PSALMS 1:1-3
ROMANS 6:1-16
ROMANS 7:15-25, 8:1
INTO EACH LIFE A LITTLE RAIN MUST FALL, AND EVERYDAY CANNOT BE A SUNDAY. EVERY SMILE IS NOT A SMILE OF HAPPINESS, AND EVERY TEAR THAT IS SHED IS NOT A TEAR OF JOY. LIFE IS AMAZING WITHIN ITSELF. FROM THE TIME WE ARE BORN UNTIL THE TIME WE DIE, THIS LITTLE SPACE BETWEEN BIRTH AND DEATH, BETWEEN THE BREATHE OF LIFE UNTIL WE GIVE UP THE GHOST, WE TRY TO MAKE THE BEST OF WHATEVER WE HAVE ENDEVORED TO DO, OR TO PUT OUR HANDS ON, OR TO JUST MAKE ENDS MEET. THERE ARE CERTAIN TIMES IN OUR LIVES THAT WE HAVE MADE DECISIONS, LIFE-CHANGING DECISIONS. SOME OF THEM WERE GOOD, AND THEN SOME OF THEM WERE NOT SO GOOD. WE’VE HAD TO TAKE THE BITTER WITH THE SWEET, THE GOOD WITH THE BAD, AND THE PRETTY WITH THE UGLY. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN EVERY DAY SEEM LIKE IS WAS A SUNDAY, AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN YOU DIDN’T EVEN WANNA GET UP OUT OF THE BED.
ONEDAY YOU GET UP AND YOU ARE A VIBRANT 25 YEAR OLD, FULL OF VIGOR AND VINUM, THEN ONEDAY YOU GET UP OUT OF BED AND YOU ARE HITTING A FISTY 50 AND YOU WONDER WHERE IN THE HECK, DID TIME GO.
IN THE LITTLE SPACE THAT HAS BEEN GRANTED TO US ON THIS EARTH, MANY OF US HAVE HAD DESIRES, PLANS, DREAMS, AND THINGS THAT WE HAVE WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH. SOME OF THEM WE DID, AND OTHERS WE DIDN’T. THERE ARE STILL THINGS THAT WE HOLD DEAR TO OUR HEARTS THAT WE KEEP TO OURSELVES, HOPING AND PRAYING THAT MAYBE JUST ONEDAY BEFORE WE LEAVE THIS EARTH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THEM. IT’S BECOMING EASIER AND MORE POPULAR IN THESE LAST DAYS AND TIME, FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE WORLD’S STANDARDS, RATHER THAN TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS OF GOD. THIS WORLD, IN WHICH WE LIVE, HAS US ALL FOOLED INTO BELIEVING THAT IT HAS THE ANSWERS, OR THE FORMULA, OR THE GUIDELINES ON WHAT IT TAKES, FOR A PERSON TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL IN THIS LIFE, AND IN THE LIFE TO COME. SUCCESS IS DESCRIBED IN MANY WAYS. WISE MEN HAVE DESCRBED SUCCESS IN MANY DIFERENT WAYS. YOU CAN GO TO ANY NUMBER OF DICTIONARIES OR THESRASUS AND THEY EACH WILL DESCRIBE SUCCESS IN THEIR OWN WAY, BUT I BELIEVE “SUCCESS IS JUST A STATE OF MIND”. IT’S A MINDSET.
WHICH TWO, AMONG A THOUSAND WISE MEN, WILL DEFINE SUCCESS IN THE SAME WORDS, YET FAILURE IS DESCRIBED BUT “ONE WAY”.
FAILURE IS MAN’S INABILITY TO REACH HIS GOALS IN LIFE, “WHATEVER THEY MAY BE”. NO ONE WANTS TO BE A FAILURE.
BOOKS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN, VIDEOS HAVE BEEN MADE, AND CD’S HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR US AS A ROADMAP TO SUCCESS. NOT ONLY DO THEY PERSCRIBE TO THE FACT THAT THEY CAN GUIDE YOU TO A SUCCESSFUL LIFE ON THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN, BUT THEY HAVE GOTTON SO BOLD AS TO SAY THEY CAN GUARANTEE SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS IN THE NEXT LIFE, AFTER DEATH.
