(CLICK THE TITLE) Good morning everyone. This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. I woke up about 4 am today and as I laid there listening, the word assurance popped into my spirit. Here is the definition of the word: 1 : the act or action of assuring: as a : pledge, guarantee b : the act of conveying real property; also : the instrument by which it is conveyed c chiefly British : insurance
2 : the state of being assured: as a : security b : a being certain in the mind <the puritan’s assurance of salvation> c : confidence of mind or manner : easy freedom from self-doubt or uncertainty; also : excessive self-confidence : brashness, presumption
3 : something that inspires or tends to inspire confidence <gave repeated assurances of goodwill. We are going to keep that in mind as we dive into the word today.
Today’s Prayer
Father, I stand in the gap for Christians everywhere to ask that You would help us to think about the following observation that: “We should resolve to be more understanding of the very young, the old, the weak, and the sick. Sometime in life we will each have been all of these.” Help us to understand our generational differences. Young people have new ideas, new ways to do things, energy, and enthusiasm to offer. Older people have wisdom, learned from years of trial and error. It’s hard for older people to stand by and be ignored, and see the next generation make the same mistakes rather than building on knowledge already gained. Help us to learn to respect each other’s gifts and achievements. If we can’t do this, why would anyone want to exercise and take vitamins in order to become healthy “senior citizens?” Is this generation’s answer abortion, and euthanasia next? Oh Lord, help us each to realize that life is Your precious gift for each of us to live wisely, with Your help and within Your will. It’s in the wonderful name of Jesus I present this and all things, Amen.
Let’s eat.
Full Assurance
Full Assurance of Faith
Hebrews 10:19-22
And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
The Past; Full Assurance of Understanding
Colossians 2:2
I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.
Present; Full Assurance of Hope
Hebrews 6:1-11
So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing. But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it. Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true.
Quote of the Day
I’m not sure God wants us to be happy. I think he wants us to love, and be loved. But we are like children, thinking our toys will make us happy and the whole world is our nursery. Something must drive us out of that nursery and into the lives of others, and that something is suffering.
(Clive Staples) C. S. Lewis
WITH HOPE AND FAITH
REV. ELDER G E STERRETT
FOUNDER
GCKRS HELPING HAND FOUNDATION – THE RELATIONSHIP FACTORY