Get A Grip

Sometimes in our circumstances we really hold on, which could be good or bad; and sometimes in our circumstances we don’t hold on and that can be good or bad.

Let’s read our main text from Romans 8.

I remember several years ago, Bob Loudermilk telling us that if he was ever in a place, that he could not have a complete bible that if He could just have the 8th Chapter of Romans, that it would be enough. There is a lot of great stuff in Romans 8. There is a lot of things in Romans 8 that we can misunderstand also. So, let’s work through just a portion of this chapter and see if we can apply some things to our own lives. Maybe we can come to a better understanding.

Maybe a time to let go of some old ways of thinking or maybe a time to grab on just a little tighter. Just follow the Holy Spirit’s guiding. Let’s pray…

Let’s see what we can unravel maybe just a little bit.

Get a grip on…

1. I will have trouble.

Romans 8:35-36, John 16:33

Last weekend was an amazing weekend and yet it was a very difficult one for me. On Saturday afternoon, the Big Boy ministries made it to the church and Ronnie and I did our best to make them feel welcome. Wes and Rosa came a few minutes later with pizza for them all to eat.

After they ate a few of them were outside and a man, who had been drinking, came walking by, some of the guys from Big Boy Ministries started witnessing to him and they prayed with him and invited him to come back and stay the night. He said that he had some things to do and might be back in a few hours.

BBM ended up going to Aurora to try to do some bowling, but the lanes were all full. Maybe 5 minutes after they left, Ronnie, Wes and I were about to leave when the man came back. We stayed and talked with him for about an hour. His life was a mess and wanted to be with the guys from BBM. Since they were not there he decided to go to a friend’s house, and come back later.

Saturday night, I didn’t sleep well at all. I got texts late into the night and it was probably about 2ish when I finally got to sleep. Up at 5:30 to help, Wes and Ronnie with breakfast for our guests. I get a call, and some texts from Cheryl and find out my son is headed to the Emergency room with heart problems. I wanted to be with my son. With my responsibilities and position, I needed to be at church. On the outside, I tried to put on a good front, but on the inside, I was falling apart.

Sunday reminded me that there are times in my life that I will face trouble. Times, when I feel like I am really hearing and obeying God, Satan is going to attack me. And he did. My son was in the Emergency room and I could not be there. I could not stay in constant contact and know what was going on. If there is a way to attack me, it is through my family. And Satan did just that.

We are going to face trouble, verse 35, “we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?” It’s not if, but when. So, be prepared, the best you can. Have your people, that you can go to.

Get a grip on…

2. How much God loves you!

Romans 8:31-34, John 3:16

Remember that old song Jesus love me? “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the bible tells me so, little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong. Yes! Jesus loves me. Yes! Jesus loves me! Yes! Jesus loves me! The bible tells me so. Just like those infomercials, “But wait there’s more.” Jesus loves me when I’m good, when I do the things, I should. Jesus loves me when I’m bad, though it makes Him very sad. Yes! Jesus loves me. Yes! Jesus loves me! Yes! Jesus loves me! The bible tells me so.”

One thing, that many of us do, is take the scriptures that we like and leave out the scriptures that we don’t like. As an example, we like John 3:16-17 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." But we don’t like James 2:19 "You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror."

How many of you think that there will be demons in heaven? But they believe. Right? And there are many more like that one that we need to get a grip on. Things in the Word of God that Satan will use to trip us up?

The truth is God will always love you. God will always forgive you. The love is unconditional. “For God so loved the world”. Is everyone in the world going to heaven? Does that mean that God doesn’t love them? If you were drowning in the ocean and someone throws you a flotation ring and you reject it, are you going to be saved? Accepting that ring, that salvation device and holding on to it until you get in the boat is what saves you. If you let go of the ring, you will drown.

God will always forgive you, if you ask. I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” Forgiveness comes with confession and repentance. Luke 13:5 “No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

Does God love you? Yes. He loves you so much, that if you choose to live your life on earth for yourself, He will honor your decision, and you will spend eternity without Him, but if you choose to die to yourself and live for God, then He will honor that decision and you will spend eternal life with Him.

Get a grip on you I will have trouble; how much God love me.

Get a grip on…

3. Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

Romans 8:38-39, Romans 5:6-10

Satan is a liar. Satan is the great deceiver. Satan promotes pride. Satan is author of confusion. But what do those things mean.

As the author of confusion, he will make you think that the bible contradicts itself. I believe that the bible is clear, in that, if you have unconfessed, unrepented sin in your life and you continue to live a sinful life that you will not go to heaven. There are some scriptures that can lead people to think they have eternal security. Paul says, follow me as I follow Christ. If you read something that Paul wrote and it seems like it contradicts Jesus, then Satan has confused you.

As the promoter of Pride, Satan will make you think that you are good enough to make it to heaven. None of us are good enough, we all fall short, but only through Jesus can we be saved.

As a liar, he will tell you that whatever you do is unforgivable. And to others he will tell them that they don’t need forgiveness, because they have already been saved and nothing can ever change that. So not only does Satan lie, he is really believable which makes him the great deceiver.

Here’s my little foot note to all of that. There is a possibility that I could be wrong, but if I am, I am wrong on the side of holiness. The bible, Jesus and Paul tell us to strive for holiness/perfection. If I am right, and I believe the bible tells me so, then those that think they are okay will not be. Wide is the road that leads to destruction and narrow is the gate that leads to eternal life.

• John 15:1-6 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned."

Are you producing fruit? Jesus said, the Father cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit. Not some, not most, every branch. Galatians 6:7-8 "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."