Sermons

For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

INTRO: Many people enter the new year with dread and fear, while others enter the new year with hope and anticipation, what makes the difference?”

When we entered 2004 none of us knew what was going to happen and none of us know what 2005 holds.

Jeremiah 17:5-6 Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

Jeremiah 42:11, 13-16 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be not afraid of him, saith the Lord: for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand…But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the Lord your God, Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell: and now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die.

Jeremiah 17:7- 8 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

God wants to bless us in 2005, it will depend upon us whether or not we receive the blessings God has planned for us.

JEREMIAH 29:11-13 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

NOTE: The blessings of God are not material blessings, they are spiritual in nature, the material or physical blessings we receive are byproducts of God’s spiritual blessing they are not the blessing themselves.

We do not seek the physical or material blessings; we must seek the spiritual blessings for they are the ones that are eternal.

NOTE: We must understand that the Church is more than just the local body of believers; it includes all the “Blood Washed Ones”.

I. HIS CHURCH WILL BE FRUITFUL. Vrs. 1-3

ISAIAH 54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.

There is far too much emphasis put on physical growth, we must first grow spiritual before we can grow physically.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

How do we reach spiritual maturity? (Do you really want God’s blessings?)

BLESSED are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

BLESSED are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

BLESSED are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

BLESSED are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

The only way for God’s Church to grow in number it must first grow in spiritual strength.

ISAIAH 54: 2-3 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

NOTE: Once we understand how God wants to bless us we will understand that this cannot come from man (the arm of flesh) but must come from God and God alone.

JEREMIAH 29:12-13 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

If we truly want God to bless us individually and as His Church, we must seek His spiritual blessings over physical or material blessings.

CONCLUSION: In 2005 let us be the individual and church that God longs to bless, remembering His blessings are eternal and not the temporary blessings of this world.

IV. HE WILL CLOTHE HIS CHURCH IN BEAUTY. Vrs. 11-14

Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

INTRO: No man wants an unhappy bride and God wants His Church to be filled with joy.

JOHN 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

What robs you of your joy, the fear of the future, the difficulties of the present or the shame of the past?

When we as an individual, as a church or as a nation allow sin to come into our lives we will lose the joy God wants us to possess.

The Christian’s joy is dependant on their relationship with God; the closer the relationship the greater the joy.

When we allow sin to enter into our lives our relationship with God is broken and shame and guilt enter in, this in turn will robs us of our joy.

PROVERBS 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

If we can sin and not feel guilt or shame, there is something desperately wrong in our hearts.

Genesis 3:7-11 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

ISAIAH 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

I. THROUGH SALVATION THE SIN OF THE PAST IS REMOVED.

NOTE: It is when we repent of our sins and confess them to God that He takes away the shame of our past.

1 JOHN 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

PSALM 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

II. THROUGH SALVATION THE SHAME OF THE PAST IS REMOVED.

ISAIAH 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

HEBREWS 10:16-17 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

ROMANS 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

ROMANS 8:33-34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Satan loves to remind us of our past and thus robbing us of the joy and peace God want for us.

When we bring up the forgiven past of someone else or even of ourselves, we are doing the work of Satan.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

EPHESIANS 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

NOTE: Not only did God take away the shame of our sins, He also removed the shame of failures.

PSALM 51:1-19 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

CONCLUSION: Do not allow the sins and failures of your past rob you of the joy of the present and the hope of the future.

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

We see this carried out in real life, there are parents who are very harsh in the disciplining of their children and there are those who never discipline.

Hebrews 12:5-11 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

NOTE: The word chasten is the Greek word, pahee-dyoo'-o; to train up a child, i.e. educate, or (by implication) discipline (by punishment) chasten (-ise), instruct, learn, teach.

The key to the chastening of God is found in verse 6 “for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth”

The Lord’s chastening is never to condemn and destroy, but to redeem and to save.

PROVERBS 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

The Church as Judah often strays away from God and He will chasten us to bring us back.

Isaiah 54:7-8 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.

God will bring hardship and difficulties into our lives not to punish us but rather to bring us back to Him.

If we are not willing to hear God whispers of chastisement we will be forced to hear His thunder of judgment.

NOTE: God disciplines those He loves; yet the affections are only temporary.

Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

NOTE: The difference between the chastening of the Lord and His mercies and faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-26 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

NOTE: Human mercies and human faithfulness has limitations but there is no limitation to the mercies and faithfulness of God.

Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

ISAIAH 54:10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee,

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Jeremiah 31:3 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.

John 16:33 (GW) I've told you this so that my peace will be with you. In the world you'll have trouble. But cheer up! I have overcome the world."

Habakkuk 3:2 O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

James 2:13 (GW) No mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Psalm 118:29 O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

NOTE: Forty-one times the phrase, “His mercy endureth forever” appears in the Bible.

Isaiah 43:1-2 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

MATTHEW 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

HEBREWS 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

CONCLUSION: In difficult days, we must remain faithful. In times of testing we must trust. In times of disciplining we must repent and return to Him. In Him and in Him alone, we have HOPE. Don’t be discouraged by the circumstances or disheartened by the hardship we are going through.

“A faith strong enough to grasp this will light up every forest, and overcome every foe.”W. M. Statham[1]

[1] The Pulpit Commentary: Wm. B Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan: ISAIAH Vol. II, pg. 319

And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

There is an old movie, Tales of Manhattan, about a special coat that changes the lives of those who ware it.

ISAIAH 52:1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

ISAIAH 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

NOTE: When Adam sinned he lost the covering that God had provided for him and he found himself naked.

Genesis 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

EZEKIEL 16:4-5 (NLT) When you were born, no one cared about you. Your umbilical cord was left uncut, and you were never washed, rubbed with salt, and dressed in warm clothing. No one had the slightest interest in you; no one pitied you or cared for you. On the day you were born, you were dumped in a field and left to die, unwanted.

Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

NOTE: Only God can provide the proper clothing that will allow us to stand before Him.

Zechariah 3:1-5 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment. And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.

ISAIAH 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

NOTE: Ashes speak to us of true repentance and when we truly repent of our sins, God takes the filthy garments of sin and our rages of self-righteousness and exchanges them for garments of His Righteousness.

NOTE: Jesus invites us to exchange the nakedness of our sins for the white raiment of His Righteouness.

REVELATION 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

NOTE: Jesus invites us to come and buy but how can we pay for anything we might need from God.

Isaiah 55:1-3, 6-9 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David…

Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Yet there are those who reject the garment of Salvation that Jesus offers and seek to use their own garment of rags.

So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: and he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

NOTE: The king had provided proper clothing for his guest but this guest rejected that which the king had provided and chose to come in his own garment.

There are those who refuse to dress appropriately and say, “If they don’t like the way I dress, let them deal with it.” This is not said out of humility but out of defiance.

ZEPHANIAH 1:7-8 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.

CONCLUSION: God has provided us with the glorious garment of His Salvation it is up to us to accept that which He hath provided.

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

NOTE: Often times in our Christian walk it seems that we are on the losing side.

How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? Forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

But in spite of what may seem the Truth is that God has promised His Church Victory.

JOHN 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

NOTE: The first two God sends but the second two may come through his approval but He does not send them.

Isaiah 54:15-16 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.

Psalm 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

NOTE: Even as God set the limits on Satan’s attack against Job, God has set the limits of Satan attacks against His Church.

II. THE CONFLICT CHRISTIANS FACE IS AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL NOT

THE PHYSICAL.

NOTE: The reason why so many Christians fail to possess the victory that God has promised His Church is that they are looking for physical victories, health, wealth, happiness and so on, and they do not understand that God is speaking of spiritual victories over our spiritual enemies.

We are often like those in New Testament times who were looking for deliverance from Rome and failed to understand that Jesus brought deliverance from Satan and sin.

One of Satan’s favorite tricks is to get us to look at things through natural eyes and understanding instead of seeing things through spiritual eyes and living by faith.

We must not allow the difficulties we experience in the physical world to rob us of the victories God has promised in the spiritual world.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Isaiah 54:14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

Our enemy is not the terrorist of this natural world but the terror of the spirit world, Satan.

1 PETER 5:8 Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.

NOTE: Satan may attack us on a physical plane but it is for a spiritual victory that he is seeking.

The apostle presents the same ground of confidence in 2 TIMOTHY 2:13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

God’s righteousness is our security, because it guarantees that he never promises:

ROMANS 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

TITUS 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

HEBREWS 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

The promises of man will fail, but the promises of God will always be fulfilled.

PSALM 146:3 Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.

Isaiah 50:7-9 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

CONCLUSION: Trust God utterly, for in Him alone is found the “Righteousness” that can bring us the victory over Satan and sin.

