Discipline 

Not Desire

Determine 

Destiny 

Charles Stanley 

Suppose that salvation is dancing to God’s beautiful music. God graciously places us in a room with two loudspeakers and begins to play his music. Surprisingly, we rebel, cup our hands over our ears and begin to sing our own songs to ourselves, dancing to our own music (representing the fall and our on-going sin). God graciously does not give up on us, however. He graciously turns the music up louder, but we continue to rebel by covering our ears harder and singing louder. He turns it up louder and louder, but we persist in our rebellion.

God then graciously puts two more speakers in the room playing them at full volume, and when that fails, he puts in ten more, and then a hundred more, and so on until the room is wall-to-wall speakers, playing at full blast. Incredibly, all these gracious overtures just make us resist more forcefully.

Yet, God continues to desperately want us to dance to his beautiful music, so in the most remarkable act of grace imaginable, and at great sacrifice to himself (representing the Incarnation and death of Christ), God himself comes into the room and begins to personally do everything possible to get us to lower our arms and dance to his music. Weeping and pleading, he himself pulls at our arms to lower them from our ears. We all resist…but finally, his relentless love wears some of us out. We begin to hear the music. We see his relentless love.

And we begin to dance.

This is an analogy, of course, and so it only imperfectly reflects the way in which God saves us. But it’s helpful in getting at the question we’re presently wrestling with. Would any of those who were finally won over to God’s music be inclined to credit themselves for their dancing? After all their rebellion and all God’s grace, would anyone attribute their dancing to their innate intelligence or goodness? Would they not rather testify that the only reason they eventually danced to God’s music was because God was relentless in his grace and wore them out with his love? Would they not say that they’re dancing was 100% God’s doing? I don’t see how it could be otherwise. And yet, as strong and relentless as God was toward toward them, he did not coerce them.

This view is not without its mystery, but it’s not the mystery of why God would irresistibly choose some when he could have just as easily irresistible chosen all (while telling us he wants all to be saved). The mystery in this view is how anyone could, and why anyone would, continue in their rebellion. This is the unfathomable mystery of iniquity.

Whatever I make of this mystery, it seems more biblical and less problematic than the mystery of a selectively saving God. And the last thing it would ever do is make me feel self-righteous for being set free from its dominion.

John 5:6

Wilt thou be made whole?

John 5:14

Behold, thou art made whole: 

sin no more, 

lest a worse thing come unto thee.

In order to remain Whole we must fight ourselves with the below temptations through surrendering to the Holy Spirits Power!

Fight the good fight of faith!

Mark 7:21-23

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:8

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Fight the good fight of faith!

From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop

The Lord has had pity on us

For we have been saved by his grace, says the Apostle, and not by our works, lest anyone may boast; for it is by his grace that we have been saved. 

Our life was displeasing to him; whatever we did by ourselves was displeasing to him; but what he did in us was not displeasing to him. He will, therefore, condemn what we have done but he will save what he himself has done in us.

We were not good, but God had pity on us and sent his Son to die, not for good men but for bad ones, not for the just but for the wicked. Yes, Christ died for the ungodly. 

We had no good works, for all our works were evil. 

Yet although men’s actions were such, God in his mercy did not abandon men. He sent his Son to redeem us, not with gold or silver but at the price of his blood poured out for us. 

Christ, the spotless lamb, became the sacrificial victim, led to the slaughter for the sheep that were blemished—if indeed one can say that they were blemished and not entirely corrupt. 

Such is the grace we have received! Let us live so as to be worthy of that great grace, and not do injury to it. So mighty is the physician who has come to us that he has healed all our sins! If we choose to be sick once again, we will not only harm ourselves, but show ingratitude to the physician as well.

Let us then follow Christ’s paths which he has revealed to us, above all the path of humility, which he himself became for us. He showed us that path by his precepts, and he himself followed it by his suffering on our behalf. In order to die for us—because as God he could not die— the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The immortal One took on mortality that he might die for us, and by dying put to death our death.

This is what the Lord did, this the gift he granted to us. The mighty one was brought low, the lowly one was slain, and after he was slain, he rose again and was exalted. For he did not intend to leave us dead in hell, but to exalt in himself at the resurrection of the dead those whom he had already exalted and made just by the faith and praise they gave him. 

Yes, he gave us the path of humility. If we keep to it we shall confess our belief in the Lord and have good reason to sing: We shall praise you, God, we shall praise you and call upon your name.

