Hot Button Issues

Harvest podcasts between Pastor Greg Laurie are brought to you by harvest partners to receive pastor Greg free online daily devotions or to become a harvest partner, please visit us online@harvest.org free now, Lord, you are the God who say the Lord who is here legato hears and answers prayers and we pray Lord as we look in your word that we will see this world as you want us to see it through a biblical length of thinking scripturally, not emotionally thinking logically Lord as you give us truth in the word of God. So we commit this time a Bible study to now we have your blessing on it. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. You can receive it, let's turn our Bibles to Exodus chapter 20 the title of my message today is hot button issues. Do you want to know what the nonbelievers favorite verse is first of all let me tell you what it is that it's not John 316, there was a time when just about everybody can recite John 316, perhaps along with the Lord's prayer or Psalm 23 from memory no longer most people don't know John 316, the favorite verse of nonbelievers is Matthew 71.

I doubt that they even know what the references but they like what it says and though usually say it after you say something like we know what, I don't think that's right. Now here's their favor birth, who are you to judge me. Doesn't the Bible say Judge not lest you be John. How many of your heard that before and you think will what would you say that with the second understand that that person is not telling you, you should not make judgments because in other passages, we read that we as believers are indeed to make a valuation to be discerning and yes to make judgments about the Scripture even asked the question, are saints not worthy to judge even the smallest matters in the Bible also tells us judgment begins in the house of God. We are to judge but were not to condemn and that's my way really a better translation of the verse would be condemned, not lest you be condemned. I'm in no position to condemn a person but I am in a position to make judgments about things about situations about viewpoints and even about people. To some degree judge not lest you be judged. This is said by people who don't like it when we dare to have a world view. I find the most narrow minded people around of the ones who claim to be the most broad minded don't you. Those who claim to be the most accepting are often the most unaccepting because when a Christian has an opinion on something. The nonbeliever will say well how dare you say that. Who are you to make out a valuation or that judgment for its interior. Something we hear a lot from nonbeliever all religions essentially teach the same thing right. How many of you have heard that before. Let me just say anyone who says that doesn't know anything about the great religions of the world today because of one thing is clear it is that they do not teach the same thing and this is been illustrated quite effectively in the news in the last couple of days. We all know about what happened to Tiger Woods and he offered what is been described as his mea culpa in a press conference that he held and he acknowledged his infidelities then he accepted responsibility for what he had done and he said in this statement he made, and I quote that he had actively practice is made from childhood. But obviously had lost track of what he was taught and I think Tiger reveals his Buddhism Tiger was raised as a Buddhist you see anything I've strayed from my faith but I meant to get back to it.

Now here's the problem with Buddhism as they do not believe in a personal God, that is there to forgive a person that you make a statement like that voters do not believe that there is a personal God will forgive people and some people jump right down your throat if they how insensitive and unkind. If you say that you do say that about Buddhist wait a second. That's not me.

I thought unkind. That's what Buddhists say about themselves back after Tiger made this statement. Buddhist leader New York City say quote Buddhist do not believe in a personal God, and there is no one to forgive you, there you have it from well a Buddhist I Dir. minutes of a meditation center New York City said, quote redemption is defined as being forgiven by a God that is outside of ourselves. Buddhist don't believe in a God that outside of ourselves. So I bring this up to point out how absurd it is when people say all religions teach the same thing with Christianity and Buddhism certainly don't Buddhism says there is no personal God. There to forgive you. Christianity says there is a personal God there to forgive you who sent his son to die in the cross and pay the price for your sin so you can indeed be forgiven a Boston University professor and Buddhism told the press after Tiger Woods made his confession quote you of the law of karma no matter what Woods says or does, he is going up the paper whatever wrongs he is done.

There's no accountant in the sky, wiping sins off your balance sheet like the risen Christianity."

Accountant in the sky when that's not exactly how I would describe God but yet he had one part of it right there is in Christianity, the offer of the removal of sins. Indeed, commentator Rick Humes had the audacity to suggest that what Tiger Woods really needed was a relationship with Jesus Christ and this was considered very controversial in a roundtable discussion with other newspeople. Britt Hume said of Tiger. He said he's a Buddhist I don't think that they thought were the kind of forgiveness and redemption that offered by the Christian faith. So my advice to Tiger would be Tiger turn to the Christian faith in you can make a total recovery to be a great example to the world." That's called Christian worldview that is a believer who is obviously seeing things through a biblical length well. As Rick Hume said it. You go ahead and see what happens say the name of Jesus and all hell will break loose.

