The Consequences of Sin

Temple Baptist Church - 7-19-2015

James 1:13-16

 

Introduction:

 

A.  I want to deal with the possibility, propensity, and product of sin this morning. Verse 14 tells us that every man (which includes women) is tempted to sin. 

 

1.  The Book of James is a very direct book in that James deals very directly with sin and its consequences.  The key to the Book of James is a salvation that produces good works but there is also much said about sinfulness and warnings concerning its consequences. 

 

2.  Verse 16 gives an admonition to all of us: “Do not err, my beloved brethren!”  I fear that too many of us get involved in sinfulness with little or no regard to its discovery and consequences until it is too late.

 

B.  Temptation to sin is almost as old as humanity.  We find both the tempter and temptation in the Garden of Eden where the first human sin was committed.  Sin found it’s beginning in the heart of Lucifer and, before long, made its way into the heart of man.  Satan tempted Eve and Adam sinned, so here we are!

 

C.  Don’t be too hard on old Adam and Eve though.  They lasted a lot longer in innocence than you or I would have lasted.  Because of our old sinful flesh, Adamic nature, and the mounting number of areas in which we are tempted today, the battle against the lust of the flesh rages.

 

D.  If and when we do sin, we need to take full responsibility for it:

 

1.  God didn’t make you do it!

 

2.  The Devil didn’t make you do it!

 

3.  People didn’t make you do it!

 

4.  You cannot blame your circumstances for it!

 

5.  YOU MAKE S A WILFULL CHOICE TO SIN!

 

E.  We can choose how we want to live.  God has made us “free moral agents” and has given to us the privilege to choose right.  He has not given to us the right to choose wrong.

 

1.  We can control our ACTIONS but not the RESULTS.

 

2.  We can make our own CHOICES but we cannot avoid their CONSEQUENCES.

 

F.  When we learn to recognize both the COURSE and the SOURCE of sin, it will help us when temptation does come.  Temptation to sin can be minimized through obedience to the Holy Spirit and the Bible.

 

1.  We can minimize sinfulness through abstaining from all appearance of evil.  Abstain from all appearance of evil means that at the first inkling that something is going to turn “south,” LEAVE!

 

2.  We can minimize sinfulness through guarding our eyes and ears.  “Seeing and hearing” got Lot into a “lot” of trouble.  We normally know what we will see or hear before we go to certain places.

 

3.  We can minimize sinfulness through watching who we associate with.  Walking together brings about agreement either vocally or through compromise to remain silent on certain issues.

 

4.  We can minimize sinfulness through a close relationship with the Lord through prayer and Scripture.  Prayer and Bible study will help to keep us from areas of sin.  Hide God’s Word in your heart that you might not “sin against God.”

 

5.  We can minimize sinfulness through realization of personal weakness and deceitfulness of heart.  No, I cannot handle sin and neither can you.  When sin begins, we feel that we are in control but subtly things begin to change.  Without our recognition, sin soon becomes the MASTER while we become the SLAVE.

 

G.  The Bible sets forth several things in these verses pertaining to temptation and sin. 

 

1.  EXCLUSION – vs. 14 “Every man”  There are no exclusions!

 

a.  Inward temptations because of the sinfulness of our flesh.  Paul said that there was nothing good about the flesh in Romans 7.  It cannot be trusted!  We see the failures of others that we love and should fear our weaknesses of the flesh.

 

2.  Outward temptations because of the sinfulness of this present, evil world.  There is little in our world that we live in that is godly or righteous.  I have lived 67 years and have never seen as much immorality and wickedness as we see today.  “Change and decay all around I see” was certainly prophetic of our day.

 

2.  ENTICEMENT – vs. 12-13 “when he is tempted”

a.  Tempted can mean to be "Offered a bait"  or "lured by a bait".  “Every man is tempted!”

 

b.  Tempted by evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.

 

c.  You will be tempted by self, someone, or something!

 

1)  Tempted By Satan - Ephesians 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

 

2) Tempted By Sin - Romans 7:11  For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

 

3)  Tempted By Self - James 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

 

d.  “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us”

 

3.  ENTRAPMENT - vs. 15 “lust hath conceived”

 

a.  Surrender can mean "drawn away" or "snared in a trap."

