Saved from What? What ‘s Your Story?

“If I was to ask you tonight if you were saved? Do you say ‘Yes, I am saved’. When? ‘Oh so and so preached, I got baptized and…’ Are you saved? What are you saved from, hell? Are you saved from bitterness? Are you saved from lust? Are you saved from cheating? Are you saved from lying? Are you saved from bad manners? Are you saved from rebellion against your parents? Come on, what are you saved from?”

–Leonard Ravenhill

“And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Luke 7:50

 

 

 

 

 

True Comfort, Total Rest

“I have taken much pains to know everything that is esteemed worth knowing amongst men; but with all my reading, nothing now remains to comfort me at the close of this life but this passage of St. Paul: “It is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” To this I cleave, and herein do I find rest.”

–John Selden

“Return, O my soul, to your rest;
    for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.“

Psalm 116:7. ESV

 

 

 

 

 

Perseverance Through the Battle

“The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle came. Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before temptation comes, and you will always have victory.”

    —R.A. Torrey

 

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.”

Ephesians 6:10

 

 

 

 

 

Some Struggles Are Not Optional

“There are some fires you can’t get out of–you’ve got to go through the fire–you’ve got to go through the flood–you’ve got to go through the test–you’ve got to go through the struggle that you might decrease and he might increase.”

 –T.D. Jakes

 

“God never promises to remove us from our struggles. He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them.”

 –Max Lucado

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Ephesians 6:12