The Holy Spirit and Salvation

Intro: This message concerns the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing lost men and women to Jesus Christ. Many think that the Holy Spirit does nothing in our lives until after we're saved. Yet, if it were not for the Holy spirit working in our lives before we accepted Christ, we would have never accepted Christ. What then is the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of an unbeliever?

A. HE BRINGS CONVICTION. [John 16:7-11] [2 Cor. 4:4]

 1. He tells us of our sin

John 16:8-11 (NKJV) ⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

The word "conviction" or "reprove" means to reveal, to bring to light, to expose.

2 Corinthians 4:4 says that the devil has blinded the spiritual eyes of an unbeliever. One of the primary things the dIevil does is to blind us about our sin. It's the Holy Spirit that opens our spiritual eyes, he brings to light our sin.

Notice vs8..." The Spirit will convict the world of sin." Do you see that the word"sin" singular, one? What one sin does the Holy Spirit expose in our life as he leads us to salvation?  Is it your worst sin? Is it adultery, drunkenness, which one? The one sin is the sin of unbelief. (vs 9) The Holy Spirit exposes our sin, the sin of unbelief.

But that’s not all the Holy Spirit does in the life of a lost person

 2. He tells us what we need to do.

When the Holy Spirit brings conviction, he brings to light our sin of unbelief and  summons us to repentance. He reveals to us our sin and then points us towards Jesus, towards repentance and faith in Him as our Savior. That desire in your heart to be saved was put there by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is like a giant magnet that draws you to Christ. The desire to know God was put there by the Holy Spirit. Let me illustrate that by my own salvation. I was 37 years old. At that time in my life I knew I needed to get saved, I was under conviction. The Holy Spirit had exposed my sin of unbelief. One Monday night, I went to a friend's church where he was attending a revival. There I heard a message about God's three deadlines. At the end of the message I knew I needed to get saved and I responded to the invitation. That's how the Holy Spirit brings conviction. He exposes our sin and then points us towards the Savior. You can resist the Holy Spirit. That desire in your heart will not always be there. The more you say no the more your heart hardens. Your heart can become so hard and calloused that it no longer desires to be saved. That is why the Bible says that "today is the day of salvation."

But not only does the Holy Spirit bring conviction but also,

B. HE REGENERATES OUR SPIRIT. [Ephesians 2:1, John 3:3]

 1. Our Problem – We were spiritually dead in sin.

Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.

We all, before meeting Jesus were dead in our sins. Spiritually dead, possessing no spiritual life, no connection with God.

 2. Our Need. Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3 that he “must be born again or we can't see the Kingdom of God.” 

All unsaved people are spiritually dead and need to be born again.

 3. Our Solution. [Titus 3:5]

Titus 3:5… “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The word "renewing" means regeneration and it is actually a compound word that literally means "birth again" or as Jesus would say, "born again." It is the Holy Spirit that cleanses and causes the new birth. It is the Holy Spirit that renews, regenerates that which is spiritually dead. A spiritually dead person does not need to walk an isle and shake the preacher's hand. A spiritually dead person needs to repent and allow the spirit of the living God to give them new birth! It is through the power of the Holy Spirit and only through the power of the Holy Spirit that makes the spiritually dead come alive.

What does the Holy Spirit do in bringing unbelievers to Christ? First, He convicts, then He regenerates, and next,

C. HE SEALS OUR SALVATION. [Ephesians 1:13]

Ephesians 1:13 “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise

This one verse gives the entire process of salvation.  You heard the gospel, believed the gospel, and then were sealed by the Holy Spirit. What does it mean to be sealed with the Holy Spirit?  Think of how a seal was used in the bible.  In Jeremiah 32, we find Jeremiah buying a piece of property.  The deed was signed and then sealed, making Jeremiah the new owner of that property. A seal was used in Bible times as proof of ownership and to provide security. The Holy Spirit operates in the same fashion.  The Holy Spirit living in your life is proof that you belong to God. With the blood of Christ he has bought you. He now owns you.  The Holy Spirit living in your life also provides protection and security.  It is impossible for you to ever lose your salvation because no one has the power to break God’s seal.