 

b.  “Lust” is desire!  An “inside job.”

 

c.  God has given to us certain normal desires while the world creates abnormal ones.

 

d.  The word is used 22x - never in a good sense!

 

Romans 6:12  Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

 

Romans 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

 

4.  ENDORSEMENT – vs. 15 “bringeth forth sin”

 

a.  We are drawn away and enticed which is not sin to “Lust hath conceived” which means that we now are willingly committed to that particular sin.  Conception is a conscious act carried out.

 

Romans 7:16  If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

 

b.  Someone once asked, “Are you pro-choice or pro-life?”  The man answered, “Both!  Pro-choice is before sex and pro-life is after conception!”

 

Proverbs 7:22  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

 

5.  ENSLAVEMENT – vs. 15  “and sin, when it is finished”

 

a.  Now the MASTER has become the SLAVE!

 

2 Peter 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

 

b.  “Mighty oaks from little acorns grow!”

 

2 Timothy 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

 

c.  There will be a “finishing” when sin takes over.  It will bring you down and destroy you.

 

6.  EXPENSE - vs. 15-16  “death…do not err!”

 

a.  The wages of sin has never changed.  It is untouched by inflation or devaluation.  The wages of sin is still death!  Sin will STILL take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay!

 

b.  The deception of sin has never changed.  We feel that we can sow and sow to iniquity without paying the price.

 

Galatians 6:7-8  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

 

7.  EXHORTATION – vs. 16 – “do not err, my beloved brethren!”

 

a.  We err when we fail to realize the sinful potential of our flesh.

 

b.  We err when we fail to abstain from all appearance of sin.

 

c.  We err when we think that we can handle our sin.

 

d.  We err when we think that we can escape the consequences of our sin.

Confidence In Prayer

Temple Baptist Church - 7-8-2015

1 John 5:14-15

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Last week, I preached on having confidence in God. 

 

1.  I made a statement that needs to be repeated often: “If we can trust God with our eternal life, we can trust God with everything else that comes along.” 

 

2.  This omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God is our loving Fathers who wishes us no harm!  God wants the best for us more than we want the best for ourselves.

 

B.  This will be a simple message that should have There is much confusion concerning prayer and the answers that we get from God.

 

1.  There are those who demand of God when they pray.

 

2.  There are those who relate not getting what you want in prayer to sinfulness of a lack of faith.

 

C.  We do know that there are certain things that will cause us not to get our prayers answered:

 

1.  Asking for what is against the revealed will of God (against clear scripture).

 

2.  Unrepentant sinfulness in our lives.

 

3.  Asking that we might consume the answer to our prayer upon our lust.

 

D.  In our text verses, we find that our confidence in prayer is tied with the world “and” to our confidence found in verse 13. 

 

1.  We are saved, God wants us to know that we are saved; and God wants us to trust Him.  This three point outline is the gist of verse 13. 

 

2.  In verses 14, we find the same three point outline enveloped.  God wants us to know that we are saved, His, and can trust Him to answer our prayers in a perfect way. 

 

3.  Trusting God with our desires in prayer takes confidence in Him to do what is right.

 

E.  Now, laying those things aside, I want to look at our confidence in prayer when we are trying to live right and want God’s will in our lives.  This is as simple as interpreting verses 14-15 in their context and rightly dividing these verses.

 

1.  “And” – this word ties two equal structures and places them in a place of equality.  Both verse 13 and verse 14 are to be interpreted together.  You have to have complete confidence in God in order to have complete confidence in prayer!  Doubt God’s wisdom, doubt God’s power to answer, or to doubt God’s love for you is to doubt answer in prayer.

 

James 1:5-8  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  (6)  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.  (7)  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.  (8)  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.  (Instability in verse 13 brings about instability in all spiritual areas of our lives.)

 

2.  “This is the confidence that we have in Him” – Our confidence in prayer is not confidence in asking and receiving what we want.  Our confidence in prayer is our confidence in God!  Not confidence that God will give us all that we want but confidence that God will give us what is right for us.

