Haven't posted in 74 weeks.
Well, it has been a while since good ole' live journal has seen me so.....I had a baby> Well my wife had a baby but you know what I mean. Im a small business owner and still work for UPS. I preached for the first time today in front of an actual congregation. I teach every monday to skaters but it's different when they are all older than me ha-ha. Well I don't know what else to say so I'm gonna just post my notes for my lesson and maybe it'll help someone who reads it out.
Distinguishing between condemnation and conviction.
Have you ever done something bad? like cheated on a math test in school?
Or maybe you cut a corner at a red light through a parking lot?
literally stole candy from a baby?
or maybe it was deeper than that.
like cheated on taxes?
cheated on a spouse or the one you’re dating?
stolen something a little more valuable than candy?
drugs, pre-marital sex, pornography, alcohol......these are only a few things that yes....even the PERFECT christians struggle with EVERYDAY.
When you look back on these what do you feel? If they’ve already been repented for then one would assume you feel no guilt or shame right?
Humans can repent but CANNOT forget their sins even if they’ve repented for them in the past, excluding a hard hit on the head. God forgives and forgets no matter what you do....as long as you are genuine in your repentance.
But what about the sins you’ve not repented for because you feel it’s a waste of time...knowing you’ll do it again....and again?
Are you feeling convicted for that certain thing you can’t seem to let go of? Or is it condemnation that is tearing you down.......away from not only your spiritual walk, but your friendships, marriages, work, or even causing a lack of self-worth.
That’s what this lesson is about. Being able to distinguish between condemnation
and conviction.
Here is a story of how satan tried to use people to condemn a woman for adultery.
John 8
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
A lot of believers hear condemning thoughts, and some believers even think it's God telling them these things. Nothing could be further from the truth. God NEVER tells you what a loser you are. Jesus said He came not to condemn the world, but to save it (John 12:47)!
Passage John 12:47:
47"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it
This means when you completely ignore when God is telling you something, he still is waiting with open arms for you to run to him in forgiveness. But when is this urge for forgiveness conviction from God, or just emotions brought on by something else? Something that makes you feel you should keep asking over and over for that forgiveness for the same sin? Something that causes you to doubt not only yourself.....but the forgiveness of God himself?
What is condemnation?
Condemnation comes from Satan and is meant to tear you down. Condemnation continually points out what a failure you are, and how badly you've messed up. Condemnation is showing you the problem, but avoiding the solution.
Jesus did NOT come to condemn the world (John 12:47). There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. Satan on the other hand is KNOWN for accusing the brethren (Rev 12:10).
10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
satan uses all kinds of ways to tear you down to feel like your sins can’t be forgiven.
some of these ways are other people.......including other christians.
Last week I talked with the skaters and one of them made a very sad but true statement. he said one of the devils biggest tools of condemnation is to use the church...against the church.
Tattoos, long hair, skateboarding are some of the ridiculous things that sadly some people in the church condemn and ultimately cause people that were coming close to a radical life change to close up completely to God.
But that’s a whole other sermon in itself.
so condemn means from websters dictionary
condemn
-verb (used with object)
to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on; indicate strong disapproval of
to judge or pronounce to be unfit for use or service
Don’t let satan tell you you are unfit for serving the kingdom of God because of something you may have done or still doing. Struggling with sin the very reason we should run to God when he convicts us.
Our sins have already been condemned on the body of christ. God unleashed all his fury upon christ so that our sins are forgiven...they’ve already been condemned
God has punished ALL sins.
now for conviction.
What is conviction?
Conviction is known in the Bible as Godly sorrow. God's Word tells us that Godly sorrow is what leads us to repentance (Romans 2:3-4). Condemnation tells you, "You are such a failure! Look at what you did!" while conviction tells you, "Come to me... and I will forgive you!"
Not only is God willing to forgive your sins, but He longs (deeply desires) to do so! Isaiah 30:18, "Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him." (NASB)
Romans 2:3-4,3 -4You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he's such a nice God, he'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
Just as a parent disciplines a child...our heavenly father uses conviction to get his point across.
Conviction shows you the answer to your problem. Conviction shows you the blood of Jesus that wipes away your sins.
What is the difference?
Conviction shows you the answer (the Blood of Jesus, which washes away sin), while condemnation shows you the problem (the sin, the past and your failures).
Condemnation shouts, "Your past! Your sins! You loser!" But conviction shouts, "The Blood of Jesus washes away sins! Come to Jesus and be forgiven of your sins! You can be forgiven! Your sins and past don't have to be a part of you anymore!"
Understanding the nature of God's forgiveness
It's so important to understand the nature of God's forgiveness and His desire to wash us clean from our pasts.
(satan may use this verse to condemn)
Hebrews 10 26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
Passage John 3:16-17:
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Once we start following the Lord somehow the enemy make us to believe that the Lord has changed His mind and now wants to try and find ways to condemn us. We should put our trust in God's word and not our feelings.
