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THE DEEPER LIFE |
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THE CHURCH ON HIGHER GROUND |
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HOMEPAGE |
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SERMON NETS HOMEPAGE |
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SERMON NETS MENU |
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HOLINESS AND VICTORY |
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HOMEPAGE |
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SERMON NETS ON HOLINESS |
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HOLINESS #1 |
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SERMON NETS ON VICTORY |
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KEYS TO VICTORY #1 |
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KEYS TO VICTORY #2 |
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KEYS TO VICTORY #3 |
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KEYS TO VICTORY #4 |
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KEYS TO VICTORY #5 |
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HOLINESS #1
| SERMON NETS ON HOLINESS...PAGE #1 SHORT MESSAGES ON HOLINESS OF HEART AND LIFE ON THIS PAGE#1 THE GREATEST SPIRITUAL WORK#2 WE ARE CALLED TO HOLINESS #3 CALLED UNTO HOLINESS #4 HOLINESS, IT IS EVREYWHERE I WANT TO BE #5 SAVED FROM SIN, RHETORIC OR REALITY? #6 STEERED AND POWERED BY PERFECT LOVE <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> |
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#1 THE GREATEST SPIRITUAL WORKJan. 3, 2001On one occasion when I was talking to a brother and he asked me what spiritual things I had seen, I shared a little with him at that time and I would like to share with you now. Though it is true that I have seen healings, cast out demons and other outward manifestations, the greatest work of God I have seen might not seem to be quite so dramatic or exciting... at least to some people. However, Jesus said not to rejoice that we have power over demons, but rather that our names are recorded in heaven. See, the greatest work of God is the changing of lives. It is basically nothing that He has power over demons, or that He can heal the bodies that have been diseased, or any other act of Sovereign power over the natural realm. After all, if He created the heavens and the earth, why shouldn't He be able to change them. However, the human heart, soul, mind was created to be a free moral agent. Humans have power of choice. For Him to change a human heart is more wonderful than changing the direction of a raging river. The real expression of His power is the power to change lives. People have the God given power of choice. God has allowed us to be able to refuse His will and say, "No" to His plan. When His love wins over our rebellion, that is a greater miracle than changing conditions in the natural realm or conquering satan. Remember when the ten lepers were healed? Only one returned to give thanks. Also keep in mind, satan can do mighty works that astound people but he cannot save a soul or change a life for good. The greatest things I have seen in the spirit realm have nothing to do with demons, sickness or natural phenomena. It is the changing of a hateful heart to one of love; changing a lustful person into a pure minded servant of Jesus; delivering from greed, deceit, envy, pride, self-reliance and any other thing that is contrary to the nature of God; the restoring of a broken family, or relationships; the healing of a broken heart because of wrongs suffered or loved ones lost. Plenty of people have been healed by God's goodness and then turned away from Him to the things of this world. Plenty of people have been delivered from demonic grip only to return to it. The greatest work of the Spirit is to transform a child of hell into a child of God, to cleanse us from all sin and perfect our hearts in holiness. I have seen great worship services of praise, shouting, rolling, jumping and swooning. I have listened to people "give the word of the Lord" and then the next day bicker, backbite and be-little others. I have seen these "great saints under the power of the spirit" allow their children to "cut the fool" during worship service while the eternal Word of God was being preached. I have seen them go out to gossip and call it a prayer request, exalt themselves and call it praise for God. I have seen people shake, shout and shine like the sun and then lord it over their wives and oppress their children, disobey their husbands and bad mouth their parents. Yes, the miracles of God are great, but the miracle of a Christ like life is the greatest miracle. Healing will come, demons cast into the lake of fire will come, a new heaven and a new earth and a new Jerusalem will come, but now is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation. The miracle of being conformed to His image and being a partaker of Divine nature, that is the greatest thing I have ever seen. Pastor David BACK TO TOP <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> #2 WE ARE CALLED TO HOLINESS12/9/00 The Scripture tells us from beginning to end to be holy. The Scripture tells us from beginning to end that we can be holy. The Scripture tells us from beginning to end that without being holy we are not acceptable to God. Yet we are constantly being told by those around us (some of whom mean well) that we cannot be holy, we shouldn't even think about being holy and that God does not require holiness. We read the Word and begin to wonder if holiness of heart and life isn't actually attainable in this life, then we hear some preacher read the same passage and proceed to spend a whole sermon explaining how God didn't mean what He said. We need to let God's Word explain itself and quit listening to those who explain God's Word away. Holiness is not a burdensome thing it is a liberating relationship with Jesus. Holiness is not to be confused with legalism which kills, but rather to be understood as a life lived in the power of the Spirit of God, Who, is called, the Holy Spirit. Pastor David BACK TO TOP <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> #3 CALLED UNTO HOLINESS5/13/00 Holiness is such a misunderstood reality today. It has always been misunderstood and despised. Satan has hated it since he turned from his holy state. Satan convinced Eve that it was legalism, claiming that God had said, "...you shall not eat from every tree of the garden." It has been hated ever since the first evangelist of sinning religion preached it in the garden, telling Eve that if she ate the forbidden fruit, "...you won't die." Sinning religion hates God and His holiness. Holiness is a state of being, "be ye holy for I am holy", and it is a way of life "be holy in all manner of conduct." Holiness is required, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, and who shall stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands" (what we do) "and a pure heart" (what we are.) We are not to just be counted as holy, we are to actually be holy by His power and His grace. The Bible tells us to "be holy as He is holy," "righteous as He is righteous" and "pure as He is pure." "His blood cleanses from all sin" (not some of it or most of it.) He saves us "from sin" (not in sin.) His salvation is from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and the pollution of sin. We were predestined to be "conformed to the image of His Son." "Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord." Holiness