Friday, December 30, 2011
New Sermon
Check out the newly added sermon entitled Division and Darkness. What makes us a part of the Body? Can we be Christians and still live in darkness? These and many other questions are answered in this message. Check it out here.
Monday, December 19, 2011
What is salvation?
Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
In today's society, there is much confusion on true salvation. We see many that profess to know God, but in works they deny Him. (Titus 1:16) What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ and how does one begin such and adventure? Through Scripture, I would like to show you what true conversion is and also give you some examples of what it is not.
First, in order to need salvation, one must understand that they need saved. This comes through the understanding of what sin is. James 4:17 says, "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." When an individual comes to understand what God expects from them, and they choose not to obey, they have sinned. Age of accountability is to be considered at this point. Some may understand this fairly early, others later on, but for salvation to occur, all must come to the understanding that they have broken God's law and fall short. (Romans 3:23)
Secondly, the Father must be drawing. John 6:44 says, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him..." I understand that God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (I Tim. 2:4) and that He equally desires that none should perish, but it is important to make a clear distinction between God's work on a person's heart and man's work on a person's emotions. Many false conversions have occurred not because the Lord was convicting the individuals heart, but simply because the preacher and musicians set the stage for such an event. When the Lord is drawing an individual, human methods are unnecessary.
Lastly, when the Lord draws an individual, He will convict them of their sin and there will be a cutting "to the heart" as mentioned in Acts 2:37. This acknowledgement of their lost state will lead to a yearning for a Savior who can redeem them. This is where the essential command for repentance is made. Repentance occurs when an individual decides to abandon his sin and way of life and turn to Christ for forgiveness and newness of life. This transformation begins in the heart, but does not stay there. As Romans 10:10 says, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Once the heart has been transformed, the mouth will desire to let it be known. If one resists this public proclamation, the conversion may need to be questioned.
To close, I would like to state what salvation is not. It is not a repeated prayer, baptism, going forward in a church, or church attendance. These things may be good and necessary but do not guarantee salvation.
Romans 10:13 For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
In today's society, there is much confusion on true salvation. We see many that profess to know God, but in works they deny Him. (Titus 1:16) What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ and how does one begin such and adventure? Through Scripture, I would like to show you what true conversion is and also give you some examples of what it is not.
First, in order to need salvation, one must understand that they need saved. This comes through the understanding of what sin is. James 4:17 says, "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." When an individual comes to understand what God expects from them, and they choose not to obey, they have sinned. Age of accountability is to be considered at this point. Some may understand this fairly early, others later on, but for salvation to occur, all must come to the understanding that they have broken God's law and fall short. (Romans 3:23)
Secondly, the Father must be drawing. John 6:44 says, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him..." I understand that God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (I Tim. 2:4) and that He equally desires that none should perish, but it is important to make a clear distinction between God's work on a person's heart and man's work on a person's emotions. Many false conversions have occurred not because the Lord was convicting the individuals heart, but simply because the preacher and musicians set the stage for such an event. When the Lord is drawing an individual, human methods are unnecessary.
Lastly, when the Lord draws an individual, He will convict them of their sin and there will be a cutting "to the heart" as mentioned in Acts 2:37. This acknowledgement of their lost state will lead to a yearning for a Savior who can redeem them. This is where the essential command for repentance is made. Repentance occurs when an individual decides to abandon his sin and way of life and turn to Christ for forgiveness and newness of life. This transformation begins in the heart, but does not stay there. As Romans 10:10 says, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Once the heart has been transformed, the mouth will desire to let it be known. If one resists this public proclamation, the conversion may need to be questioned.
To close, I would like to state what salvation is not. It is not a repeated prayer, baptism, going forward in a church, or church attendance. These things may be good and necessary but do not guarantee salvation.
Romans 10:13 For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Spiritually illiterate
John 11:49--"...You know nothing at all."
Christian, what at pity, what a shame. You have spent years of your life sitting in that pew, that chair, that bench, and you know no more today than you did years ago. Yes, you may recall a story or two, you may even be able to vaguely recollect parts of the sermon from last week, but still you know nothing. Jesus said in Matthew 7:23--I never knew you. When He said this, Jesus was letting the audience know that there was a difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. The word "knew" means a knowledge grounded on personal experience. You know love because you have personally experienced the love of Christ in your life. You know John 3:16, not because you can quote it from memory, but because you understand the depth of its contents. Scripture is personal for you, not just a mundane routine that you practice. The words that you read penetrate your heart and transform you mind. They infect every fiber of your being. You begin to know Him, and not just know Him.
Do you know where you can find a group of people that are 50-80% illiterate? Prison. Do you know where you can find 50-80% of Christians? In a spiritual prison. Why? Because they are spiritually illiterate. They are bound by bitterness or entrapped by envy. They succumb to self-centeredness or are puffed up by pride. They are in jail, imprisoned by their lack of understanding. Yes, they may know the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:11-17, but they have no understanding on how to withstand the wickedness that satan throws their way. It is a shame, it is a pity. My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6)
But there is hope!!! The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned. Matt. 4:16 For those that acknowledge their lack of knowledge, Christ will begin to teach. He will begin to shine the Light of His Word into the dark crevices of your heart. He will take stories that you knew with your head and He will begin to make them real in your heart. You must only repent and desire to know Him, truly know Him. We, at Lighthouse Family Fellowship, would love to invite you to join us as we strive to become more spiritually literate.
Christian, what at pity, what a shame. You have spent years of your life sitting in that pew, that chair, that bench, and you know no more today than you did years ago. Yes, you may recall a story or two, you may even be able to vaguely recollect parts of the sermon from last week, but still you know nothing. Jesus said in Matthew 7:23--I never knew you. When He said this, Jesus was letting the audience know that there was a difference between head knowledge and heart knowledge. The word "knew" means a knowledge grounded on personal experience. You know love because you have personally experienced the love of Christ in your life. You know John 3:16, not because you can quote it from memory, but because you understand the depth of its contents. Scripture is personal for you, not just a mundane routine that you practice. The words that you read penetrate your heart and transform you mind. They infect every fiber of your being. You begin to know Him, and not just know Him.
Do you know where you can find a group of people that are 50-80% illiterate? Prison. Do you know where you can find 50-80% of Christians? In a spiritual prison. Why? Because they are spiritually illiterate. They are bound by bitterness or entrapped by envy. They succumb to self-centeredness or are puffed up by pride. They are in jail, imprisoned by their lack of understanding. Yes, they may know the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:11-17, but they have no understanding on how to withstand the wickedness that satan throws their way. It is a shame, it is a pity. My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6)
But there is hope!!! The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned. Matt. 4:16 For those that acknowledge their lack of knowledge, Christ will begin to teach. He will begin to shine the Light of His Word into the dark crevices of your heart. He will take stories that you knew with your head and He will begin to make them real in your heart. You must only repent and desire to know Him, truly know Him. We, at Lighthouse Family Fellowship, would love to invite you to join us as we strive to become more spiritually literate.
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