PSALM 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

PSALM 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

SCRIPTURE TEXT: Romans 5:8 (GW) Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God's love for us.

Have you ever given a valentine to someone whom you knew didn’t like you? What was their reaction?

Have you ever received a valentine from someone you didn’t like but you knew they liked you? What was your reaction?

God sent the greatest valentine to those whom He knew did not love Him. How did you react the first time you heard of God’s love for you?

It is one thing to love someone who loves you, but it is entirely different to love someone who instead of loving you:

This many have done with God’s love, but still He loves us and sent His only Son to reveal to us just how great His love for us is.

There are four things in this passage of Scripture that shows God’s love for us.

NOTE: No matter what we do or how hard we try we are unable to lift ourselves out of our fallen state.

Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Proverbs 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

2 Cor. 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

NOTE: Not only are we unable to change our way of life we have no desire to change our life.

We are content to live our lives without God, without thinking about God or our relationship with Him.

Before God came into our lives, our thoughts, dreams and plans were made without any consideration of God and what He wanted.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

NOTE: The third thought about God’s unconditional love for us is that not only were we unable to change our ways, nor were will willing to change our ways, we desperately needed to change.

Romans 3:9-18 What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways: and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.

Because we needed to changed our sinful nature, because we had no desire to change ourselves, and even we wanted to change we were are unable to do so, we were enemies of God.

Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

NOTE: God’s love for us is unconditional in that He accepts as we are, where we are, in spite of who or what we are.

God’s unconditional love is so great that He refuses to allow us to stay the way we are but changes us into His Children.

1 John 3:1-3 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

There are those who contend that God’s unconditional love allows us to remain in a life of sin and still spend eternity with Him.

God’s Word tell us in Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Because of God’s unconditional love for us, instead of living a life to please ourselves, we must strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him.

If God loves us with an unconditional love how should we respond to Him and to others?

MATTHEW 22:37-40 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

One night after supper, [my son] Chase sat down in the living room to begin the task of signing and sealing the Valentine's Day cards he had picked out for his second-grade classmates. Seeing him surrounded by mountains of cards, envelopes, and a list of names that filled an entire page, I decided to enter into the spirit of the holiday and give him a hand.

“Here, you can seal the cards and mark the names off the list," he said shoving 15 or more cards and envelopes into my lap.

I set my coffee down on a coaster and began stuffing cards into their proper envelopes. About halfway through the stack I noticed a bold red and pink Valentine inscribed with the words, "I am thankful for you." What caught my eye was not what the card said, but the thick black lines that had been scrawled over the word thankful.

I nudged Chase and said; " I don't think it would be very kind to give this card to one of your friends."

I was not prepared for the angry outburst that followed. Chase sat up straight and yelled, "Every day that girl calls me names, and I have asked her to stop, but she just laughs and curses at me!"

My heart felt a lurch of pain as I pictured Chase standing undefended in the schoolyard with this unknown girl teasing him. I sat and took in the tears that were rolling down Chase's face. I told him how sorry I was and that I could understand why he felt so hurt.

Chase jerked himself loose from my arm and with a fresh flow of tears choked out, "She embarrasses me! Do you want me to just stand there and let her call me names?"

Here was my young son facing a moment of suffering that might seem small to some but was clearly a big deal to him. What did I want Chase to learn about suffering in this moment?

I put my arm around Chase, wiped his tears with a Kleenex, and said, "Yes, Chase, I do want you to let her call you names. I don't want you to do anything that would hurt her."

I continued to hold him as he calmed down and thought about his choice. After a few moments, he slowly picked up a new card and addressed it neatly to this girl who so easily hurt his heart. His choice was to offer her forgiveness and grace in the form of a Valentine's card.

Citation: Adapted from Sonya Reeder, "My Forgiving Valentine" Christian Parenting Today, (Spring 2003), Vol. 16, No. 1, p. 54

The young woman was married and had two beautiful children, but one day as she was standing over the sink, washing dishes, she thought, ’There must be more to life than this.’ When her husband came home, he found a note she’d written and began to weep.

She would call him about once every week to check on the children, and he would always tell her of his great love for her and beg her to come home. She would always say no and hang up.

Finally, he hired a private investigator to find her and he went to the apartment where she was staying, nervously holding a spray of flowers in his hand as he stood at the door.