And indeed it did among his peers and columnists and others.

In fact, one commentator said that statement by Britt Hume.

The fact that a journalist and I use that term loosely as it pertains to Hume foregoing a national news show and put down another high profile individuals may to tell us all that religious bigotry and bigotry as a whole is a growing problem in this country.

Religious bigotry why is it bigoted to express an opinion about your faith. Actually what he said about Buddhism was accurate what he said about Christianity was also accurate but yet because he dared to express an opinion he is called big. This is the kind of culture were living in today. Reviewed dare to say something is right or wrong.

You are labeled intolerance, bigoted people I heater so with that backdrop in mind, let's deal with some of the most controversial topics in our culture today, we can identify them as hot button issues abortion, capital punishment, homosexuality, self-defense, and the use of force now only deal with these topics, ask a favor of you and that is that you respond biblically and logically not emotionally because sometimes when you say the things that I'm about to say that some will have a knee-jerk reaction and they'll say something along the lines of my God would never do that since all remember in our study in the 10 Commandments we've already realized that when we come up with quote our God, which is really our self that were worshiping.

It's not a God at all, but it's having another God before Izzy. So let's just see what the Bible says in these topics so we can think about them properly because that's what this series is called worldview because worldview is how we see life around us and we want a biblical worldview. Everyone has a worldview. Everyone believes something even those that say they don't believe anything actually believe something. The question is, is your worldview, biblical or incident.

What is the biblical worldview. It's been defined by John MacArthur in this book, think biblically, as is this quote.

The first will be based on two major presuppositions.

The first will be the eternal existence of the personal transcendent try you creator God. Second, the God of Scripture has revealed his character purposes and will and the infallible and inerrant pages of his special revelation. The Bible, which is superior to any other source of revelation or human reason alone simplified. There is a living God and he has revealed himself in the pages of Scripture. Therefore we as believers accept the fact that we have absolute truth from God we develop our Christian worldview view from what the Bible teaches. The objective is not to conform the Bible to the changing culture, but the change or conform the changing culture to what the Bible teaches. So let's deal with some of these issues.

Capital punishment self-defense is it ever justify what about homosexuality.

Why is it wrong it is it possible that a person is born that way. What about the family. What is it what isn't it and then we'll talk also about abortion.

Are you awake yet. Fasten your seatbelt.

It's going to be a bumpy ride. Looking at the 10 Commandments.

Remember their divided into two groups of four and six not as some would think five and five.

The first floor have to do with my relationship with God final six had to do with my relationship with people.

The first four Commandments.

We've already looked at together. Commandment number one shall have no other gods before commandment number two you shall have no graven images commandment number three you shall not take the Lord's name in vain and finally commandment number four you shall keep the Sabbath day. Now we come to commandment number five verse 12 Exodus 20 honor your father and your mother honor your father and your mother and all the parents said hey it's about time for word is spoken about how to treat others. God starts with the family.

I don't think anything can bring greater pleasure than our family do things can give us as much pain as our families, kids have problems with parents. Parents are problems with. Sometimes he will see woman I came from a dysfunctional family. Yeah, welcome to the club welcome to humanity. My question is, who doesn't have a dysfunctional family.

I came from a dysfunctional family and I am the head of a dysfunctional family only had one other thing. My wife and I will been married 36 years have irreconcilable differences.

Thank you for your products. We have irreconcilable differences. She's neat and I'm messy. She sometimes late and I usually early. She's cute and I'm fat. These are irreconcilable. Why because she just gets cuter and I keep getting fatter but that's not something we would ever dissolve our marriage over. I'm just pointing out every body is dysfunctional.

