Repentance

Repentance

I know you have all probably heard the word “repent” a lot from the many ministries and individuals who come down here. I know I have even spoke the word myself a time or two.

Some of you may be questioning what this word “repent” means. Hopefully with the Lord’s help we will be able to not only explain what this word means but how you can experience this in your own life.

Repentance is a hard but simple thing to do. It is an action that requires involvement from you and me. The word itself means “a change of mind”.

In the New Testament this subject chiefly has reference to repentance from sin, and this change of mind involves both a turning from sin and a turning to God. In other words to repent or to have repentance means to turn from your present sin and turn fully toward God.

What do you mean Tony? How can I turn from sin and turn totally toward God?

Matt 6:24 of the King James Bible says that (Christ speaking) “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
The word mammon means treasure.
To break it down another way “you cannot serve both God and the things of this world you treasure.”

Ok Tony; I will agree that I can’t serve both God and pleasure but my pleasure is not my master. In John 8:34 the Lord says “Verily, verily, I say unto you that, whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin”. (Truly, truly I tell you, whoever commits a sin is servant of sin)
For you to be a servant you must have a master. In this verse we see that sin or our worldly desires and pleasures are the master.
This word master used here means “a lord, one who exercises power”; another way of understanding it is Ruler.

Let us look at the story of the Prodigal son. Luke 15:11, 17-24.
You see in verse 11 the son wanted his share of the inheritance,
When do we normally get an inheritance?
When someone dies. This young man looked at his father and said “to me you are dead and I want my share right now”. I am going to live my life just as if you were dead.
Doesn’t this sound like he was being controlled by is worldly desires and pleasures?
Look at what happened after being left to himself  v 12-16
His pleasure ended he found himself in the worst state you could find a Jew. He was feeding swine; you see to the Jews swine was the foulest and most unclean animal there was.
There is hope for you if you are willing to make the appropriate steps to receive it. v.17- 24
When he realized what had become of him, he repented (turned from) of that lifestyle and returned home.
What happened when he returned home?
He was met with opened arms.

The Lord God is waiting with open arms. He is calling to you today to come home. The first step is yours are you willing to make it? Will you repent (turn away) from the strongholds you face now.

Are you walking by faith?

Are We Walking By Christian FAITH?
2Corinthians 5:1-8

Hebrews 11:6 declares it is impossible to please God without faith.

Are you walking by Christian faith this morning? If your Christian faith was place on trial would there be enough evidence to convict you?

This morning I want to look at “Faith”. What is it, how do we live by it, and how do we obtain it.

Turn with me to 2Cor 5:18 read and pray.

What is Faith?

For the world’s definitions we turn to the dictionary – “confidence or trust in a person or thing (1), belief that is not based on truth (2)”.
Considering the world’s definition, how many of you have placed your trust in someone or something and been let down? How about testing something that hasn’t been tested before?
We all have placed our faith in someone or something at some point.
If you think about it you have placed faith in something this morning.
The vehicle you arrived in.
The people driving down the streets.
Even the pew you are sitting in this morning.
Hebrews 11:1 gives us the biblical or Christian definition for Faith – “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen”. Turn with me to Hebrews 11
Hebrews chapter 11 is considered to be the chapter on faith. It is also known as the Faith Hall of Fame. In this chapter you will see the record of many men and women who lived by, walked by, and were led by faith. 
Let’s look at a few examples of faith as found in chapter 11.
Verse 7, Noah being led by god to build an ark. (Gen 6:1 – 9:17)
God had told Noah to build an ark and to gather the animals by twos because he was going to bring rain and flood the earth.
Verses 17–19, Abraham followed God by offering up his son Isaac. (Gen 22)
God commanded Abraham to offer Isaac (his promised son) as a sacrificial offering. Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead.
Isaac shows great faith that day as well.
He knew they were going to make a sacrifice but wasn’t carrying one with them.
Also he laid his life down to be this sacrifice. (Hold you place in Hebrews and Turn to Gen 22). It is said that Isaac is about 15 years old at this time so that would make Abraham about 115. I think if Isaac wanted to he could have taken his father.
Verse 30, Joshua leads the people by faith around the walls of Jericho. (Joshua 6:1-20
Christian faith may be called a gift of God as wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, and the grace of Jesus Christ. Faith in its full meaning is therefore, a personal and spiritual union with the Savior through which we are one with Him as He is one with the Father.
How do we live by Faith?
We should have a hope.
Rom 8:24&25 “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”
We should believe in the unseen.
2Cor 4:18 “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. “
We should be in God’s word to have faith.
Romans 10:17 “so then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of god”. 
We should understand that it is God who gives faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast.
While it is true Salvation is a gift that we can’t earn. I would like to place the focus on Faith.
If the emphasis was placed on faith we would understand this verse to say that our faith is a gift of God.