D. HE GUARANTEES OUR SALVATION. [Ephesians 1:14]

Ephesians 1:14… “who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory”

The Holy Spirit in your life is God's down payment on your salvation.  The word  guarantee or deposit is an interesting word.  In Paul’s day it meant engagement ring.  A fitting illustration, don't you think?  Christ is the Bridegroom and His church is the Bride.  We know he will come and claim His bride because he has given us his Spirit as the engagement ring. It also means earnest, as in earnest money, like a down payment on a house. When you want to put an offer in on a house you are asked for some earnest money. It proves you are serious about your offer. If the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life is God’s earnest money, can you lose your salvation? If you were to lose your salvation then God would lose His down payment, He would lose the Holy Spirit that He has placed in you.

Wait a minute, the Holy Spirit is God, God can’t lose God. Exactly! The presence of the Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee of salvation!

INVITATION: What is the Holy Spirit saying to you right now? Does the Spirit confirm with your spirit that you are saved? If not, confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save you. Invite Him into your life right now, don't wait, you may not get another chance. If you are sure of your salvation, are you filled with the Spirit of God and being led by Him daily? If not, ask for forgiveness of that sin and surrender your life completely to Him today!

The Lord’s Supper

                                              

Titus 3:3-8

Intro: You can celebrate the Lord’s Supper at home today, remembering  the things God has done for you through the gift of His Son, our wonderful Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Get you some grape juice and crackers or unleavened bread and after you read this, serve yourself remembering to thank Jesus Christ for the sacrifice of His body and blood for you!

I. Remember your former way of life before Christ. Titus 3:3 (NKJV) For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

 a. Without God, all of us were unbelievers enslaved to our passions and desires. Left alone, all human nature can only go from bad to worse. Instead of living for God, our lives were full of evil and envy before Christ. No matter how much “love” we tried to create without God, the overriding power of our sin produced a greater amount of hatred. Thus there was no hope for us apart from the intervention of the holy God, the Creator and Savior.

II. You were saved from your former way of life by God our Savior.  Titus 3:4-6 (NKJV)
⁴ But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ⁵ not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

 a. All of our former ways changed when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared. His love is for all mankind as well as us! The contrast of our lives was startling. In verse 3 man is the actor, but in verses 4-7 man is merely the recipient, and God becomes the actor.

     What we could in no wise do for ourselves, God did for us through Jesus Christ His Son.

     God saved us in His kindness, love, and mercy. God in His grace saves those who believe, not because of any righteousness in them, but because of His mercy, love, and kindness. The three words, “kindness,” “love,” and “mercy” all represent aspects of God’s grace. Grace is the unmerited favor and mercy of God. The dual means of grace through which He accomplished this salvation are (1) the rebirth spoken of as a washing from the filth of our sins, past, present, and future. (2) We were renewed by the Holy Spirit ( 2 Cor. 5:17). The moment we believed in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord we were washed clean from the filth of our sins and we were given new birth and new life by the power of the Holy Spirit which God generously poured out on us Paul says in verse 6.

   III. You have been justified by God’s grace. Titus 3:7 (NKJV) that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

      a. From Adam we inherited a sinful nature (the tendency to sin), and we were under God’s wrath and due His punishment. Because Jesus took the punishment we deserved for sin and made us right before God, we can trade punishment for forgiveness. We have been declared not guilty. We can trade our sin for Jesus’ righteousness. When we do that, we know that we will inherit eternal life. Colossians 1:12 – 14 (NKJV) ¹² giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. ¹³ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Eternal life began the moment we gave our life to Christ, but there is more to come! Our experience now is only a foretaste of what God has guaranteed to us in the future! Praise Him.