Everybody has irreconcilable differences. I'm tired of these statements being used, to excuse people who disregard what the Bible says the family is so important. Our very existence as a society depends on the success of the family. Maybe that's why Satan hates it so much and tries to undermine and destroy it. It's been said a family can survive without a nation but a nation cannot survive without the family and yet there such an attack today on the family.the Bible tells us at one of the signs of the last days would be a breakdown in the family and a disrespect for parents in particular. First Timothy 32 says men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, bolsters proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, peers God's word for our culture. God's word for a society hears God's word for us.

Honor your father and mother. Notice it says honor your father and your mother does not say honor your father and your father for honor your mother and your other mother, brother, your mother and her live-in lover or her partner or whatever we tamper with God's template at our own peril course is a movement afoot to redefine marriage and family today media and modern culture are pushing for same-sex marriage. The normalization of homosexuality is gaining momentum and movement today and by the way, let me add this. This is not merely a political issue. Bread. This is a moral issue. This is a biblical issue okay okay will you know I have my politics and you will you're gonna want to know what your politics are either relieving care about your politics out much.

But I'll tell you this much. This is a clear-cut issue in Scripture and you really going to think about it biblically, or your nothing to think about it biblically, but the Bible is very clear on this topic that homosexuality is God is not in God's order is it in the garden of Eden.

He brought a man and a woman together with Adam and he thought Adam and Steve. God is not anti-gay God is anti-sin. No matter how it is expressed and he loves all people and wants him to come to repentance and someone will think we're homophobic to say that I hate homophobe. I think I need anything phobic you know usually got an anything in your something phobic you know you're critical of alcoholic you're drunk phobic you speak out against cataract chatter phobic will you speak out against what I'm saying from Scripture. So you're a Bible of phobic, so there were a Christ of phobic, listen, I'm a sinner phobic no matter how sin expresses itself. God deals with. Let me make a statement that some will not agree with the wrong kickers. I know I get letters. greg@harvest.org ready. Here's a statement you're not born gay and alcoholism is not a disease that sensitive will mean that so hard so judge mental so biblical. Why do I see them not born gay know you're not.

You're born a sinner and I will acknowledge that as a person was born with a sinful nature, you might be attracted to members of the same set really that can happen and I would also acknowledge that as a person was born a sinner you might be more prone to issues of addiction.

Some people if they touch alcohol or get involved in drugs. They become addicts.

Okay, so there are certain people that are perhaps more vulnerable in those areas. But having said that all of these things can be overcome with the power of the Holy Spirit. I've met people who were addicts who no longer are and are now under the control of the Holy Spirit.

I've met people were homosexuals that are now living a heterosexual lifestyle. If you're born gay.

How do you stop being gay. If you were born that way answer you were born that way, you were born a sinner in need of a Savior who can change you and help you live the life you've called you to live that would improve Corinthian six, 9 to 10 it says don't you know that those who do wrong will have no share in the kingdom of God for yourself. Those who indulge in sexual sin or idol worshipers. We don't without a ready adulterers, prostitutes, homosexuals, these greedy people, drunkards, abusers, swindlers, none of these will have a share in the kingdom of God. Listen, the Bible does not give a confused statement on this topic.

There's no confusion on the issue unless your confusion is with the Bible Romans chapter 1 verses 22 to 27 layout as plainly as it could be laid out with the Bible teaches on this topic.

God's order is for the family to be a man and a woman, a husband and a wife faithful to each other. We need to respect that, and given the honor that it deserves how I think God for the couple's of them stayed together and raise their children in the way of the Lord. If you came from a family where mom and dad stayed together and raise you as a Christian, you need to really thank them on as a kid growing up I came from a divorced Tallman. We moved around a lot and people would soon find out. I didn't have a dad that was considered scandalous back in the 20 I'm not that old. Actually, that 50s and early 60s hold your mom's divorce all you don't have a dad now it's considered curious if you have a mom and dad together. Your mom and dad are together you live with both of what's wrong with you know someone will ask me sometimes on with my wife the home be been married will see 36 years. It's like their job drops to the ground. For starters, my wife looks like she's 36 and then secondly they notice how fat I am second reference to that whole ivory third reference word actually because the word Hebrew for honor your father or mother needs to be heavy or to give way. See that's what it's all about the but it doesn't mean it that way.

