Message by Dr. David Drake

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“The Person”

I. We are introduced to the answer of life.

1. Notice this answer is personal.
 

Luke 2:11 (NASB)  11  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
 

2. Notice this answer is pastoral.
 

Isaiah 9:6 (NASB) 6  For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

II. We are invited to the answer of life.

1. Notice His name.
 

Matthew 1:21 (NASB) 21  “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
 

2. Notice His plan.
 

1 Timothy 3:16 (NASB) 16  By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.

Message by Dr. David Drake

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“The Present(ation)”

Sermon Text … Luke 2:8-20

The Action of Heaven

A Message From Heaven

 Luke 2:8-9 (NASB)
⁸  In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.
⁹  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.

A Message Of Hope

  Luke 2:10-11 (NASB)
¹⁰  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;
¹¹  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

A Message of Unlimited Possibilities

Luke 2:10 (NASB)
¹⁰  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

The Reaction On Earth

A Message From Men To Men

Luke 2:15-20 (NASB)
¹⁵  When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”
¹⁶  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
¹⁷  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
¹⁸  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.
¹⁹  But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.
²⁰  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

A Message Of Hope

Luke 2:17-18 (NASB)
¹⁷  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
¹⁸  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

A Message Of Unlimited Possibilities

Luke 2:16-18 (NASB)
¹⁶  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.
¹⁷  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.
¹⁸  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds.

Message by Dr. David Drake

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Christmas From Heaven’s View

The Promise

Matthew 1:1-2 (NASB)

1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

Matthew 1:16 (NASB)
¹⁶  Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.

Genesis 3:15 (NASB)
¹⁵  And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

The Need To Fulfill God’s Promise

Genesis 15:1-6 (NASB)
¹  After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”
²  Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”
³  And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.”
⁴  Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.”
⁵  And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
⁶  Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. 

Matthew 1:21-23 (NASB)
²¹  “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
²²  Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
²³  “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”

Genesis 15:3-5 (NASB)
³  And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.”
⁴  Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.”
⁵  And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

Matthew 1:20 (NASB)
²⁰  But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 15:6 (NASB)
⁶  Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Matthew 1:24-25 (NASB)
²⁴  And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife,
²⁵  but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

The Means To Fulfill God’s Promise

Genesis 17:1 (NASB)
¹  Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless.

Luke 1:26-33 (NASB)
²⁶  Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,
²⁷  to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
²⁸  And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
²⁹  But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.
³⁰  The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
³¹  “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
³²  “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
³³  and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

Genesis 17:2 (NASB)
²  “I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.”

Luke 1:34-35 (NASB)
³⁴  Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
³⁵  The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

Genesis 17:3-4 (NASB)
³  Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,
⁴  “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations.

Luke 1:37-38 (NASB)
³⁷  “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
³⁸  And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

The Reason To Fulfill God’s Promise

Genesis 22:1-14 (NASB)
¹  Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
²  He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”
³  So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
⁴  On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.
⁵  Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.”
⁶  Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.
⁷  Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
⁸  Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
⁹  Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.
¹⁰  Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
¹¹  But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
¹²  He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
¹³  Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.
¹⁴  Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.”

Matthew 20:28 (NASB)
²⁸  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

The reason is to bring men by faith to trust God.

Galatians 4:4-5 (NASB)
⁴  But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
⁵  so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

1 Timothy 2:3-6 (NASB)
³  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
⁴  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
⁵  For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
⁶  who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.

We are the Reason for the Season!

Message by Dr. David Drake

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An Attitude of Gratitude

2 Timothy 3:1-2 (NASB)
¹  But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
²  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NASB)
¹⁸  in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I. A GRATEFUL PERSON IS A HUMBLE PERSON.