DOUBLE JEOPARDY- CAN’T BE TRIED FOR THE SAME THING TWICE
Distinguishing between condemnation and conviction.
Have you ever done something bad? like cheated on a math test in school?
Or maybe you cut a corner at a red light through a parking lot?
literally stole candy from a baby?
or maybe it was deeper than that.
like cheated on taxes?
cheated on a spouse or the one you’re dating?
stolen something a little more valuable than candy?
drugs, pre-marital sex, pornography, alcohol......these are only a few things that yes....even the PERFECT christians struggle with EVERYDAY.
When you look back on these what do you feel? If they’ve already been repented for then one would assume you feel no guilt or shame right?
Humans can repent but CANNOT forget their sins even if they’ve repented for them in the past, excluding a hard hit on the head. God forgives and forgets no matter what you do....as long as you are genuine in your repentance.
But what about the sins you’ve not repented for because you feel it’s a waste of time...knowing you’ll do it again....and again?
Are you feeling convicted for that certain thing you can’t seem to let go of? Or is it condemnation that is tearing you down.......away from not only your spiritual walk, but your friendships, marriages, work, or even causing a lack of self-worth.
That’s what this lesson is about. Being able to distinguish between condemnation
and conviction.
Here is a story of how satan tried to use people to condemn a woman for adultery.
John 8
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
A lot of believers hear condemning thoughts, and some believers even think it's God telling them these things. Nothing could be further from the truth. God NEVER tells you what a loser you are. Jesus said He came not to condemn the world, but to save it (John 12:47)!
Passage John 12:47:
47"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it
This means when you completely ignore when God is telling you something, he still is waiting with open arms for you to run to him in forgiveness. But when is this urge for forgiveness conviction from God, or just emotions brought on by something else? Something that makes you feel you should keep asking over and over for that forgiveness for the same sin? Something that causes you to doubt not only yourself.....but the forgiveness of God himself?
What is condemnation?
Condemnation comes from Satan and is meant to tear you down. Condemnation continually points out what a failure you are, and how badly you've messed up. Condemnation is showing you the problem, but avoiding the solution.
Jesus did NOT come to condemn the world (John 12:47). There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. Satan on the other hand is KNOWN for accusing the brethren (Rev 12:10).
10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
satan uses all kinds of ways to tear you down to feel like your sins can’t be forgiven.
some of these ways are other people.......including other christians.
Last week I talked with the skaters and one of them made a very sad but true statement. he said one of the devils biggest tools of condemnation is to use the church...against the church.
Tattoos, long hair, skateboarding are some of the ridiculous things that sadly some people in the church condemn and ultimately cause people that were coming close to a radical life change to close up completely to God.
But that’s a whole other sermon in itself.
so condemn means from websters dictionary
condemn
-verb (used with object)
to express an unfavorable or adverse judgment on; indicate strong disapproval of
to judge or pronounce to be unfit for use or service
Don’t let satan tell you you are unfit for serving the kingdom of God because of something you may have done or still doing. Struggling with sin the very reason we should run to God when he convicts us.
Our sins have already been condemned on the body of christ. God unleashed all his fury upon christ so that our sins are forgiven...they’ve already been condemned
God has punished ALL sins.
now for conviction.
What is conviction?
Conviction is known in the Bible as Godly sorrow. God's Word tells us that Godly sorrow is what leads us to repentance (Romans 2:3-4). Condemnation tells you, "You are such a failure! Look at what you did!" while conviction tells you, "Come to me... and I will forgive you!"
Not only is God willing to forgive your sins, but He longs (deeply desires) to do so! Isaiah 30:18, "Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him." (NASB)
Romans 2:3-4,3 -4You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he's such a nice God, he'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
Just as a parent disciplines a child...our heavenly father uses conviction to get his point across.
Conviction shows you the answer to your problem. Conviction shows you the blood of Jesus that wipes away your sins.
What is the difference?
Conviction shows you the answer (the Blood of Jesus, which washes away sin), while condemnation shows you the problem (the sin, the past and your failures).
Condemnation shouts, "Your past! Your sins! You loser!" But conviction shouts, "The Blood of Jesus washes away sins! Come to Jesus and be forgiven of your sins! You can be forgiven! Your sins and past don't have to be a part of you anymore!"
Understanding the nature of God's forgiveness
It's so important to understand the nature of God's forgiveness and His desire to wash us clean from our pasts.
(satan may use this verse to condemn)
Hebrews 10 26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
Passage John 3:16-17:
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Once we start following the Lord somehow the enemy make us to believe that the Lord has changed His mind and now wants to try and find ways to condemn us. We should put our trust in God's word and not our feelings.
DOUBLE JEOPARDY- CAN’T BE TRIED FOR THE SAME THING TWICE