is a heart condition and a way of life. If we don't have it and live it, we are none of His. Holiness is not self righteousness, or works righteousness or legalism; it is the Person and work of the Holy Spirit in us Who both wills and does God's good pleasure. If any man hates this holiness, they do not despise man, but God Who gives us His Holy Spirit. The problem is, people hate holiness either because they don't understand it (head problem), or because they do understand it (heart problem.) You will not be made holy when you die. Speaking of our eternal destiny at the very end of the Bible, Revelation 22:11 says, "...he that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." None of these passages need to be interpreted, they need to be believed to the point of obedience. Yes, we are called unto holiness. BACK TO TOP <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> #4 HOLINESS, IT IS EVERYWHERE I WANT TO BEMar 18, 2001 In every subject I put energy into studying, I find it interesting that they all focus on God's plan to make His people holy. If you read much of what I write you know that I see holiness on every page of the Bible. Actually I do and even on the cover, that is why it is called the Holy Bible. Biblical Holiness is not a rules and regulation religion, it is a living and loving righteous relationship with God, through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Holiness is not a list of "Thou shalt not's" measured by external restrictions. There are things that are not acceptable for Christians, but they are things we do not do because we love Him and want to please Him. Holiness is not how high we jump in worship service or how loud we shout, but how straight we walk in our daily lives. Also, holiness is not just living a pure life, but allowing God to make our heart pure and holy. Holiness is not just what we do, it is what we are inside. I will continue to teach and write about whatever truths God leads into from His word, but you can figure that it will always be related to holiness since that is what God requires for us if we want to spend eternity with Him. And that is why I try to end my lessons and posts with Upward and Onward in Jesus, Pastor David on Higher Ground BACK TO TOP <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> #5 SAVED FROM SIN, RHETORIC OR REALITY?Oct 19, 2001 As we read the Scriptures we discover a wonderful truth; God has provided a salvation which "...saves His people from their sin." We read verses which say the Gospel is "...the power of God unto salvation" and "...the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin" and "he who is born of God does not commit sin." These are just a few of the verses we read which declares that we are to be saved from sin. As we listen to Christian music and personal testimonies we hear people say that they are saved from sin. But when we talk to individual Christians and read or listen to popular teaching, preaching and some music we are bombarded with the concept that we are only saved from the penalty of our sins, not actually saved from sin. And there is a vast difference between the two. Those who have been raised in a church setting are often convinced that they can never be set free from or saved from the presence and power of sin. They are taught that they will always sin and that they will always have an inner desire to sin. They have been told they "have been forgiven" but they cannot be saved from a sinning life. When people hide or change the Word of God it matters not whether they are Roman Catholic or Baptist, it is still wrong. Read God's Word. It is too bad that people can't start out their lives reading the Bible for themselves. They would be delivered from a great deal of confusion and disappointment. As a matter of fact, when people read the Bible they come across verse after verse which contradicts what they have been taught. The Bible says, "Be ye holy, for I am Holy" and "Be righteous, for I am righteous" and that everyone who has their hope on seeing Jesus, "purifies himself, just as He is pure." These are just a few of the many passages which tell us we can be "saved from sin." However, when we speak to most pastors or other Christians about these verses, we are told that these verses don't mean what they say or that God does not really expect us to live like that in this world today. We are told that God would like for us to live without sinning, but our sin is too great. WHAT, OUR SIN IS GREATER THAN HIS GRACE? Paul said, "where sin did abound, grace did much more abound", and he also said we should not "...continue in sin that grace might abound". When we get down to it, the Bible does not mean what It says at all if we listen to most people. But the fact is, the BIBLE DOES MEAN WHAT IT SAYS. The question is not, "Does the Bible mean what it says?", but rather, "Will I believe and live what the Bible says?" I think it is time for people to be honest and consistent. When God's Word says one thing and people disagree with what It says, it is time to start listening to God and stop listening to satan, who has always said that we can sin and not die. That has been his lie from the beginning, and today there are many high powered and high salaried men who preach the "bad news" of the devil rather than the "Good News" of Jesus, "Greater is He Who is in you, than he who is in the world" and "count yourselves to be dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus" and "No temptation has overtake you but such as is common to man and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to stand." When it comes to people saying that Jesus saved them from sin, there is much more rhetoric than there is reality. ON THE OTHER HAND, when the Bible says that Jesus saves from sin, it is ALL REALITY FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE. BACK TO TOP <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> #6 STEERED AND POWERED BY PERFECT LOVEHere is a poem I wrote one night as I watched an approaching storm. I stood on a pier and the lights of the shore seemed to reach out and spotlight the breaking waves as they beat toward the beach. The pier shook and swayed as the swells crashed up and down the coast. As I stood there watching, thinking; I likened life to a fitful sea and these words gripped me in just a matter of moments. I ran to the other end of the pier to find a pen and paper to jot down this poem. Staring out at the deep, dark sea, Arouses thoughts that challenge me, To shove my bark, through the crashing waves And reach a land that my spirit craves. In spite of dark and tossing brine, And chills that grip this mortal spine, My soul cries out for that waiting shore, Where wind and wave offend no more. Though darkness and the strength of hell, Are bound up in each rising swell, My chart and compass point above, I'm steered and powered by perfect love You see, PERFECT LOVE is the heart condition of those who have surendered everything to Jesus. When we lay no claim to ourselves, we can lay claim to all God has for us. Holiness is perfect love. As the Scriptures say, "Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord" and it also says, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." See what I am saying, Perfect Love is Holiness. Contact me if you are interested in this wonderful truth. Pastor David BACK TO TOP <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> |
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