II. A GRATEFUL HEART IS CONSCIOUS OF GOD AND OTHERS.

III. A GRATEFUL HEART IS A FULL HEART.

Philippians 4:15-19 (NASB)
¹⁵  You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone;
¹⁶  for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.
¹⁷  Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
¹⁸  But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
¹⁹  And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

IV. A GRATEFUL HEART IS A CONTENTED HEART.

Luke 17:12-16 (NASB)
¹²  As He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him;
¹³  and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
¹⁴  When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed.
¹⁵  Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice,
¹⁶  and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.

V. A GRATEFUL HEART WILL BE REVEALED AND EXPRESSED BY THANKFUL WORDS.

Colossians 3:16-17 (NASB)
¹⁶  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
¹⁷  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB)
⁶  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
⁷  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:18-20 (NASB)
¹⁸  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
¹⁹  speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
²⁰  always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

VI. A GRATEFUL HEART IS REFRESHING AND LIFE-GIVING.

Proverbs 4:20-23 (NASB)
²⁰  My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings.
²¹  Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart.
²²  For they are life to those who find them And health to all their body.
²³  Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.

“DO THE BOOK”

Message by Dr. David Drake

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If You Love Jesus…TITHE!

(anyone can honk)

Nehemiah 13:10-12

I. 7 Foundational Truths About Tithing/Giving

1. Tithing Is an act of OBEDIENCE

Nehemiah 13:10-12 (NASB)
¹⁰  I also discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had gone away, each to his own field.
¹¹  So I reprimanded the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts.

2. Tithing is my TANGIBLE COMMITMENT to the work of God

Nehemiah 13:12 (NASB)
¹²  All Judah then brought the tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the storehouses.

Exodus 35:5 (NASB)
⁵  ‘Take from among you a contribution to the LORD; whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as the LORD’S contribution: gold, silver, and bronze,

Exodus 35:21-26 (NASB)
²¹  Everyone whose heart stirred him and everyone whose spirit moved him came and brought the LORD’S contribution for the work of the tent of meeting and for all its service and for the holy garments.
²²  Then all whose hearts moved them, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings and signet rings and bracelets, all articles of gold; so did every man who presented an offering of gold to the LORD.
²³  Every man, who had in his possession blue and purple and scarlet material and fine linen and goats’ hair and rams’ skins dyed red and porpoise skins, brought them.
²⁴  Everyone who could make a contribution of silver and bronze brought the LORD’S contribution; and every man who had in his possession acacia wood for any work of the service brought it.
²⁵  All the skilled women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun, in blue and purple and scarlet material and in fine linen.
²⁶  All the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun the goats’ hair.

Exodus 35:29 (NASB)
²⁹  The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the LORD had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a freewill offering to the LORD.

3. Tithing is a commitment of FAITH not RESOURCES

Mark 12:41-44 (NASB)
⁴¹  And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums.
⁴²  A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.
⁴³  Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury;
⁴⁴  for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

4. Tithing PROVES God’s FAITHFULNESS

Malachi 3:8-10 (NASB)
⁸  “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
⁹  “You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you!
¹⁰  “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.

5. Tithing is a TESTIMONY of what I really believe about God.

6. Tithing is my RESPONSE to God with my RESOURCES.

Acts 2:45 (NASB)
⁴⁵  and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

7. Tithing is spelled…SARIFICE.

II. 3 Practical “P’s” To Aid You In Tithing/Giving

1. PRAY…about your tithing amount.

2. PREPARE…your family budget, including your tithe.

3. PRODUCE…your tithe( bring it to the storehouse).

III. 1 Great Example of Giving

John 3:16

1. The Greatest Giver…GOD

2. The Greatest Gift…HIS SON

3. The Greatest Opportunity…WHOSOEVER

4. The Greatest Promise…WILL NOT PERISH

5. The Greatest Possession…EVERLASTING LIFE

Message by Dr. David Drake

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Nehemiah 12:27-43

The Outlet of Our Worship

I. Worship Involves the Celebration of an Occasion

Nehemiah 12:27a (NASB)
²⁷  Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness,

Nehemiah 6:15-16 (NASB)
¹⁵  So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.
¹⁶  When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

II. Worship Involves Elements Expressing Our Celebration

Nehemiah 12:27b (NASB)
²⁷  with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres.

