Have you ever stood firm in your convictions? I have. Where did your convictions come from? What is the source of one’s convictions that make it worth standing firm? Are convictions based on feeling, or facts? Let me share with you what I have learned about standing firm and how it brings hope.
I know that I have had convictions about things that were not true. They were convictions based upon my feelings. I know that I have written before that my feelings are not reliable. They are often based upon my own desires or wishes not on facts. When I have a conviction upon what is not true I tend to hurt someone else. It is because I have demanded others to follow my conviction which was a false idea.
So, I have found that my convictions based on feelings is not good, where do I need to look to find true convictions? Jude addresses the idea of standing firm and he tells me several things in which I should stand firm upon “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment[g]stained by the flesh. Jude 20-23 (ESV) I find here that I must stand firm by building myself up. I see that is done by studying the Word of God. I need to pray but I find it important to notice that is pray guided by the Holy Spirit. I need to be in the love of God, I believe that is done by being in the Bible, praying and in fellowship with other believers. I also need to be encouraging those who are doubting God and saving others from certain death.
My pastor Troy Dobbs gave a great message on this passage on Sunday. In it he helps me to understand what sometimes interferes with my ability to stand firm. I encourage you to listen to his message “Standing Firm”. One of the things that helped me most was a list of 11 Reasons People Fall Away From Christ: 1. Overtaken by sin 2. Bad experience in church 3. Pull of the world 4. Difficult teaching 5. Persecution 6. Life’s responsibilities 7. Personal doubt 8. Pain 9. Pride 10. Groupthink and 11. Sympathy without discernment. As I looked at the list I can say I have at times struggled with all of these. But I have found that when I stand firm in the truths of God I have hope.
I pray that you will choose to stand firm in the arms of the Almighty God who is sovereign in all things in heaven and on earth because in it there is hope. Know you can trust the promises of God and realize the same love and hope that only comes from Jesus. It is through a relationship with God through Jesus that solves the problem of sin and brings us hope in the present and the future. I would also encourage you to seek Jesus for He is the only opportunity there is to have eternal life. This is to me the greatest source of hope. In doing so, I believe we will have hope and joy in our everyday lives. Understanding how Jesus Christ grants us access to eternal life, allows us to live in hope. “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) At the same time understanding you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ will also bring you the greatest hope. Because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for sins. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
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