IV. You are to devote yourself to good works. Titus 3:8 (NKJV) This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

  a. The things Paul wrote were true so we ought to constantly be reminded of them. Believers must show their beliefs through their conduct. We must be careful to do good deeds all the time, wherever we are. Sound doctrine must manifest itself in good works. Such teaching and action profits all believers as well as the unbelievers to whom the church witnesses.

Invitation: We are told in the bible to examine ourselves before we partake of the Lord’s Super. Allow the Holy Spirit to look into your heart and tell you whether you are a child of God or not. If God’s Spirit points out you are not His child, you need to correct that.  Do it now. Don’t wait! Simply confess your sins to Jesus Christ and ask Him to forgive you and save you for Heaven when this life is over. We will all die and we must be prepared for our eternity.

Casting Your Cares

Scripture Text

1 Peter5:6-7 & 2Kings 5: 10-15

Intro: The scripture texts for this message tells us in very specific terms what we are to do when we have a problem, situation, or circumstance we can’t handle or solve on our own. Our Father in Heaven wants to help us through everything we have to face in this life, but we must come to Him on His terms and not ours. 

I. We are to humble ourselves before God. 

1 Peter 5:6 (NKJV) ⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, First we are to humble ourselves before God. 1081This means to offer oneself as lowly and submissive; in a spirit of lowliness; to present oneself as lowly; to be of low degree and low rank; not to be high-minded, proud, haughty, arrogant, or assertive.

     A humble person may have a high position, power, wealth, fame, and much more; but he carries himself in a spirit of lowliness and submission.

     He denies himself for the sake of Christ, his Savior and Lord.

II. We are to cast all our cares on God. 

   a. 1 Peter 5:7 ^acasting all your care upon Him, Care here means (worry, anxiety, or concern). Then we are to cast our cares. Cast means to fling; to throw; to hurl; to toss. Let go of them completely, not holding on or taking those cares back.

   b. Why you should cast all our cares on Him. [1 Peter 5:7b]  because He cares for you! The word cares here means God is the One who supplies the provisions of what is needed for the well-being or protection of His children.

III. We are to be obedient to what God tells us to do. 

 a. God tells Naaman through the man of God what he is to do for his healing. 2 Kings 5:10 (NKJV) And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean."

 God has told us in the scripture text for today what we are to do. [1 Peter 5:6-7 above]

 b. We are not to argue or try to rationalize what God tells us to do as Naaman did. 2 Kings 5:11-13 (NKJV) ¹¹ But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, "Indeed, I said to myself, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.'
¹² Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. ¹³ And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?"

     Disobedience can cause us to miss God’s best blessings for us.

 c. Obedience brings results. 2 Kings 5:14-15 (NKJV) ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. ¹⁵ And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, "Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.

    Obedience is a test of how real our faith is. When we do what God says to do then He will do what only He can do. Will we trust God enough to take action on what He says and leave the results to Him? God says “Cast all your cares on Me.”

Conclusion: To show our faith in God and to give Him all the glory we have the privilege of bringing our concerns to Him because Jesus’ died on the cross for our salvation, healing or whatever we need as we ask, seek, and knock on Heaven’s door.

     When we do what He is showing us to do, He will do what only He can do!

Invitation: Have you been healed of your sins against God? If not now is the time to call on Jesus confessing your sins and asking Him to forgive and save you. The bible says in Romans 6:23 “The wages of sin is eternal death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Jesus waits to save you right now.

      Now is the accepted time for your salvation! The decision is yours to make! 

Set Your Mind

Scripture Text

Colossians 3:1-4

Intro: If you’re wondering why it’s so difficult to control your thoughts and maintain your faith, remember that your mind reflects what you feed it. The apostle Paul in these verses, knowing how important our thoughts are, gives us some wise advice on how to help control our thoughts and maintain our faith. We should think on these things!