Psalm 86

King James Version

86 Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.

4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

6 Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

14 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.

15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.

17 Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.

Hebrews 10:22

Let us draw near 

with a true heart 

in full assurance of faith, 

having our hearts 

sprinkled from an evil conscience, 

and our bodies 

washed with pure water.

Old Testament Covenant 

Hebrews 9:19-20

For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

New Testament Covenant 

Jesus has spoken the precepts to all the people according to the law (walked the earth to teach)

The book (the Word-Bible)

he took the blood Himself (the cross)

with water, (baptism and Holy Spirit living Water)

This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

Go and Sin no more

Hebrews 10:26-27

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Don’t despise Gods own Blood and Grace!

Hebrews 10:29

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Repent and Believe 

Matthew 3:2

And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Live by Faith believing to save your soul

Hebrews 10:38-39

Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

He will bring you to the End-Faithful 

1 Corinthians 1:8-9

Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

All Belong to God

All Serve God

All created for His Pleasure

What He Speaks-Is

Psalms 119:90-91

Thy faithfulness is unto all generations:

thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

They continue this day according to thine ordinances:

for all are thy servants.

Revelation 4:11

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Psalms 33:6

By the word of the LORD were the heavens made;

and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Psalms 33:8-9

Let all the earth fear the LORD:

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

For he spake, and it was done;

he commanded, and it stood fast.

Isaiah 45:22

Look to Me, and be saved,

All you ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other.

Christ alone is the Lord of life and history.  He is the Lord, and he invites us to follow him, but he will respect our response to his invitation – which is why we should respond with great care.

Christ himself is the way to salvation and fulfillment. Salvation comes from actually following him, from striving to know him better and obey his teaching. This is the narrow door, because he is demanding. 

It is possible to be labeled a Christian on the outside without really making an effort to follow the Christian way in our hearts, to go to Church and be seen frequently at the parish without ever really entering into a committed, life-changing, personal relationship with Christ. 

It may be comfortable for awhile, but in the end only those who have followed the Lord will be welcomed into the banquet.

“many will try to enter and will not succeed.” Certainly, the Church teaches that without the help of divine grace no one can live in eternal friendship with God, but Jesus is emphasizing here that we each must do our part as well. 

If we settle for a comfortable, self-satisfying Christianity we may be deceiving ourselves – instead of building up God’s Kingdom, we may in fact be erecting an idolatrous house of cards. The spiritual life is a battle. Fight to Win!

Isaiah 45:22

"Look to Me, and be saved,

All you ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other.

OLD TESTAMENT:

Chair of Moses: passed to Scribes and Pharisees

NEW TESTAMENT 

Chair of Peter: passed to Pope and Bishops

Matthew 23:1-3

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.

Take away:

Binding teachings, not infallible, but as Jesus says, to be obeyed anyway. They are trying to guide though some do not teach themselves!

Rid yourself before God of everything that might be considered a possession until you are a mere conscious human being standing before Him, and then give God that. That is where the battle is truly fought— in the realm of your will before God. 

Are you more devoted 

to your idea of what Jesus wants 

than to Jesus Himself? 

Discouragement is 

disillusioned self-love, 

and self-love may be love 

for my devotion to Jesus

not love for Jesus Himself.

Once saved-forever following as a son/daughter of God IN CHRIST through Faith

Hebrews 10:2-3

2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

Hebrews 10:9-10

9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:14

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Hebrews 10:22-23

22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Romans 8:30

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Colossians 1:23

23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Romans 13:14

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Romans 6:4

4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

2 Corinthians 5:17

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

John 1:12

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. 

John 19:30

30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Take Away:

Old law sacrificed every year because still conscious of sin. 

New law sacrificing ceases because worshippers purged once and for all. 

He has perfected us forever. 

Sanctified through offering of Christ forever, sins past, present , and future purged and atoned for. 

BELIEVE full of assurance and FAITH with a cleansed heart and conscience. Washed clean without wavering - He is faithful! It is Finished!

Predestined, Called, Justified, Sanctified, Glorified forever in Christ. 

Fellowship needs constant care though to stay in union. Saving faith is staying faith.

FAITH must be to the end. 

If God saves you, you’ll always be saved (e.g., John 10; Romans 8); on the other hand, only if you endure to the end will you be saved (cf. Hebrews 3:12–14). One of the essential marks of truly saving faith is that it endures to the end. 

