Why Is "If" Such An Important Word?

I again sang the old song, "Help is on the Way." It seems this is a very needful promise which gives us hope in the trying times we all face. Without the help of the Lord, how hopeless we would feel!

We welcome our visitors this Lord's day and pray they were blessed and consider coming again.

Pastor Bob Cartwright began his sermon with a question I have never been asked before. He wanted to know about a small word that is mentioned several times in the word of God. Who would ever think of the word "if" as a subject for a message? Well, that is the kind of Pastor we at the Cove are fortunate to hear.

It seems that there are so many conditions in the Bible. Each one of them is followed by a wonderful promise.

In Deuteronomy 28:1, we read, "It shall come to pass if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the Nations of the earth."

These sayings were spoken by Moses to the children of Israel. The next several verses of this chapter tell of the blessings bestowed upon God's chosen people. However, in verse 2, we find that word "if" again. There are many blessings that we miss because we did not choose to meet the conditions required. Never promise God that you will perform a task, then lay aside the calling he has placed upon your life.

The other word Pastor brought to our attention was "diligently." Why? Because when we work for the Lord, we must be diligent to perform our best in order to be pleasing in his sight. In Matthew 7:24, we read the words spoken by Jesus himself. It is the story of a wise man who builds his house upon a rock. His house will stand, while those which were not obedient to the commands of our Savior will be as a foolish man, who builds upon the sand. Of course when the rains come and the wind blows, his house will fall. Where will you build your spiritual house? On the rock, Jesus, or on the shifting sand.

Among the blessings found in Deuteronomy, there is one that touches home with those of us who have suffered persecution. We are promised the Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face; they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. Remember, the Lord says, vengeance is his and we are not to take it upon ourselves to right an injustice brought against us. With this before us; how can we possibly ignore the word "if"? Just weigh the promises that were spoken by Moses, and there is no way we cannot keep the instruction given, so we may be blessed far beyond anything we can imagine. You may think this is too hard and how will I ever complete this task?

In Isaiah 40:31, you will find that God says, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Wow, do you feel special when you hear these words? You should because you are among the chosen that will experience the strength given by our Almighty God. He will never send you to do a job without first preparing you.

In closing, Pastor Bob proclaimed, "We've got the power; now let's use it. How often we fail to realize the power given to us. We can overcome the offenses of Satan. He has already been defeated and we have the victory."

I pray that you will remember: when you see the word "if," it is always followed with a blessing.

Welcome to everyone who would like to be a part of the congregation and join in worship services where Pastor Bob Cartwright ministers the truth. Plan to attend and be blessed by Bible teachings every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Bible study at 6 p.m. every Wednesday. All services are held at Cove Mission of Hope Church, located at 53 MO-59, southwest of Lanagan -- The church on top of the hill with a steeple reaching toward the heavens.

Religion on 01/31/2019