I. Think about our resurrection with Christ. Colossians 3:1 (NKJV) ¹ If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Romans 6:4-5 (NKJV) ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. A believer's life is a life that is raised with Christ. When a person believes, asks for forgiveness of their sins and really surrenders their life to Christ, God forgives the person's sins and accepts them in Christ. God begins to consider the person as having died to sin and risen with Christ

II. Think on things above. Colossians 3:2 (NKJV)  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. If you desire to become all that the Father created you to be, you must (set) or put (your mind) in a particular place, prioritize that which is above and not here below. Fill your mind with His ways and the principles found in His word! We are to not let the things of this earth control the thoughts of our mind and heart. The things on earth are temporary and the Things above are permanent.

III. Think of having died to this life. Colossians 3:3 (NKJV) For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. This is the reason we are to set our minds on things above. The moment we received Jesus Christ as our Savior, we were made new creations, we died to our old life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! Paul explains true Christian behavior is putting on the new self in Christ and regarding the earthly nature as dead. We change our moral and ethical behavior by letting Christ live and reign within us, controlling our minds so that he can shape us into what we should be. The resurrected Christ gives us power through His Spirit to live victoriously over the sins and trials of this world and to bear the fruit of God's Spirit as we walk throughout this world. Our life now is hidden with Christ in God, it is not in this world.

IV. Think of your resurrected body.Colossians 3:4 (NKJV) When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Our thoughts and praise should center upon the wonderful the new and glorious body God has promised us. The resurrection of Christ gives us a living hope, the hope of glory. The resurrection of Christ Jesus guarantees our resurrection. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (NKJV) ¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive

     and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

 Our minds and praise should focus upon the glory of heaven which shall be ours when either God takes us home or Christ returns. The resurrection assures that God will judge the world by Christ.

     Our minds and prayers should be focused upon evangelism and the terrible fact that the wrath of God’s judgment is upon all unbelievers. Every Christian will have to give an account to Christ and all those who have rejected Him will be eternally separated from God in Hell, a place of unimaginable fire, darkness and eternal torment.

Conclusion: You must ask God to help you sift through everything that enters your mind each day and choose for God’s truth to take precedence in your life. It’s your choice, an act of your will.

 Prayer and Invitation: Lord Jesus we want to honor You by the way we think. Please reveal and purge the thoughts that displease You, and if there is anyone reading this today that does not know You as their personal Savior and Lord, we ask that You might have Your way in those hearts and call them unto You this day. We pray and ask these blessings in Your name Lord Jesus. Amen!

Stand Fast in Freedom!

Scripture Text

1 Tim.2:1-5

Intro: America will celebrate its 241^st year since the declaration of independence from Great Britain was signed. Faith in God and prayer has played a major role in the establishment of this nation. Galatians 5:1a “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore.” We are to stand firm in our Christ given freedom by continuing to spread the gospel by which we were set free, and by praying for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Over 300 times in the bible prayer is mentioned. If we love the freedom we have in this nation we must pray for God to continue to have His way in America. Only then can we be blessed of Him. Every nation that has turned its back on God has fallen from within.

1 We are to Pray for all men! 1 Timothy 2:1 (NKJV) Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men.      It is both a privilege and an obligation. It is a sheer privilege for us to have audience with God on behalf of our nation and fellow men. And it is an obligation, too, for we are debtors to all with the good news of salvation.

    a. There are four aspects of prayer mentioned in this verse,—supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks. In modern usage, supplication has the thought of strong and earnest request, making specific requests for specific needs. The word here translated prayers is a very general term, covering all kinds of reverent requests to God. Intercessions describe petitions in which we address God as Supreme Authority in behalf of others. Giving of thanks describes prayer in which we realize the grace and kindness of our Lord, and pour out our hearts in gratitude to Him for the privilege of coming before His throne with our needs.

