Sermon Notes

Being Led By The Spirit Romans 8:1-17 Have you ever doubted your salvation? If you are being led by the Spirit, there is no doubt you are saved. We may be chastened of the Lord, but we will not be condemned with the world. By our faith and union with Christ through faith, we are secured. Ask yourself; what is the principle of my walk; the flesh or the Spirit, the old or the new nature, corruption or grace? For which of these do we make provision, by which are we governed? Who are you following? Why? Who or what we follow determines where we wind up! Are you being led by the Holy Spirit? Our renewed will keeps us from following the leading of the Holy Spirit. When we give ourselves to Christ, our will must be a part of that giving. God's Law of righteousness can not be fulfilled through us until the Spirit of Christ and His righteousness lives in us. The favour of God, the welfare of the soul, and the concerns of eternity, are the things of the Spirit, which those who are led by the Spirit are seeking. They are not seeking the things of this world. Which way do our thoughts move with most pleasure? Which way go our plans and thoughts? What do we care more for; the world and the things of this world, or for our souls? Those that live in pleasure are dead, 1 Timothy 5:6. A sanctified soul is a living soul; and that life is peace. The carnal mind is not only an enemy to God, but enmity itself. The carnal man may, by the power of Divine grace, be made subject to the law of God, but the carnal mind never can; that must be broken and driven out. We can know our real state and character by asking ourselves whether we have the Spirit of God and Christ, or not; verse 9. You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. Having the Spirit of Christ means having a change of mind like the mind that was in Christ Jesus, and is to be shown by a life and conversation suitable to His precepts and example. If the Spirit is in us, then Christ is in us. He dwells in the heart by faith. Grace in the soul is its new nature; the soul is alive to God, and has begun its holy happiness which shall endure for ever. The righteousness of Christ in us secures our soul from death. From there we see it is our duty to walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. If we habitually live according to corrupt lustings, we will certainly perish in their sins, whatever they are. How can a worldly life compare to life eternal with Christ Jesus? Let us, by the Spirit, try more and more to kill our flesh. Regeneration by the Holy Spirit brings a new and divine life to the soul, even though in a feeble state. We have the Spirit working in us as His children and not the spirit of bondage, which the Old Testament church was under, through the darkness of that dispensation. Many people today say they are saved but do not have the peace of God in their lives because the Holy Spirit is not working in them. But we, who are sanctified, have God's Spirit witnessing with our spirits, and His spirit speaks peace to our soul. We may seem to be losers for Christ; we shall not, we cannot, and will not be losers by Him in the end.