Psalm 150:3-5 (NASB)
³  Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre.
⁴  Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.
⁵  Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals.

Colossians 3:16 (NASB)
¹⁶  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

III. Worship Involves Leaders Guiding Our Celebration

Nehemiah 12:30-31 (NASB)
³⁰  The priests and the Levites purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates and the wall.
³¹  Then I had the leaders of Judah come up on top of the wall, and I appointed two great choirs, the first proceeding to the right on top of the wall toward the Refuse Gate.

Nehemiah 12:38, 40, 42 (NASB)
³⁸  The second choir proceeded to the left, while I followed them with half of the people on the wall, above the Tower of Furnaces, to the Broad Wall,
⁴⁰  Then the two choirs took their stand in the house of God. So did I and half of the officials with me;
⁴²  and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam and Ezer. And the singers sang, with Jezrahiah their leader,

Psalm 139:23-24 (NASB)
²³  Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
²⁴  And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

IV. Worship Involves Spiritual Ingredients Revealing Our Celebration

Nehemiah 12:43 (NASB)
⁴³  and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

Message by Gary Jarnagin

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Our Compelling Ministry as a Follower of Jesus Christ

The Greatest Commandment

Matthew 22:34-40 (NIV)
³⁴  Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.
³⁵  One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
³⁶  “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
³⁷  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
³⁸  This is the first and greatest commandment.
³⁹  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
⁴⁰  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NIV)
⁴  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.
⁵  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
⁶  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
⁷  Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
⁸  Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
⁹  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind (& strength).

Love your neighbor as yourself.

The Great Commission

Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
¹⁸  Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
¹⁹  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
²⁰  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Go, make disciples, baptize, teach.

          The initial imperative (command) is to GO.

Our Great Ministry

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (NIV)
¹⁸  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
¹⁹  that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
²⁰  We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
²¹  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

          His love compels us.

          We have a ministry of reconciliation.

          We have the message of reconciliation.

Message by Gary Jarnagin

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1 Peter 1:3-9

Are you praising God today for your salvation?

1 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV)
³  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
⁴  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you,
⁵  who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
⁶  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
⁷  These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
⁸  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
⁹  for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

I.  The gift of God is salvation! (v. 3 ”“ 5)

1 Peter 1:3-5 (NIV)
³  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
⁴  and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you,
⁵  who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
 
     a. God”™s MERCY is great.
 
     b. God has given us a LIVING HOPE.

Romans 4:18-25 (NIV)
¹⁸  Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
¹⁹  Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead–since he was about a hundred years old–and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.
²⁰  Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
²¹  being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
²²  This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
²³  The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone,
²⁴  but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness–for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
²⁵  He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
 
     c. God has given us an INHERITANCE.
 
     d. God”™s power is PROTECTING our salvation.

John 10:28-30 (NIV)
²⁸  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
²⁹  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
³⁰  I and the Father are one.”

II.  Our faith in God will be tested! (v. 6 ”“ 7)

1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)
⁶  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
⁷  These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
 
     a. We should GREATLY REJOICE because of our TRIALS.

John 9:3 (NIV)
³  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.
 
     b. Our faith is tested to determine if it is GENUINE.

Romans 4:16-25 (NIV)
¹⁶  Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring–not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.
¹⁷  As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed–the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.
¹⁸  Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
¹⁹  Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead–since he was about a hundred years old–and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.
²⁰  Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
²¹  being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
²²  This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”
²³  The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone,
²⁴  but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness–for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.
²⁵  He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
 
     c. Our trials should bring PRAISE, HONOR, and GLORY to Jesus Christ.
 

III.  The goal of our faith is SALVATION. (v. 8 ”“ 9)

1 Peter 1:8-9 (NIV)
⁸  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,
⁹  for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
 
     a. We have not SEEN Him: But we LOVE Him.
 
     b. Because we BELIEVE in Him: We rejoice with JOY INEXPRESSIBLE.
 
     c. The goal of our faith is THE SALVATION of our SOULS.

