SESSION I - - REJOICE

These are wonderful times for the people of God. Wonderful?!? Yes, wonderful. Granted, sin is rampant. Faith in God appears to be dissipating; yet, the times are wonderful. Why are they wonderful? They are wonderful because we will be able to discern the true from the false, the believer from the impostor. These are wonderful times because the choices are very clear. God has so plainly laid out His way. Man is so clearly violating God's commandments. While we are not happy about the rebellion against God; still we take pleasure in total surrender to Him. We find joy in doing things His way, not our way. So, let not your heart be troubled!!!

No, do not let your heart be troubled. (That is a command from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.) He said,

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me
7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. (John 14:1-7) The Holy Bible

Open rebellion against God is now fashionable (especially in certain segments of the population of the United States of America). It is very clear to any truly Born Again child of God that true faith in God is sadly lacking. This is no surprise. The Apostle John encountered similar situations during the period in history that preceded the fall of the Roman Empire. Here is some of what Brother (Apostle) John wrote:

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
6. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. (I John 4:1-6) The Holy Bible

Thus the word of God plainly tells us that "he that is not of God heareth not us". Why should we be troubled (we have already been told that those that are not of God heareth not us)? Let us not think that some strange thing has happened. This is the sign of "not knowing God". Those that know God hear us. Those that do not know God do not hear us. It would be wrong for us to worry about a Given. We preach, we warn, and try to lead in the way of righteousness; however, we are not to worry. Rather, we speak the truth in love and keep proclaiming God's truth. Don't forget: We are ALREADY Saved. We are trying to get them Saved. If they won't listen (and many won't), we need to move on to others of the 6,000,000,000 (six BILLION) people that are reported to be on Planet Earth. SOMEBODY is ready to hear and obey God. We have the love of God and we know God. The love of God constraineth us. Listen to Brother (Apostle) John:

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us; because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. (I John 4:7-12) The Holy Bible

Love will lead us to want the best for others. Just because they won't hear us doesn't mean that we should become their enemies. To the contrary, we should pray that they will come to the Light. We should not pray God's wrath upon them; rather, we should seek (through prayer) their Salvation. We know from Scripture that God will exercise His wrath upon those that rebel against Him (See Romans 1:18). However, that is His prerogative, not ours (even though Old Testament believers sought His wrath against others). When we proclaim to them God's word and they reject it, their rebellion is clear. Also, such rejection also reveals their hatred of God. Listen to Brother (Apostle) John:

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (I John 5:1-4) The Holy Bible

So, as we seek to rescue fallen humanity by pointing them in the way paved by God, let us rejoice (even as they oppose us). For in opposing us and disobeying the commandments of God, they clearly identify the spirit that is in them and we then understand that they are rejecting not us, but God. REJOICE!!!

Pastor Clarence William Page
Greensboro, North Carolina
January 13, 2004