THE SAD THING ABOUT IT IS; PEOPLE EVERYWHERE ARE RUNNING TO THESE SO-CALLED SAVIORS, GIVING UP ALL THEIR MONEY, THEIR HOMES, ACCESS TO THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS, AND EVEN OFFERING UP THEIR CHILDREN, HOPING TO MAKE A BETTER LIFE HERE, AND IN THE ONE HEREAFTER.
DON’T YOU KNOW FOLK HAVE BOUGHT LAND ON THE MOON IN AN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE THE ENEVITABLE? YES! THE MOON IS FOR SALE. LAND IS BEING PURCHASED IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND A BETTER PLACE.
EVERYONE HAS WITHIN THEMSELVES A GOD GIVEN DESIRE TO BECOME BETTER THAN WHO OR WHAT THEY ARE NOW.
IT’S NOT WRONG TO WANT TO BETTER YOURSELF, BUT WHAT YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF IS WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION OR BY WHAT STANDARDS ARE YOU BASING YOUR SUCCESS UPON. HOW DO YOU MEASURE WHAT MAKES A PERSON SUCCESSFUL? WHAT MEASURING ROD ARE YOU USING? ARE YOU MEASURING BY THE WORLD’S OR GOD’S STANDARD? WHAT MAKES YOU SUCCESSFUL? {I’M GLAD YOU ASKED}? IN THS MESSAGE, I’M GOING TO ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
SUCCESS CAN BE DIFFERENT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK OF WHAT IT TAKES FOR A PERSON TO BE PROCLAIMED SUCCESSFUL MAY NOT BE THE PRESCRIPTION FOR ANOTHER. ONE’S STANDARDS CAN BE LOWER OR HIGHER WHEN IT COMES TO MEASURING SUCCESS. SOME FOLK THINK A SUCCESSFUL PERSON IS ONE WHO HAS OBTAINED A LOT OF RICHES. NOW RICHES CAN MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE WISDOM TO USE IT WISELY, BUT I MUST WARN YOU THAT THERE’S MANY MISERABLE FOLK THAT’S GOT A LOT OF MONEY. SOME OF THEM, IF THEY WERE HERE, WOULD TESTIFY TO YOU THAT MONEY DOES NOT MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL.
IF THEY COULD, THEY WOULD TRADE IT ALL IN FOR A GOOD BEATING HEART, OR A NORMAL FUNCTIONING LUNG, OR A CLEAN LIVER.
(TALK TO ME SOMEBODY).
YOU CAN’T MEASURE SUCCESS “ONLY” BY YOUR MATERIAL POSSESSIONS.
SOME PEOPLE LOOK AT THOSE WHO HAVE MADE IT BIG IN THE THEATER OR MUSIC RECORDING INDUSTRY AND SAY THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE, AND THEY ARE. BUT IF ELVIS, MICHAEL, LUTHER, OR WITNEY COULD TALK TO YOU FROM THE GRAVE, I’M SURE THEY WOULD TELL YOU IF THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN, THEY WOULD DO IT A DIFERENT WAY. (CAN I GET A WITNESS)? YOU CAN’T MEASURE SUCCESS BY FORTUNE OR FAME.
HOW MANY SUPERSTARS HAVE OVERDOSED, DIVORCED, BEEN FOUND DEAD, AND MOST OF THOSE WHO ARE STILL ALIVE STILL LIVE MISERABLE LIVES JUST TO KEEP THEIR STATUS? SUCCESS CAN NOT BE MEASURED “ONLY” BY HOW POPULAR YOU ARE IN THIS WORLD.
IT CANNOT BE MEASURED BY YOUR POLITICAL STATUS. WE LOOK AT “POTUSA”, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS DON’T YOU? IT’S THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
SUPPOSEABLY, HE’S THE MOST POWERFUL MAN ON EARTH. WE WOULD SURELY SUSCRIBE SUCCESS TO SUCH A PERSON, AND HE IS.
JUST LOOK AT HIM AFTER 6 YEARS IN THE OFFICE, JUST LOOK AT HIS HAIR, JUST LOOK AT HIM. YOU WILL AGREE WITH ME THAT HE IS NOT THE MAN THAT HE WAS 6 YEARS AGO.
SUCCESS IS NOT “ONLY” MEASURED BY YOUR POLITICAL, SOCIAL, OR MATERIAL STATUS.
“YOUR SUCCESS” IS NOT BASED ON MY GOALS, AND MY SUCCESS IS NOT BASED UPON YOURS.
WE ARE ALL DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT GOALS, DIFFERENT DNA’S, DIFFERENT ASPERIATIONS, AND DIFFERENT DREAMS. THERE ARE THOSE WHO’S GOALS MAY BE TO BECOME A MOVIE STAR, AN ASTRONAUNT, A DEEP SEA DIVER, OR A TRUCK DRIVER. YOU MAY THINK BECOMING A MOVIE STAR IS BETTER THAN BECOMING A TRUCK DRIVER, BUT TO THE PERSON WHO GREW UP PLAYING WITH TRUCKS, AND TRACTOR TRAILORS, AND DUMP TRUCKS, AND FIRE TRUCKS, BECOMING A TRUCK DRIVER IS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO HIM. “YOU GO BOY”. (WHY DON’T SOMEBODY SAY; “WHAT’S THE POINT REV.” THE POINT IS; WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY.
WHATEVER {GOALS} YOU SET AND “ACHIEVE” IS DECLARED TO BE A SUCCESS.
(CAN I GET A WITNESS).
JUST AS FAILURE IS MAN’S INABILITY TO REACH HIS GOALS IN LIFE, {WHATEVER THEY MAY BE}, SUCCESS SHOULD BE THE EXACT OPPOSITE, MAN’S {ABILITY} TO REACH HIS OR HER GOALS IN LIFE, {WHATEVER THEY MAY BE}. CAN I SAY THAT AGAIN?
THE WORLD HAS A STANDARD FOR SUCCESS, AND “SO DOES GOD”. WHAT YOU MIGHT BELIEVE IT TAKES TO BE SUCCESSFUL MAY NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE {WORD OF GOD}, AND THAT’S ALRIGHT, BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE TO ULTIMATELY MAKE A CHOICE, IN THIS LIFE, ON THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN, WEATHER WE USE GOD’S PERSCRIBED PLAN OF SUCCESS OR THE WORLD’S PLAN. THEY ARE [DIMETRICALLY OPPOSITE]. {MAKE A COMPARISON} I JOHN 2:15-17 SAYS; LOVE NOT THE WORLD, NEITHER THE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE WORLD. IF ANY MAN, LOVE THE WORLD, THE LOVE OF THE FATHER IS NOT IN HIM. FOR ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD, THE LUST OF THE FLESH, AND THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE, IS NOT OF THE FATHER, BUT IS OF THE WORLD. AND THE WORLD PASSE’TH AWAY, AND THE LUST THEREOF; BUT HE THAT DOE’TH THE WILL OF GOD ABIDE’TH FOR EVER.
GOD’S WAY AND THE WAY OF THE WORLD ARE OPPOSITE. THEY ARE CONSTANTLY IN COMPETITION WITH EACH OTHER, AND WE MAKE THE CHOICE OF WHICH PATH WE WILL FOLLOW ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. WE MAKE THAT CHOICE EVERYDAY.
THERE ARE MANY SCRIPTURES IN THE BIBLE YOU CAN CALL UP ON A DAILY BASIS, TO BE PRONOUNCED AS A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS. THE BIBLE IN ITSELF IS A BOOK OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SUCCEDED AND HAVE FAILED AS WELL, IN SOME AREAS OF THEIR LIVES, BUT ULTIMATELY THE BIBLICAL SENSE OF SUCCESS CAN BE SUMED UP AS DOING GOD THE FATHER’S WILL, IN YOUR LIFE, ON EARTH.
{WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, PREACHER}? IN THE LORD’S PRAYER, AND AFTER THE SALUTATION OF GIVING GOD THE GLORY, “OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN”, HALLOWED WILL BE THY NAME, THE VERY ESSENCE OF ASSESSIBILITY TO PLEASING THE FATHER AND BECOMING A SUCCESSFUL PERSON WAS IN THE WORDS, THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GOD IS THE POTTER AND WE ARE THE CLAY, AND UNTIL WE ARE SHAPED AND MOLDED, AND MADE INTO THE TYPE OF VESSEL HE CHOOSES AND WILLS TO MAKE US INTO, WE WILL NEVER BECOME SUCCESSFUL. WE MUST LIVE TO PLEASE GOD IN ALL WE SAY AND DO.
WE MUST HAVE THE SAME “MENTALITY” THAT JESUS HAD IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMENE WHEN HE SAID; “NOT MY WILL BUT THY WILL BE DONE”. HIS WILL BE DONE CHURCH, IN OUR LIVES {ON EARTH}, AS IT IS IN {HEAVEN}. HAVE THY OWN WAY LORD, HAVE THY OWN WAY. YOU ARE THE POTTER AND I AM THE CLAY. MAKE ME AND MOLD ME AFTER THY WILL, WHILE I AM STANDING YIELDED AND STILL. HAVE YOUR OWN WAY LORD IN EACH AND EVERYONE LIVES. HAVE THY OWN WAY.
THE BIBLE HAS MANY PASSAGES THAT CAN HELP US TO REACH OUR “GOALS IN LIFE”, AND I JUST WANT TO GIVE A FEW OF THEM THIS MORNING; I BELIEVE PSALMS 1 IS THE PLACE FOR A PERSON TO START. THIS PSALMS GIVES UP THE TOTALITY OF WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL IN THIS LIFE AND PREPARE US FOR THE NEXT. IT IS A GUIDELINE, A PRESCRIPTION, A HOW TO APPLY YOURSELF, PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT LINE ITEM DESCRIPTION FOR SUCCESS THROUGH THE EYES OF THE ALMIGHTY. THE FIRST FEW VERSES TELLS US WHAT NOT TO DO TO BECOME A FAILURE AND ALSO TELLS US WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO BECOME A SUCCESS. YOU CAN’T GET IT NO BETTER THAN THAT. LISTEN AS THE TEXT SPEAKS TO US.
BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO WALKETH NOT IN THE COUNCIL OF THE UNGODLY, NOR STANDETH IN THE WAYS OF SINNERS OR SITTETH IN THE SEAT OF THE SCORNFUL, BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD AND IN HIS LAW DOTH HE MEDITATE DAY AND NIGHT. HERE IS A DIFFERENT TRANSLATION; OH THE JOYS OF THOSE WHO DO NOT FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF THE WICKED, OR STAND AROUND WITH SINNERS, OR JOIN IN WITH MOCKERS, BUT THEY DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF THE LORD, MEDITATING ON IT DAY AND NIGHT.
WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN HERE IS NOT SO MUCH OF A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS BUT A PRESCRIPTION THAT WILL HELP YOU NOT TO FAIL. IN TRUTH, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE WHO HAVE FAILED AND THOSE WHO HAVE SUCCEEDED LIES IN THE DIFFERENCE OF THEIR HABITS. GOOD HABITS ARE THE KEY TO ALL SUCCESS. BAD HABITS ARE THE UNLOCKED DOOR TO FAILURE. {COME ON CHURCH, I’M TRYING TO MOTIVATE SOMEBODY THIS MORNING}. GOOD HABITS ARE THE KEY TO ALL SUCCESS. BAD HABITS ARE THE UNLOCKED DOOR TO FAILURE. SUCCESS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL JUST COME UP AND KNOCK AT YOUR DOOR AND YOU ANSWER AND LET HER IN. IT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND FIND IT UNDER YOUR PILLER. NO, YOU CAN’T BUY IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. {WHY DON’T SOMEBODY SAY “DO SOMETHING”}.