How do we obtain Faith?

We obtain faith through a relationship with Christ.

Please close your eyes and consider your walk with Christ. If your faith is more based on the world (money, job, or man’s ability) or if this morning the evidence they had against you wouldn’t convict you in court please consider making it right with the lord as we pray. 

Cost to be a Christian.

What does it cost to be a Christian?

In today’s society we hear that everything has a price. For the most part we pay for everything. Those things which are said to be free almost always have some catch to it. For example, “buy one get one free” another is “only pay shipping and handling”. If everything has some form of price upon it, what does it cost to be a Christian?

Let’s look at the price for you and I as humans.
We may have to give up our old, unbelieving friends. 
2Co 6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
We may have to give up our position or standing.
Phi 3:4-7 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:  (5)  Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;  (6)  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.  (7)  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
We might have to give up our family
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
It might cost us our lives
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

Lets look at what it cost God.
It cost him his son.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
When you look at the price paid by god for you and I to be Christians, ours is very minimal.
There is no greater love than that which Christ showed us by giving his life for us.
Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness
Matthew 6:9-13
08/05/2005
Forgiveness                                                      Unforgiveness
Matt 6:14                                                                                          Matt 6:15
Mark 11:25                                                                                       Mark 11:26

Unforgiveness leads to resentment, resentment leads to hatred, and hatred to murder.  (Mat 5:21-24  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:  (22)  But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.  (23)  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee;  (24)  Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.)
Forgiveness Needs Momentum
Corrie ten Boom likenened forgiveness to letting go of a bell rope. If you have ever seen a country church with a bell in the steeple, you will remember that to get the bell ringing you have to tug awhile. Once it has begun to ring, you merely maintain the momentum. As long as you keep pulling, the bell keeps ringing. Miss ten Boom said forgiveness is letting go of the rope. It is just that simple. But when you do so, the bell keeps ringing. Momentum is still at work. However, if you keep your hands off the rope, the bell will begin to slow and eventually stop.
It is like that with forgiveness. When you decided to forgive, the old feelings of unforgiveness may continue to assert themselves. After all, they have lots of momentum. But if you affirm your decision to forgive, that unforgiving spirit will begin to slow and will eventually be still. Forgiveness is not something you feel, it is something you do. It is letting go of the rope of retribution.

In I John 1:9 the bible says that if we confess our sins that he is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. In this verse you see the word forgive, but not only does he forgive but he forgets as well. Psalm 32:1 says “our sin was covered”; it was covered by the blood of Jesus when he shed it for our sins.  Meaning that after we claim the blood of Christ, God cannot see our past sin.
God will remove our sins from his presents and place them far from him.
Micah 7:19 “thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”  Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
Let’s look at Peter who was one of the original twelve disciples. He denied Jesus Christ three times to avoid persecution (John 18:17, 25-27) and God still used him to preach the gospel and to build the church.
Another great Christian, the Apostle Paul, he consented to the murder of Stephen (Acts 8:1). He himself also persecuted the Christians of the founding churches (Acts 8:3, 9:1-9). The Lord still forgave him and used him to further the gospel by reaching millions by the life he led and the letters he wrote. Paul wrote 13 out of the 27 books of the New Testament. 

When to forgive?

