Some Things You Can Be Sure Of

2 Timothy 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

Intro: In today’s world, it is difficult to be sure of anything! In fact, it’s best if you always expect the unexpected. Relationships fail; friends walk away; financial deals fall through; your stuff breaks; you name it – it is pretty much unpredictable.

In the Bible we find some consolation. There are a few things that we can be SURE of! I have made a short list of things that GOD said we could be sure of. Some are sobering, some are thrilling, but all are comforting. In a world of uncertainties – there are Some Things You Can Be Sure Of!

You can be sure of the fact…

I. That Satan will not let you serve God without a Fight

Exodus 3:19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

In these verses, God is speaking to Moses at the burning bush. This is where he got his Divine commission to lead the nation of Israel out of Egypt. God makes an interesting statement here. We know that God is Omniscient – all knowing. But for God to predict the future with the statement, “…I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you…” is most unusual.

We know that Pharaoh is a type of Satan. When God said he was sure that Pharaoh wouldn’t let the nation of Israel go, we can learn that Satan will also be very determined to keep his slaves under his power. They wanted to go WORSHIP, but Pharaoh wasn’t for it.

A. He will not let you go (without a fight) if you are UNSAVED.

If you are here tonight and you’ve never been saved, don’t think that Satan won’t lie, and deceive, and make empty promises and tempting offers to get you to either forget it or procrastinate!

B. He will not let you go (without a fight) if you are UNSURE.

If you are here tonight and you are dealing with doubt about your salvation, Satan will haunt you for the rest of your life with doubts and uncertainties until you get it settled! Don’t live in doubt – get it settled!

C. He will not let you go (without a fight) if you are UNSATISFIED.

If you are not content living for God, and abiding in Him and living by His word, Satan will give you a run for your money!!

He will throw everything imaginable and a few things you never imagined into your life to distract you and destroy you. The following verse demonstrates the critical dilemma a person gets in when they are plagued by doubts and do not live the Christian life in faith and confidence.

Romans 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

II. That your Sin will Find you out

Moses to the Nation of Israel – Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
The story of David and Bathsheba – II Samuel 12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
Jesus talking to the Disciples – Luke 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

III. That what you Sow will bear Fruit

Proverbs 11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Galatians 6:7, 8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

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Quote: Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.

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IV. That the Scripture is true Forever

We are outnumbered if we are Bible believers. They ought to put us on the ENDANGERED SPECIES list!

Gallup (2011-MAY) reported the results of a national poll on Biblical inerrancy. Those polled were asked which of three statements comes closest to describing their personal views about the Bible.

30% believe that “The Bible is the actual word of God, and is to be taken literally, word for word.”
49% believe that “The Bible is the inspired word of God, but not everything in it should be taken literally.”
17% believe that “The Bible is an ancient book of fables, legends, history, and moral precepts recorded by man.”
4% were uncertain or didn’t answer.

George Barna, president of Barna Research Group found that an alarmingly high number of church members have beliefs that fall far short of orthodox Christianity.

41 PERCENT OF ADULTS BELIEVED IN THE TOTAL ACCURACY OF THE BIBLE.
40 percent believed Christ was sinless, and only 27 percent believed Satan to be real.

Of the Baptists surveyed:

57 percent said they believed that works are necessary in order to be saved
45 percent believed Jesus was not sinless
44 percent did not believe that the Bible is totally accurate
66 percent did not believe Satan to be a real being.

Pastor Michael Youseff’s gave statistics of a poll that was conducted. Here is what the poll revealed:

85% of students at America’s largest Evangelical Seminary don’t believe in the inerrancy of Scripture.
74% of the Clergy in America no longer believe in the inerrancy of Scripture.

However, God’s Word makes it clear – His Word is SURE!!! (Whether it’s believed or not!)

Psalms 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psalms 93:5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.
Psalms 111:7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

V. That the Savior is a Sure Foundation

Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Ephesians 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

A ludicrous piece of journalism made its way into the USAToday. Apparently, those of us that have been born again and believe the Bible are a bunch of pea brains

Here are few excerpts from the “news” article. http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-05-25-brain24_ST_N.htm

DURHAM, N.C. — For decades, mainline Protestants have been beset by bad news: declining numbers, aging membership, waning cultural influence.A new study from Duke University Medical Center, however, gives these Protestants one reason for cheer: they seem to have larger brains than born-again Christians, Roman Catholics and the religiously unaffiliated.

The study, which examined the hippocampus region of the brain, found that Protestants who did not have a “born again” experience had significantly more gray matter than either those who reported a life-changing religious experience, Catholics, or unaffiliated older adults.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Templeton Foundation, included at least two MRI measurements of the hippocampus region of 268 adults between 1994 and 2005.

It found an association between participants’ professed religious affiliation and the physical structure of their brain. Specifically, those identified as Protestant who did not have a religious conversion or born-again experience — more common among their evangelical brethren — had a bigger hippocampus.

Participants, all 58 or older, were initially recruited for a larger study on the effects of depression in the elderly. That study is ongoing. For this study, researchers ruled out depression or lack of social support as reasons for the smaller brain size, or hippocampal atrophy.

The hippocampus is an area buried deep in the brain that helps regulate emotion and memory. Atrophy or shrinkage in this region of the brain has long been linked to mental health problems such as depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

So why would born-again Protestants, Catholics and those with no religious affiliation have a smaller hippocampus? Researchers speculate it may have something to do with the stress of belonging to a minority group. Chronic stress floods the brain with hormones that, over time, may damage the hippocampus.

Conclusion: The world may think we are a bunch of nuts, but if God said it – you can believe it. I’m thankful that unlike these unbelievers, whose studies are “ongoing”, there are some things we can be sure of !!

Some Things You Can Be Sure Of :: 6/20/12 Wed. PM