BEGGARS AT THE CHURCH DOOR READ ACTS 3:1-10. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT “BEGGARS AT THE CHURCH DOORS!” WE COME EVERY SUNDAY TO THE HOUSE OF GOD AS BEGGARS UNDERESTIMATING WHAT GOD HAS FOR US. MOST OF THE TIME WE COME TO CHURCH TO SEE IF SOMEBODY HAS A WORD TO ENCOURAGE OR UPLIFT US. WE WANT TO SEE IF THERE IS SOMEONE WHO CAN DO SOMETHING FOR US. WE COME TO GET, NOT TO GIVE. WE ARE SATISFIED WITH OUR SPIRITUAL LEVEL, BUT WE SHOULD WANT TO MOVE UPWARD IN OUR SPIRITUAL EXPECTATIONS. WE USUALLY GET ONLY WHAT WE EXPECT. WHEN WE COME TOGETHER WE BRING SUPERNATURAL POWER INTO THIS PLACE, OR WE SHOULD. THE HOLY GHOST BRINGS POWER INTO THE CHURCH. THE MAN IN THIS STORY WAS CRIPPLED IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE. HE COULD NOT WALK; HE COULDN’T EVEN STAND BY HIMSELF. WE ARE SPIRITUALLY CRIPPLED TODAY; WE CAN’T STAND FOR LONG AGAINST THE ENEMY. WE HAVE TO LEAN ON OTHERS. FOR SOME IT HAS BECOME A WAY OF LIFE. WE ARE ACCUSTOM TO BEING CARRIED IN OUR WALK WITH GOD, LEANING ON OTHERS WANTING THEM TO CARRY US. WE, JUST LIKE THIS MAN, COME TO CHURCH AND LAY AT THE GATE WAITING FOR SPIRITUAL HANDOUTS FROM PEOPLE. HE CAME AT THE 9TH HOUR, THE HOUR OF PRAYER. I WONDER IF HE REALLY PRAYED. DO YOU WHEN YOU COME? HE LAID AT THE GATE CALLED BEAUTIFUL. A GATE THAT TOOK 20 MEN TO OPEN AND CLOSE. IF WAS A HUGE ENTRANCE INTO THE TEMPLE WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE WITH CLOUT ENTERED. THE PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE “IN CROWD”, THOSE WITH MONEY. THOSE WHO LIKED TO BE SEEN GIVING TO THE CRIPPLED. EVERYDAY THIS MAN CAME CRIPPLED TO THIS PLACE, CARRIED BY THE SAME PEOPLE, LAID RIGHT THERE BY OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS HE HAD. WHEN HE LEFT EACH DAY HE WAS STILL CRIPPLED. HE LEFT CHURCH THE SAME WAY HE CAME; AND WE DO TOO! WE COME TO CHURCH LOOKING FOR THINGS WE WANT FROM PEOPLE. WE LOOK FOR WHAT WE WANT, NOT WHAT WE NEED, FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST AS CRIPPLED AS WE ARE. WHAT WE COME LOOKING FOR AT GOD’S HOUSE IS NOT WHAT WE NEED AND THE PEOPLE THERE CAN’T GIVE IT TO US. WE GO HOME EVERY SUNDAY THE SAME WAY WE CAME. WE HAVE LOW EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO IN OUR LIVES. WE COME TO “GOD’S” HOUSE TO BEG FROM “PEOPLE.” WE COME HERE TO MEET GOD. THE SERMON WON’T HELP YOU IF YOU HAVEN’T COME TO MEET GOD. TO MEET GOD HERE, WE HAVE TO SHOW HIM WE WANT HIM HERE THROUGH OUR PRAISE AND WORSHIP. WE MUST DO THAT WITH EVERYTHING THAT IS WITHIN US. TRUE WORSHIP FOCUSES ON GOD! HE INVITES YOU HERE TO MEET HIM. WE MISS HIM AND HIS POWER WHEN WE DON’T PRAISE AND WORSHIP HIM FROM OUR HEARTS. WE SAY I COME TO CHURCH FOR THIS OR THAT. I WANT THIS OR I WANT THAT IN MY LIFE. WE COME HERE TO GIVE, NOT TO GET. WE COME TO GIVE HIM PRAISE, GLORY, AND HONOR. WHEN WE DO THAT HE FILLS THIS PLACE AND GREAT THINGS BEGIN TO HAPPEN. NEEDS ARE MET! WE HAVE BECOME COMFORTABLE IN BEGGING. NOT BEGGING MEANS WE THEN WILL BE ABLE TO HELP OTHERS; WE DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO WORK FOR OUR BLESSINGS. WE WON’T HAVE TO CARRY OTHERS IF WE STAY CRIPPLED, PEOPLE WILL FEEL SORRY FOR US. HOW DO YOU RECOGNIZE A BEGGAR? THEY ALWAYS HAVE A PRAYER REQUEST AND NOT A PRAISE REPORT. WOULD YOU PRAY FOR ME PASTOR, I NEED? PRAY FOR YOURSELF, GOD WILL LISTEN TO YOU TOO. DON’T ASK ME TO PRAY IF YOU HAVEN’T PRAYED FOR YOURSELF. GOD WANTS TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. YOU MAY COME IN A BEGGAR, BUT CAN YOU WALK