WE ALL DON’T DO THE SAME THING TO ACCQUIRE SUCCESS, BUT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT ALL OF US CAN DO ACCORDING TO THE “WORD” OF GOD THAT WILL HELP US ON THE WAY. ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS CREATING GOOD HABITS AND BECOMING THEIR SLAVES. SO HERE IS THE FIRST THING IN GOD’S FORMULA FOR SUCCESS AND THAT IS TO FORM GOOD HABITS AND BECOME THEIR SLAVE. LET GOOD HABITS RULE YOUR LIFE. DIDN’T YOU KNOW THAT SLAVERY CAN OR COULD BE USED AS A “POSITIVE”, IN YOUR LIFE?
{SOME OF YOU ALL ARE LOOKING AT ME LIKE I’M CRAZY} (I THINK I’LL ADD 15 MORE MINUTES TO THE MESSAGE). WHY DON’T SOMEBODY SAY; “PUT SOME WEIGHT ON IT REVEREND”?; IN ROMANS CHAPTER 6, THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT OF BEING DEAD TO SIN AND ALIVE IN CHRIST JESUS. AND WHAT PAUL WAS BASICALLY SAYING IN THIS 6TH CHAPTER IS WHOEVER YOU YEILD YOUR MEMBERS OF YOUR BODY TO, IS WHO YOU WILL SERVE. WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN IS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SAVED AND ALIVE, BORN AGAIN AND WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, THE PROCESS OF CLEANSING AND DEVELOPMENT DOSEN’T STOP THERE. THERE IS STILL SOME THINGS WE HAVE TO DO. WE DON’T JUST SAY I AM BORN AGAIN AND SIT BACK AND DO NOTHING. WE HAVE TO DEVELOP. WE HAVE TO CHANGE SOME THINGS. THIS CHANGING PROCESS IS CALLED {SANCTIFICATION}. SALVATION IS A THREE-FOLD PROCESS. {TALK ABOUT IT} WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE WALK AND THE WAY WE TALK, THE WAY WE LIVE AND THE WAY WE GIVE. THIS WHOLE CHAPTER IS SUMMED UP AS SAYING; DON’T LET “SIN” HAVE DOMINION OR REIGN OVER YOU. HE WAS TELLING US THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE AN EVERYDAY CHOICE EVERYDAY TO EITHER LET SIN REIGN OR LET THE HOLY GHOST REIGN, OR HAVE DOMINION OVER OUR BODIES. DON’T YOU SENSE THAT WAR GOING ON EVEN AS I SPEAK?
YOU ARE IN A CONSTANT BATTLE MODE, EVEN THOUGH SOME OF YOU ARE NOT FIGHTING. YOU MAY NOT BE FIGHTING, BUT YOU DO KNOW DON’T YOU, THAT THERE IS A WAR GOING ON, ON THE INSIDE OF YOU IF YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN? IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, IF YOU ARE SAVED, AND KNOW IT, THERE IS A FIGHT TO THE FINISH.
(TALK ABOUT “FRED FLINTSTONE” WITH THE ANGEL AND THE DEVIL ON BOTH SHOLDERS)
JESUS DID SOMETHING FOR US AND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING FOR OURSELVES TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS LIFE. LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL AS HE EXPLAINS TO US THE SERIOUSNESS OF BREAKING LOOSE OR BREAKING THE CHAINS OF SIN THAT HAS US BOUND.
LISTEN TO THESE WORDS STARTING AT THE 1ST VERSE OF THE 6TH CHAPTER OF ROMANS; WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND? CERTAINLY NOT! HOW SHALL WE WHO DIED TO SIN LIVE ANY LONGER IN IT? OR DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT AS MANY OF US AS WAS BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST JESUS WAS BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH? THEREFORE WE WERE BURIED WITH HIM THROUGH BAPTISM INTO DEATH, THAT JUST AS CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY THE GLORY OF THE FATHER, EVEN SO WE ALSO SHOULD WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.