Ephesians 2:4-8 (NIV)
⁴  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
⁵  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved.
⁶  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,
⁷  in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
⁸  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–

Message by Dr. David Drake

rec1018-113428

Confess Your Sins

Nehemiah 9:1-3 (Part 2)

Nehemiah 9:1-3 (NASB)
¹  Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them.
²  The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
³  While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.

I. TRUE CONFESSION OF SIN WILL BE USED OF GOD TO HUMBLE US

II. TRUE CONFESSION OF SIN EXPOSES WHAT WE HAVE DONE AND WHO WE ARE

Nehemiah 9:2 (NASB)
²  The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

1. Confession of sin is a personal act.

2. Confession of sin is a penitent act. (Ref. Psalm 51)

3. Confession of sin could be a public act.

James 5:16 (NASB)
¹⁶  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
 

III. TRUE CONFESSION OF SIN SHOULD BE A PART OF OUR TOTAL WORSHIP OF GOD

Nehemiah 9:3 (NASB)
³  While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.

1. The Bible shows us how the purity of God shadows the sinfulness of man.

Isaiah 6:1-7 (NASB)
¹  In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.
²  Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
³  And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.”
⁴  And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.
⁵  Then I said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”
⁶  Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.
⁷  He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”

2. Confession places us in fellowship with God.

3. Confession brings a sovereign God and His sinful child back together in fellowship.

Luke 15:21-24 (NASB)
²¹  “And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
²²  “But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
²³  and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate;
²⁴  for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’ And they began to celebrate.

Message by Dr. David Drake

rec1011-110239

Confess Your Sins

Nehemiah 9:1-3 (Part 1)

Psalm 130:1-4 (NASB)
¹  Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD.
²  Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications.
³  If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
⁴  But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.

About Forgiveness…

1. Our sins involve guilt, therefore, we need forgiveness.

Isaiah 59:2 (NASB)
²  But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

2. Forgiveness is offered by God through the death of His Son.

1 Peter 3:18 (NASB)
¹⁸  For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

3. The confession of  sin is the necessary condition in receiving forgiveness.

Psalm 32:5 (NASB)
⁵  I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. 

1 John 1:9 (NASB)
⁹  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I. TRUE CONFESSION OF SIN WILL BE USED OF GOD TO HUMBLE US

Nehemiah 9:1-3 (NASB)
¹  Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the sons of Israel assembled with fasting, in sackcloth and with dirt upon them.
²  The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
³  While they stood in their place, they read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.

Nehemiah describes this humbling process through…

1. Fasting…which speaks to us about DENIAL

Ezra 8:21-23 (NASB)
²¹  Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.
²²  For I was ashamed to request from the king troops and horsemen to protect us from the enemy on the way, because we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him, but His power and His anger are against all those who forsake Him.”
²³  So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty.

2. Sackcloth…which speaks to us about SORROW

Esther 4:1-3 (NASB)
¹  When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly.
²  He went as far as the king’s gate, for no one was to enter the king’s gate clothed in sackcloth.
³  In each and every province where the command and decree of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing; and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.

3. Ashes…which speaks to us about PAIN/LOSS

1 Samuel 4:10-12 (NASB)
¹⁰  So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated, and every man fled to his tent; and the slaughter was very great, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers.
¹¹  And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
¹²  Now a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn and dust on his head.

HUMILITY gives the heart a “spiritual check-up”

Deuteronomy 8:1-3 (NASB)
¹  “All the commandments that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your forefathers. 
²  “You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
³  “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.

 HUMILITY obtains or secures the action/attention of God

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NASB)
¹⁴  and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

HUMILITY is being exalted “BY” God to spiritual greatness

 Matthew 18:4 (NASB)
⁴  “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

(NEXT SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18 – CONFESS YOUR SINS – PART 2)