This is the last message before I go to the hospital, and no matter what, I want you to rejoice in the Lord, for sincere Christians rejoice in Christ Jesus.
To write many times the same things, has not been any trouble to me, knowing that it was a safeguard for you. At this moment I do not know if or when I can write to you again, so I call on you to stay awake and and be aware of what is the true and the false Gospel.
● Beware of the dogs, those false preachers who lead you away from the Christ, and try to win you as fuel for hell’s fire. They are dogs, who are against those who faithfully follow Jesus, and when you go close to them they will bark at you, and bite you.
Isaiah 56:10-11
¹⁰His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber; ¹¹And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one.
● Beware of the evil workers, who urge you to do human works, to enter the Kingdom, in opposition to the faith of Christ, by which faith we know that we can do nothing, to earn even one minute in His Kingdom. It is only the grace of God that allows us to enter. If they could, they would rent the body of Christ, and cut it to pieces.
We however know that like it is written in Romans 3:24,
[We are] being justified as a GIFT by His GRACE through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus
Furthermore we know that all works are to no purpose, unless the heart is in it, and it is done in love to Jesus.
● Beware of those who have a false spirit, for they claim to have the Holy Spirit, but in fact it are demons working in and through them. Different from the true followers of Jesus, they act as if they worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus, but the fact is that they have only eyes for the things of this world, and put their confidence in things of the flesh that will not remain, and in things of this earth, which is enmity to God. And the demon’s goal is to win you for hell
James 4:4
You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Anything the world can offer you as a profit, is in fact a loss, when it pulls you away from the Christ and His Kingdom! Furthermore all the world can offer you, is rubbish of temporary value. And can in no way be compared to the eternal gifts the Father is offering you in the Christ.
Eternal life is the gift of God, but it is in Christ Jesus; only through His hands it can come to us, as it is procured for us by Him. There is no getting to heaven as our home, but only by the Christ Who is the way.
You should only worship God in the strength, and in the grace of the Holy Spirit. Then you can rejoice in Christ Jesus, not only in mere outward enjoyments and performances, but with your whole heart.
And you cannot guard yourself too earnestly against those who oppose, or abuse the doctrine of free salvation.
True knowledge of the Christ alters, and changes men, their judgments and their manners, and makes them as if made again anew. (Born again)
The true believer prefers Christ above anything this world may offer, for he knows that it is much better to be without all worldly riches, than to be without the Christ and his word.
You nor I have already become perfect, but I press on, so that I may lay hold of it, and I like you to do the same, knowing that we can only reach this in Christ Jesus.
Therefore I am reaching forward to what lies ahead. So let us keep living by the standard of which we have seen an example in our Lord and Savior Jesus.
We all need to follow Him, and walk in His footsteps, and all those who ignore the Christ and prefer to go their own way are enemies of the cross of Christ, their end is destruction, their god is their appetite for worldly things, and they glory, in what in fact is their shame.
Keep in mind that your citizenship is in heaven, and that your stay on earth is only temporary. During our stay on earth we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform our bodies into conformity with the body of His glory.
What you see around you is that the enemies of the cross of Christ mind nothing but their own sensual appetites. And their sin is, especially when glory in it, their shame. For now the way of those who mind earthly things, may seem pleasant, but death and hell are at the end of it. If you choose their way, you shall also share their end.
As I said the life of a Christian is in heaven, where his Head and his home are, and where he hopes to be shortly; he sets his affections upon things above; and if your heart it full of God, so will your mouth be.
There is glory kept for all who belong to the Christ, in which they will appear at the resurrection. Then the body will be made glorious; not only raised again to life, but raised to great advantage.
May we all be always prepared for the coming of our Lord.
Internet: devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
Twitter: @schoemakerharry
P.S.: Because of an other visit to the hospital I will probably not be able to write a devotional on Wednesday November 20 and following days. Thursday 21st they want to do the operation, and I don’t know yet when I will go home. All is in His hands! Keep following your Lord!
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