FOR IF WE HAVE BEEN UNITED TOGETHER IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS DEATH, CERTAINLY WE ALSO SHALL BE IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS RESURRECTION, KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DONE AWAY WITH, THAT WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE SLAVES OF SIN.
FOR HE WHO HAS DIED HAS BEEN FREED FROM SIN. NOW IF WE DIED WITH CHRIST, WE BELIEVE THAT WE SHALL ALSO LIVE WITH HIM, KNOWING THAT CHRIST, HAVING BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD, DIES NO MORE. DEATH NO LONGER HAS DOMINION OVER HIM. FOR THE DEATH THAT HE DIED, HE DIED TO SIN ONCE FOR ALL; BUT THE LIFE THAT HE LIVES, HE LIVES TO GOD.
NOW HERE’S OUR PART IN THIS MATTER; LIKEWISE, LIKEWISE, CAN I SAY THAT {ONE MO AGAIN}? LIKEWISE, YOU ALSO, {RECKON} OR CONSIDER, OR DEEM, OR COUNT YOURSELVES TO BE DEAD INDEED TO SIN, BUT ALIVE TO GOD IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
{THEREFORE, DO NOT LET SIN REIGN IN YOUR MORTAL BODY THAT YOU SHOULD OBEY IT IN ITS LUSTS}.
(TALK ABOUT IT)
AND DO NOT PRESENT YOUR MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS TO SIN, BUT PRESENT YOURSELVES TO GOD AS BEING {ALIVE FROM THE DEAD}, AND YOUR MEMBERS AS “INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” TO GOD.
ROMANS 12:1-3 SAYS; I BESEECH YOU BRETHERN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, THAT YE PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE. AND BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD; BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YE MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD, AND ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT, WILL OF GOD.
FOR SIN “SHALL NOT” HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU, FOR YOU ARE NO UNDER LAW BUT {GRACE}.
WHY DON’T SOMEBODY SAY; “MAKE IT PLAIN PREACHER”?
YOU NOW HAVE {THE POWER} TO SAY NO TO SIN. YOU NOW HAVE {THE POWER} TO LIVE A LIFE THAT IS PLEASING IN THE SIGHT OF GOD. YOU ARE NOT SINLESS, BUT NOW IT DOES NOT DOMINATE YOU. IT’S STILL THERE. SIN WILL BE WITH YOU UNTIL THE DAY YOU DIE. THE APOSTLE PAUL REALIZED THIS AND SAID IN THE 7TH CHAPTER OF ROMANS AND VERSE 14-21; THE TROUBLE IS NOT (GOD’S WORD), BUT THE TROUBLE IS WITH ME. I DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND MYSELF, FOR I WANT TO LIVE RIGHT, BUT I DON’T DO IT. INSTEAD, I DO WHAT I HATE.
BUT IF I KNOW THAT WHAT I AM DOING IS WRONG, THIS SHOWS THAT I AGREE THAT THE {10 COMMANDMENTS} CAME FROM GOD, BECAUSE IT LETS US KNOW THAT WRONG IS WRONG. (NOW HERE’S THE TRICKY PART ABOUT ALL THIS}. PAUL CONTINUES IN VERSE 17 AND SAYS, SO I AM NOT THE ONE DOING THE WRONG; IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME THAT DOES IT. (THIS SOUNDS LIKE A COP OUT DOSEN’T IT)? HE GOES ON IN VERSE 18 AND SAYS; NOW I KNOW THAT IN ME (THAT IS, IN MY FLESH,) NOTHING GOOD LIVES. I WANT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, BUT I CAN’T.
