by D1 » Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:07 pm
I heard Donnie Guy preach on time and he said a statement that I couldnt agree with more
"I WISH I HAD A MAYTAG WASHER FOR MY BRAIN SO I CAN WASH ALL THE TRASH FROM BRAIN THAT I DID BEFORE I GOT SAVED THAT GOD DOESNT REMEMBER"
Here is a sermon I preached because I was having problems with people bringing up my past when I told them I surrendered to the ministry and am preaching now
Phil 3:12-14
I tell people all the time about my salvation and how on April 5th I answered the call to the ministry and I am Preaching now and I usually get the same response and sometimes ask my own self As some of you may ask others or even yourself ”I remember the things you used to do.”
So I asked myself, why do people hold other people back, Christians hold other Christians back because it makes them think they are not worthy of the calling Christ has in store for them. We have a new life in Christ when we get saved the Bible tells us in 2nd Cor 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.)
Satan works as well to stop us from working for God
Non Christians hold themselves and others, Christians and Non Christians back from the high calling that God has for us because they want to drag others down, or not let others move ahead, as in the work place someone gets a promotion and someone is going to come up with some reason why they got the position other than their work ethic.
I was reading and studying one night and God showed me some things I found to be of interest to me and I hope by the time I finish you will be challenged in some way to leave the past behind for you and others
Let’s look at Saul and some of the things I saw while reading about him and how they compare to me and my life
Phil 3:12-14
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus
13 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,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Pray
1) Your yesterday v13
A) Saul was a murderer (Acts 8: 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
B) I was a murderer (according to 1st Jn 3:15 15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
2) Your today v12
A) Saul realized his need for salvation( or a Savior) (Acts 9:3-8 and 15-18) And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: [it is] hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.
And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought [him] into Damascus.
(summarize 9-14)
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
B) I needed Salvation (or a Savior) Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 10 9-10 and 13
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
3) Your tomorrow ( or eternity) v 14
A) Hell
1) (Place)Lake of fire MT 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
2) Place of punishment MT 25:46 and these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
3) Place of darkness MT 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth
4) Place of destruction 2 Thess 1:9
Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
B) Heaven
1) Eternity with your father Rev: 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
2) City of jewels Rev 21 19-21 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.
3) City of light Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
4) City of non destruction Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life
Conclusion:
1) Maybe your life is like Sauls and mine used to be and realize you want to leave the past behind and realize your need for a savior. You have a choice to make today that will affect your tomorrow
So maybe you’re here and are wondering how do I leave the past behind? In Just a moment we are going to have a hymn of invitation come down and take me by the hand and say I want to leave the past behind and I will show you.
Maybe you’re here tonight and have been holding another Christian back from doing Gods will in their life and need to get this right or just to get some problem right before its eternally to late MT 5:23-24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Maybe you’re here tonight and have already had your name written in the lambs book of life and have been back sliding there is still hope Rom 8: 35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.