He had rehearsed over and over what he would say and he finally got up the nerve to knock on the door. She opened the door and he started to speak, but she suddenly began to weep and fell into his arms. "Let’s go home." She managed through her tears.

Months after, when things were starting to heal; he finally asked her something that had been bothering him. "All those times I talked to you on the phone; I asked you to come back and you refused. Why did you come back now?"

“Before," she started, tears in her eyes, "you were just telling me that you loved me. When you came, you showed me."

The story is told of a beautiful dressed woman, her arm bared to the elbow, searching in the mud and slime of the gutter for something. A crowd gathered and then a policeman came.

“I lost my ring,” answered the woman, looking up with tears in her eyes. “It was a diamond ring that my husband gave me. He was a soldier and never made it back. This ring was the only thing I had left that belonged to him.

v Daniel Jeffers

When Elizabeth married the famous poet Robert Browning, her parents were so upset they disowned her. She and her husband settled far from home in Florence, Italy. Elizabeth loved her mother and father and did everything she could to be reconciled with them. Several times a month she wrote expressive, loving letters. After 10 years without any response, finally, a package came from her parents. It was a happy moment for Elizabeth as she opened it. But inside she found all of the letters she had sent- unopened. Like her husband, Elizabeth was a poet and her letters of reconciliation were eloquent. They have been called “some of the most beautiful and expressive in all English literature.” But her parents never read them.

Jesus Christ, like Elizabeth, went to extreme measures in a reconciliation attempt. He died so sinful men could be reconciled to God. It breaks his heart that many refuse to even read the letter of Calvary’s love....

v Davon Huss

And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on Me; Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

INTRO: There are many misconceptions about the Holy Spirit and His role in the life of a Christian.

The Word of God makes it very clear Who the Holy Spirit is and His role in our daily lives.

The work of the Holy Spirit within the life of a Christian has many facets but one of the most important is that of convicting of sin.

The word reprove, (el-eng'-kho) means: to confute, admonish convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove.

We often consider the role of the conviction of the Holy Spirit to be directed to sinners outside the Church.

REVELATION 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Before God begins to convict the sinners or their sins, He will first convict those within the Church.

1 Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

Christians are not immune to sinning and often times when they do sin they fail to recognize their sin.

NOTE: The sin of David is a great example of a Believer allowing sin to enter into their heart. II SAMUEL 11 & 12

NOTE: Christians often falls into sin when they are complacent in their relationship with God.

2 Samuel 11:1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

NOTE: There are three things in this verse that tell us why David fell into sin:

AMOS 6:1 How terrible it will be for you who lounge in luxury and think you are secure in Jerusalem and Samaria! You are famous and popular in Israel, you to whom the people go for help.

When we think we have arrived we need to understand that we haven’t even started.

REVELATION 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

2 Samuel 11:2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

ILL: When I was a child and had done something wrong I had a difficult time sleeping.

JAMES 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

David committed physical adultery because he first committed spiritual adultery.

When we fail to fulfill the will of God in our lives we have committed spiritual adultery.

When David found out that Bath-sheba was pregnant he sought to cover his sin by calling Uriah home from the battle.

Uriah was more honorable than David in that he refused to go home to his wife while his comrades were on the battlefield.

2 Samuel 11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

2 Samuel 11:25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

Many people may have thought David brought Bath-sheba into his household out of compassion for the widow of Uriah.

2 Samuel 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

NOTE: Even though God forgives us of our sin they often have far reaching consequences.

2 Samuel 12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

2 Samuel 12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

NOTE: David and Bath-sheba should have been stoned but God spared their life and took the life of the innocent.

NOTE: The purpose of Holy Ghost conviction is not to bring judgment but rather to bring restoration.

Psalm 51:1-3 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Psalm 51:7-13 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

NOTE: One of the great mysteries of Grace is that God can take our sins and turn them around to use them to show His Grace to other.

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

CONCLUSION: When we experience the conviction of the Holy Spirit we will either allow the tears of repentance to soften our hearts or we will harden our heart through rejection of His conviction.

Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

SCRIPTURE TEXT: JOHN 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

PROVERBS 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

INTRO: There is a great conflict going on in the spiritual that is made evident in the natural world.

It is God against Satan, evil against good, right against wrong, sin against righteousness.

Not the righteousness of man, doing good, but the Righteousness of God that reveals sin for what it is, rebellion against God, and defeats sin when God’s Righteousness is embraced.