 

Jeremiah 33:3  Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.  (How often have we quoted this verse?  Notice with me that, in this verse, we call—God hears—God answers—but often in a way that we would have never expected—the answer will be great and mighty things which we would have never imagined.)

 

3.  “If we ask ask anything according to His will” – The key to always getting our prayers answered is to ask according to God’s will and not according to our will or wants. 

 

John 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.  (Notice the “if,” which is conditional, in this verse.  In order to always receive, we must “abide” in the place of God’s will.)

 

4.  “He heareth us” – When we place God’s will above our will, He hears our hearts.  Though we want things, we are willing to forfeit our desires in order to accomplish God’s will in our lives and circumstances.  It is not that God does not hear all of our prayers, it is that He responds in a perfectly righteous way to our desires when our desires are make in the will of God for the glory of God.

 

Psalms 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.  (God sees us, God knows us, God controls our circumstances, and God’s ears are always open when we cry out to Him!)

 

5.  “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” – Our petitions, when walking with God and in the will of God, will always be right because they will always bow to God’s will and glorify God!  This is the confidence that we find in verse 14.  That God hears and will always do that which is right when His children ask of him in faith. 

 

Matthew 21:22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.  (Believing that God is good, just, wise, loving, and will do what is best for His children!)

 

Conclusion: 

 

a.  Will we always be as spiritual as we need to?  Probably not! 

 

b.  Will we always be happy with the answer or lack of answers that we get!  Probably not! 

 

c.  Will our lack of spiritually and lack of happiness change the mind and will of God?  Absolutely not! 

 

d.  Thus, we find where our confidence needs to be placed!

 

Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  (6)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The Presentation of the Gospel

Temple Baptist Church - 7-5-2015

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

 

Introduction:

 

A.  I know that I have spent considerable time preaching from these verses on the gospel but the gospel is the good news of salvation given by God to sinful man.  It is the reconciliation of mankind to God through the propitiation, Jesus Christ.

 

B.  The gospel is powerful, purposeful, and produces fruit unto righteousness if properly presented.  Over the years, I have seen sinners “turned off” by an overzealous “soul winner” who tried to do God’s work his way.

 

C.  I think it important that all of us realize that we cannot get souls “lost” for that is the work of the Holy Spirit.  We cannot save a soul as only God can save an old spiritually bankrupt sinner.  That is not a Calvinistic statement as we are commanded to go and sinners are commanded to repent and believe.

 

D.  With that being said, I want to look at the manner Paul represented Christ and presented the gospel to the idolatrous Thessalonians.  They turned from their idols, family, friends, and manner of life to the Lord and were gloriously converted.

 

E.  Their conversion was marked by a dramatic change over a short time as they became followers (not many of those today), ensamples (another strange breed in our day), and soul winners who supported missions at the same time (as scarce as “hen’s teeth”).

 

F.  Let’s list a few things said in these verses that show the attitude and approach of God’s men in a spiritually hostile land.

 

1.  The Preaching was bold in the face of contention.  Vs. 2  “we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention”  (Anytime the Word of God is upheld in its fullness and purity, there will be contention.  Too often, the contention comes from the supposedly saved instead of the wicked lost.  Religious people do not want you to get too religious on them.  They want to be able to feel good about their “salvation” while walking in step with the world.)

 

2.  The Preaching was exhortational instead of condemnation.  Vs. 3  “For our exhortation”  (Exhortation is a pleading for sinners to come to Christ while condemnation is a fleshly attack upon the sinner.  It is the Spirit that convicts, convinces, and condemns.  When we do it, the sinner gets mad at us.  When the Spirit does it, they have to make a real choice of heaven or hell.)

 

3.  The Preaching was not deceitful.  Vs. 3  “not of deceit”  (Many cults use deceit in their presentation as they never let you know who they are or what they ultimately want you to believe.  A good example is Mormonism.  They act like another Christian denomination and use all of the right language and later begin their indoctrination of such doctrines as “As man now is, God once was; as God now is, man one day will be.”  True preaching is up front and truthful in every aspect.  When out knocking on doors and evangelizing, I always let people know that I am a pastor of an Independent Baptist Church  We are not to be ashamed or deceitful concerning the gospel.)

 

4.  The Preaching was not of uncleanness.  Vs. 3  “nor of uncleanness”  (We are to live and portray the character of true salvation.  People that have been converted and changed.  We are in this world but not to be of this world.  We do not become like them to win them.  This has long been called “Lifestyle Evangelization.”  True Lifestyle Evangelization reflects holiness.)

 

5.  The Preaching was not done in hypocrisy.  Vs 3  “nor in guile”  (It means to “bait the hook.”  I have personally heard one preacher tell how he tricked a sinner into saying “the sinner’s prayer” and claimed that they were saved.  What hypocrisy!  I do not try to force sinners to pray for salvation.  I think it was Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., that said (and I will not get the words completely right) that ripe fruit will drop into your hand when you touch it but green fruit must be tugged.  We do not give 30 minute invitations here.  If you need and want to be saved, you will run over me getting to the altar!  I am all for persuasion but many times you have to let planted seed have time to be watered and germinate.)

 

6.  The Preaching was not “ear tickling.”  Vs. 4  “not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.”  (Once again, I want to say that the mark of good preaching and preachers is not always found in what they preach but rather in what they are not willing to preach!  As long as the preaching is exhortational and not reprove/rebuke, they can “keep their jobs.”  All people are like “dogs” in this respect, they like to have their ears scratched.  But, God’s people will “endure” or “suffer” sound doctrine.)

 

7.  The Preaching was not flattering.  Vs. 5  “For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know”  (Insincere or excessive praise.  To make people feel like they are something that they are not.  We call this “buttering” someone up.  Preaching is certainly not intended to tear one down but it also not to make someone think more highly of themselves than they ought to think.  Normally, one flatters someone in order to obtain something for themselves or to gain advantage.)

 

8.  The Preaching was not Covetousness.  Vs 5  “cloke of covetousness”  ( A cloke is something that covers a person such as a coat.  It, in the context, is meant as a pretense or show meant to cover the true motive of the preacher.  Many preachers are guilty of filthy lucre.  They are simply hireling prophets who are in the “business” of making money and they are good at it.  Religion is big business!  Don’t think so?  Just watch the TV set for a while.)

 

Conclusion:  I will stop with these because I want to use the next verses in another message.

Free Indeed

Temple Baptist Church - 7-5-2015

John 8:30-36

 

Introduction:

 

A.  Another 4^th of July or “Independence Day” as come and gone.  Another birthday of this great nation has been added to the number which now stands at 239.  In light of other nations, America is still in its infancy.  Many nations are thousands of years old today.

 

B.  America has been tagged as “Land of the Free!”  At the entrance of New York Harbor stands a Lady called the Statue of Liberty.  Cradled in her left hand is a tablet with an inscription containing the date of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 in Roman numerals.  It stands for the freedom of our great nation.

 

C.  In 1883, Emma Lazarus wrote a poem called “The New Colossus.”  The first two lines of her poem refer to the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue of the Greek god Helios, which stood in the city of Rhodes in Greece. This statue, which was about 107 feet tall, was one of the tallest statues in the ancient world, and was therefore considered one of its seven wonders. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 226 BC.  At 151 feet tall, the Statue of Liberty is more colossal than the Colossus of Rhodes and stands not for conquering power as he did, but for welcome and hope. She tells ancient Greece to keep her “storied pomp” and give her instead, the tired, poor and homeless.

 

D.  “Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, with conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand a mighty woman with a torch, whose flame is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command the air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame, "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she with silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

 

E.  What makes our nation great:

 

1.  The Principles Upon Which It Was Founded – Liberty and justice for all.  Men who could never be free left their homes and families that they might find freedom and liberty on foreign soil.  They bought and paid for our liberty through their foresight and sacrifice.  These freedoms our Constitution upholds today.  We have liberty to worship; liberty of speech; liberty to travel; liberty to personally excel in life; liberty to be all that we can be.  We are free, praise the Lord, we are free!  “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty!”  Never let anyone take our freedom from us or our children.

