Sermon in Rockford 20.03.2016

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we will continue these services. This time, reading from the book of Deuteronomy, from its 31st chapter. And we will read verses 6-8, and 12-13.

We read these words with that continuing prayer that God would open His Word as He sees good and as He has so done for us to this moment. But the words are in Jesus' name as follows:

Be strong, and of a good courage. Fear not, nor be afraid of them. For the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee. He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong, and of a good courage. For thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them. And thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

And the Lord, He it is that doth go before thee. He will be with thee. He will not fail thee. Neither forsake thee. Fear not. Neither be dismayed.

Gather the people together, men and women and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law.

And that their children, which have not known anything, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God as long as ye live in the land, whether ye go over Jordan to possess it.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

I come before you, dear brother and sister, feeling very empty and fearful again. But I ask if you can forgive me for all my doubts.

This portion of God's Word is a very comforting portion to me. It speaks to us as a congregation, and it speaks to us who are servants of the Word. And it speaks to each one of us very closely.

We know God's Word is a living Word, and we can be thankful to God that He has given it to us. It has been very good to be here in your midst, very uplifting to my weak face, for it feels I've received much more than I have been able to get. Thank you.

These words that we have before us are words of Moses. Moses was at this time a very old man. He was 120 years old, it says earlier in this chapter. And he was speaking unto the children of Israel. And he was also then speaking to Joshua.

Joshua was that one that was, I suppose you could say, being handed that duty of leading and serving the people there.

This portion that we began with, the first verse, speaks to the children of Israel. And it says, be strong and of a good courage. Fear not, nor be afraid of them. For the Lord thy God, He it is that doth go before thee. He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

These are precious words for us to hold on to, dear brother and sister.

Oftentimes, sometimes it feels that maybe things in this world are topsy-turvy. Maybe we struggle with questions and doubts about even what may happen to us in our lives, to us in our lives of faith.

When these questions come up, it's important that we can even discuss them and talk about them. But this portion of God's Word is such a comforting portion because it reminds us that no matter what may happen in this life, God will be there with us. He will be leading us. He will be guiding us.

And it reminds us that it is He that doth go before thee, and that He will not fail thee. And we can take comfort in this, dear brother and sister, that we are on the road to heaven's home.

And as we have already heard so preciously today, that the way will remain clear when we endeavor to battle, endeavor to put sins away when they be set.

As Moses called unto Joshua, and he reminded Joshua that God would be with him.

I've pondered this even in our lives. You know, sometimes it feels like when those older brothers that have served us have gained the victory, and as they have been able to lay down their travel staff, sometimes if the question has arisen in me, well, what's going to happen now?

But we see how God takes care of His children. And it is a precious matter how He calls through the congregation, those weak brothers, He calls them to serve, serve the congregation and serve God.

This is how God's work is done in His kingdom, by and through pardoned sinners.

We know that there are three parts to the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. It is God in all parts. It isn't man in any of them.

We heard so preciously last night that it is God's forgiveness. That's how this forgiveness is preached, by and through that Spirit that we own as a gift. It is God's Spirit, and it is a pure Spirit.

When thinking about this forgiveness of sins, I had an experience one time myself where one of those door knockers came to my door. And I stood at the doorway there and I told them to, yeah, come on in.

We just stood there in the entry. There was more of his own in the car that waited in the driveway. But he started speaking to me about, I suppose you could say, their way of believing.

And I, I, I, we had a little bit of a conversation there. I asked him how he has his sins forgiven.

I said, the message of forgiveness of sins is the main message in the Bible. And he looked at me and he said, well, that's just a small part.

I actually couldn't believe what I was hearing. But coming from a man that is in the world, one that is self-righteous in his own way, doing his own works to attain heaven, we can believe it.

I said, and obviously he prayed to God that his sins would be forgiven. And we know this isn't possible.

But I told him that Jesus left those keys to his disciples to loose and to bind. I said, and these keys are owned by anyone who believes their sins forgiven, that is gifted the Holy Spirit.

I said, and I told him and I reminded him where Jesus himself spoke that where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst.

I said, and I said, why do you think he spoke that? I said, one has to be present that owns the gift of the Holy Spirit.