MATTHEW 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

It was not the miracles that Jesus did that drove Him to the cross, but His Righteousness, His stand against sin and His threat to the righteousness of the religious leaders.

NOTE: The Holy Spirit reproves the world of the inability of man’s righteousness to bring salvation.

ISAIAH 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

ROMANS 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

NOTE: There is no one in this world that can meet the need of righteousness therefore the world is doomed.

Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

NOTE: It is one thing to show to sinners their sin and their hopelessness to attain deliverance, but we must also tell them of the hope of Salvation.

The righteousness of man is by doing, the righteousness of Christ is by who He is and what He has done.

Isaiah 59:16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

NOTE: There are several things the Holy Spirit does in the life of a Believer that convinces a sinner of God’s Righteousness.

v The Holy Spirit takes a man who does not believe on Jesus and convinces him that Jesus is the Savior—that his sins are really forgiven when he believes on Jesus.

The Holy Spirit does not seek glory for Himself but always seeks to bring the glory to Jesus Christ.

JOHN 16:13-14 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.

The Holy Spirit acts as the aroma of good food, or the beauty of some object, it draws out attention.

1 Corinthians 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:

2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

ROMANS 4:24-25 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

NOTE: God is searching for those who are willing to live in the righteousness of Christ, and allow the Holy Spirit to convict the sinner through the righteousness of Christ found in them.

JOHN 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

NOTE: The righteousness of Christ was proven effect in that He ascended to His Father and His Father accepted Him.

Although the Church cannot save, it is through the Church that the righteousness of Christ is revealed to salvation for those who are lost.

It is through the Church that the Holy Spirit convinces the world of the Righteousness of Christ.

Jeremiah 5:1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.

God is looking for those who are willing to live a righteousness life that will have an impact on those who are still in their sins.

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

NOTE: It is the anointing of the Holy Spirit on a Believer’s life that enables them to live a righteousness life that will stir the hearts of the sinner.

Isaiah 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

There are times in our lives that the Righteousness of Christ will draw rejection instead of acceptance.

John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.

God is looking for those who are willing to put their lives on the line for Him. Those who are willing not only to reign with Him but to suffer if need be.

2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

CONCLUSION: We cannot convict anyone of sin all we can do is allow the Holy Spirit to live through us so the Righteousness of Christ shines through and He convicts them through our lives.

The choice is ours, are we willing to allow the Holy Spirit to reign in our lives and fill our lives with the Righteousness of Christ so that our lives are a magnet for Christ.

SCRIPTURE TEXT: John 16:8 (NLT) And when he comes, he will convince the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

INTRO: There are two appointments that we will all meet, death and judgment.

People have spent great amounts of money and effort trying to delay or avoid the first but not matter how rich they are, death comes to each of us.

For a few there is a warning of the coming of death and they have a period of time to prepare.

But for most of us we have no idea when death will come, and when death does comes there is little or no time to prepare.

These are some of the physical preparation we can do for death but what about spiritual preparation for death and the judgment that follows?

This is why the Holy Spirit seeks to convince and convict men and women of sin, the Righteousness of Christ and the coming judgment.

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The Bible tells us that we are all under the same sentence of death and judgment because we have all sinned.

If we are all under the sentence of death what about the Scripture found in JOHN 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

If those who believe in Jesus never die, why have so many Christians died including all the Apostles?

v Physical death that all of us will experience except for those who are Believers and alive at the Second Coming of Christ.

REVELATION 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

REVELATION 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Revelation 20:4-5 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Revelation 20:11-13 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

NOTE: This is where all the Believers will stand before Christ and give account for what they have done in the Christian life.

MATTHEW 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

ROMANS 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

NOTE: At the Judgment Seat of Christ we will not lose our salvation but we will lose our rewards.

Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

NOTE: Jesus has experienced both death and the judgment of sin for us so that we no longer have to fear either.

The Holy Spirit seeks to convince sinful man of this and to turn fallen man away from the Great White Throne Judgment and the Second Death.

ROMANS 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

GALATIANS 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

CONCLUSION: The purpose of the Holy Spirit convincing us of sin, righteousness and judgment is not to condemn us but rather to turn us away from sin and to Jesus Christ.

May the Holy Spirit continue to convict us that we might seek to live a life that is pleasing to God.

SCRIPTURE TEXT: JOHN 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

INTRO: Our church is at a crossroad; we must decide what we are going to do.

“If we keep doing what we have been doing, we will keep getting the same results we have been getting.”

If we want to achieve different results than what we are receiving we must make changes, but what are the changes we need to make.

It is very difficult for us to accept change unless we are the one who is initiating the change.

Conflict if handled properly will produce positive growth, if handled improperly it will produce negative results.

NOTE: There are many Christians who are not being guided by the Holy Spirit because they have not seen the need nor do they have a desire for His guidance.

“It is easier to serve or work for God without a vision and without a call, because then you are not bothered by what He requires. Common sense, covered with a layer of Christian emotion, becomes your guide. You may be more prosperous and successful from the world’s perspective, and with have more leisure time, if you never acknowledge the call of God. But once you receive a commission from Jesus Christ, the memory of what God asks of you will always be there to prod you on to do His will. You will no longer be able to work for Him on the basis of common sense.” [1]

Either the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, is guiding us or the spirit of Satan is guiding us.

Satan gets us to believe that we are making the decisions but he is behind the scene pulling the strings.

Proverbs 14:12, 16:25 (niv) There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

The lack of an unwillingness to grow may produce a contented Christian life but it will never produce a victorious Christian life.

We must all seek God’s plan for our own personal life and the life of our Church.

Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

“The certainty that I do not know that is the secret of going with Jesus.”[2]

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

If we wait until we can comprehend all the answers and have a perfect understanding of the solution, we are not dependent upon God but are rely on ourselves.

JOHN 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

JOHN 10:2-5, 27-28 But He that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To Him the Porter openeth; and the sheep hear His voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from Him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.

There are several time Jesus said, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

JEREMIAH 29:11-13 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

NOTE: They need a bigger building, they began to work but they could do nothing about the axe head.

God will never do for us what we can do for ourselves but He delights in doing for us what we are unable to do for ourselves.

The Children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years because the failed to obey and trust God.

“I know some of you expect me to have come with a program or an agenda to turn the church around. I want to tell you as clearly as I can that the only agenda I have for now is to repeatedly call us back into the presence of God. Don’t misinterpret what I’m saying – I firmly believe God has a plan for us. But I want us to be sure that the plan we commit to is God’s not ours. I don’t know when or how He will reveal that plan. Until He makes it clear, I want to ask you as leaders in Trinity Church to join me in calling the rest of this body of Christ back to its first love.”[3]

[1] My Utmost For His Highest: Oswald Chambers. March 4

[2] My Utmost For His Highest: Oswald Chambers. March 9

[3] Leading Congregational Change: Jim Herrington, Mike Bonem & James H. Furr; Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco. Pg 21

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you all things, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So continue in what he has taught you, and continue to live in Christ.

Our relationship to God is based on what we believe and what we believe is based on what we have been taught.

JOHN 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Ephesians 4:11-16 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

How do we know when it is the teaching of man or the teaching of the Holy Spirit?

There must be some sort of guide or reference that we can depend on to show to us the difference.

While the teaching of man may come in contradiction of the Word of God, the teaching of the Holy Spirit never will.

This is where so many Christian come into difficulties; they fail to study the Word of God to see if the teaching they are receiving lines up with God’s Word.

ACTS 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

MATTHEW 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

2 CORINTHIANS 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

NOTE: False teachers put their own ambition and personal ideas above the truth.

1 TIMOTHY 1:7 Wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

There are teachings that may be false but hold no eternal value or affect our relationship with God

ILL: In 1650, Archbishop James Ussher calculated that the world was created in 4004 B. C. A few years later, John Lightfoot calculated that Adam was created on October 23 at 9:00 am.[1]

We need to be very careful with those who teach things as God’s truths that are not founded on the Word of God even if they don’t effect our salvation or relationship with God.

There are other false teachings that DO affect our salvation and relationship with God.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

2 PETER 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Jeremiah 50:6 My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Jeremiah 5:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

NOTE: They only want to here things that make them feel good. They do not want to hear about:

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The Holy Spirit must be our teacher because we cannot rely on the reasoning of man.

PROVERBS 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

III. TO HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AS OUR TEACHER WE MUST A

TEACHABLE SPIRIT.

PSALM 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

NOTE: In order to be led by the Holy Spirit we must have a hunger and desire to be led by Him.

