Throughout the Holy Scriptures we find stories of men of great boldness, living their lives and instructing others to live according to God’s Way of life. Down through time, right up to and including this day in which we find ourselves living, many have been called to live their lives according to this Way, in boldness, thus setting an example for others as God continues to choose disciples of the Way.

Love takes work, and the incomparable love of both the Father and the Son is their work. I Corinthians 13 identifies love as the geatest of gifts, and the elements of love described in this chapter are also a description of God’s love. It is revealed that God is love, and the Word of God further explains that we are to love as God loves.

Babylon represents the ways of this world. God tells us He is against Babylon and that it is His intent to destroy Babylon completely. We must flee this system and its evil ways or face total destruction ourselves. Therefore, it is critical that we come to understand what we must do to be free of Babylon’s destructive ways.

We all need to see ourselves as God sees us. Living our lives in a self-satisfied way and doing what seems right in our own view is spiritually dangerous. Arrogance, pride and rebellious self-will are stumbling blocks to those who wish to follow the way of Christianity. In order to measure ourselves in the light of God’s Word and to have the ears to hear and the eyes to see as God views us, we must be willing to examine ourselves, to humble ourselves and to repent. These are issues that we must, indeed, take personally.

Christ told us to pray to God, calling Him “Our Father.” When we address God as “Our Father,” what is all included with this phrase? What should we be thinking about, when we use this term? We must be careful not to say these words without realizing the deep meaning associated with them; otherwise, we might become guilty of using “vain repetitions.”

According to God’s Word, the ways of Babylon have affected the entire world. These ways are contrary to God and to His Ways. Today’s world is under the jurisdiction of Satan the devil. God tells us that all nations have drunk of the wine of her fornication. In so doing, the world has become deceived into going the way of Satan and his angels (the demons). God says to those He is calling that we must come out of those ways or else will face with the world the plagues of Babylon. God will eventually destroy the entire system of Babylon and will establish His New Way in all the earth.

As potential members of God’s Spiritual family, those who are now baptized and have the gift of God’s Holy Spirit are brethren. Jesus Christ calls us brethren, and He shows that loving one another as He commands is a proof of this new relationship–a relationship that transcends even our physical families. The Word of God illustrates both good and bad brotherly relationships: Cain and Abel; Joseph and his brothers; the two brothers in the parable of the lost son; Jonathan and David as friends (showing selfless love); Jesus Christ and us; Us (that is, Christians); and, our future brethren who are yet to be converted and brought into the family of God.

In times of personal and national uncertainties, trials and sufferings; in times of set-backs and sickness; in times of calamity and death; we may ask ourselves the question: Who is actually in control of our lives? Who directs our lives? Is there anyone out there who really cares?

Especially in times of doubt, it is important to review the clear teaching of the Bible on this subject. Even though it may not appear this way at times, and even though Satan is the god of and ruler over this world, God is in total control over this world’s affairs — as well as our own personal lives.

This sermon will explain and show how this is so.

God’s Truth is very precious to Him. The world lives totally contrary to His Truth and His Way. We have learned that God’s Mercy goes forth with His Truth and those who live according to Truth have God’s Mercy as a blessing in their lives. When one turns from God’s Truth and His Way and refuses to repent of his error, God’s Mercy is removed as well.