The real doctrine of eternal security reads like this: Not only “once saved, always saved” but also “once saved, forever following.”

Continue in FAITH not moved, hope in the gospel all the way home. 

Put on Christ and walk in new life not the old nature of the flesh, you died to the flesh in baptism. If you are in Christ you are a new creation. 

Walk IN CHRIST you have been made a new creature. Now a Son/Daughter of God. 

It is finished!

Psalms 22:27-29

All the ends of the world 

shall remember and turn unto the LORD:

and all the kindreds of the nations 

shall worship before thee.

For the kingdom is the LORD's:

and he is the governor among the nations.

All they that be fat upon earth 

shall eat and worship:

all they that go down to the dust 

shall bow before him:

and none can keep alive his own soul.

1 Corinthians 8:6

But to us there is but one God, 

the Father, of whom are all things, 

and we in him; 

and one Lord Jesus Christ, 

by whom are all things, 

and we by him.

Lord, may I love and compassionate the sinner, not loving the sin in him, but pursuing the sin out of love for him. 

When I love a sick man I fight his fever, for if I spared the fever, I would not be loving the sick man. So I will tell my brother the truth without evasion. Yes, with frank openness I will tell him the truth; but I will be patient with him about correcting himself. 

While the just man chides the sinner, he charitably tolerates his sins, since charity endures all things. Yes, Lord, I will reprove; but though I am stern for charity’s sake do not let my heart lose its gentleness. 

Who is more merciful than the doctor who uses his instruments? He deplores having to cut, but he cuts, deplores having to cauterize, but he cauterizes. This is not cruelty. He is merciless to the wound so that the person may recover, for to coddle the wound would be to destroy the patient. 

O Lord, grant me also to love my sinful brother in every kind of way, and not drive out charity toward him from my heart, but at the same time make me know how to correct him if that is necessary. St. Augustine

Interior peace is the sign of harmony between God and man and hence of adherence to his will, does not exempt us from struggle, or from war against all that is opposed to God’s will or that threatens faith or hinders us in the service of the Lord, whether the obstacles be within us—as our passions, our temptations, our sins—or in our surroundings.

The peace that comes with following Christ is the peace of a heart in communion with God and of a conscience cleansed of all self-deprecation. If we expect some other, exterior peace, like a smooth ride through life, we are in for a shock. The demands of Christ are so absolute that they will necessarily bring us into conflict with the demands of the fallen world, of other people, and even of our own sin-struck nature. 

Because of this fire of love the Christian must be prepared to resist even the persons who are dearest to him, even to separating himself from them, if they impede his professing his faith or carrying out his vocation or accomplishing God’s will. 

Such sorrowful separations are truly very painful crosses, but they are directed—like Jesus’ own cross—toward the salvation of these very ones who are being abandoned for the sake of his love.

The grace we receive through the sacraments nourishes our souls with Christ’s very life. He is faithful, and in him we can be faithful too.

Fill my heart so full of love for you, Lord, that I jump at every chance to show that love, thinking less and less of my comfort zone, and more and more of your Kingdom”

You came to earth for me. You left heaven behind and worked and toiled and sweat for thirty years, just so you could be close to me. And then, to make sure I would never doubt your unconditional love for me, you freely accepted the indescribable suffering of Good Friday. 

Thank you, Lord. I believe in you. Jesus, I trust in you  

It is a great good to be given over to the will of God. Then the Lord alone is in the soul, and no other thought, and she prays to God with a pure mind. When the soul is entirely given over to the will of God, then the Lord Himself begins to guide her, and the soul learns directly from God.

A proud man does not wish to live according to the will of God. He likes to direct himself, and does not understand that man does not have enough understanding to direct himself without God. 

- St. Silouan the Athonite

Eternal life is not just about sins forgiven

It’s about UNION WITH GOD

If you continue to walk in Sin

You cannot be in Union with God

Return to Him!

Walk In JESUS 

Rest in Grace

Go and Sin no More

Enjoy Fellowship with the Father

You’re Soul is thirsty! For Him 

Stop trying to fulfill yourself in the World!

Ephesians 6:23-24

Peace be to the brethren, 

and love with faith, 

from God the Father 

and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Grace be with all them 

that love our Lord Jesus Christ 

in sincerity. 

Amen.

Tell truth and let God do His own work

Do not have a goal to persuade people to be saved

Have a goal to tell the truth 

In hopes that God may grant them repentance 

We do not save….

