I'll Be Honest

God does not intend for the Christian to always approach everything they do from a negative perspective by asking, "What's wrong with that?!" Rather we should be focusing on doing the good that we know we should be striving after!

Excerpt from "Christian, Don't Sin"

In this sermon Tim deals with questions about the Lord's Supper such as this: How consistently should a church be taking it? What does it mean to eat "without discerning the body" and by doing so "drink judgment" on yourself?

The book of 1 John shows us that the difference between the lost and saved man is so clear that it is discernible and recognizable. John asserts that rather than it being vague, it is something that is evident when he writes verses like, "Whoever says 'I know Him' but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him..." - 1 John 2:4.

Men are imprisoned under the law but due to the weakness of the flesh they do not want to be there. But now God has done what the law could never do, in sending His Son He has now provided a way by which looking to Christ in faith we walk in the power of the Spirit.

When it comes to interacting with lost family members there is no pre-prepared formula to follow. Rather if we truly love them and have been praying for them, the Lord will lead us in what to say.

The Christian is not under the law, but is being changed into Christ's image as they live a life looking to Him. Looking to law will only cause men to "bite and devour one another". The church where you are going to find true righteousness is where you find Christians who are most enthralled with Christ; those who study His person and glory in Him.

We must realize that anxiety accomplishes nothing. What will being fearful and worried change one bit about that difficult situation you are in? Nothing. Overcoming anxiety will only happen as we turn from our fears and unbelief and trust the Lord in all our circumstances.

Preached on February 15, 2008

One of the great tests of true Christianity is that God puts in His people a special love for other true Christians.

In 1 John 3:14 it says "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death." This verse leads us to ask, "What does John mean when he says love?" If it is the test of whether we are actually saved or not, we don't want to get the meaning wrong. He goes on in verse 16 to show us what true love looks like, "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." Then in the following verse he gives us something very practical to tell if we have this love or not: 1 John 3:17 - But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

The enemy of your soul will seek to condemn you because of your failures, but you know what? You can answer the devil and say that 1 John was written to me saying that my "sins are forgiven for His name's sake." (1 John 2:12) It does not say I'm forgiven because I've kept these tests, but I've been forgiven for "His name's sake." Every time the devil brings up accusations, you bring up the Name, the blood, the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know what you don't want to do? You don't want to argue your performance with the devil. You rely absolutely and utterly upon Jesus Christ.

When you seek to be perfected by any other way than by the Spirit, you are not going to succeed. Instead, Paul says what you will succeed at is "biting and devouring one another." (Galatians 5:15) However as you seek to be perfected by the Spirit, you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.