Romans Chapter 3:10-15

You know early in my personal life I would look at people who would mess your passionate fire believer that I was also within the real happens to us all. So the key friend is and if you're going to mess up your gonna mess up, but what do you do when you mess up, you run back to dad and said that he forgive welcome to cross the bridge with dignity. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina.

The truth is that everyone of us is for it because of that we shouldn't be quick to judge. Today, pastor Bailey continues this theme from his teaching in the book of Romans chapter, but before we get into today's teaching from beginning to end. The Bible shows the special nature of God's relationship with the nation.

But what does that have to do with today.

Romans chapter 11 tells us that God's covenant relationship with Israel has huge implications for to help you understand more. Pastor David wants to sing video recorded in the holy land called is the Bible. This powerful resource will encourage and strengthen as you learn how connected you all. But God's chosen Israel the Bible and you is I would think for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death's visit cross the bridge.com to request Lookup again. Let's cross the bridge. Now, here's David with his teaching, God is seeking turn with me to Romans chapter 3 verse 10. That's where we left off last week with a gap in verse 10 it says, as it is written, there is none righteous, no not one verse 11 there is none who understands, there is none who seeks after God's. We talked a little bit last week about the verse 10 that all people.

Everyone of us stands under a guilty verdict if you will, there is none of us who have ever done everything right is none of us who have never done any going through our entire life and never done anything wrong so we talked about how the foot of the cross is is level for all of us naming leaves in the verse 11 and says there's none who understands, there is none who seeks after God. That's really a profound statement of you think about it because we think that we seek after God and and and and and we do, but it is at his initiation. She starts the process is not like it one day you just woke up, you thought you know I want to be a better person. I will start seeking the Lord I'm going to dirt and start praying. I will start reading about.

That's not what happened.

Friend what happened was the Holy Spirit pursued you he chased you when you were running and trying to hide. God was still coming after you going come to me come to me come to me and after years probably of that going on. You said okay Lord I give injury and because you're doing something in me. I will now seek you, and we use that phrase. I found the Lord. I understand I understand the phrase with that we find God was God lost. When we found him not notice it found is more than we found God because he was pursuing a sink and this is just a theological truth for 2000 years ago, 57, 58 A.D. when Paul wrote this is true today. God is seeking God desired for you to come here today free to hear the things you're here right now to be reminded of how much he loves you and how much he wanted. He wants to communicate to Luke chapter 19 verse 10 says that for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost as a reason he came to seek us to save us, and it's still going on and I don't know if you've ever gone through one of those phases were you decided you wanted jump up on the fence you know you cannot straddle between your relationship with the Lord in your relationship with the world and maybe even just ran off like the prodigal, but God wasn't. He didn't just say okay bye-bye done, he sought after you continue to look for a reminder that that story about the parable of the prodigal son in Luke chapter 15 verse 20 and it says and he arose and came to his father. Speaking of the prodigal when he was still a great way off, his father Solomon had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. What struck me about that.

I read the story. I don't know dozens of times and it one time I was reading it and something struck me about this it is he arose and came to his father but when he was still a great way off, his father Solomon had compassion, and the father see him when he was a long way off. There's only one answer friend. The father was sitting there waiting, looking, searching, and as soon as a prodigal son popped up from a great distance.

The father saw him and took joy is that the way you see God for a lot of us, maybe grew up in religious and denominational things were really didn't see that side of God know that longtime is a backslider, ran from what I call the big stick God and what I mean by that is, you know, I was wondering I was doing my own thing and I thought you know if I came back to the Lord. The first thing that was going to happen is he was going to beat me with a big stick and he was kind waiting to do that and I came to realize that that's not what he wanted to do it one to welcome me back on their forget measure this before, but a buddy who custom craft guitars makes him from basically from scratch and and maybe some guitars and stuff works a lot of professionals and stuff and he's he's a believer you know and he was a friend and then my wandering days. I really didn't want to talk to him because I thought Manny's gonna nation is going to bash me skinny yell at me in all these sorts of things is not to be good so I needed some work done so I came off the road and then went to the shop and knew he was working on the instruments and stuff.

He didn't say anything didn't yell what man was angry. Everything I set my thought okay you maybe I'll get out of here alive got nothing. As we walked towards the door.

He turned to me sitting on a mission.

I love man the tears started to well up in my I will ran for the door because I knew I had to get out of there before fell apart. But as I got out of my vehicle. I realized that what he had just told me was what God was with Satan not he wanted me to come to yet he could spank me and beat me with a big stick but he missed me and he loved me, thinking that friend God, Creator of the universe seeks a relationship with you to give you a sunrise, to remind you that he's created all this and loves you your installments here in his heart. It's not that he's just like sending you spam mail or something you know I mean I don't know about you get a warm fuzzy when you get spam mail. I don't because need to stop that and you know he is a you love God you forward this to hundred people got send you spam mail is reminding you how much he loves you and any seeking a relationship with you and he's causing you to seek him, but God friend.

God is the initiator you weren't the initiator unit also and come to your senses and decide your run straight up start line right and all that stuff. So the life lessons the Lord is seeking or looking for you.