 

2.  The Values That Our Forefathers Bore – They were honest and principled.  They were men of integrity and their word was their bond.  Their values were Bible based, even those who were not saved.  We call it “Old School” but its precepts are anchored deeply in biblical principles.  They were honest and hardworking with no time for deadbeats.    They had character instead of being characters.  They loved their families, their church, and their nation.  They were Americans!

 

3.  The Courage Of Our Military To Die And Our People To Sacrifice – “Give me liberty or give me death” has been the motto of every American fighting man in all wars.  I gave some statistics of those who died but could not count the countless millions who have served in all branches of the military.  They lay behind the bodies of their dead brothers while the bullets whizzed past their heads and returned fire.  They still join up; they still fight; and they still die.  Their crosses are around the world from Normandy to the South Pacific to North Africa to Arlington National Cemetery where the Tomb of the Unknowns (also known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier) are engraved with these words:  “HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY AN AMERICAN SOLDIER KNOWN BUT TO GOD.”  The willingness of our nation to sacrifice – families have sacrificed their sons and daughters; they have sacrificed their moneys and possessions; they have sacrificed their personal desires for the betterment of the nation as a whole.

 

4.  The Diversity Of America’s People – The greatness of America is in its diversity!  We are not all the same but we all have the same rights.  We are not all the same but we accept and love those who are not like us.  Different cultures and ethnic backgrounds and yet united.  We are of every race and every creed; we are from every country on the face of the earth.  We do not look the same or act the same, but we all love the same!  We love America and are willing to both die and live for her.

 

5.  The Natural Resources That God Gave Her – God has given to our nation the capability to both be and remain self-sufficient.  We are indebted to others because of greed and ignorance.  From shore to shore and boundary to boundary, our nation is the most beautiful and blessed of all nations.  America is truly a nation flowing with milk and honey.  We have all and abound!  We are blessed!

 

6.  The Benevolence Of America – In natural disasters as well as war and genocide, the United States of America is the first to respond.  We get relief and medical aid to other countries while other governments are thinking about it.  America gives many times what all of the other nations give combined.  God blesses benevolence!  “It is more blessed to give than to receive” has always been America’s motto.

 

7.  The System Of Government That We Have – America was founded as a republic, not a democracy!  Three branches of government set up with checks and balances that keep us both safe and directed.  Every two years we have elections to correct the mistakes that we made in the last elections.  Both veto power and the power to overcome veto!  The men who set up our government had divine foresight.  What a magnificent piece of legislative work our Constitution is!  Wise men made sure that we remain both free and prosperous.

 

8.  The Love Of America For Israel – “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”  God still blesses those who bless Israel and He still curses those who curse Israel.  To this point, we have stood with God’s covenant people and God has blessed us for it.  “Hang on to Israel’s coat tails, America, hang on!”

 

9.  The Possibility Of The Impossibility – Young man, young lady, you can be anything that you want to be.  You can be a doctor, a lawyer, a business owner, or any other thing that you wish.  You can excel both in school and the work place.  You can go to college, work in the career of your choice, start your own business, and be the president of the United States of America.  You are limited only by the limitations that you place on yourself! 

 

10.  The God Who Gave Her Birth – America is blessed because “In God We Trust” is still on our money and in the hearts of most.  The blessed gospel is allowed to be preached and missionaries are being sent around the world.  Psalms 33:12 says,  “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”  May God bless the memory of our war dead and those who served!  May God bless our nation!  May we bless God for His blessings upon us!

 

11.  The Freedom And Liberty We Enjoy – Let freedom ring, from the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, from our foam washed shores, across the great mountain ranges, over the plains with their waves of grain, the deserts with their glorious beauty, the hills, the valleys, from border to border.  America is still FREE!

 

f.  I know that America is radically changing but it is still the greatest nation on the face of the Earth!  Oh, what liberty we have in our nation!  We have the liberty:

 

1.  To travel unopposed.

 

2.  To be what we desire to be.

 

3.  To worship in freedom.

 

4.  To think as we like.

 

5.  To speak out and express your opinion, right or wrong.

 

g.  I am not here to make a list of our blessings but the greatest of them all would be our freedom!  I still say, “Love America or leave it!”  If you only came here to take the cream off the top, then you are not welcome; if you only came here to divide our nation, then you are not welcome; if you came here because of our freedom, the learn our language, to salute our flag, to work and become an asset to this great nation, then—no matter who you are—you are welcome.  Red, yellow, black, brown, white—this is our country.