I hear everyone say that they aren’t going to forgive someone until that person comes and apologizes for what they have done to them. Well that is wrong; we need to forgive no matter what. 
      The Forgiveness Flower
  One day when Stan Mooneyham was walking along a trail in East Africa with some friends, he became aware of a delightful odor that filled the air. He looked up in the trees and around at the bushes in an effort to discover where it was coming from. Then his friends told him to look down at the small blue flower growing along the path. Each time they crushed the tiny blossoms under their feet, more of its sweet perfume was released into the air. Then his friends said, "We call it the forgiveness flower."
This forgiveness flower does not wait until we ask forgiveness for crushing it. It does not release its fragrance in measured doses or hold us to a reciprocal arrangement. It does not ask for an apology; it merely lives up to its name and forgives-freely, fully, richly. What a touching example of outrageous forgiveness!


How much to forgive?

Mat 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?  (22)  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. What Jesus is saying is that there is no end to how much you forgive someone.


The Buried Hatchet
Garth Brooks has a song which says "We buried the hatchet, but left the handle sticking out." One great obstacle of stumbling is non-forgiveness. The hatchet might seem to be buried, but people continue to grab hold of the handle when they want to use it against another. Jesus said if a brother repents, forgive him-that is; bury the hatchet and its handle. How many times, you might ask? As often as the brother repents, we are to forgive.
Don't grab hold of buried hatchet handles, for they become stumbling blocks to forgiveness.


Let me ask you how much did Christ forgive you? 
Did he wait for you to say “I’m Sorry”?
Has he stopped forgiving you?




Christ died on the cross so that through him we might all receive forgiveness of our sins. That forgiveness is already there.  All we have to do to receive this forgiveness is to have a personal saving relationship with Christ.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

Attributes of God

I am not going to talk about all of them I just want to hit on a few of them.

Omniscient – knows everything 

<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.> O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? (Psa 139:1-7)

Omnipotent – Has all power

Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: 

(Jer 32:17)

Omnipresent – present everywhere all the time

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. 

(Pro 15:3)

Immutable – God never changes

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 

(Heb 13:8)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

(Jas 1:17)

Just – fair in all his actions

The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. 

(Num 14:18)

Full of Grace – Favor, goodwill, and kindness

Grace is receiving those things we don’t deserve, like forgiveness of sins, salvation 

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. 

(Eph 2:8-9)

Merciful – exhibits compassion against those who offend him

Mercy is not receiving those things we deserve, like the punishment for our sins. 

What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 

(Rom 9:14-16)

Loving – exhibits a love not based on worth or merit of object of his love.

Love is the sacrificial giving of oneself for the benefit of others without thought of return.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 

(1Jn 4:7-8)

The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. 

(Jer 31:3)

I would like to tie these last three together in what I call the greatest gift we could ever receive; God’s mercy, grace, and love. 

John 3:16 says “for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believed in Him should not perish but have everlasting love.” When we look in this verse we see all three attributes. 

We see God’s love 

We see his grace in that he gave his son

We see his mercy in that we receive eternal life

Again in Romans 5:8 we can see all three, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” 

The bible clearly states in Romans 3:23 that we are all sinners. “for all have sinned and fell short of the glory of God.

In Romans 6:23 it say that the wages (payment) for sin is death. It also says that the gift (something gave in love) of God is eternal life through Jesus.

Now the bible says that this gift of God is through Jesus Christ. So you may be asking how you receive it then. The answer is found in Romans 10:9, 10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

(Rom 10:9-10)

Romans 10:13 says “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Now I ask you tonight are you willing to except this gift?

Assurance Of Salvation

Assurance of Our Salvation



     Webster’s dictionary defines it as ”(1) a positive declaration intended to give confidence (2) promise or pledge; guaranty (3) freedom from doubt; certainty “

      Col 2:2 says “that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the father, and of Christ.” Which means it is the doctrine that believing Christians are assured of being saved. 

      A summary of Jude says “Assurance is the Christian’s full conviction that, through the work of Christ alone, received by faith, he is in possession of salvation in which he will be eternally kept. This assurance rests only upon the scripture promises to him who believes.” 

      In today’s terms it is a promise from God that we are saved and will never see separation from our heavenly father. 


      Let me give you the good news. There is nothing we have done or ever will do that will or can take our salvation from us. If we truly believe in our hearts that Christ died for our sins and that God raised him from the dead, then we will be saved. (Romans 10:9) It didn’t say might be saved or that you must clean up the mess you created or as long as you don’t fall into sin again. What it did say is you will be saved. 


