Sunday Service

Particularly in light of what we have been going through in terms of the Lord's Prayer. So, very thankful, that's a beautiful message, and maybe we'll have a more opportunity to sing it later on. Well, I guess, it's super church time.

There's a couple anyway.

Let's pray and ask God, to bless our time.

Our Father in Heaven, how thankful we are for your Mighty presence to be here in our lives, in our hearts, as we yearn to follow you and to walk in the light in the presence that you are good Lord to wear so inadequate. In terms of being able to do that. And we do need the guidance of your spirit within us to help us to fully stand in your power and your presence. So father, may your spirit be here to touch each of our hearts, as the message Goes Forth and help us to grasp, a hold of it and a hold of the idea of your power in your presence. Father, may your spirit guide me that every word that comes forth from my mouth are words that you have implanted there or pray this, in your precious name, the name of Jesus Christ, Our Mighty savior. Amen. Well, we are working through the, The Lord's Prayer that he is giving us, and we've gotten to the point of forgiveness hear and understand. Forgiveness is really important for us because this is truly at the point when you begin to walk with the Lord, you see until you come to understand the you ever need, and that need is for the forgiveness, for the sins, in your life. You cannot come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. I mean, it's an absolute. This is part of each of our lives and until we get to that point, we're not saved, we're still Bound for hell and eternal damnation. And that's a horrible thing to think about. But it's a great thing to think about that forgiveness that God. So graciously gives when we come to him and say, Lord, I've seen And I need your forgiveness and he does forgive and this is one of those important steps in that process called sanctification. That's a big term isn't it? Didn't we look at that as a while. What is that mean? Well, let me give you a real short idea of it. It is getting rid of the sin that is in our lives and taking on the character of Jesus Christ in our lives. All right. Is that pretty simple? Way to look at? Sanctification just getting rid of that, send that is there and taking on the character of Christ and that's what God wants from each and everyone of us. But you know, we can't do it by ourselves. We need that relationship with the Living. God, we talked about it yesterday in the men's breakfast group, in our devotional time, we took a look at the, the calling of Isaiah. The prophet in Isaiah was, was had this vision of God in his Temple. And so, our understanding of God and are continuing understanding of God, is to just recognize that he is there with us ready to guide us. And it comes with what came with Isaiah. When he was in the presence of the Living God, the first thing he thought about was confessing his sins because when we truly come to the presence of the Living, God we should be overwhelmed by his great Holiness and righteousness and so Isaiah was. And so we can pass the sins before the Living God, and we need to remember that. That needs to be a part of our Lives as well. Hear our prayers and he does when we're clean. Now when you think about this, remember that confession really brings us into that right relationship? And that's what we want. That right relationship with our verse this morning, is that taken from Luke 11, chapter, 4, chapter 11 verse 4, Forgive us our sins. For we also forgive everyone who sends against us, okay, there's two parts. They're forgiving our sins, but also being willing to forgive my father's sins will cover each of those issues eventually in the message now goes on and says and lead us not into temptation. That's the last episode next week as the Lord allows us to gather together. We'll hear about really God's guidance in our lives and that will be the theme that will cover next week. But this week, we're going to take a look at the confession you and I Have a death in life, every one of us not one person who has ever walked on the face of the Earth has not come with a debt that they owe to the Living. God and that Dad is this n that exist in every one of us. Every one of us is a sinner and we need a hope. Of forgiveness for that sin because our relationship with God is depended upon it. You see, God is a holy God, and he cannot be surrounded by sinful people. And that's what happened at the Garden. We fell into sin, and that's in kind of, rolled along with us. It became part of our DNA, if you would, And every one of us needs to come to the Living God in find that forgiveness that he willingly gives Romans 3:23, expresses this for all. All, all people have sinned and fall short of the god, and God wants us to match that Glory. And when we come to know Jesus Christ is our Lord and savior. We Begin that process of being glorified. We become come glorified as we come to know God. But it is also a process that we go through on that debt. And what that means is essentially we take on the nature of God, and that's what I say about taking on Christ, we take on his nature. Fortunately, we have a redeemer, we have a redeemer who has done the work for us. You don't have to worry about doing something to gain your salvation, except recognize this. Somebody has done it for you in Jesus Christ. Did that when he chose to give up his glory and Heaven as the living. Powerful Almighty, Creator. God And become a baby here on this Earth.

Think about that, just gave up everything to become somebody who was in need here on this Earth. And then he lived, what you? And I could never do he live the perfect life here on this Earth. And then at the end of that life, he gave himself and his blood was sacrificed for our redeem redemption in life, Romans 5:8 speaks of this but God demonstrates his own love for us in this while we were still sinners Christ died for us. And hopefully most of you have come to that point where you say, I believe that I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins and have gone to him and said, father, I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Living God, who died for my sins? Would you forgive me and may? I be a part of the kingdom, and he allows you to do that. You know, he's a gracious God. It just says, yes, when we truly call upon Him, Jesus Express this. In his words did Nicodemus it, when he came to him upstairs Up on the Roof, there, John 3:16, it says, for God. So loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him, shall not perish but have eternal life. You see, once you believe He gives you eternal life, you have that life in you. But it also changes you as you move along, you don't you're no longer owned by yourself. You know, you've given up ownership of your life and you've given it over to the, to God, to be your leader, your guide for this life. And I think that that's where Christians have kind of lost the sense here in the United States. We've kind of Taken on the idea that somehow, okay, I come to know him and then I can go ahead and do whatever I want to do, you know, because I know Did he is giving me life? But that's just the beginning part. That begins the life that you have with a living, God. He asked you to, then yield to his guidance and his Direction in your life. In other words, God has a goal for your life and my life.