2 We are to pray for those in authority. 1 Timothy 2:2 (NKJV) For kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. Our prayers include Kings, presidents and all who are in authority. These must occupy a special place in our prayers. In (Rom. 13:1) Paul reminds us that the authorities that exist are ordained of God and in (Rom. 13:4) he says they are ministers of God to us for good. Without government we would have chaos. The NT teaches that a Christian is to be loyal to the government under which he lives. Part of that loyalty for the Christian is to pray for all those in our government as commanded in this verse. A Christian should not engage in revolution or in violence against the government, but take lawful ways to change government when we believe the government is wrong.  The reason Paul gives for praying for rulers is that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness [conforming to the laws of God] and reverence [deep respect for God]. It is for our own good that the government should be stable and God fearing so that the country is preserved from revolution, civil war, turmoil, and anarchy and have God’s blessings. We should also pray for those that protect and serve us, such as our military men and women, firefighters, policemen and all civil servants.

3 Prayer is the will of God our Savior. 1 Timothy 2:3 (NKJV)  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

     God is pleased and accepts our prayers when we pray for all mankind, including all who are in authority over us. Therefore, to pray for all men is to promote the will of God in this regard. Prayer proves we depend on God for everything that we need in this world! We don’t depend on mankind alone because mankind is fallible. God alone is Supreme! He is our Savior, protector, and defender against all evil.

4 We are to pray for a spiritual awakening. 1 Timothy 2:4 (NKJV)  God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. We must pray for the salvation of people in America. Only by being saved will people turn from their wicked ways. No one is beyond salvation if they desire it. In order to be saved, man must come to the knowledge of the truth. God does not save men against their will. He does not populate heaven with rebellious subjects. Man of his own free will must come to Jesus who is: “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” because Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone. So we are to pray for lost people to be saved and for God to open the eyes of the spiritually blind and open their hearts to the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

5. We are to pray for all mankind to know the truth about salvation! 1 Timothy 2:5 (NKJV) For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

      God says He is one; He is the God of all men, no matter what their race or nationality, and prayer should be made to Him in behalf of all men. He desires the salvation of all mankind and that they may know the truth, which is, there is One God, and there is only One Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. This declares the deity of the Lord Jesus. In order to be the Mediator between God and men, He must be both God and Man. The Lord Jesus is God from all eternity, but He became Man in Bethlehem’s manger for us. He represents the whole race of humanity. No man can come to God in any other way. (John 14:6)

 Conclusion: If we love our nation we will pray for it daily to come to know the truth of God’s word. Without God this nation will never be what He intended it to be and that is one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. A nation established on faith in God and prayer. This is why we must continue in prayer and continue to proclaim the gospel message of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Invitation: Have there been a time in your life where you have stopped and asked Jesus to forgive your sins and save you from Hell? If not, now is the perfect time to do that. Jesus said “no one comes to the Father but by Me.” (John 14:6) God wants you in His kingdom but the choice is yours to make. How will you respond as we give the invitation to come to Christ right now?

Two Destinations

Scripture Text

Luke 16: 22-24

 Intro: Why do we spend our time, effort, energy, and money to support the church? Why do we preach and teach the word of God every week?  Why do we put the gospel on the internet? The answer is because we believe what Jesus said in His word. “I have come to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) He also said go into all the earth with the gospel. (Matt. 28:18-20)

I. Jesus says there are two final destinations for mankind Revelation 20:15 (NKJV) And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 21:27 (NKJV) But there shall by no means enter the city of God (Heaven) anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

a. We are created with a soul and spirit that will live forever.

 b. When we die we continue to exist.

 c. We will live forever either in a place the bible calls Heaven or in a place called Hell.

 d. Each of us is responsible for our final destination. Either eternal life or Hell, the lake of fire!

II. A place called Hell. Luke 16:23-24 (NKJV) ²³ And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  ²⁴ Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' According to [Rev. 20:15] Hell is a Lake of fire!

  a. Hell is a place for the wicked.

  b. Hell is a place prepared for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25:41 (NKJV) Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. It’s a place for the unsaved, evil and condemned spirits. Those who have rejected God’s Son Jesus Christ, His deity, and the salvation that He purchased on the cross. Hell is a place of eternal torment, punishment and fire for the lost. Luke 16:23-24 (NKJV) ²³ And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' Hell exists for the penalty and payback of evil deeds committed on earth. Hell is the place of God's final judgment. Here God, our King and Supreme Judge, finally rectifies wrongs through his avenging wrath. The damned will be paid back for the harm they have done.  Matthew 16:27 (NKJV)  For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

