God's Way Is Not Easy

Dear Brethren,

Why are God's people so dispersed and scattered?  Why are so many letting down, giving up and falling away?  Did they ever understand the Truth?  Are they still looking for great numbers of members in one human organization and a structured religion of do's and don'ts - so that they do not have to learn to build character or make decisions?

Why are some brethren unable to hold the course?  Why do some people compromise by substituting nit-picking incidental religiosity for the great true faith of Jesus Christ?  It takes effort to stay on course - to endure to the end - to stand strong.  This is an ardent cry to hold fast to the Word of God.

"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.  Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.  For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.  Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.  Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.  Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.  Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."  (Proverbs 4:20-27)

Brethren, there are many philosophies that would draw us away from the straight-forward way of life in Jesus Christ.  Some people are actually looking for loop-holes to get out of what we must do to become more like our elder brother, Jesus Christ.  "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."  (2Peter 3:16)

There are those who would not keep the commandments or follow Christ - except for the hope of the Place of Safety, or for the promises of the Kingdom.  Are we in God's Chruch, solely for the rewards?  Do we endeavor to live as Christians simply for gain - or do we whole-heartedly believe that God's way is always right and best?

Brethren, have we built the Godly character that would cause us to choose God's way - even if there were only seemingly intangible rewards in this temporal life?  Here is the good news - there are great rewards, but our motivation must be "to come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."  (Ephesians 4:13)

When Jesus gave His life for us - He gave His all.  Our calling is not an easy one - because God's way is not easy.  "For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps."  (1Peter 2:21

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Sermon:

"God's Way Is Not Easy"