And that goal is a pretty steep one. You know, it's the Mount Everest of goals. That goal is holiness. In other words, get back to that idea of sanctification. It's getting rid of all the sin in your life and taking on all the glory of Jesus Christ, that's Holiness. And that's where God wants you to be. Now, I know that in this life, that's pretty well impossible, Paul expresses that and Philippian 3:8 says, I press on toward that goal of knowing Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior of being rejected. I haven't reached there yet but I'm pressing gone. Well, if he hasn't done it you know our hope is not necessarily there but that's still the goal. The goal doesn't change. We all have that goal of knowing god 1st, Peter 1:16 says, for it is written be holy because I am Holy That's what God wants from your life. That's a repeat of Olivia. Dukakis statement be holy as I am Holy. That's the goal that I have for your life. That's God speaking. It not me. God's go for your life is Holiness to be fully sanctified full of Christ. No sim. And so we should strive towards that. And so the things that we do in this life ought to be leading us towards that goal. You know, and we'll will stumble along the way, there's no question about that, but God continues to want to help us get back up on our feet as we go along that road and so that's where we're going to today. The whole idea of forgiveness that God has for our sins. And so the pursuit to be there, The pursuit ought to be there and he states that in 1st, John 1:9, if you are in sin, God wants you to come to him and ask for forgiveness, here it is. If we confess our sins, he is faithful. God's faithful, you know? Okay, yeah, I messed up. I send here you know, I Lord forgive me and it says, end just And will forgive us, our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. I think about those terms purified. In other words, make you totally without sin. You are a pure instrument of living God, when you confess your sins before the Lord.

Think about that challenge that he has for us. I want to be pure. Well, I can't be pure if I've sinned and just kind of want to go about my ordeal in life without going to him. That's why I really struggle with Catholicism and the idea of waiting until I go into the confessional to confess my sins because you're walking around in a sinful State. When God wants you to be in a pure state, Until you go to the confessional. and then you confess to a priest and not to God, God wants you to confess before him your sins and be cleansed and purified and walking around in that Holy state that he desires. Here's a challenge for everyone of us because sometimes we think that maybe we've got to that point where hey I'm pretty pure, I'm pretty righteous. There's not much wrong with me.

Verse age of the same 1st. John 1:8, if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in US. not one of us, I can't do it and you can't go to God and say, hey, I'm totally without

Because there are times in your life when you will fall into sin.

But don't wait. Don't say well I'll take care of this when the time is right, if you find yourself making a mistake and falling into sin, go to him, confess it and get back to that Purity that righteousness of God wants to give you and your lives. It's so important.

And so were called to examine ourselves regularly. Notice when we come to communion each time we do, so we we take just a moment for you to examine your own life and to look at where you are with God and you can think back now. Okay. You really struggled here and you made a mistake, you better confess that before the Lord before you take the bread and the cup You know what? It says that some of you have passed away because you didn't do that. That's a pretty big challenge but that's what he says. 1st Corinthians, 11:28, Paul writing about Community, says, everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink of the cup. you know, we find that spiritual guidance when we go to the Lord and we begin to talk to him and maybe you don't think you have any sin, but just say, Lord, If you see something is me it is a mess. Please forgive you know? If you don't know specific be general, you know God wants to cleanse you. To make you pure and holy before him. We need to be truly Discerning about our lives. Part of the discernment comes with your growing in the Lord. You know, as we begin, our Christian Journey. Part of that journey is to get to know him and we get to know him through the idea of prayer. That's probably the easiest. And most important thing that we can do is be in prayer regularly. That's what we've been talking about the last 5 weeks now. Is the whole idea of coming to God In Prayer, but also the study of his word, So important. Because it's through the study was worried that we truly begin to understand what he desires for our lives. You know, if you got to, just go to the list, look at the list of what's wrong. And what's right? God gives us a multitude of listened scripture of what should be we should be doing and should not be doing so examine those, you know, it's real simple. To do that. But you know also Fellowship. That's what you're doing right now, you're fellowshipping in the body of Christ and hopefully you're being encouraged by this body of gathering together and knowing god, those are important steps in Walking with the Lord and it gives us discernment about where we ought to be 1st Corinthians 11:31 says. But if we were more Discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Remember, the Judgment was the condemning of the people because they were involved in Saint and weren't confessing it before the Lord and that's where we need to be. So the whole idea is continue to grow in your face, continue to strive to press on, to know the Living God, and part of that is the whole idea of making sure that you are holy and present with the Lord, when you go before him because that gives him an ideal opportunity to truly give you guidance and wisdom. And we're going to talk about that next week. The whole idea of God's desire to guide you through this life. So that you make wise and important decisions for his glory in this life, All right, the last aspect that we want to go to is the whole idea of God. Not only wants us to find forgiveness for our lives, but he also wants us to be forgiving for others. And sometimes this is a really difficult one, you know, particularly when people have offended Us in such a deep way, and it's this is That important aspect and is in Jesus's prayer. He says, he says, forgive everyone who sends against us at. We also forgive everyone who sends against us, sometimes, that's pretty tough. And we do and we said it was. Okay, I got to watch out for this one here too. You know, it goes through our minds the struggle. This is a real battle for everyone particularly as we are offended. Mark 11:25 it says, and when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them. So that your father in Heaven, May forgive, you, your sins.