What it means is dirt. This is a weighty thing to be a parent you know to put it in 60s vernacular. This is heavy. Do know really there's a lot of responsibility that goes with being a parent. Honor your mom and dad give them the recognition they deserve for their God-given authority, respect and esteem and value enterprise and as gifts from God even when they say that one thing that every kid to hear from their parents, mom, why can I go and do that so because I told you so. All but why because I said so all I hate that you watch when the you be sanded to make the 11 people talk about raising kids to have a one-year-old or a two-year-old. I love this even dispensing parental advice know what my advice to you is shot out. You don't even talk to me until you had a teenager and lived to tell the story, you'll understand the advice of Mark Twain who said this about raising the team" things were going pretty smoothly until your kid reaches 13 that the time you need to stick him in a bear hammer the lid down nice and snug and feed him to the knothole. Then he had when they turn 16, plug up the knothole try. Okay kids listen up, you are to honor and obey your parents, but the Bible says. Colossians 320 to 21 children, obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing to the Lord is the Phillips translation puts it in you children your duty is to obey your parents write your rate. This is one of the best things you can do to show your love for God. This is hard though because sometimes kids will look at their parents and think that they don't know what they're talking about. How could you say that to me. Why won't you let me do this thing.

What's wrong with you again to quote Mark Twain, he said, quote, when I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I can hardly stand to have the old man around when I got to be 21. I was astonished at how much you learned in seven years. Monthly magazine article I read years ago that describes how a child sees their parents. As the years pass and this is specifically about dad at four years old. The child says my daddy can do anything at seven they say my daddy knows a lot a whole lot anything to say. My father doesn't know quite everything that's well all well actually my dad does know about that either. 14. Dad is so out of date 21 data solely 25 that news a little bit about it but not too much age 30. It's find out what God thinks about the age 35, before we sign this get dad's idea. First, that 51 what my dad would've thought about that and at 60 that 60 you know what my dad knew literally everything. When asked the question what about of my parents are not Christians, should I still honor the answers yes you should honor your father and mother back that may be the way that you win them to the Lord.

Listen to this hardest people to reach our members of your own family your mom your dad your brother, your sister, your extended family as well listen. Even Jesus did not reach his whole family before his death and resurrection, and who was a better example than Jesus Christ. He never did anything wrong. Can you imagine being one of Jesus siblings having Mary lecture you why can't you be more like Jesus. Look at how your brother behaves look at how respectful he is looking a hearty work be more like Jesus but mommies like perfect. I want you to ask yourself a question young man when you meet before you make a decision you ask yourself this.

What would Jesus do, there's a little bracelet to where mom, I don't know where WW JD no Ma Jesus was perfect, yet it wasn't until he died and resurrected his mother believe yeah so give nonbelieving parents obey them. Well, what if they tell me to do something that's a sin before God. Like what taking your bad cleaning up your room, taking out the trash, doing your chores doing your homework now… If your parents would ask you to do something that is on biblical you are not required to do that if your parents were to say you cannot believe in Jesus Christ, it's okay. Under those circumstances to disobey them because sometimes one law supersedes another site when the apostles were told it was illegal to preach the gospel because well sorry guys but we must obey God and not man to God is your ultimate authority, but her but under other circumstances, obey your parents and honor them as much. As you can because guess what one day you get a little bit older and you'll get married and you love kids and you'll find yourself saying the things you promised you would never say you'll find yourself saying your child before you can check yourself.

What do you think I have a money tree somewhere will I see if all your friends jumped off a cliff, would you jump off to.

I can't believe I just said that my mom used to say that to me.

My dad used to say that you're so easy when I was a kid. No border to it is when parents see their children walk with the Lord as were told of her purse. John, I have no greater joy to know that my children walk in truth.

Commandment number six verse 13 you shall not kill.

You shall not kill know we live in such a violent and murderous culture today. It's a wash and violence and killing over 2 million people. Your become violent crime victims but listen a better translation of this verse would be thou shall not murder. Murder would be the better translation of the word instead of kill. This commandment obviously forbids the taking of another human life or no justifiable reason time doesn't allow me to go into a but suffice it to say that the Bible does not condemn all killing a careful reading of Numbers 35 reveals that there is a difference between killing and murder. Not all murder.