    III. A place called Heaven. Luke 16:22 (NKJV)  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

a. Heaven is a place for the righteous.  For those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ for their salvation. (John 3:16) Abraham’s bosom was a place of the righteous dead in the O.T. until Jesus could come and die for their sins. Then when Jesus was resurrected, He took them to Heaven. Heaven is the abode of God, Jesus, the angels, and the spirits of the saved after death; the place of existence of the blessed after the mortal life. Heaven is described in Revelation 21:1-4 (NKJV) ¹ Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. ² Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

That’s why Jesus Christ paid the price for your sins and mine! He took upon Himself the death and punishment that you and I deserve through His death on the cross. That’s why the church exists, that’s why we continue to tell the same old story about Jesus and His love, that’s why we try to reach those who are lost, that don’t know Jesus Christ as their Savior, regardless of their age. That’s why we have mission offerings, they are to send our missionaries around the world with the gospel message. The bible tells us in; Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

INVITATION: Have you made the choice for the Heavenly destination?  If you do not choose Heaven then Hell is your destination. God’s desire is that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. 2:4) God chooses eternal life for you but you must accept His invitation. You do this by confessing your sins against God and asking Jesus to forgive and save you. You have the right to reject God’s invitation for salvation and Heaven. But if you do He will become your judge and you will face His judgment in Hell. The bible says “Now is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation.” The choice is yours! Consider the everlasting alternatives and choose wisely!

"THE CHOICE “ Father’s Day 2017

Scripture Text Joshua 24:15 (NKJV) 

¹⁵ And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." 

INTRO: "Choose you this day."  Man was created in the image of God. God gave man a free will to make his own choices. This is necessary if God is to receive meaningful love and worship from man. I can choose to love God or not and I can choose to serve God or not.

 I. MAN HAS THE CAPACITY OF CHOICE. It is a God-given capacity.

A. Every day we choose whom we will serve, either Satan, ourselves, or God our Creator. It is an awesome but rewarding responsibility to choose to serve God every day. God honors the choices we make or otherwise the power of choice would be meaningless. I have the power to determine my destiny which will in turn influence my family’s choice. No one can force you to believe in God and No one can force you to serve God. No one can force you to go to heaven.These are all choices you must make dad for yourself and for your family’s good. There are two powerful forces seeking to influence your choice dads; Satan and God. Satan appeals to your body appetites and pride. He uses fear, worry, and doubt. These are strong motivational forces and must be resisted in the power of the Holy Spirit. He also uses lies and deceit, such as; Happiness is free sex, booze and Happiness is a conscience that is free of God. The Holy Spirit uses the motivational force of love. He seeks to appeal to your reason. "Come now let us reason together." He seeks to lead you to truth. To follow body appetites will never lead to satisfaction. "Choose you this day... for yourself and for the good of your family."

II. YOU'VE GOT TO SERVE SOMEBODY.

A. No man is an independent island. Each man is ruled by some guiding force or principle. Everyone serves some religious idea.  Certain ideas or principles guide each of our actions and decisions. Every man serves his gods or the only true God. The gods your fathers served on the other side of the flood, the gods of the Amorites. Who were these gods? [v:15b] In our day these gods are the; Gods of pleasure and gods of force, power. There is the god of man's intellectual powers. If you do not choose to serve the true and living God, you are serving some god.Every man has his master passion which becomes the guiding principle of his life.

III. "AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE WE WILL SERVE THE LORD."

A. How great it is when the father can speak for the house. He rules his house well. So many dads today seeking to escape the responsibilities of the family and home. They are strangers to their own children. What a strong influence the father has on his family. Your children are learning from your father role. The influence can be for good or evil. Some children never have a chance because of their dad.