The Spirit does that

It is Faith not persuasion!

We don’t want a behavioral change

We want a heart change 

Only the Spirit of God saved men. 

2 Timothy 2:24-26

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; 

but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; 

if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

Saved?:

Are you born again-

do you want HIS Will-

are you willing to let Him have His way in your life? Repent, Surrender, Abandon, and Obey in His power. 

Check your heart and see if you are in the faith. 

Lessons from The Apostle and Disciple Judas:

Was called by Jesus 

Walked Daily with Jesus 

Got Spirit Power

Did Miracles 

Did what Jesus told him

Still wanted his own way

Stole and betrayed

Did not go to Jesus to repent

Did not have heart change

Beware:

I bet Judas thought he was saved. 

If Judas believed in Jesus….

what does God mean by belief???

Takeaway:

Life is not about being in a “Christian“ club. It’s is about Loving the Creator of ALL things and Giving Him Glory by being all He calls you to be. All for His good pleasure because he created you and made you for himself. 

He wants to recreate your soul for his dwelling. 

Sin is not a popular topic in today’s culture. It is much more chic to speak of psychological complexes, childhood trauma, and social conditioning – anything that remits personal responsibility. Although external influences do affect human actions, habits and personalities, the overwhelmingly clear lesson of this passage is that sin matters. Sin is purposely choosing to do evil, to break the moral law that God built into human nature as a natural guide to happiness and fulfillment. And sin has dire consequences.

Proverbs 8:13

The fear of the LORD 

is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, 

and the evil way,

and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Receive Truth

Man condemns himself by his refusal of God’s way of salvation. In love and mercy, God is offering to men and women a way of escape, a way of salvation, a hope and anticipation of better things. Man in his blindness, stupidity, stubbornness, egotism, and love of sinful pleasure, refuses God’s simple method of escaping the pangs of eternal banishment. Suppose you were sick and called a doctor who came and gave you a prescription. But after thinking it over you decided to ignore his advice and to refuse the medicine. When he returned a few days later, he might have found your condition much worse. Could you blame the doctor? Could you hold him responsible? He gave you the prescription, he prescribed the remedy. But you refused it!

Just so, God prescribes the remedy for the ills of the human race. That remedy is personal faith in, and commitment to, Jesus Christ. The remedy is to be “born again.” If we deliberately refuse it, then we must suffer the consequence; and we cannot blame God. Is it God’s fault that we refuse the remedy?

2 Thessalonians 2:10

They perish; because they received not 

the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

All the way through the Bible: 

choices, choices, choices, choices, choices. 

CHOOSE WAYS OF LIFE

Life or death

CHOOSE MASTERS

Spirit or Self

CHOOSE FATHERS

God or Devil

CHOOSE DESTINIES 

Heaven or Hell 

Jeremiah 38:20

Obey, 

I beseech thee, 

the voice of the LORD, 

which I speak unto thee: 

so it shall be well unto thee, 

and thy soul shall live.

James 2:8

The royal law 

according to the scripture, 

Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Make A Choice

You have to Choose

WARNING

Joshua’s warns the people about their idolatry. He warns them that the judgments of God will fall upon them unless they live for the Lord. 

And here's what he says, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve"! If you want to serve the devil, serve him! But make a choice! 

Joshua said: if every one of you serves other idols and other Gods, makes no difference: as for me and my house, we've already made a decision: we are going to serve the Lord. 

DECISION

And that's a decision that every single person here tonight has to make. You either have to decidethat you're going to serve the Gods of materialism all around us, or, the true and the living God. 

And Joshua was warning the people to choose God, to follow him, instead of these other Gods. And so, we have to make a choice. 

Moses had warned Israel much earlier, a generation earlier, when he was dying. He said, "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I've set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live".

Moses had said the same thing that Joshua is saying, separated by many years, and every generation has to hear it, over and over and over again, and that's why the gospel never grows old. It applies to every generation or life. We have to make a choice. 

Are you unstable about your relationship to Christ? Do you waver in your relationship to Christ? Or are you totally committed to Christ as Savior and Lord? Or do you waver about it?

Many of you waver by the way you live. And Jesus warned the hypocrites, people who pretend one thing and live another. 

Don't waver: make a decision, do it now!

Joshua said, "Serve God and live! Serve these other Gods and you'll die and come under the judgment of God," and the message has not changed.

America should be grateful to God for the blessings he's given us, but what do we find? We find that we're worshipping other Gods. The Gods of pleasure, the Gods of lust, and greed and hate. The Gods of materialism. Even the Gods of war. And Joshua tells them that such a condition cannot continue. They must decide whether they want to serve the idols, or to serve the living God. And he will not allow any neutrality. Neither does Jesus Christ.

And Joshua said you have to decide immediately, now! "Choose you this day", not tomorrow, this day, "whom you're going to serve". And many of you are going to have to decide tonight. What is the number one priority in your life? Is the priority Christ? Or is the priority something else? Christ demands first place. There's no room on the throne of your heart for two Gods. It's either Christ, or it's the other God. 

Give your life to Christ. He'll challenge you. Because he says you must deny self and take up a cross. He says, "I'm going to a place of execution. Come and go with me". Deny your own selfish ambitions and lusts and turn to me and go to the cross with me.

Now Paul taught that a Christian is someone who has turned to God from idols, to serve the living and the true God. 

A Christian is an idol breaker. 

GOD GIVEN FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

Adam and Eve had to make a choice in the Garden of Eden. God said, "If you want to build a wonderful world, we'll build it together. But I'm going to test you because I've given to you the ability choose. I haven't made you a robot in which I could punch a button and you would obey me. I've made you in my image. You have the right to choose"!

CHOSE WRONG

So when Adam and Eve faced that choice, they chose wrongly. They broke the law of God. And God said, "In the day that you do, you will suffer and die". 

DEATH AND SUFFERING 

And man had been suffering ever since, and it's all because of that first sin in the Garden of Eden. And man has been inheriting that tendency to sin ever since: the seed of sin is in us when we're born. 

ACCOUNTABILITY BEFORE GOD

David said, "In sin did my mother conceive me". Think of it now: at conception, sin was already planted. And then comes the age of accountability. Moral accountability, maybe eight, or nine, or ten years of age when you are held accountable by God for your actions and you choose to sin! And then the rest of your life, you practice sin. You're born toward sin, you choose to sin at a certain point, and then you practice sin. And the Bible says, "We have all sinned," and we're all idolaters.

TWO WAYS OF LIFE

Now the Bible says we must choose two ways of life. Jeremiah had written, "Thus saith the Lord, behold I set before you the way of life and the way of death". There's a way of life: there's a way of death. 

THE WAY OF LIFE

Which way are you on? Jesus said, "I am the way. I am the way. I'm the only way. I'm the only way to permanent peace. I'm the only way to permanent joy. I'm the only way to eternal life. I'm the only way to forgiveness of sin. I'm the only way to the father". You have to come by me. And that eliminates a lot of people.

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

When Jesus began to talk about dying on the cross, a lot of his followers left him. They said, "Lord, we thought you were going to sit upon a big throne and we were going to drive in Cadillacs, and we were going to have beautiful swimming pools and lovely ladies, and all the rest of it. 

We didn't really know that you were going to die and wanted us to go with you. We thought this was going to be a kingdom, and we were going to overthrow Rome, and we going to rule the world". And that is going to happen someday, but not now! 

The cross before the crown. Some of us want the crown before the cross. The Bible says, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death".

WRONG WAYS

What are some of the ways? Well, some people say, "I'm gonna follow my conscience," but you don't follow your conscience. Many of us have dead consciences. Your conscience is no longer a safe guide. You've hardened it: you've deadened it. And then other people say, "Well, I try to be sincere in everything I do". We're here in a football stadium right here. And many years ago, I saw a man pick up a football and he ran 65 yards the wrong way! Now he was one of the most sincere fellows you ever saw. Lost the game. And then there are many people that say, "Well, you know, I do a lot of good works, and I give money to charitable causes, and I do all that. I'm sure God will understand". 

REFORM THROUGH SPIRIT

“Well, I'll reform. I'll do better". I know people that are always saying, "I'm going to do better". But they never do better. 

They don't have any power within them to do better, until they come to Christ, and when you come to Christ, an explosion takes place, of power that he gives you to live a new life. I can't live the Christian life. I have no power within me to live the Christian life. The Holy Spirit has to live in me, and Christ has to live through me. 

I cannot live the Christian life. I'm a total flop and failure.

The Bible says, "For by grace are ye saved, through faith, that not of yourselves, but the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast". 

