Full of Trouble

Call to Faith and Repentance Personal Testimony Inability to preach without God’s presence. Acknowledges reliance on God since being called to preach. Admits personal failings but emphasizes God’s faithfulness. Invitation to approach the altar for prayer and repentance. Encouragement to seek humility and communicate with God. Reassurance of God’s willingness to listen to His children. Accessibility of prayer beyond the church setting. Personal experience of conversing with God while driving. Urgency to address spiritual needs immediately rather than delaying. Scriptural Reflection (Job 14) Acknowledgement of life’s brevity and challenges. Reference to the fleeting nature of life, comparing it to a flower. Prayer for divine guidance and blessing. Request for the Holy Spirit’s presence and direction in words and actions. The Universality of Trouble Life before salvation as a troubled time. Personal experience of being “doomed for a devil’s hell” before salvation. Troubles persist even after salvation. Troubles are incomparable to the trouble of not knowing Jesus Christ. Salvation through Jesus Christ as the ultimate solution to life’s troubles. The Cleansing Power of Jesus Christ The Unique Ability of Jesus to Cleanse Only Jesus can make a man’s vessel fair. Salvation comes from Jesus Christ, not from any man. Rejection of the idea that signing a card can guarantee salvation. Emphasis on the necessity of the Holy Spirit’s conviction and repentance. Importance of touching Jesus’ blood for salvation. Personal Testimony of Salvation Personal experience of being saved at the altar. The preacher could not cleanse the heart, only Jesus could. God’s love demonstrated through the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus experienced human suffering to save humanity. God knows what individuals are going through and wants to help. Caution and Discernment in Seeking Spiritual Guidance The Importance of Sound Doctrine Doctors and scientists can cure diseases, but only Jesus can save from hell. Caution against false teachers and preachers. Some preachers distort the gospel and remove the blood of Jesus from their teachings. Need to ensure preachers are teaching the true gospel. The need to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel should be preached in truth and spirit. The Corrupting Influence of Sin and the Cleansing Power of Christ The Inevitability of Sin As people live longer, they become more corrupt. The heart becomes filled with sin. Only Jesus can cleanse a dirty heart. Jesus’ willingness to be crucified demonstrates His love. His sacrifice allows people to be eternally with Him in heaven. The Importance of Repentance and Forgiveness Elder Roger still sins, but has a place to return to for forgiveness. The Holy Spirit convicts the heart when one sins. One can ask for forgiveness and receive it immediately. God is still in control, no matter how bad things get. Those saved by Jesus Christ have a better place waiting for them. The Promise of Heaven and the Importance of Salvation The Hope of Heaven Looking forward to going home to heaven. Anticipation of seeing castles, streets of gold, and a mansion. God built a mansion in heaven for Elder Roger. Jesus laid down His life and bled for humanity. He was beaten so that people could have a mansion in heaven. The Call to Salvation God knows each person’s heart and what troubles them. There is no shame in talking to God. It is more shameful not to talk to God. One should not carry burdens alone. One can come to God’s house and praise Him. Give Him honor for what He has done. If one needs His honors, come and get things worked out with God. One will never regret giving their life to Him. No one has ever regretted asking God for help.