Conclusion: How beautiful when a man will lead his whole family to serve the Lord. How blessed are his children. How rewarding it is when dad’s pray for their families daily. The greatest thing a dad can do is fulfill his role as spiritual leader of his family is to dedicate or commit his wife and children to the Lord, Even if they are grown and married. 

Invitation: It’s time to Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve, either the gods of this world or Almighty God, Maker of Heaven and earth.  Are you willing to choose to know God personally and become His child by confessing your sins to Jesus and asking Him to forgive your sins and save you from Hell? Dads are you living each day for God and leading your family in a way that honors your Savior and Lord?  God will hold you responsible as the spiritual leader of your family.

Doers of the Word

James1:22-25

Intro: How can we hope in God’s word unless we read it? How can we claim His promises if we don’t know what they are? How can we expect God’s word to help us unless we do what it says?

1. A hearer only deceives himself.  James 1:22 (NKJV) But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

  a. If a person thinks that he can hear and learn the Word of God and then go out and live like he wants, he deceives himself. There are many who sit under the Word of God week after week, and they learn and know as much of the Word as anyone. They think that their listening and learning makes them acceptable to God, that it makes them safe and secure. When they slip into sin, they feel that they can ask God for forgiveness and that He will forgive them.

      They just feel that God would never reject them or what they do.

  b. God does not accept us because we hear and know His Word. These are necessary and very important, but they are not enough. It’s when we take action on His word that He accepts us.

      God accepts us because we [confess and repent]. Repentance means that we turn away from our sins and turn to God. God accepts us because we turn to Him and live for Him. When we believe God—really believe Him—then it is that we trust and follow Him and do exactly what He says. Worthwhile knowledge is a prelude to action; but God’s word can only grow in the soil of obedience. We can measure the effectiveness of our Bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes. The devil doesn’t care how much we read and know God’s word as long as we don’t use it. He only fears when we claim God’s word, live by it and use it against him.

2. A hearer only forgets what he has heard. James 1:23-24 (NKJV) ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
²⁴ for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

  a. The person who only hears and knows the Word soon forgets what he has heard. If a person does not practice what he learns, it soon fades from memory. Some people take a casual look at God’s word without letting it affect their lives, like the person who looks so quickly into a mirror that flaws go undetected and nothing is changed. It is just forgotten, and it never becomes a part of the person's life. He is like the person who looks in a mirror to see if he needs to do anything to his appearance, then walks away and thinks of something else and forgets what needed to be cared for. Some listen and maybe study God’s word but don’t act on it. So it’s soon forgotten! Does a person no good!

3. A doer of the word is blessed.  James 1:25 (NKJV)  But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

 a. People who look steadily into God’s word and studies it with serious attention and then makes God’s law their chosen lifestyle, are blessed of God.  They study with attention not only once, but continuously; as a result, they remember God’s word and do what it says. Note that the Word of God is called the perfect law of liberty. This law is perfect; it cannot be improved. This law sets people free because it is only in obeying God’s law that true freedom can be found. John 8:31-32 (NKJV) ³¹ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 

³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."                                      As Christians, we are saved by God’s grace, and salvation frees us from sin’s control. As believers we are free to live as God created us to live.  We are not free to live as we would. God will bless these people who look steadily, continually at God’s word, do what it says, don’t forget what they have heard, and obey it. The person who hears and does the Word of God is blessed. He is freed from all that enslaves his soul upon earth. He will discover love, joy, peace, and a soul that soars above every circumstance and situation he finds himself in. This means that the Word of God will set a person free from the bondages of sin and death. The Word of God will free a person from all the temptations of this life and give him the full and victorious life for which his soul longs—a life that will continue on and on eternally with God.

Invitation: Have you been set free from the slavery and bondage of sin? Have you found the blessed life that Jesus Christ can bring you? Call on Jesus today to forgive your sins and save you from Hell! The bible says in Romans 10:9 (NKJV)  That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. If you have been saved, are you a doer of God’s word or a hearer only? Is God’s word a part of your daily life and actions? Remember, the one who does the word is blessed!