OUT LEAPING AND PRAISING GOD. HE WANTS YOU TO LEAVE DIFFERENT THAN THE WAY YOU CAME TODAY. GOD WANTS YOU OUT OF THE BEGGING BUSINESS, FOR GOOD! YOU’RE HIS CHILD; HE DOESN’T WANT YOU TO BE CRIPPLED AND A BEGGAR AT HIS DOOR! A BEGGAR TALKS ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS FROM GOD NOT WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY GIVEN HIM. THIS MAN ASKED PETER AND JOHN FOR MONEY, THAT WASN’T WHAT HE NEEDED. HE WANTED TO JUST GET BY. GOD WANTED HIM TO DO MORE THAN GET BY, HE WANT HIM OUT OF THE BEGGING BUSINESS. WE WANT JUST ENOUGH FROM GOD TO GET BY ON UNTIL NEXT WEEK WHEN WE CAN COME AND BEG AGAIN AT HIS DOOR. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT PETER AND JOHN “FIXED” THEIR EYES ON THIS MAN. THEY HAD SEEN HIM BEFORE BEGGING THERE, BUT THIS TIME THEY SEEN HIM AND SEEN HIS REAL NEED. THEY KNEW WHAT HE NEEDED EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN’T KNOW HIMSELF. WE NEED TO WAKE UP AND SEE OUR NEED! ASK GOD RIGHT NOW TO SHOW YOU WHAT YOU REALLY NEED. SOME OF YOU WON’T DO THAT BECAUSE YOU’RE AFRAID OF WHAT GOD WILL TELL YOU. THAT’S THE TRUTH WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO BELIEVE IT, YOU ARE AFRAID! YOU DON’T WANT TO HEAR GOD TODAY! TODAY, YOU NEED MORE THAN WHAT YOUR ASKING FOR, GOD SEES IT AND SO DO I. I WANT TO ASK YOU TO DO THE SAME THING TO ME THAT PETER ASKED THAT BEGGAR TO DO THAT DAY; LOOK AT ME! NOW LOOK AT ME THE WAY HE LOOKED AT THEM. EXPECTING TO RECEIVE! NOT FROM ME, FROM GOD. EXPECT IT! I DON’T HAVE WHAT YOU WANT SO I CAN’T GIVE IT. GOD HAS GOT WHAT YOU NEED AND WANTS YOU TO HAVE IT. STOP HANGING AROUND BEGGARS, OTHER BEGGARS DON’T EXPECT MUCH FROM GOD. STOP BEING A BEGGAR. IF YOU HAVE BEEN ASKING GOD FOR SOMETHING FOR A WHILE NOW AND HE HAS NOT GIVEN IT TO YOU, IT MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU NEED. GOD MAY HAVE SOMETHING MORE FOR YOU THAN YOU’RE ASKING. VERSE 6 SAYS, “SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE, BUT WHAT I HAVE I GIVE YOU, IN THE NAME OF JESUS RISE UP!” GOD HAS SOMETHING FOR YOU TODAY THAT IS FAR MORE THAN WHAT YOU WANT, IT’S WHAT YOU NEED. RISE UP AND RECEIVE IT. THIS MAN ASKED FOR MONEY. WE THINK MONEY CAN FIX EVERYTHING, WELL IT CAN’T! IT COULDN’T FIX THIS MAN’S NEED AND IT WON’T FIX YOURS EITHER! WITH MONEY HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO COME BACK TO THE SAME PLACE NEXT WEEK, AND SO WILL YOU. YOU’LL STILL BE A BEGGAR NEXT WEEK. WHEN GOD SENDS WHAT YOU NEED IT WILL BE COMPLETE WITH “EVERYTHING” YOU NEED. WHAT DO I MEAN? READ VERSE 6 AGAIN. PETER DIDN’T JUST SAY RISE UP, HE SAID “RISE UP” AND “WALK!” NOT ONLY DID GOD HEAL THIS LAME MAN, HE TAUGHT HIM TO WALK AT THE SAME TIME. THIS MAN HAD NEVER WALKED BEFORE. GOD WILL COMPLETE HIS WORK IN YOU! GOD’S HERE RIGHT NOW BRINGING YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED, THE COMPLETE PACKAGE! GOD DOESN’T MISS ANYTHING. TODAY I MAY HAVE NOT GIVEN YOU WHAT YOU WANTED, BUT I HAVE GIVEN YOU WHAT YOU NEEDED. THE CHOICE IS YOURS, LIKE THE LAME MAN THAT DAY, YOU CAN RISE UP AND WALK OR YOU CAN CHOOSE TO BE A BEGGAR AT THE CHURCH DOOR FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. IF YOU WANT WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU TODAY, RISE UP AS WE SING AND LAY CLAIM TO WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU.