ON THE WINNER’S SIDE by: Bro. Teody Galit

Almost all of us have favorite games that we love to play or watch. Filipinos love sports passionately. In every game that we play our aim is to win, and every time our team is winning we feel so inspired to play even better to maintain our position on the winning side. Even those who are just rooting for his or her favorite team will become so emotional on the outcome of the performance of his or her team, whether they are on the winning side or on the losing side.

In our Christian lives each of us should aim to be always on the winning side in every battle in this world. The Lord wants every one of us to be a winner and not a loser. Today we will see what the Bible tells us that once we are in Christ we can be sure that we are on the winning side.

There are three Points that prove Christians are on the winner’s side (Romans 8:31-39)



Point # 1: NO ONE CAN BE AGAINST US



Romans 8:31-32 (NKJV)

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?



“Satan and all those under his power are always against every believer of Jesus; but Paul said that “if God is for us who can be against us?” This is how God value every believer. He did not spare His own Son and gave him up for us to be saved, how much more can he not protect us from every work of Satan? This is why Paul said, “who can be against us.” We often quote this verse, but do we really appreciate how God valued us? One good example that we failed to see what God has done to us is by our prayers. If God did not answer our prayers according to our own plans and schedules, most of the time we become upset and think that God is intentionally withholding the things that we are asking Him. Some people even say that they were neglected by God, which is completely wrong. God has given us the greatest gift, His only Son to die, for us to be saved. That is a wonderful thing to know how God works for our own good. If He can give His only son for us how much more can He not freely gave us everything? Do you think God will allow His ultimate sacrifice to be invalid by refusing to protect and guide every believer? Let us think about it.



Point # 2: NO ONE CAN CHARGE US



Romans 8:33-34 (NKJV)

Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.



Since God did not spare His Son and gave Him to save us, do you think He can charge or accuse us? Or even let somebody to do the same to us. God is the one who justifies us; he gave us the right to stand with Him. And because He justifies us who can successfully charge or accuse someone whom God declared righteous? Nobody! He is the judge that declared us not guilty! Who will then dare to accuse us? Even Jesus will not condemn us because He was the one who died for our sins, He will not allow His death to be invalid if He condemns us. Instead He is risen and now sits on the right hand of God interceding for all of us. If God, who created everything, cannot put a charge on us, who can charge us now?

Four things that Jesus did and still doing for the believers not to be charge:

1. His death

2. His resurrection

3. His exalted position

4. His continuing intercession for us



Point # 3: NO ONE CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST



Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.



On this last point Paul wanted us to realize the assurance that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. The list of things that Paul mentioned that can separate us from the love of Christ is not just theoretical. It is based on his own personal testimony and experiences. He survived and emerged triumphant when he faced all the things that he mentioned.

Paul quoted Psalms 44:22 to remind us that every believer who trusts God and faithful followers of Jesus must expect to face persecutions, even death, difficulties and sufferings. But in the end we will emerge victorious because we are more than conquerors because Jesus loves us.

For every believer, it is a rule and not an exemption to suffer because we are followers of Jesus. So instead of being separated from Christ by all the circumstances that Paul had mentioned it should always purify us and make our faith in Jesus stronger. Our goal is victory, with Jesus with us we are always on the winner’s side. Paul said that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ, even all the created things. Paul said that we are more than conquerors through Him who love us. God the creator of heaven and earth is on our side; what more can we ask for? Nothing!

So it is our choice which side we want to be on: on the winner’s side or on the loser’s side. I hope that we already made our decision and made the right choice.



CONCLUSION



Isaiah 50:9 (NKJV)

Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up.



In every circumstance that we may face, our source of help should always come from the Lord. He should be our first choice and not the last option. God will cause everything to work together for good to accomplish His ultimate purpose for His children.

Suffering will still bring pain, loss, and sorrow. But under God’s control the outcome will always be for our own good. God always work in His own ways; and it is His promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Let us continue to obey and put our trust on Him, and we can be sure that we are always on the winner’s side because He is always with us.

"TIME, TREASURE AND TALENT" (Things the Lord has Commanded Us To Give) (Exodus 35 : 1 – 19) By : Bro. Ruel Cabusas

1. TIME - Observe a Sabbath of rest (verses 1 – 3)

¹Moses assembled the whole Israelite community and said to them, "These are the things the LORD has commanded you to do: ² For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day shall be your holy day, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it must be put to death. ³ Do not light a fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath day."