PSALM 25:4-5 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

PSALM 143:10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

There are times when God will make the way plain as He told Paul of the things that he must suffer.

Other times, like Abraham, our walk is a daily walk by faith not knowing where we are going.

CONCLUSION: Are we willing to walk by faith or do we insist that God lay everything out plainly for us?

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

I would rather be led by the Holy Spirit in a walk of faith then by the hand of man in a walk by sight.

[1] FASCINATING BIBLE FACTS PEOPLE, PLACES AND EVENTS; David M. Howard, Jr., Ph. D.; Publications international, LTD. Pg 8

SCRIPTURE READING: I CORINTHIANS 15:1-23

1 Corinthians 15:13-14 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain…If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

It is how we answer the question, “Is there life after death”, that determines if we believe we need a Messiah.

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

ISAIAH 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

1 JOHN 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Romans 10:13-17 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

There are none too righteousness that they do not need a Messiah and there are none so sinful that Jesus Christ the Messiah cannot save them.

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

INTRO: Outside of a sermon on Salvation a sermon on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the most important sermon you can hear.

As much as Jesus wants His Church to be victorious, Satan wants the Church to be defeated.

Jesus did not leave us helpless, but has promise to send the Holy Spirit to empower us so we can live a victorious Christian life.

What is a victorious Christian life? A life that brings glory to God in spite of its circumstances.

The reason many Christians fail to live a life of victory is because they are not living in the power of the Holy Spirit.

There are those who contend that the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them in the upper room.

John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

When Jesus breathed upon them in the upper room He was preparing them for the infilling of the Holy Spirit or else why would have Jesus instructed His disciples to seek and wait for the empowering of the Holy Spirit that didn’t happen until several days later.

LUKE 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

ACTS 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

There are several things we can learn about living in the power of the Holy Spirit by the example Jesus left us.

MARK 1:9-11 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

ISAIAH 11:2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

ISAIAH 42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

ISAIAH 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

ACTS 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

NOTE: Jesus did not need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit any more than He needed to be baptized in water by John but He allowed Himself to be baptized in order to be an example unto us.

JOHN 13:13-17 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

NOTE: We need the empowering of the Holy Spirit in order to defeat Satan and live a victorious Christian life.

ZECHARIAH 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

NOTE: Any time God has a plan for us, Satan will always seek to turn us away from what God wants to do through us.

MATTHEW 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

MATTHEW 13:38-39 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

1 PETER 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1 PETER 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

III. WE DO NOT NEED TO FEAR THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

1 JOHN 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

NOTE: Satan knows he cannot defeat the Christian that is filled with the Holy Spirit so he wants to keep us from seeking that which God has promised.

NOTE: Satan used the issue of tongues to confuse and distract Christian from seeking the Holy Spirit.

1 CorINTHIANS 14:37-39 (GW) Whoever thinks that he speaks for God or that he is spiritually gifted must acknowledge that what I write to you is what the Lord commands. But whoever ignores what I write should be ignored. So, brothers and sisters, desire to speak what God has revealed, and don't keep anyone from speaking in other languages.

NOTE: There is no place in the Word of God that says you must speak in tongues to be filled with the Holy Spirit, but there is no place where it says that you won’t.

It is when we seek the manifestation that Satan can give us a false manifestation and we think we have the Holy Spirit when we really do not.

CONCLUSION: If we are serious about living a victorious Christian life than we must seek the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and trust God to fulfill His promise.

LUKE 11:9-13 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Pastor's Sermon Outline

SCRIPTURE READING: ISAIAH 54:1-17

I. HIS CHURCH WILL BE FRUITFUL. Vrs. 1-3

How do we reach spiritual maturity? (Do you really want God’s blessings?)

IV. HE WILL CLOTHE HIS CHURCH IN BEAUTY. Vrs. 11-14

I. THROUGH SALVATION THE SIN OF THE PAST IS REMOVED.

II. THROUGH SALVATION THE SHAME OF THE PAST IS REMOVED.

II. THE CONFLICT CHRISTIANS FACE IS AGAINST THE SPIRITUAL NOT

THE PHYSICAL.

v Daniel Jeffers

v Davon Huss

III. TO HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AS OUR TEACHER WE MUST A

TEACHABLE SPIRIT.

SCRIPTURE READING: I CORINTHIANS 15:1-23

III. WE DO NOT NEED TO FEAR THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.