Romans Chapter 3:10-20

God of him is not for you to realize how messed up you are and stop that is part of what you was when you realize that you need to say that is not actually that you just won't Jesus. The fact is mean Jesus you don't just want the Savior.

You need a safe, welcome to cross the bridge with dignity is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina.

Even the best person stands condemned under the find out more about having Jesus to pastor David continued 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 motion ship with the nation. 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 see the video recorded in the holy land called the Bible.

This powerful resource will encourage constricting more and how connected you are God's chosen Israel the Bible and you I would think donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death's visit cross the bridge.com to request a copy, cross the bridge. Now here's the fortuitous teaching God is seeking her with me to Romans chapter 3 with talked about the fact that this is been a life-changing but altered the course of not only church history, but human history to Martin Luther in the fires of the Reformation and same Holy Spirit.

Same word of God is here today to change our lives. So Romans chapter 3 will pick up with verse 10.

That's where we left off last week with picking up 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. They have all turned aside. They have together become unprofitable. There is none who does good, no, not one verse 13. Their throat is an open tomb 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 RG you just this is because this is kind of the bad news of you will really get the goodness 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 the sea and oppression, and under his tongue is trouble in iniquity another place he's going to quote from his song 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 and then Psalm chapter 140 verse three is a sharpener tongues like a serpent, the poison of Aspers under their laps. So this is this is Kenneth. Karen is down so we can be built up but we need understanding and certainly you probably come to the place in your life or 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 somewhat even lot about you. Maybe somebody messed up your reputation just by 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. His 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 and you go all, and done it many, many, many are 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, you know, but it's too late thereafter.

They can't take him back in a devotion with my kids on, 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 by give it to him. But they try to okay here's here's the meaning guys when words come out of your mouth can't take back. You can try but it's a done thing it's over. 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 decision 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 the first Wednesday are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires.

Even so, the time is a little member in both great things that goes on later that chapter and says it 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 see our words. 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 shows this right beneath the surface surface so you're working on the house and and 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 myself, is that what you say sometimes bad words come out. Or maybe you're driving your car in and somebody cut you off the highway we 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 sent know that was you.

It's amazing. Just a slight little squeeze and liquid comes out and I'll be honest, it took 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 out and that shows you what a deep rooted issue really is.

So we said hurtful things. Everyone everyone is 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 that he and habits are praise that again the un-regenerated unsaved mouth. Time is a very deadly thing. So the life lesson here is we should seek to glorify God with what we say we should seek to glorify God with what we say is 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 and collation are send, bet 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. I figure 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.

There's a 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 accident. Somehow we went driving past accident did the same thing rubbernecking and I thought what is it about me that I want to stop and see the damage and destruction that happened to another human my feet run into destruction see friend that's not unity if you've done that, done that. It is a recognition. Hopefully you're not really really twisted and visit weird websites about it or anything, but if you do stop, but 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 or winds up in a bad way your 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's 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 you 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 for 16 destruction and misery are in their ways. Let's read the 17th. These are all all cross-references of destruction and misery are in their ways in the way of peace they have not known.

There is no fear of God before their he is quoting from the Hebrew Scriptures. Psalm 36 one says an Oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked. There is no fear of God before his eyes. Isaiah chapter 50, number seven and eight says there's feet run to evil, and make haste to shed innocent blood.

Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their past, the way of peace they have not known and there is no justice in their ways. They have made themselves crooked pass. Whoever takes that way shall not know peace.

See our way is bent towards distraction our way in the natural is bent towards doing wrong thing for 16 destruction and misery are there ways were left to our own devices.

That's the way we got when we get a situation where we think we can do wrong and get away with it. Guess what our natural inclination inclination is to do wrong. That's part of what happens and that's part of why God put in the structure of governments in police officers Highway Patrol and stuff like that because we need that reminder you ask a question, talk about highways driving down the highway and you know all the sudden you know there's a sign that says 55 but nobody is really written and everybody's pretty much struck along 6065 maybe 70, not me. Other people and you and everybody seems okay with it. Don't but then last state trooper joined little for what happens also near try to figure out how to go from 70 to 55 without hitting the brokerage what happened you got reminded that it was wrong, but without that reminder. Guess what, you would be doing.

You would be doing the wrong thing when there was a speed limit. You don't care.

I'm going to that's very revealing about who we are in our character and and I know that God is transforming us from the starting place of left alone without God, without the spirit of God interacting with us. What we do and what we look like and how we now year in here and you're going on and not me, the near the very person. Paul is trying to speak to this morning's passage. Because what happens as we begin to get spiritual pride.

We begin to think all it's me doing these good things to me that desires to go to church that desires the tie that desires to serve the desires or do they think no friends. It's God causing in you the desire to do these things. Look at verse 17 in the way of peace they have not known that so describes the world doesn't people that don't know Jesus don't know. Peace. You can literally have everything this world has to offer. But if you are not in a relationship with the Lord. You're really not.