Of course, is killing but not all, killing is necessarily murder. There are times when death is permissible though not desirable to like when about self-defense, and someone breaks in your house with the intent of killing you and your family. Do you have a right to defend yourself. Are you just get a standard for all praise the Lord say praise the Lord and pass the ammunition to his when Jesus and his disciples out to preach the gospel. He told him to take a sword. Why should they take a sword for shish kebab to defend yourself with the sword. That's why they had every right to defend themselves as do you. Self-defense when we were struck by these murderous terrorists who attacked us. That's justifiable we can try to stop people who are bent on taking innocent lives that is justifiable. Someone will say: no man that's wrong because all killing is sin, and if we kill them. They were just as bad as they are, that's so stupid to say that you know you call that moral equivalency will all killing is wrong. Not necessarily. You see, let me ask you this was the United States wrong to stop the Nazis from eradicating the Jewish people from the face of the planet.

In World War II without a just cause if it was.

There are times when war it's not desirable, but we have to do what we have to do to defend human life. God is established laws to govern our culture by those that break those laws will face repercussions, and they know it. God is even establish the police and the military. According to Scripture.

Romans 13 says the authorities do not frighten people were doing right but they frighten people were doing wrong to do what they say and you get along well.

The authorities are said by God to help you but if you're doing something wrong occurred, you should be afraid you'll be punished.

The authorities are established by God for that very purpose to punish those who do wrong. You know when you're breaking the law you hate cop and you're paranoid everything you see you go. Oh, it's the man.

The man, the pace that he you know your your the meeting when you're driving will slow down DC slowdown what is slowdown going to go that's fine. See if you're doing regular remains police officer that same way about me to want to become a party wanted to get the respect what they're doing. I've spent a lot of time with police officers in the chapel of the police department done right along with them and number of occasions. I can only imagine it's funny when you just go out in a public place for the cop in uniform how people react to what you know, child.

There's a cop you knows that the bags got the mace's got the gun's got the donut helicopter like yeah have in place hereby got you shut up.so it's what amazing how people react so they do. Just you know in that good-looking, why because he represents the law even placer by God, as has the military does that mean that everything a police officer doesn't the military doesn't always write no but does that mean that these are institutions established by the Lord himself. The answer is yes awake.

What does it mean to not murder board murder can be translated to – and peace. It understand this the word that is used here for thou shall not murder.

Exodus 20 never describes the death of an animal nor does it describe the death of an opponent in war, nor does it describe the depth of capital punishment. By the way, you may disagree with me on this below state my position. I believe in capital punishment. I believe the Bible teaches. There are good people on both sides of this debate so I would not say a person is not a believer of the disagree with me in this position.

I respect someone who sees it differently, but I personally believe the Bible teaches capital punishment by Genesis 96 is you must execute anyone who murders another person for to kill a person is to kill a living being made in God's image. Now were assuming, of course, that that person would be guilty beyond any doubt whatsoever before they were sent to be executed, but the ironic thing is often you will see those people having their vigil their candlelight vigil for the person who murdered a family or or murdered a child or did some horrible crime deserving of capital punishment and though be praying in the beef holding up signs that say thou shall not kill Michael, but that's not what it means it's thou shall not murder. That's the person that murdered in there. Here's a funny thing. I've met people that are against capital punishment, but they support abortion makes no sense to me so effectively. They want to destroy the innocent and spare the guilty plea. I want to spare the innocent the pre-born child and punish those that are guilty about penalty like that and let's deal with that topic. Now abortion sometimes loses a controversial topic in controversy among any time anyone says there's a lot of controversy among theologians effort.

The center was a reset it but someone doesn't matter really, but so many upset about that. They said we you know, even theologians debate when life begins. Really, what theologians are those I really don't. Many theologians that the Bateman life. He gets out and have a theologian believes in the Bible. I know what the believing what they'll say they don't believe in the Bible and I'm sure the come up with something else. But let me say the Bible does not give an unclear word on the topic of when life begins life begins at conception to birth. It begins at conception. This is absolute.