THE CROSS

The only way you're ever going to make it is to come to that cross, where Christ took our sins, and our judgment and our hell, and identify ourselves with him. And then there are some people that say, 

Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat, because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it". Few, he said only a few are going to find that narrow gate and that narrow way. Are you among that few? 

You not only choose between two ways of life, but you choose between two masters. 

Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other". "You cannot serve God and materialism.”

CHOOSE WAYS OF LIFE, MASTERS, FATHERS, AND DESTINIES 

You have to make a choice. All the way through the Bible: choices, choices, choices, choices, choices. 

Not only between two ways of life and two masters: but you're going to have to choose between two fathers. Two spiritual fathers. 

He said in John 8, a very shocking statement, the 44th verse, he said, "You are of your father, the devil, and the lust of your father you will do". Now he says, "For many of you, the devil is your spiritual father". Now you're not aware of it. You wouldn't admit it. But that's the way God looks at it. 

There's either God, your spiritual father, the true and the living God, Christ. Or, there is the devil. 

And then you have to choose not only between two ways of life and two masters and two fathers, 

but you have to choose between two destinies: heaven or hell. 

Jesus Christ is the way to heaven. Come to him. 

Jesus is in heaven preparing your estate right now. Waiting for you. There is a future life, and eternal life does not begin when you die and go to heaven: it begins here and now when you make this choice for Christ. Because eternity, eternal life comes to dwell in your heart tonight. Jesus Christ is the gateway to heaven.

YOUR PERSONAL CHOICE

Now this choice also, you must make yourself. Joshua said, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord". Your father can't make it for you. Your mother can't make it for you. Your children can't make it for you. This is where you must choose yourself. He knew that he could not choose for the tribes of Israel. They must choose for themselves. 

ALONE 

Man is a social being: however, there is an inner sanctuary within ourselves, where we retire from all other fellowships, comradeships, and influences, and there's a lonely arena where the greatest battles of life must be fought alone. And this is a decision that you have to make alone. Moses said, "I call heaven and earth to record this day that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed may live forever".

CHOSE CHRIST BY FAITH NOT FOR GAIN

The writer to Hebrews recounts how Moses "Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches that the treasures of Egypt, choosing rather to suffer the affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season". He made a choice. Moses could have probably been the Pharaoh of Egypt. He was the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Heir to all the riches and power of Egypt. And he made a choice to suffer persecution and the reproach with the people of God. He didn't know that his name would be in history. He didn't know that some day he would lead all of Israel. He didn't know that some day he would be considered one of the greatest men that ever lived. When he made that choice, he made it on the basis of simple faith in God.

DESTINY FORGIVEN JUSTIFICATION 

You can determine your destiny by deciding for Christ, and when you do that, Christ changes your past! He wipes out all the sins of the past. Because, you see, the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth from all sin. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. When he died on that cross, he forgave all the past. 

You tonight are reminded of the many sins in your life. The Holy Spirit's bringing them to your mind right now. And you know, they stand against you at the judgment, where every secret thing will be brought out. But Jesus, tonight, offers forgiveness. But he offers more than forgiveness. He offers justification. Just as though you had never committed a sin.

What a wonderful thing to go to bed tonight and know that the past is gone. Forgiven, cleansed, and God no longer remembers your sins. Yes, and this choice is very urgent. To delay makes the right decision harder. Indecision is itself a choice. Not to decide is to decide not to. Choose now! Nowhere in the Bible does it promise a tomorrow. Come while you can. 

HOW TO CHOOSE

You say, "But what do I have to do"? Three things: 

1. you must be willing to repent of your sin. That means to change your way of thinking about your sins and realize how bad they are in the sight of God. 
2. and secondly, by faith, receive Christ into your heart. That means you put your whole weight on him and trust him and him alone. Change your thinking about God and say, "I love him and I'm going to love him with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. 
3. and thirdly, I'm going to make him the priority of my life. I'm going to put him first from now on. He's going to be not only my Savior but my Lord". You follow and serve him as his disciple and follower and obey him. That means a big change for many of you, if you make this choice. 

I'm going to ask you to make it now. 

By: Billy Graham

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To win the Prize:

The Goal is

The Process/Journey

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IN the journey!

Proverbs 6:16-19

These six things doth the LORD hate:

yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

1. A proud look

2. a lying tongue

3. and hands that shed innocent blood

4. An heart that deviseth wicked imagination

5. feet that be swift in running to mischief

6. A false witness that speaketh lies

7. and he that soweth discord among brethren.