn’t mean I will never do wrong anymore? Being saved doesn’t mean that the things I did yesterday will not cause God turn away from me? God gave us this Blessed Assurance so that we may have life and have it abundantly! Not to condemn us for our past but instead to offer us an opportunity for a brighter future! Blessed Assurance!
How is this so, why do we think this is true, well as the song writer wrote we are Heir of salvation because we have been purchased by God! His Grace and his mercy allow us an opportunity to come into the path of righteousness and out of darkness. Once we are born again in the Spirit, and because of Jesus and his redeeming blood. Blessed Assurance!!!!
Now the second verse of this song is what shows the level of this woman’s faith in God and his saving ability. You see Fanny J. Crosby was a blind woman, but she wrote "Perfect submission, Perfect delight.....meaning once you surrender to him, you will receive the joy of him......Visions of rapture now burst on my sight! Now this is a glorious sight - as one visualizes the Lord riding on the clouds with outstretched hands to the believers! Ain’t that good news! When we surrender our lives to the master, this thing called salvation is ours! Our sins are forgiven and we have the opportunity to live a life of delight by living within God’s will! And because of that, when the rapture comes, we will be caught up in it, on our way to Glory, to sit down beside King Jesus, and tell him all about our troubles, how we come over hills and mountains and finally arrived at the crystal fountain....O Blessed Assurance!
Isn’t that good news!!!!!
Assurance gives us hope! Letting us understand that all we need , because the Lord is our shepherd, all of our needs are provided for. Assurance gives us hope letting us understand that God can do what everyone deems impossible. Assurance gives us hope. Letting us know there is no hopeless situation for God said this battle is not ours. There is no such thing as a hopeless illness for God said there is a balm there is a healing! There is no such thing as hopeless sorrow, for God said weeping may endure for a night But Joy is coming in the morning.......Blessed Assurance!
But in order for this Assurance to be felt, we have to believe and trust that the God of Abraham, of Isaac, of Jacob. The deliver of Sharach, Meshac, and Abednigo. The same God that appeared to Mosses in the burning bush. The protector of Daniel and Job. The safe keeper of Ruth and of Esther. The defender of David and Rahab. The giver of our salvation! The God we call father will take care of us. We must believe, and have faith sight unseen! Planted in God and his merciful sacrifice through the death of his Son, Jesus the Christ on Calvary! Blessed Assurance.
No need to fear that God is angry with you because of your mistakes, for the word of God does not state there is limited condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. It does not say, There is some condemnation, but it say "There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.’ Blessed Assurance!
Do you want an Assurance?
Do you want the security that you will not be canceled out because of your mistakes. Do you want the security that you will not be revoked because you had to ask for assistance. Do you want the assurance that insurance cannot give. Do you want the assurance that mankind can not provide. Do you want the assurance that cannot be purchased. Do you want the assurance that cannot be denied. You too can sing Perfect submission all is at rest I in my Savior am happy and blest. As I am watching and waiting, and looking above. Because I have been filled with his goodness and lost in his love.
If you want this to be your story, surrender your life to God. If you want this to be your song, give your hand to the master. And you to can Praise Jesus All the Day Long.
Surrender your life, say Lord I am yours. Lord use me as you see fit. Lord I want that Blessed Assurance.
Blessed Assurance comes when you anchor your convictions in the Word of God! Blessed Assurance comes when you face difficulties but know that God can do anything but fail. Blessed Assurance comes when sorrows arise but you know the Joy of the Lord is your Strength. Blessed Assurance comes knowing that after you have done all that you know to do to Just Stand! Blessed Assurance comes when your hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness, when you dare not trust the sweetest frame but completely lean on Jesus Name. Blessed Assurance comes when you don’t know if things are going to work out right, but you know that what Satan may mean for your destruction, God will use for your elevation. Blessed Assurance, not obtainable through Allstate or State Farm. It is not purchased for Geico or Prudential. But Blessed Assurance was offered over 2000 years ago and the cost remains the same. There have been no rate increases and no cancellations. There has been no added small print or stipulations. To get the assurance, all you got to do is say Father I Stretch my Hands to thee! For the price for your Blessed Assurance was paid in full with the birth, life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Blessed Assurance