The Lord has commanded the Israelites to observe a Sabbath of rest. Sabbath means seventh day of the week and divinely set apart for rest and worship. Christians today have to observe this command also in order to have a day rest and to find time worshipping the Lord. Otherwise, we are like an ax that is always in use and is not being sharpened.

Illustration: One man challenged another to an all-day wood chopping contest. The challenger worked very hard, stopping only for a brief lunch break. The other man had a leisurely lunch and took several breaks during the day. At the end of the day, the challenger was surprised and annoyed to find that the other fellow had chopped substantially more wood than he had. "I don't get it," he said. "Every time I checked, you were taking a rest, yet you chopped more wood than I did." "But you didn't notice," said the winning woodsman, "that I was sharpening my ax when I sat down to rest." (L. S. Chafer, Grace.)

2. TREASURE -Offer willingly from what you have (verses 4 – 9)

⁴ Moses said to the whole Israelite community, "This is what the LORD has commanded: ⁵ From what you have, take an offering for the LORD. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering of gold, silver and bronze; ⁶ blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ⁷ ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows ^[a] ; acacia wood; ⁸ olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; ⁹ and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.

The Israelites were commanded to offer willingly what they had. During that time, they were commanded by the Lord to build the Tabernacle or Tent of Meeting. At present, we can also contribute something for the furtherance of His Kingdom.

Illustration: J.L. Kraft, head of the Kraft Cheese Corporation, who had given approximately 25% of his enormous income to Christian causes for many years, said, "The only investment I ever made which has paid consistently increasing dividends is the money I have given to the Lord." J.D. Rockefeller said, "I never would have been able to tithe the first million dollars I ever made if I had not tithed my first salary, which was $1.50 per week." (W. A. Criswell, A Guidebook for Pastors, p. 154)

3. TALENT Offer your skills (verses 10 – 19)

¹⁰ "All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the LORD has commanded: ¹¹ the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; ¹² the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; ¹³ the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; ¹⁴ the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; ¹⁵ the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; ¹⁶ the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; ¹⁷ the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; ¹⁸ the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; ¹⁹ the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary—both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests."

Israelites were also commanded to use their skills in building the Tabernacle. At that time, they can do and contribute a lot of things according their abilities. Same with us, we can also use our different skills and talents to glorify the Lord.

Illustration: In his book 70 X 7, The Freedom of Forgiveness, David Ugsberger tells of General William Booth, the founder of the salvation Army, who had lost his eyesight. His son Bramwell was given the difficult task of telling his father there would be no recovery. "Do you mean that I am blind?" the General asked. "I hear we must contemplate that," his son replied. The father continued,"I shall never see your face again?" "No, probably not in this world." "Bramwell," said General Booth, "I have done what I could for God and for His people with my eyes. Now I shall do what I can for God without my eyes." (David Ugsberger, 70 X 7, The Freedom of Forgiveness)

Whatever is done for God, without respect of its comparative character as related to other acts, is service, and only that is service. Service is, comprehensively speaking, doing the will of God. He is the object. All is for Him, for His sake, as unto the Lord, not as unto man. Hence, even the humblest act of humblest disciple acquires a certain divine quality by its being done with reference to Him. The supreme test of service is this: 'For whom am I doing this?' Much that we call service to Christ is not such at all....If we are doing this for Christ, we shall not care for human reward or even recognition. Our work must again be tested by three propositions: Is it work from God, as given us to do from Him; for God, as finding in Him its secret of power; and with God, as only a part of His work in which we engage as co-workers with Him." (A.T. Pierson wrote, The Truth)

In summary, the Lord has commanded us to observe a Sabbath of rest, offer something from what we have and glorify Him by using our talents and skills.

I hope we were enlightened by this message and were encouraged to give our best to the Lord. Let me end this by a poem from an unknown author:

Leftovers are such humble things,
We would not serve to a guest,
And yet we serve them to our Lord
Who deserve the very best
We give to Him leftover time,
Stray minutes here and there.
Leftover cash we give to Him,
Such few coins as we can spare.
We give our youth unto the world,
To hatred, lust and strife;
Then in declining years we give
To him the remnant of our life.

Thank you and God bless us all!