God's Assurance

Biblically illiterate Christians who know only a verse of the Bible here; and a verse there, have a problem when someone starts throwing darts at them concerning what will happen in the latter days. As Jesus would often say,"It is written, haven't you read?". The only way you may claim God's promises is to become familiar with those promises by studying His Word. God wants only what is best for those that love Him. That isn't to say He won't allow you to be tested at times. These tests are a means of proving that God can trust you and count on you when the going gets tough.

Let's begin our study in
I Corrinthians 10:11 Now these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

The things Paul is referring to are the facts that God brought Moses and Israel out of Egypt. God parted the Red Sea and made certain His children had water to drink and manna to eat. These things were examples for you in this generation. Trust in God.

10:12
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
If you are well-founded in God's Word, you will not fall when the adversary appears as antichrist. You will be prepared to boldly make a stand for Jesus Christ.

10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].

Those who make a stand for Jesus can count on this promise from Father. When you are tempted, don't stop thinking. What should you be thinking? Where does all wisdom come from? All wisdom comes from God. Some read this verse and think they are being promised a rose garden. That isn't what it says. The word tempted means proven. God wants to see what you are made of. Can He count on you?

Turn with me to II Timothy as we continue our study concerning God's assurance.
3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.
Does that sound like a rose garden to you?

3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accuser, incontinent, firerce, despisers of those that are good,
3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, loavers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

The last days being described sound like trouble to me. The description fits this generation pretty well.

3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Many like to talk religion; however, they don't really believe in the power of Christianity. Don't play church.

3:6 For this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins,led away with divers lust, 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

This applies to silly men as well as silly women. They have attended church regularly for thirty years and know nothing of God's Word.

3:8
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
Jannes and Jambres were Pharaoh's magicians that tried to belittle Aaron's rod turning into a serpent with their own serpents. Aaron's serpent ate their serpents alive.

3:9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all { men }, as theirs also was. 3:10 But thou has fully known my doctrin, manner of life, purpose, faith longsuffering, charity, patience.

Paul is speaking of himself. How are you doing on patience?

3:11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions, I endured: but out of { them }all the Lord delivered me.
God provided Paul a way out. He will provide you a way out, if you believe and trust in God's assurance.

3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
The trouble is going to grow worse, before things get better. That is alright. God has promised you that He won't give you more than you can handle.

3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou has learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned { them };

God assures you through the Holy Spirit as you grow in His Word. You can count on God. He will always provide you with a way out of the troubles and persecution.

Let's turn to
II Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

The false preachers that lead their flocks right to the "spurious" messiah will have a lot to answer for. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes on judgment day.

2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

How do you know that you are following a false preacher straight to antichrist? Is your preacher teaching God's Word, or man's words?

2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
God keeps very good records in the book of life. He knows very well those preachers that do their homework in His Word before they start preaching. He also knows those preachers that teach with feigned, that is to say "fabricated words".

2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast [them] down to hell, and delivered [them] into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth [person], a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

God destroyed the ungodly "nephillim", the fallen angels, and their offspring the "gibber", or giants.

2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned [them] with an overthrow, making [them] an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

Lot was upset with what was happening in Sodom and Gomorrha. God was too! He destroyed them as an example to others that choose to live ungodly.

2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Just as God delivered Paul and Lot out of temptations, He will deliver you out of temptations, when you do things God's way. Please God, and trust in His assurance.

Many , especially today, believe that evildoers get ahead of the righteous and always win.

We are going to Psalms 37 which is an acrostic Psalm having four lines (a quatrain) assigned to each successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet except the fourth, the eleventh and the nineteenth which each have three lines (a triple) assigned to them. The letters having three lines assigned to them are equivalent to verses seven, twenty, and thirty-four.

So what does this mean? God wanted these verses to stick out like a sore toe. You might want to circle these verses in you Bible. Within this Psalm is a hidden message. Turn there when you begin to think the bad guys always win.

Psalms
37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 37:2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; [so] shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.


God sends pastors to feed His sheep who love Him.

37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring [it] to pass.


When you truly delight, trust in and commit to God the blessings from Him begin to flow.

37:6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.

Here comes the first of the "sore toe" verses. These are a special message from God to you.

37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
What is the message? Don't worry about those that prosper by doing evil. God keeps good records. Be wise enough that you don't allow wicked people to rip you off, though.

Skip to verse twenty.
Psalms
37:20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD [shall be] as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
Picture a piece of burning fat falling onto live burning coals. The fat almost instantly becomes smoke forever and ever. So shall it be with the wicked in the lake of fire. Do you envy them?

Now, the final triplet verse.

Psalms
37:34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see [it].

Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and you will be there to witness the destruction of the wicked.

What a powerful message! Isn't God 's assurance beautiful? You have nothing to fear. Your Father is in control! We have the victory in Him!

Enjoy your studies! alisicia