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.