  When we are saved it is for eternity. 

       Look at how the Jews treated God’s mercies and grace in Nehemiah ch.9. We see that time and time again God is rescuing them out of trouble. Each time God would help them they would be good for a while but eventually fall back into sin and the ways of the world. God loved his people and wanted to help them and to see them prosper just like a parent with their child or children. God would let them live the life they wanted to live but when they needed his help they would ask it of him and he would help. But with his help he also gave rules and commandments for them to live by. God had done all of this before he gave his son to die for our sins and the Holy Spirit as a comforter. If he done all this before his son’s death just imagine what he has and will do now.    

      Lets look at Luke ch.15, the story of the prodigal son. Why do you think God put this story in the bible? My opinion is that God knew that we would be just like this boy. We take what God gives us and run with it, blow it, and loose it. Once it is all gone and we are broken and empty, we come running back to God asking for his help. The good news is that he is always there with his arms spread waiting on our return. When we do return it is almost like we never left. God still calls us sons and daughters and doesn’t bring up the things we done ever again.(he forgives every sin we ever committed and going to commit)  



Some additional verses on assurance are 

   Psalm 23, 

   Isa. 32:17-18; 43:1; 49:16; 54:17;

   Hab. 3:17-19

   John 3:16; 5:24, 29; 6:39, 51; 10:28-29; 11:26; 14:19-20; 17:11, 15, 24

   Acts 2:21

   Romans 8:38-39; 10:9, 13



       John 14:1-3 – “let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my father’s house there are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

        John 5:24 – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that hearth my word, and believe on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”


     You can always be assured of his help 

         Hebrews 13:5 – “…. He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

         Matthew 28:20 – “…. Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” 

          Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”



Know this, that if you have accepted Jesus Christ into you heart as your savior you are saved and you always will be. 

 But if you haven’t please don’t go to sleep tonight without making you life right with God. There is a simple prayer you can say and mean it from your heart and you will be saved.

    


 The prayer is “Father, forgive me for I have sinned against you, and I need for you to come into my life and save me from the depths of hell. I know that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that after three days you raised him from the dead. Please cleanse my heart and make it pure and desiring to serve you. Amen.” 


  If you have prayed this prayer I want to be this first to welcome you to the family of the children of God. May God bless you.  

Romans Road To Salvation

Question: "What is the Romans Road to salvation?"

Answer: The Romans Road to salvation is a way of explaining the good news of salvation using verses from the Book of Romans. It is a simple yet powerful method of explaining why we need salvation, how God provided salvation, how we can receive salvation, and what are the results of salvation.

The first verse on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." We have all sinned. We have all done things that are displeasing to God. There is no one who is innocent. Romans 3:10-18 gives a detailed picture of what sin looks like in our lives. The second Scripture on the Romans Road to salvation, Romans 6:23, teaches us about the consequences of sin - "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The punishment that we have earned for our sins is death. Not just physical death, but eternal death!

The third verse on the Romans Road to salvation picks up where Romans 6:23 left off, "but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."Romans 5:8 declares, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus Christ died for us! Jesus' death paid for the price of our sins. Jesus' resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus' death as the payment for our sins.

The fourth stop on the Romans Road to salvation is Romans 10:9, "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, all we have to do is believe in Him, trusting His death as the payment for our sins - and we will be saved! Romans 10:13 says it again, "for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins and rescue us from eternal death. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is available to anyone who will trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The final aspect of the Romans Road to salvation is the results of salvation. Romans 5:1 has this wonderful message, "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Through Jesus Christ we can have a relationship of peace with God. Romans 8:1 teaches us, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, we will never be condemned for our sins. Finally, we have this precious promise of God from Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Would you like to follow the Romans Road to salvation? If so, here is a simple prayer you can pray to God. Saying this prayer is a way to declare to God that you are relying on Jesus Christ for your salvation. The words themselves will not save you. Only faith in Jesus Christ can provide salvation! "God, I know that I have sinned against you and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. With your help, I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness - the gift of eternal life! Amen!"

Have you made a decision for Christ because of what you have learned through the Romans Road to salvation?