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Monthly Archives : September 2016

Sin ..Confession/Repentance ..Forgiveness 1 John 1:9-10, September 25, 2016
September 28, 2016 no comments in Ministry Blog by
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9-10 ESV
 
 
     What exactly is sin?   For the person who believes the Bible to be the word of God,  sin is breaking God’s law which is a crime against God.  Breaking God’s laws makes every person a criminal, and in God’s court He will judge and sentence the criminal with the punishment due the crime.  One thing for sure,  justice will be served for the consequence of sin.  However a sinner/criminal can be granted a pardon made possible by Jesus, God’s only Son.  Jesus, God’s son, became the sinner’s advocate, taking the punishment for all crimes against God.  So how may a person go about receiving this pardon which was made possible only by Jesus?
 
What a person must not do.
     A person MUST NOT DENY the fact that they are a sinner/criminal.  “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (ESV)  Not only do we deceive ourselves, but we do something extremely  grievous- we call God a liar.  “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”  1 John 1:10 ESV   The Bible is very clear on the fact that we are all sinners in need of grace and pardon for our crimes.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans  3:23 ESV  
 
What a person must do.
     We must confess to the crimes based upon God’s standards.  “If we confess our sins.” ESV.  There is a promise attached to this in which we will cover in the next point.  Sin is hurtful and offensive to God who created us to be more than one controlled by self serving and rebellious desires.  When we live by our own standards, we usurp the authority of God and  in essence  become our own god which is sin.  We are to have no other gods before Him… that includes ourselves.  “You shall have no other gods before me.” Deuteronomy 20:3 ESV  True confession unto repentance is more than just saying we acknowledge our sin; it is being sorry that we have sinned against God.  “I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.” Psalms 38:18 ESV  When we are sorry for our sins and confess them to God, this is repentance.
 
What God will do. 
    He will forgive and pardon us of our sin /crimes when we confess. “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness” (ESV)  Forgiveness is the ultimate blessing of God made possible by Jesus who took the punishment for our crimes.  Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count sin.  Romans 4:7-8 ESV   Only God by his grace and mercy has the authority to pardon sin and will do so for all those who believe in His only son knowing that there is salvation in no other. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son. that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16 ESV …  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 
4:12 ESV……..  JESUS
 
       May we address sin in our lives, confess them, and live in the forgiveness of God’s grace and mercy.  May His forgiveness be evident in our lives as a testimony to these who do not know him as Savior in order that they may too desire to experience pardon/ forgiveness  from their sin/ crimes against God.  What you believe will determine how you live.
 
Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David
Sanctified by Truth, John 17:17, September 18, 2016
September 21, 2016 no comments in Ministry Blog by
Sanctify them in the Truth; your word is truth.  John 17:17
 
      Jesus was praying for His disciples in verse 17 and for all believers in verse 20…. “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” John 17:20 ESV  He wanted His disciples to be set apart for special service.  He didn’t ask His father to take them out of this world but to keep them from the evil one.  “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”  John 17:15 ESV  Jesus was about to be arrested, and He was praying for His disciples and you as a believer.  He knew the world would not treat them well because of His word, nor will it treat you well if you are true to His words.  Holiness is the absence of sin, and sin can only be overcome by the word of God.  “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” Psalms 119: 11 ESV  God’s word of truth must be established in your life for the working of sanctification.  The word of God is the tool box from which you take needed tools to accomplish this process.  Christian you have been set apart from the world for God’s purpose. You were bought with a price, and you are no longer your own.  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?  You are not your own, FOR YOU WERE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV  His prayer for you was to keep you from the evil one.  May I encourage you to corporate with His prayer.   Do not put yourself in situations that will give place to the evil one.  The evil one desires to destroy you by keeping you from truth and burdening you with worldly thoughts.   Sanctification comes by the truth of the word, and Jesus is the word made flesh.  ( John  Chapter 1)  Do you know Jesus?  If you do, the fact is “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” John 8:32. ESV  Free to be sanctified by the word of truth.

 
Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David
Kingdom Value, Matthew 6:33, September 11, 2016
September 14, 2016 no comments in Ministry Blog by

   But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 ESV

     There are two words in which every Christian’s action should be considered and motivated. The words.. “KINGDOM VALUE”. Shouldn’t everything have kingdom value in the life of the Christian? Having kingdom value ultimately will, according to scripture, bring God glory. So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

     The Holy Spirit will work in the Christian concerning truths you may know, but perhaps have not practiced. The world is so built upon self gratification that the question arises, is it even possible to have a kingdom value focus?  For ALL that is in the world – the desires of the flesh, and the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not from the Father BUT IS FROM THE WORLD. 1 John 2:16  The world can be so alluring with all that it offers, yet the Christian must remember “the world is passing away” 1 John 2:17 ESV.  Jesus knew the temptation of gaining this world; it was offered to Him.  Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall your serve.” Matthew 4:8-10 ESV.  You must never forget that everything in life has a cost. You pay with your time, talents, youth, health, relationships, money, and on the list could go. I know “salvation is free,” but it was not to Jesus; it cost Him…His life. Because Jesus didn’t accept the offer of the kingdoms of this world, He was able t pay the price at Calvary for you and me. The Christian must remember the world and all it offers is not important. It offers no eternal value. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Matthew 16:25 ESV  These words are not to make us feel guilty concerning the blessings of life or to use in judging another person’s lifestyle.  These words are to help us reflect upon what is important in life while it is the day. What is important ………. just ask this question; what was and is important to Jesus? It is no understatement to say His life had kingdom value.

Because of His Grace ~ Pastor David

Believing In Jesus is Believing In God…John 12:44…September 4, 2016
September 7, 2016 no comments in Ministry Blog by

“Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent Me.” John 12:44 ESV

 

         Jesus makes it clear that to believe in Him is really to believe in God. this is the great work – to believe in Christ. Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”  John6:28-19 ESV

 

Believe in your mind ~ In believing, you bring glory to God in your thought process that will ultimately be evident inthe way you live. I you deny Jesus, it would be the same as denying God. i heard a person say, “I believe in God but not in Jesus.” Is this really possible? Jesus is God’ precious Son, and so say you don’t believe in him is saying, “God, you do not have a Son.” Making that statement is to deny God’s salvation, thus denying God.

 

Believe what you see ~ Jesus performed many signs and wonders to point people to God, but they still didn’t believe.  Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him. John 12:37 ESV  I still believe God works miracles today. I have seen him take a life headed for disaster and turn it around. A life that would, without a doubt, have a tragic end unless God intervened.

 

Believe why he came ~ You must remember that Jesus doesn’t bring judgment upon those who don’t believe in Him for He came not to judge but to save. If anyone hears my word and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. John 12:47 ESV The reason He doesn’t condemn the world is because those who don’t believe are condemned already. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but  in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. John 3:17-21 ESV Jesus is the light that exposes the darkness, adn He is the only way that anyone will ever be forgiven of sin. If you don’t believe this, you deny the very person of God and His salvation.

 

                                                                                                                       Because of His Grace ~Pastor David