DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT THURSDAY – HOW TO KEEP OUR SALVATION IN DIFFICULT TIMES. Part 1.

"The life of Christianity consists of possessive pronouns" says Martin Luther. It is one thing to say, "Christ is a Saviour"; it is quite another thing to say, "He is my Saviour and my Lord." The devil can say the first; the true Christian alone can say the second."

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.- 2Tim 3:1-5.

When the author walks onto the stage, the play is over. God is going to invade, all right; but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else comes crashing in? This time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature.

It will be too late then to choose your side. That will not be the time for choosing; It will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. - C.S. Lewis.

Every generation of Christians has known times of difficulty. The early church was in danger of attacks from without and treachery from within, and down through the years, men, women and children have given their lives for their testimony and faith in Jesus. Some stood firm with deep commitment; but others gave up.

The difficult times which we face, may be a bit more sophisticated than other generations, and sometimes, the devil's approach is so subtle, that we never hear his steps. Satan has truly become an angel of light; his methods are crafty and cunning, he is the master deceiver.

In our lifetime, we have witnessed the horrors of foreign, rampant, and dictatorial leaders, who killed their own people; a deeply increasing crime rate in our countries; prayer and the Bible removed from the classroom; destructive civil disorders; the lowering of morals, pornography, the parading of homosexual behaviour in our streets, movies and television. The demons of hell are having a celebration, cheering the moral bankruptcy of our generation!

All of this poses the question... How Do We Keep Our Salvation In Difficult Times? Well we must...

Have A True Experience In Jesus Christ.

A vibrant, and alive experience of Christ, is a must! The word “Christian” must be more than a catchword or cliché saying! We must have a daily walking with Him, a complete trust in Him, a sacrificial love for Him, and He must be the ONE to whom we are the most devoted! No one can come between us and Christ; He is our Lord and Saviour/Master, of our lives.

Archaeologists digging in the remains of a school for imperial pages in Rome found a picture dating from the third century. It shows a boy standing, his hand raised, worshiping a figure on a cross, a figure that looks like a man with the head of an ass. Scrawled in the writing of a young person are the words, "Alexamenos worships his God."

Nearby in a second inscription: "Alexamenos is faithful." Apparently, a young man who was a Christian was being mocked by his schoolmates for his faithful witness. But he was not ashamed; he was faithful. - Leighton Ford.

We Must Be Empowered By The Holy Spirit.
He is the dynamo which God has provided for us, He is the anointing Spirit who gives us power to pray, teach, cast out demons, heal the sick, defend the faith, and defeat the power of sin and the devil. He generates within us the new life we have received as sons and daughters of God, He imparts to us divine and holy strength, and knowledge which surpasses the abilities of our natural flesh.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."- Acts 1:8.

He has been given to us for our help. He counteracts, and causes the unholy spirit which constantly attacks us, to be ineffective against us! If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" - Luke 11:13.

Since Apostolic days, the commission of the Holy Spirit has been to prepare, and defend the Bride of Christ (the Church). His sword, the Word of God, is our offensive weapon.

Author Jamie Buckingham once visited a dam on the Columbia River. He'd always thought that the water spilling over the top provided the power, not realizing that it was just froth, that deep within turbines and generators transformed the power of tons and tons of water to electricity--quietly, without notice, not like the flashy froth on top. - Source Unknown.

Yes, these are difficult times, but we do not come from a position of defeat, but a position of victory! With Christ as our Lord, and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can keep our salvation in difficult times, and not be pushed aside, or made to deny the Lord, by the enemies of God! If God is for us, who can be against us?

Loving Father, I thank you for your dear son Jesus, and for the power of the Holy Spirit, who will help me to defeat my enemies, and to stand strong in these difficult times! I pray Lord, that in these difficult and evil times, that I will study your word, and pray for my brothers and sisters in the Lord, to also stand strong. In Jesus wonderful name, amen!

GBYAY