It is God's Spirit that forgives. It is God who is forgiving.

He said, it would be pretty presumptuous of me to think that I could forgive sins.

I said, yeah, you can forgive sins. It is God by and through the Spirit that was left here.

But this is how it is, dear brother and sister. And the enemy of souls, he actually wants to work on each one of us to try to lose sight of this simple message, the simple ABCs of living faith.

I have had this experience with a near and dear one just recently who has lost the way. And oh, how sad it is.

But dear brother and sister, it reminded me of how precious the gift we have, and how when that Spirit is continually the conscience is continually cleansed, that Spirit will remain in us, leading and guiding.

Oh, how quickly when that Spirit leaves. The Spirit is a clean Spirit. It is a pure Spirit. It doesn't want to dwell in a body that is full of sin. It leaves.

And how quickly that understanding is gone. One that understood matters of faith so clearly, but didn't take care of the conscience.

Dear brother and sister, you dear precious youth, take care of the conscience. Put sin away.

The Bible even says there is nothing new under the sun with God. God has seen everything. He knows everything.

We don't need to travel with that burden of sin on our conscience.

This is why God sent His only Son into this world to save us.

I was talking to this dear one and I even asked him then, I said, well, how now do you take care of matters?

He said, it's between me and God, that I pray to Him and He forgives me.

He said, brought Him back to those places where there were always at least two present, one that owned the gift of faith, one that owned God's Holy Spirit.

This will not change. God's Word remains unchanging.

There is only one possible way to heaven for us. Jesus fulfilled the other way by walking that perfect life because He knew how imperfect we would be.

God's love and He pays to believe, dear brother and sister, what a precious gift we own and what a good God we have as we read in this portion of Scripture that He will be with us. He will not forsake us.

We need not be dismayed. Come what may come in this world, maybe there will even be storms in God's kingdom.

But when we take care of our matters putting our own sins away, the way will remain clear.

There's no doubt in my mind the way will remain clear if we endeavor to keep faith and a good conscience.

This is what the enemy of souls wants to steal away from us. But we have God on our side.

And what a precious matter it is.

Dear brother and sister, uplift your hearts. Even now, maybe you have been experiencing those heavy doubts and fears of what may come.

You can believe all of those forgiven. All of your sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

God will lead us. God will guide us. We will make it to the destination. Not destination. It's a glorious destination.

God pays to hold on to this precious gift, this gift that God has gifted unto us.

I think of you, even you dear youth, there are so many temptations there, isn't there?

I know there is for me. And I'm sure they're as bad for you.

But pray to God, just as we pray in the Lord's prayer, lead us not into temptation.

God doesn't lead us into temptation. But when we pray that prayer, we're asking God for strength to avoid those places of temptation.

And when we pray this prayer to God, you dear one, God hears your prayer. He hears that smallest sigh. He knows your thoughts. He knows how weak you are. And He wants to forgive you.

This text continues and says, gather the people together, men and women and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law.

Isn't it precious, dear brother and sister, when we can gather around God's holy and precious word?

It feels so good, doesn't it, to be reassured with that comforting gospel, that yes, we are on the road to heaven, heaven.

And it is God that is leading and guiding us there.

God loves us. God loves you. He wants you to make it to the destination.

Dear mothers and fathers, continue to teach your children, as it says here in this text. Teach them about the way to heaven. Teach them about that main message of the gospel, the forgiveness of all sins.

Go to those little children, ask for that gospel. Go to your sons and daughters. You dear youth, go to your moms and dads. Speak of that way and journey.

We will never be refused that gospel, will we? Yet those arms open up so quickly and that gospel is preached.

May God grant each of you a safe journey to heaven's home.

Love. He will not forsake us, dear brother and sister, but rather quite the contrary. He will be with us every moment of our lives, leading and guiding us and forgiving us.

I also join with Jim and thank you for the great love that has been shown unto me.

And I also ask for your prayers for me and my family.

Amen.

Remember us as we also promise to remember you.

Uplift your hearts and believe all of your sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus' name and blood.

And can I hear that gospel again? In Jesus' name and always bless me.

Amen.