 

h.  Our text speaks of another freedom, the greatest of all!  Our liberty in the Lord Jesus Christ!  Jesus said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”   Indeed: without a doubt, undeniably, without question.  In response to men who only think themselves free, the child of God is free indeed!  God hath made (not set) us free through the finished work of Calvary.

 

1.  Free from the Curse of the Law - 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:

 

Romans 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

 

2.  Free from the Guilt of Sin - Romans 8:33-34  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.  (34)  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.

 

3.  Free from the Power of Sin - Romans 6:14  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

 

4.  Free from the Power of Darkness - Colossians 1:12-13  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:  (13)  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

 

John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

 

5.  Free from the Fear of Man - Hebrews 13:5-6  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.  (6)  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

 

Luke 12:4  And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

 

6.  Free from the Sting of Death - 1 Corinthians 15:55-57  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  (56)  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  (57)  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Hebrews 2:14-15  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;  (15)  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

 

7.  Free, one glorious day, from this Old World - 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18  (15)  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  (16)  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:  (17)  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.  (18)  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

 

Conclusion:  Are you free this morning?  Yes, we who are American citizens are free but those freedoms are being rapidly encroached upon but our freedom in Christ is indeed free.  If you are not saved, you will never truly know the freedom that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Confidence In The Lord

Temple Baptist Church - 7-1-2015

Philippians 3:1-3

 

Introduction:

 

A.  English 101: the word “and” ties two equal phrases together.  Verse 14 gives us something that goes along with our assurance of salvation.  Why does God spend so much time giving assurance? 

 

1.  God wants you who have believed on Christ to be “doubtless!”  He wants you so assured of what He did for you and in you that you will praise and glorify Him for the rest of your life. “that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13:b)

 

2.  God wants you to believe Him in salvation so that you can believe Him for all else that comes in this life.  We have spent two months dealing with salvation’s assurance in order to instill confidence in God in every other area of life. “and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 55:13c)

 

3.  If you can trust the Lord with your soul, you can trust Him at all times – Proverbs 3:5-6

 

B.  Confidence in the Lord can be lost.

 

1.  Our Confidence can be lost in times of trouble - Hebrews 10:35-36  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.  (36)  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

 

Psalms 42:5  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

 

2.  Our Confidence can be misplaced - Psalms 118:8  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

 

Psalms 118:9  It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

 

Philippians 3:3  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

 

3.  Our Confidence can just slowly slip - Hebrews 2:1  Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

 

C.  Confidence in the Lord plays a major part in the peace and productivity of the believer’s life.  We need to have a knowledge of God and His love for us in order to have a right confidence.

 

1.  A lack of confidence causes fainting - Proverbs 24:10  If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

 

2.  Confidence inspires waiting - Isaiah 40:28-31  Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.  (29)  He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.  (30)  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:  (31)  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

D.  What inspires confidence in the Lord.

 

1.  Confidence comes through a personal knowledge of who and what God is.

 

1.  He is God!  Omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent!  There is nothing that He cannot do.  He spoke the universe into existence and is the Owner of it!  Everything and all power is at His disposal.  Romans 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

 

2.  He is our Father!  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.  (10)  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  (11)  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?  (12)  Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  (13)  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?

 

2.  Confidence comes through a personal communion and walk with the Lord.

 

a.  Fervent, effectual praying! James 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 

b.  Godly, consistent walking with God!  Psalms 84:11  For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

 

3.  Confidence comes through a working knowledge of the Bible through personal reading and study.

 

a.  Reading God’s Word!  Psalms 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 

b.  Studying God’s Word!  2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

 

4.  Confidence comes through trusting God even when you cannot track Him. 

 

a.  When you do not understand!  Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  (6)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

b.  When you do not see results!  Psalms 119:83  For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.