You have peace and it's interesting. Everything about you know material goods and money and possessions they don't bring peace will what about chemicals. Now they don't play they bring a false peace for a little while not lasting peace. Often times when I'm in a crowd or somewhere on or just watch people look at their faces and look at their eyes and one thing that marks this world is people lacking peace with the you you can't know peace until you know the Prince of peace and then peace washes in like a flood as you serve the Lord as you walk in a right relationship with the Lord. Apart from that right relation nothing.

You can't ever know little glimpses of. As you can know glimpses of peace and not know Jesus timeout that lasting peace that no matter what's going on around you.

Your piece the piece that passes understanding. You don't have that in and of yourself you can't achieve that in numbers of doesn't matter what you do doesn't matter because your legs go however long you not have that piece you find it is going to allude you until you find it and when you find here the Prince of peace.

You'll find peace, but not before you.

I think in people groups of the massive generalization of you will. There's people who were following Jesus, who believe Jesus is people who are not following Jesus is not don't believe in Jesus and then there's 1/3 category of you will and and that's people who believe in Jesus but they're not really live in for tea. I think the third group probably lacks more peace in the group than everybody and I say that, in part, from personal experience because I've tried to run from God and of tried to do my own thing and and that peace that had once flooded my soul was gone, gone to understand so many people in this world are looking for peace they're looking for peace.

I don't just mean in a world standard sensory we started that thing that organization. The United Nations so we could all have world peace. And that's going so well that they have recently started and then of course we had the bumper stickers. It came out a few years ago you visualize world peace and there is one that followed. It said visualize world peace PAS and then I found one that I put on my trailers.

We were all around said visualize world judgment just that's what it's all coming down there is not like wrong in the house and come to this new romantic place were you know we all join hands and sing either Kumbaya are like the world to sing or something that happened that's a until the Prince of peace is raining individually. You have this piece to your really following the Lord, not just not just to you get saved. Notice how I phrased that the moment you asked Jesus to forgive your sins. Your release from all the guilt that peace begins to come into your life, but from the fullness of not living your life for yourself anymore is when that piece really starts to flood when you realize that you're not really in control is very frustrating trying to be in control but you're realizing that God is in control and you give yourself over the that's a canopy. Some talk about the peace that passes all understanding the peace of God, what's up peace like that's the peace of God that allowed him to be asleep in a boat in the middle of a storm that's a peace that allowed him to be hanging on the cross look down at the people it executed and say father forgive them. I don't know what to do. That's peace. That's a piece I desire. That's a piece you probably desire maybe came in this morning thinking man, I'm just so beat up lysis of friends even stuff this new economy that Wall Street this this let the other and I just don't have peace is here offered, but in and of yourself for you don't have, you can't come up with it. You can't manufacture it's not within your capabilities to do what God wants to give you peace but you can't create it. Romans chapter 5 responses is, therefore, having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, you can have peace through through drugs through alcohol through materialism, through Jesus Christ. That's the only lasting peace.

You can achieve everything else is a false peace verse 18 says there is no fear of God before us, that you may recognize that as I'm reading these verses and I read the verses from Psalms in the cross-references that some of them are our word for what were some of them are not in part because probably quoting from what's called the Septuagint, which was a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, they did about 200 BC, mainly in Alexander and he may have been quoting that and the so it is still valid.

It's it's detailed it's right down the same intent same purpose and stuff it's it's not like you know some people quote stuff it's not in the Bible and they usually preface it by the good Sais from the cell so I can play around like that like the good book says cleanliness is next to godliness that that's not in their that's not in their and another one, and the good book says the Lord helps them help themselves. That's not in their so be careful. Make sure it's in their quoting verse 19 says, now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law. Here's a key that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. This is Mrs. Polly's bonus discussion beautifully masterfully brings us discussion is okay you're all guilty and any mentions her mouth. He mentions her banister distraction mentions only thing there is a world system psychology, psychiatry. Basically, they can only lead you to that point of saying what you're really messed up.

Okay your times well you know you gotta leave. They think that point they can't really fix your healing. That's not God's intent God's intent is not for you to sit in front of him and realize how messed up you are and stop there, but friend that is part of the process because once you realize I am messed up then you realize that you need to save. That is not actually that you just want Jesus. The fact is you mean Jesus you don't just want the Savior.

You need a Savior friend because without a Savior.

Without that forgiveness, you're in trouble because were really that book came out years ago. I'm okay you're okay were not okay. You're not okay I'm not okay were all really being honest were all really messed up. That's the because if you think that your right just by yourself in your own actions that you're a do-gooder who mostly does things well and don't mess up your noggin realize you need save your noggin realize unity you got a choice self-righteous righteous by Jesus question is which one we choose to declare your self-righteousness in Jesus I need your righteous friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know 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'd 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 new steps in your relationship with God. Israel the Bible in 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 it was across the bridge.com now to request a copy. You know each day comes with Sheriff's risks. So what better way to wake up with an encouraging word from his across the bridge.com and sign up now for David McGee's email devotion. Each devotion include Scripture and the message from the heart of David McGee. It's easy and it's free. Sign up today@crossthebridge.com and be sure to join us next time across the bridge with David to hear more from the