Listen to David's words as he spoke of being in the womb. Psalm 139 verse 13 you made all of my delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex. Your workmanship is marvelous how well I know what you watch me as I was being formed in utter seclusion as I was woven together in the dark of the womb you saw me before I was born every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid up for a single day had passed, showing that God has a plan for each of us even before birth. God says in Jeremiah 15.

I knew you informed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you notice that God says I formed you in your mother's womb. Each child is created by God and should be given a chance to live.

God does not say. I waited until you were born I have a plan for you because you're not a human. Yet, you're just massive tissue know got out a plan before the child was out of the womb Max locator said my quote. You were deliberately plan specifically gifted and lovingly position on this earth by the master craftsman," she see. I was conceived out of wedlock. I wasn't plan. I wasn't meant to be. I'm so glad my mom didn't get an abortion as she easily could have done but I was brought to term and allowed to live my life every child has a right to live. What about the mother's right.

The mother's right is to protect the child. There are no illegitimate children, every child is legitimate in the eyes of God. No matter how they were conceived.

Despite this, abortion is effectively used by many as a form of birth control and surpassing of Roe V Wade in the early 70s 50 million babies have been aborted. I wonder if one of those babies would've grown up to find the cure for cancer of one of those babies would've been the president of the United States in one of those babies would've been a great preacher. One of those babies would've done something to help our world but will never know because they were silent. Stop abortion is going to do a $500 million a year industry in the US and it takes in 10 billion worldwide here something that is rarely discussed when girls get abortion and many of them get repeated go back again and again for abortions. Later on they experience a much higher depression rate than other girls and attempt suicide far more often than those who did not get an abortion. It's not the answer. If you conceived a child and it's possible marrying the father and raise the child if you can't do that then raise the child as a single mother. If you can't do that they carry the child. The term and give it up for adoption.

Abortion is never the answer, but will find ways to describe a pre-born baby will call them fetuses embryo globs of the cells uterine contents, products of conception of my favorite. This is a phrase that is actually used. Not trying to be humorous, potential human being overly well, for they become potential human beings while they might turn endorse you never know know it's a human being a pre-born human being listen to this.

It's more than a potential human being is a human being with incredible potential made in the image of God for this. I don't know who's getting here this mess because it's here later. It will be on radio and it will be on podcasts or however people listen to it, but there might be some mother somewhere that will cure this that has a child in her womb, and she's thinking of an abortion.

I would just safe for any woman who was a child in your thinking about this, go get a sonogram. The reason I say that is a sonogram. Is this technology with a can effectively take up photograph of the child in the womb of the can do video now as well with the new Imogene and so forth. You know you can really see what the child looks like, and studies have found that of those women who are considering abortion and then went and got a sonogram 90% of them decided against the abortion because it just became real to them.

Those are not uterine contents that is your little baby right there was every right to live. What about of the mother's life is in danger. It's asked is all that's supposed to excuse all abortions on the mother's life is endangered what she thought I was in danger. Could've been a danger that what about that is not an acceptable risk.

What you say your mom you found out you're pregnant and the doctor said you if you carry this baby to term. There is a possibility you could die giving birth. All the board and what the second. Let me ask you a question is a mother if you saw your child running across the street and a car was coming toward your talk what you put your life your body in the way of the car and pushed your child out of the path to save them know why not mother's life was in danger know the child's life is in danger.

The parent lays a life down for the child about the other way around any proper parent would do that and I might add. They would do it instinctively that whenever somebody give a little sermon on a first just to be knee-jerk, will save child you know do whatever it takes to one of the mother's life is in danger about this. What if they tell you your life is in danger and you have the baby anyway and then you live through it and everything is good, like what happened with Tim Tebo heard of him. Tim's parents were Christian missionaries in the Philippines in 1987 when Pam Tim's mother contracted amoebic dysentery, the leading cause of death in the country she was pregnant with Tim, her fifth child at the time she was very dehydrated and very sick. They did not have access to the best medical care and a doctor told her to abort the baby. The reason being that the powerful medication she would need for all problem of immediate amoebic dysentery would kill the child so don't do it. He said abort the baby and she decided to carry the baby to term her and her husband pray and the boy survived and mother survived and they both recognize this was a gift from God.