The Lord is seeking or looking for you constantly when you're out of fellowship with the Lord. He's looking for you he misses you. He desires that really BTV take this whole book the whole Bible, the whole Bible is about God seeking and looking for you seeking and looking for people you go back to the garden and and Adam and he fell and then God came up with a well as a whole garden about God having time a relationship with Pete after the garden that many felt then the tabernacles put in place the tabernacle place. It was what was it about God, desiring a relationship meeting with people when you move into the temple of the temple about God, desiring relationship meeting with people will scour the cross about God, desiring relationship with the people you go to the end of the book of the book of Revelation. What was that about God, desiring, and finally meeting face-to-face with the so that whole whole book is wrapped up in the that God is the initiator and God desires to have a relationship with us and as we respond to that relationship God begins the changes from the inside.

But keep in mind friend that it is the Lord that's doing. How did you come to be here this morning.

It's not by mistake, some by accident summary my friend Amy, he brought me with a cappuccino. He said about came again a cappuccino. So here I am driving body thought about this warehouse. He thought my gosh, what are they doing in there I got to go see what they're doing there or maybe your parents made you, maybe kids major, why it doesn't matter why you're here how you came to be here is important because it's not just your good is God working in here because what good people and all the people that don't come the plant people know it's because God is doing something in us.

The cause for some crazy reason to get up early on Sunday morning in the coming be encouraged in that seat. Now I know that I'm taken away from you. Something where you will get a baby walked in your reply going about and I just took that away from you.

Sorry, but I'm giving you something much better in reminding you that it's not just you.

It's God working in you to know the words everybody that's in here and bites us in right now God is working in you, we remind you of this passage in Philippians chapter 2 verse 12 says this. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not my presence only now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling tales. As a young Christian that verse used to disturb me so much because I thought you know what I basically the only thing I've done really well in life is trash my life and now this verse is saying that I'm responsible for my own salvation. Verse 13 says, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. What that saying is when you desire to do something good that is God in the when you desire to do something good that's got any.

When you do something good, that's guiding to remember that next time you you you hold your tongue longer you do something really loving but that is the Lord working in your line you listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be back with more powerful insight from God's word in just a moment but first, God's grace and mercy is greater than any of us could ever fathom. That's why he's been so faithful to the nation of Israel throughout the ages. He's not finished. He's promised to remain true to them to the end.

We want to show you what God's faithfulness toward Israel says about his relationship with you by sending you Pastor David's teaching video Israel the Bible and you in this exciting teaching recorded in the heart of the holy land. Pastor David unpacks important truths from God's relationships with Israel that impact your life today. Israel the Bible and you is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life.

So visit cross the bridge.com to request yours again. That website is cross the bridge.com, this is Pastor David McGee was cross the bridge and want to thank you for listing the cross the bridge also want to tell you about an exciting website. The website is lost loved ones.org and it works very simply like this you go to the website you put the first names of up to 10 people that we begin praying that they get saved takes two things to get same presentation and prayer, and what were offering is prayer and also there's different tools there to help you present the gospel to them. So were there with you, helping you with the presentation helping you with the prayer. There's over 920 people that belong to the prayer team on lost loved ones and you can join the prayer team as well and help us to pray for others who don't yet know Jesus and together we can see a huge revival starting with your lost loved ones.

Now back to today's teaching verse 12 says they have all turned aside.

They have together become unprofitable. There is none who does good, no, not one.

The new living translation. In this verse is all turned away from God.

All have gone wrong. Considered together become unprofitable and were reminded again of this message that Paul is trying to communicate because there was a segment of the population was trying to take spiritual pride in their relationship with God and Paula saying hey you know what is you can't take spiritual pride when it comes to the Lord because everybody is fall. Everybody has messed up and so he's reminding and in this kind of a painful reminder but it's good for us to to go back to this gang's family. It's it's good to think about these things. There is none who does good one not want a life lesson here every one of us is failed, God every one of us has failed God, you know early in my Christian life I would look at people who would messed as a young, passionate on fire believer and I was so judgmental whenever Christian would messed up or stumble. I just hire then I had moaned some. I came to realize that it happens to us all and bring in the book of Proverbs. I believe it is. One day I read that the righteous man the way he falls seven times gets back up to the key friend is and if you're going to mess up your going to mess up is very encouraging.

But what do you do when you mess up, you run back to daddy and daddy forgive me, were reminded of this Isaiah messianic passage Isaiah 53 says this chapter 53 verse five but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities.

The chastisement for our peace was upon him by his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. So like sheep we gone astray.

We've turned aside. We wandered all we've messed up. But Lord came up with a plan where he didn't lower the standard he didn't say okay you messed up you can't come in. But you messed up. I'll let you where to well recognize it.

People like Hitler and Mussolini and Chairman Mao people of been detrimental and hurtful.

We recognize that they should be job. But what about our families and friends who only messed up a little bit we have to understand God's righteous judge. He's holy work is not to say well you know you you can't command but you know I like you and your friend of the family that you can commit because that would be jobs that wouldn't be right.