I WANT TO DO WHAT IS GOOD, BUT I DON’T. I DON’T WANT TO DO WHAT IS WRONG, BUT I DO IT ANYWAY. BUT IF I DO WHAT I DON’T WANT TO DO, I AM NOT REALLY THE ONE DOING WRONG; IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME THAT DOES IT. {NOW HERE’S SOMETHING ELSE YOU CAN TAKE HOME WITH YOU}. IN ROMANS CHAPTER 7 AND VERSE 21 PAUL SAYS; I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS PRINCIPLE OF LIFE-THAT WHEN I WANT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, I INEVITABLE DO WHAT IS WRONG. I LOVE GOD’S LAW WITH ALL MY HEART; BUT THERE IS ANOTHER POWER (WITHIN) ME THAT IS AT WAR WITH MY MIND. THIS (POWER) MAKES ME A SLAVE TO THE SIN THAT IS STILL WITHIN ME. OH! WHAT A MISERABLE PERSON I AM! WHO WILL FREE ME FROM THIS LIFE THAT IS DOMINATED BY SIN AND DEATH? VERSE 25 GIVES THE ANSWER AND SAYS “THANK GOD”.
“THANK GOD” WE OUGHT TO THANK HIM BECAUSE THE ANSWER IS IN JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. HE CAN SAVE US FROM THIS DEATH WE WILL RECEIVE BECAUSE OF OUR SINFUL NATURE. ROMANS 3: 23 SAYS; FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD. ROMANS 5:8 AND 9 SAYS; BUT GOD SHOWED HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US BY SENDING CHRIST TO DIE WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS. AND SINCE WE HAVE BEEN MADE RIGHT IN GOD’S SIGHT BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, HE WILL CERTANLY SAVE US FROM GOD’S CONDEMNATION.
FOR SINCE OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD WAS RESTORED BY THE DEATH OF HIS SON WHILE WE WERE STILL HIS ENEMIES, WE WILL CERTAINLY SAVED US THROUGH THE LIFE OF HIS SON. ROMANS 8:1 SAYS; THERE IS THEREFORE NOW, NO CONDEMNATION TO THEM WHICH ARE IN CHRIST JESUS, AND BECAUSE YOU BELONG TO HIM, THE (POWER) OF THE LIFE-GIVING SPIRIT HAS FREED YOU FROM THE POWER OF SIN THAT LEADS TO DEATH. THE 10 COMMANDMENTS WAS NOT ABLE TO SAVE US BECAUSE OF THE WEAKNESS OF OUR SINFUL NATURE, SO GOD DID WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO. HE SENT HIS OWN SON IN A {BODY} LIKE THE BODIES WE SINNERS HAVE. AND IN THAT “BODY” GOD DECLARED AND END TO SIN’S CONTROL OVER US BY GIVING HIS SON AS A SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS.
HE DID THIS SO THAT THE JUST REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW WOULD BE FULLY SATISIFIED FOR US, WHO NO LONGER FOLLOW OUR SINFUL NATURE BUT INSTEAD FOLLOW THE SPIRIT. IN OTHER WORDS; HE WAS TREATED AS WE DESERVED, THAT WE MIGHT BE TREATED AS HE DESERVED. HE TOOK OUR SINS UPON HIM IN WHICH HE DID NOT HAVE TO SHARE, THAT WE MIGHT BE JUSTIFIED BY HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, IN WHICH WE HAD NO SHARE. HE SUFFERED THE DEATH WHICH WAS OURS THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THE LIFE THAT WAS HIS, AND BY HIS STRIPES, WE ARE HEALED.
ALL WE LIKE SHEEP HAVE GONE ASTRAY, EVERYONE HAS TURNED TO HIS OWN WAY, BUT THE LORD HAS LAID UPON HIM THE INIQUITY OF US ALL. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU THIS MORNING, BUT JESUS PAID IT ALL, AND ALL TO HIM I OWE. SIN HAS LEFT A CRIMSON STAIN, BUT HE WASHED IT WHITE AS SNOW. OH! THE BLOOD OF JESUS, OH! THE BLOOD OF JESUS, OH! THE BLOOD OF JESUS, IT WASHES WHITE AS SNOW. FROM THE GUTTERMOST TO THE UTTERMOST. IT WASHES WHITE AS SNOW. THERE IS {POWER} IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS, AND THERE IS POWER IN THE “NAME OF JESUS”. I SAID, THERE IS {POWER} IN THE “NAME OF JESUS” TO BREAK EVERY CHAIN, TO BREAK EVERY CHAIN, TO BREAK “EVERY CHAIN”. THERE IS HEALING, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