In other words, you know, if, if you're praying and you want forgiveness, and you haven't given forgiveness to somebody else, God says, take care of that problem. First, then come back and talk to me. Because you're still under send until you do, forgive somebody else, the sins that you need to.

We're broken until we do Matthew, 18. 35, this is how my heavenly father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from their heart will where's this come from? Well, there was a guy that came to his master and he said and his master said you owe me such and such And he said I don't have it, I don't have it. And and the master said, okay, I forgive you, you know, you're you're free. But then he went out and he grabbed somebody else, a told him something and he condemned him and he threw him into jail.

And God said that Master will will take care of that, man, throw him into jail and he'll stay there until he pays the deck, what's the date today? To give, forgiveness, to give forgiveness to somebody else, but you're separated from God until you do that. And that's part of the whole process of Understanding, God's desire to forgive Until we are willing to forgive others for their since we don't get that forgiveness. So you're not interested standing in the right with God, you're not being wholly, you're not being righteous, you're not purified until you do that. We have this relationship with one another in particular, particular sins against the body of Christ and Jesus says in Luke 17 3. So watch yourselves if your brother or sister sins against you rebuke them and if they repent forgive them. In other words, don't get so offended if your brother because I did something wrong that, you don't say anything, go to them. And say, okay, you hurt me here and I just wanted to bring it to you. And if they say I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, forgive me? Yeah. You forgive them.

You move on. That's that relationship which is higher. You see God's desire for all people in life. Is defined the peace that he alone can give. And that piece is that relationship that we have with the Living God when they're sending volved? There's no peace because you broken the relationship with the Living. God. When you confess. You restore that relationship and you have peace and it's the same way with people. If you want peace with people, you have to be willing to forgive them. And to move on. Romans 12:18 says, if it is possible as far as it depends on you. Okay. This is you that Paul is riding to. He says as depends upon you live at peace with everyone. In other words, the person you might want to live at peace with doesn't want that, but that ought to be your desire, you know? you're not responsible for their response to God but you are responsible for your response, the Living God

Forgiveness is the pathway to relationship with a living God. First of all, is forgiving. All your sins. When you go before the Living God and you ask for forgiveness and ask God to redeem your life. He does. He forgives our sins past present and future. Okay. So you're forgiven, you're bound for heaven. All right, but We break that relationship a little bit. We don't break it. We put up a barrier a little bit when we choose to sin and not seek forgiveness for that sin. When we choose to send that relationship with God is broken, not on God's part, he's right there with you but the connection that you have with him is broken through sin. And he wants to. Have you desire to restore that relationship? Because that's what it's truly all about. That's why God created you. He created you for the simple reason to have a relationship with him. That's what life is about. I mean, we sometimes worry about how we're going to live this life, you know, and and all those tragedies that come our way but the most important thing is that relationship that we have of the Living God,

And if that relationship is solid, then we can be at peace in every circumstance. But when that relationship is That barrier is put between us and God who are willfulness. You know, we don't have any peace, there's no peace there. so, the call for each and every one of us is Truly. To observe Our Lives to discern where we are. And if we find ourselves in darkness, because there's the barriers in between ourselves in God, we need to confess it, we need to resolve that problem.

Immediately. You know, don't wait. Get it done. Right now. And that's why when we pray, that's, that's part of the reason God gave us that pattern of prayer and that forgiveness is part of that pattern and it ought to be a part of our prayers. When you really go to the Lord each day, Do so with an examination of where you are with him first, because it makes all the difference cuz God wants that relationship. So deeply so powerfully. In your life and my life. And that's why we walk with him. Let's pray. Almighty father. How we thank you that you are the God who loves us so deeply and cares for us with such an intimate. See that you are ready and willing to draws close to you through forgiveness.

Help us to remember that. That connection needs to remain open and pure. So father help us to be concerned and to be ready to look at ourselves and discern. Where we are in a relationship with you. And if we're not following you, that we have that wonderful peace. We can find by seeking your forgiveness, bless us in this o mighty one in Jesus name. Amen. Shall we stand? We thought we would try that new song again.