Verse 13. Their throat is an open till with their tongues they have practice deceit, the poison of asps is under their lips. By this point you're feeling very affirmed and warm fuzzy archer you just this is this is kind of the bad news and you will really get to the good news, but this is the bad news and we have to recognize is that Paul is quoting here from different places in the Hebrew Scriptures. Here is from Psalm chapter 10 verse seven says his mouth is full of cursing deceit and oppression, and under his tongue is trouble and iniquity. Another place he's going to quote from is some chapter 5 verse nine says, but there is no faithfulness in their mouth, their inward part is destruction. My throat is an open tomb and they flatter with their tongue. Then some chapter hundred 40 verse three is a sharpener tongues like a serpent, the poison of Aspen is under their labs so this is this is tearing us down so we can be built up but we need understanding and certainly you probably come to the place in your life where you realize how damaging your tongue can be the things that you say how damaging words can be. You probably suffered on the woundings of somebody saying something they shouldn't upset her some uneven lot about you. Maybe somebody messed up your reputation just opening her mouth when he hadn't done anything. But it's interesting. A lot of times is not an action that can mess it up simply an accusation that can derail her Christianity sums up now so were looking at this and go well.

This even gets better. Verse 14 whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness, messy question that were looking at this.

Looking at the mouth, throat baton… Different cutting question. Where does most of your trouble come from. I don't come from other people, but I was just getting come from around then it I mean anything back on the things that you said you go all the maybe you're angry. Maybe you're tired. Maybe whatever's going on, and you say something and even as the words come out when you're going to get out but it's too late thereafter. They can't take him back in the devotion with my kids on them.

I took it a tube of toothpaste squirted all the toothpaste out so okay I give any of y'all that can put all that toothpaste back into my give it to him about.

They try and said okay here's here's the meaning guys when words come out of your mouth can't take back. So you've Artie spoken, so we need to be careful. James talks about boiling doing this is if the tongue is such a bad thing. How can we control and change comes to the conclusion is not you. Can't you hear dependent upon God for the sum they go well I don't necessarily think that's true that this is such a troublesome thing is let's look at the book of James.

James chapter 3 verse forces. Look also at ship.

Although there are some large and driven by fierce winds, they are turned by very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so, the time is a little member and post great things that goes on later that chapter and visit with it we bless our God and father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the civil image of God out of the same mouth proceed, blessing and cursing. My brother in these things ought not to be so words can hurt people. They can ruin reputations. They can sidetrack the work of God or we can glorify God. We can bless God we can encourage other people, but it's kind interesting something can happen just small thing to see you working on something at the house and you're using a hammer and then hammer slips and comes down your phone, what is it that you say at that moment. Praise God. I hit my thumb is that what you say sometimes bad words come out. Or maybe you're driving your car in an somebody cut you off I went, what he say praise the Lord.

Maybe you're involved in accident or maybe you get angry. What happens sometimes you say things that are file that are bad.you know what we do after that week will will pass up a little. That's that's not really like me. What a bizarre thing to say who's it like you're the one that said that wasn't me was my alter ego know that was you. It's amazing.

Just a slight little squeeze liquid comes out the honesty to. It took years because the Lord really have to do that deeper work in your life and in ill before you start to let go of this, and God cleanses you from the inside that shows you what a deep rooted issue. It really is.

So we said hurtful things. Everyone everyone of said things we should of said we said things about other Christians who said things about God said things about pastors about churches about ministries but how beautiful it must be. We do what we did this morning we gathered together and would begin to worship the Lord with their tongues and with her speech. How blessed the Lord tells us that that's a blessing to that he's listening habits are praise that again the un-regenerated unsaved mouth.

Time is a very deadly thing. So the life lesson here is we should think the glorify God with what we say we should seek to glorify God with what we say. There's a passage in the Bible that talks about interesting it said that were going to give an account. It's a scary scary passion is working to give an account for every idle word without keep you need one, but we can use our mouth use her speech to worship God to bring him praise to encourage one another, but let me ask you question is that the natural inclination of your mouth.

It's not our natural inclination, our sin cannot bent it is to tear people down is to talk about people is the gossip about Paul is bringing us out is okay this is what your mouth is like a cane and see this is kind of a bad news Okay.

If you haven't figured that out getting the banners we got the bad news about the mouth will see what else there's bad news about verse 15 says their feet are swift to shed blood, telling thing that happens sometimes on the highways whenever there's an accident on the highway in a slow people down. Often there's another accident. Why is that because what occurs is it's called rubbernecking the word you're trying to drive but at the same time you're trying to see what happened with the act. There's something about us that is bent towards distraction and when people start going that way. There simply following their natural inclination and God has to intervene, winds up in a bad place friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend if you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, so congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can call us toll-free at 877-458-5508 to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ before we go, we want to encourage you in your faith so that you can experience more of the grace and love of God for you. That's why we like to send you Pastor David's teaching video recorded in the heart of the holy land called Israel the Bible and you this encouraging look into the history of Israel and God's covenant faithfulness to his chosen people will help you take bold steps in your relationship with Israel. The Bible is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge for the death to life servers across the bridge.com now to request will Be sure to join us next time across the bridge with Dave to hear more from the book of books