If we look at the troubles in this world, we can become very afraid. Christians must turn our eyes upon Jesus. In Him, we have nothing to fear in this life. We are saved by the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
That verse should bring peace to all who have repented of the sin in their life and turned to Jesus for salvation. What does that mean? It doesn’t mean that life will be without trials and concerns. Jesus told His disciples, and us, that there will be troubles in life, but He is bigger than any trouble in this world.
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world” (John 10:33).
We all have times when we face uncertainty and feel worried, discouraged, and fearful. Those are the times we need to take our eyes off the world and its troubles and turn our eyes upon Jesus.
TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS
By Helen H. Lemmel.
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
The world is very dark, and getting darker. Evil lurks everywhere, and if we focus on the worldly news, we might think that there’s no hope. Granted, there’s much to be concerned about, but Christians have no reason to despair. Satan and his minions are hard at work to put doubt and fear in the minds of all Christians, and steal our joy. We need to be sure that we are focusing on God’s truth, not Satan’s lies.
Evil is all around, and the news media likes to focus upon all things bad. Christians have a better source for truth. We have Scripture. Scripture doesn’t tell us that bad things won’t happen, but it does tell us that no matter what happens, we have hope. Christians can only be discouraged if we look for answers in the darkness of Satan’s lies. Scripture contains prophecy. It tells us that evil will grow strong, that all nations will turn against Israel, that war, famine and perilous times will happen, and that men will become more and more wicked.
That all sounds pretty dark, and it is. It’s dark because Satan is behind all the evil, and prophecy is being fulfilled just as Scripture describes. The Apostle Peter gives us good advice:
“Be sober, be vigilant: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9).
The same darkness can affect both Christians and non-Christians, and if Christians stop seeing the Light of the Lord shining in the darkness, we will become discouraged. You need to understand that God won the battle at the Cross, and if you have faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, then you have nothing to fear.
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Turn to Jesus with all your fears and let His light shine through you.
Thru death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion,
For more than conquerors we are!
It’s been said that the only sure things in life are death and taxes. There’s a more sure thing in life, and that is that faith in Jesus will bring eternal life.
A friend of mine has many health problems, and it’s quite serious. Her greatest fear? Dying. I feel sorry for her because she is a Christian, or at least she attends church. There is a difference. I wonder if anyone has explained Jesus to her…really explained Him. I tried to, but others kept interrupting and poo-pooing her fears rather than helping.
Death has been a part of life since Adam chose to sin. When God says not to do something, we shouldn’t do it. Before the cross, people had to work to please God…they had to eat a certain way, wear certain clothing, and make animal blood sacrifices, among other things. After the cross, salvation comes through faith.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:23-26).
Grace is a blessing. Only true faith in Jesus will bring eternal life. I hope my friend learns this truth. I pray I’ll have the opportunity to talk to her about it.
The Apostle Paul was a Jewish man who knew God’s Law inside and out. He met Jesus, and his life was completely changed. He understood that only true faith in Jesus brings eternal life. He gave his life to Jesus and spread the Gospel far and wide. Paul faced jail, beatings, shipwrecks, and more, but never stopped serving Jesus. He had a purpose in life through Jesus, and had no fear of death.
“For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Eternal life with Jesus is a promise to all true believers in Christ. Have you repented of sin and given your life to Jesus? You may not be asked to go on missionary journeys or face rejection from family, but then again, you may.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).
Only the good things we do in the name of Jesus will bring eternal rewards. Death will come to all of us one day unless the Rapture happens first; but for a Christian, death is just a step into eternity with God. Jesus conquered death when He rose from the grave on the third day after His crucifixion. Don’t let the darkness of the world blind you to the light of Jesus.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).
There is no other way. Turn your eyes upon Jesus, and look to your Heavenly life with Him.
His Word shall not fail you, He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Do you believe in Jesus? Do you stand upon His word? If so, then you have a mission. When Jesus was about to ascend to Heaven, He told His followers, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15-16).
Baptism should follow a confession of faith, but baptism cannot bring salvation. It’s faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that brings eternal life. Why do we need Jesus for salvation? We all sin, and sin cannot come before God. The animal sacrifices of Old Testament times could only cover the sin but never take it away. All of creation has blood that is tainted by sin, but only by God’s pure blood can sin be taken away. Only a human could be the sacrifice for human sin. That’s why Mary, a fully human virgin, gave birth to the Son of God. Jesus was fully human and fully God. Put your faith in Jesus to take your sin away. That faith should change your life.
If you’ve repented of sin, then let go of that sin. Joy in the Lord comes from living in the Light of Jesus. We all fail at times, but every Christian has the promise of forgiveness.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).
That’s a blessing. Notice John didn’t say that only small sins can be forgiven, such as white lies or gossip. He wrote that all sin is forgiven. Our confession of sin must be heartfelt; then we must accept His forgiveness. Whether you’ve told white lies or if you’ve murdered someone, forgiveness is there for you. There are still consequences for sin that must be paid on Earth. For instance, if you’ve stolen money, you’re subject to the laws of the land. Your sin is forgiven by God, so you haven’t lost salvation, but there is a penalty you must pay in this life. Repent and don’t continue in sin.
When the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman before Jesus and accused her of sexual sin, they knew the Law required her to be stoned. Jesus knew these religious leaders weren’t innocent of their own sin and allowed them to be convicted by their own consciences. They left the scene, and Jesus asked the woman where the men are who had condemned her.
“She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more” (John 8:11).
We must not hold onto the sin that condemns us after we have been forgiven by Christ. Brothers and sisters, go and sin no more. Then share your testimony with the unsaved world around you. Your testimony is something that you can use to bring someone who is on their way to an eternity of death in the Lake of Fire to an eternity of life with Christ. You just might be surprised at who will listen to your testimony of salvation through Christ, then repent of their own sin and begin a new life in Christ. Don’t be shy.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Get your eyes off of the world with its fear and sin. Turn your eyes upon Jesus and be thankful for His love. Study His word and apply His truth to your life. The closer you draw to Jesus, the less you’ll desire worldly things that push you away from Him.
You only need to confess your sin to Jesus and truly repent. Human priests have no authority over sin. Jesus is our High Priest.
“And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:21-22).
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, and let His love and forgiveness draw you closer to Him and away from the world. Give Him your heart and your life.
God bless you all,
Nathele Graham
Recommended prophecy sites:
www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com
All original Scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.
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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).