Will Tim is now a strapping 6.3, 240 pounds doing to 2007 Heisman Trophy winner quarterback of the University of Florida and not only that, but Tim Tebo is a bold witness for Jesus Christ and speaks up for his sake did he have a right to live someone listening to this message might say, will you know Greg find what you're saying but you made me very uncomfortable today because I've had an abortion. So what about me. Have I killed an innocent human being actually to be truthful. You have will what now what now you need forgiveness. The same God that tells you not to do something has made a way for you to be forgiven. He doesn't offer you karma.

He offers you forgiveness in the Bible tells us in first on one night if we will confess our sin.

These people just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness to God can cleanse any sin we can say well, I've never had an abortion.

I've never murdered another person. We feel pretty good about that right never committed this other thing you mentioned the other way to second. We've all broken these commandments in some way shape or form. Case in point.

Jesus takes this commandment were looking at right now and he refers to the sermon on the Mount and he says you've heard of that that it has been said, you shall not murder but I say unto you, that if you are angry with your brother without a cause shall be subject to judgment. Have you ever hated anyone everywhere hated anyone so bad you wish they were dead. Oh no, not me.

Let me rephrase the question. Have you ever driven on the freeway in Southern California. Come on now, let's be honest well I have a strong dislike for certain people have that person were to walk in the room.

Your blood would just start up all all I do you read John 315 says, anyone who hates his brother is really a murderer at heart niches that is murdering. Here's what it it's a sin before God and this is something God says if you have this attitude you are committing this sin as well so we can feel good about not murdering but if we ever hated anybody the Bible tells us in Ephesians 431 get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, artwork, and slander and all kinds of malicious behavior because I knew each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ is forgiven you. The Bible teaches we are to love not hate our enemies love them and forgive them to.

We only God's forgiveness today. It's not standing here today is some pompous preacher looking down and everyone saying this what you want to do are all sinners. We've all broken God's commandments in some way shape or form. We all need forgiveness. We all need help and he offers it graciously and lovingly that we will come to him and enclosing.

Maybe you've never put your faith in Jesus Christ you don't know what it is they have the hope of eternal life.

Or maybe you've come in here today, loaded down with guilt.

Maybe you've had an abortion, maybe you literally killed someone. Maybe you have a heart filled with hatred. Maybe you had another godhood forum or something else.

Whatever it is you're aware of your sin, but God doesn't make you aware that Cindy driving away in despair to make you aware of that said so you will run under the open arms of Jesus who says I love you and I will forgive you if you like knowledge or sin, what it was. Don't make excuses for it turn from it and put your faith in me. I will pardon you completely because Jesus on the cross, shed his blood for you and died for every sin that we are all committed and he'll give you his complete forgiveness today.

If you will come to him now working to close in prayer, to give you an opportunity to get right with God to come to Christ if necessary to return to the Lord, because you gone astray.

Let's pray father, thank you for your word to us. It's been a bit uncomfortable at times and hard, perhaps for some, but truth is truth, and we believe it and we accepted the Lord there might be some that have been made aware of their sin. They feel guilt right now they feel deep sorrow but yet Scripture tells us that godly sorrow leads to repentance and I pray that they will find forgiveness and you now what I had said about her eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say today. Greg, I need forgiveness I done something that is a sin before God and I feel guilt I want to be forgiven. I want this guilt taken away.

I want relief and rest.

I'm ready to come to the Lord follow him and turn from that sin, pray for me today affect your desire.

If you want Christ to come of your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know you go to heaven when you die you phone away from the Lord, and you want to come back to him again, would you lift your hand up right now wherever you're sitting and I'll pray for you today slipped up your Hannah pray for you, bless you bless you and her toward the front. Bless you in the middle. God bless you in the aisle. Anybody else up in the balcony, lift your hand up. I'll pray for you, bless you Ellison. There are those of you outside in the amphitheater.

I can see you out there, but I want you to raise your hand up as well. If you need to make this commitment or recommitment to Christ. There are those of you up in the building we call the court with the big screen want you lift your hand up to. Again, I can't see you, but the Lord sees you lift your hand and say I want Christ right now anybody else given lifted her hand yet. Come bless each one father think you know for each of these give them the strength to stand up and follow you and receive your forgiveness we pray in Jesus name, amen