GRACE: The Sure Foundation"

“GRACE:  The Sure Foundation”

 

May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal encouragement and good hope by grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good work and word.       2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

 

It is not an EASY road, for the TRUE BELIEVER of today, we often face trials and discouragements all along the way.  Our trials and discouragements may pale in comparison to those of the FIRST BELIEVERS of Jesus Christ.  But, nevertheless, they can bog us down, and cause us Spiritual anxieties and frustrations, which can alter our work for the Lord.

 

Paul’s prayer for the TRUE BELIEVERS in Thessalonica, was that they would have ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT.  Notice the Apostle begins his prayer with:  “May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father,”  this indicates the UNITY between the Son, Jesus and His Father, God, who has LOVED us and given us ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT and GOOD HOPE.  This is given to us by God’s GRACE, which is the FOUNDATION for the ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT and the GOOD HOPE.

 

The ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT, is KNOWING that whatever we face NOW, on this earth is TEMPORARY, and what we will face in Heaven will last throughout ETERNITY.  JOY, PEACE, LOVE, all these and MORE.  That SHOULD give us GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT and GOOD HOPE for the FUTURE that awaits EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.  Therefore, by GOD’S AMAZING GRACE we can have a SURE FOUNDATION and the ENCOURAGEMENT and STRENGTH we need to be DILIGENT in EVERY GOOD WORK and WORD.  Do you have that SURE FOUNDATION?

 

You can have that ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT and GOOD HOPE for NOW and the FUTURE, if you will TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  Then you MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that Jesus died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and receive ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT and GOOD HOPE, and ESCAPE an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!