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Living in an increasingly more troublous world, we have to develop mechanisms which have been provided to us through our faith in Jesus Christ and learn to listen and heed to the voice of the Holy Spirit, Who alone can equip all who trust in Jesus to not only cope with the roller-coaster of life but also to have a productive attitude in the process as we come to understand: “Life In The Paradox Of Being Saved”!
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Isaiah 64:6 – 12 (KJV)
Isa 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Isa 64:7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
Isa 64:9 Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.
Isa 64:10 Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
Isa 64:11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.
Isa 64:12 Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?
New Testament Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1 – 10 (KJV)
2Co 6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.
2Co 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
2Co 6:3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:
2Co 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
2Co 6:5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;
2Co 6:6 By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,
2Co 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
2Co 6:8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;
2Co 6:9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;
2Co 6:10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) Isaiah writes that the predicament of all mankind, even the covenant people of God, was that there is no way that anyone could ever be clean in God’s sight without God’s grace and blessing, and that God’s great love is the only reason that anyone could ever have any hope of being justified in His sight!
2) The story of human life is a severe tragedy in so many ways, yet there is a glorious splendor and majesty that exists alongside all the darkness and tragedies, but there is no profit in anything unless there is a way made by faith in Almighty God, Who sent Jesus Christ His Son to rescue all the children by faith alone from every evil situation.
3) The Apostle Paul illustrates this same idea as he writes the Corinthians showing them many examples of apparent contradictions which are true of all the lost who hear the Gospel of Jesus the Christ and get saved to a fresh new understanding which gives way to an actual spiritual reality that should be shared out to every one!