Romans Chapter 4:5-8

When I came of this understanding of grace.

It totally changed my Christian wall was a longer walk around miserable and forgiven. Even though I didn't deserve.

Grace is what brings us into being God's children. When did God bestow this righteousness from Abraham.

We believe welcome to cross a bridge with David McGee when it comes to living out the Christian walk.

We should be motivated by our love of God's love for others. Today Pastor David encouraged us to look deeply into the love of God as he continues in the book of Romans chapter 4, entitled faith was good.

Now today.

Look at verse five is what they have and does not work but believes on him or justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness believes on him who justifies the ungodly, that some of us are Gogo LCC there so we do do something we believe we have to believe. I greatly have to believe, but you can't take any credit for that you can center will know about, I believe, to come forward and do this and had let me as you graduated walking down the street one day and also I'm thinking you know what I need to believe in God or did, perhaps friend has the Holy Spirit been chasing you for quite a while before you desire to go to a church before you desired to pray the prayer before you desired to fellowship with the Lord so that was the Holy Spirit wooing convincing convicting you if you will about your need for him and to establish that relationship with them. It has to be grace. It can't be work are you living like a yo-yo friend I used to live like that as a Christian I will live like that anymore. When I came of this understanding of grace. It totally changed my Christian wall I was no longer walking around miserable walkaround filled with joy that had been forgiven, even though I didn't deserve it. Grace is what brings us into being God's children. When did God bestow this righteousness on Abraham when he got everything worked out all his issues not when he believed when he believed is what the Bible says grace causes are standing to be God's children verse six just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works let's understand something we leave all messed up about the points that out. And once we come to Jesus and said Jesus, forgive me. We begin to live this new life. The Bible talks about second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 14 puts it like this.

Whatever we do it is because Christ love controls us motivated by love for scripting 13 points of Celtics.

Since we believe that Christ died for everyone. We also believe that we have all died to the old life we used to live. This is important to understand come to God through grace, you begin to doubt, to the old ways, old things the old habits the old ways of thinking. That's what supposed to happen. According to the Bible. It's interesting you want to raise himself you some of you are probably aware of this. What you do with the dog or hound who kills chickens because once they do that they really they have a tendency to do it more and more and so you have to do some initial sound aware, but this is actually what you do.

Once a dog does that what you do is you take a dead chicken that he killed and you tied around his neck and you leave it there for a week or two, and pretty soon guess what I don't want anything to do. Would chickens anymore passionate thanks a lot for the great visual thinking that next summer my KFC and pressure for a reason because wish posted to the old way and part of me really has to get set up with old ways and that's part of what the Lord does in her mind, because after a while you know you if you try to live in the old life you will be walkaround you is that smell is the old bed you. You're still trying to carry around. Let it go. Let it go. Can you imagine this is a reality. Some I said no I don't want to be set free from this course and carcass I'm carrying around quite comfortable with and rather carried around will. That's what it looks like somebody doesn't doubt to the old wife.

That's what it looks like when somebody rejects Jesus says justifies the ungodly believe I talked about chapter 3 that there's no that are godly and Jesus reminds us in Luke chapter 19 verse 10 he says. For the Son of Man is come to seek and the save that which was lost.

Supposed pointing out that is not of works, but Pastor David thought Christianity was like a list of do's and don'ts friend. It's much, much more than just that we come to it through grace and again grace is the only way we can have any consistency and I will go. Okay well that's true. What we need them before. It's got all these things because the Bible points out how much we need saving. It always amazes me when I talk to summative Most the 10 Commandments amazes me is like the have you ever read as if you rattle you should know you broken most of some gold, yes, you have all that we do this often. I will do it now but you broken. Most of them. Trust me, amazes me when people say well you think you will get them lucky close to 10 Commandments union in because you broken most of the wire the 10 Commandments are Paul says to bring us to a knowledge that we need a Savior to bring us someplace ago you know I can't do this on my own. I got to have shell. That's what the psalmist was timeout and in fall 1970 says that the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul. There's nothing wrong with the laws God law. God simply points out what's wrong with and then grace comes in and says here you can be saved through this we need to understand how doesn't our salvation. He does not owe a salvation next life lesson here is a right relationship with God is a gift that I do not cannot and never will deserve right relationship with God is a gift that I do not cannot and never will deserve to God is willing to give us something that we could never achieve on our own.

And that's perfect righteousness, a white standing with him you can achieve that you can't do enough good workout. Ago okay your your good if you could, you would have changed human if one person in this room this state, this nation in this work.

One person existed could have done this Jesus never would came in.you would've had to, but none of us could God is willing to give us grace how much grace does a sinful person need to approach a holy God.

I'm thinking it's a whole lot. I'm thinking we probably ought to be talking about it and probably ought to be looking at it because it's in the word of God.

Some, and yet we tend towards the spiritual pride. Even right now.

Talk about race. Some of your your argument not out while if your organelle obligate wellhead ushers to come get you the your child you think is a little bit of no it's not. Jesus told an interesting thing in the temple there were two people, one of looked at the other and said so clad I'm not like you say you the elements of God. I don't deserve to be forgiven. Please have mercy on me us in which prayer to God respond to which prayer moves God to forgive. Obviously, the God said I don't deserve forgiveness and yet let me ask you question modern-day Christianity which one does it look like all too often it looks like one of us looking as though my gospel. God I'm not like him. Thank God I'm not like her for need understand that kind of spiritual pride is a stench in the nostrils of God.

Verse six talks about this righteousness and we quickly talk about these terms of salvation are given to you to come across them a lot in the book of Romans justification was saved sanctification. I am being saved glorification of what we say will leave those upper second taken those you might want to jot these death justification just is. If I never did it. That happens instantly when you come forward or asked the Lord to forgive you resend your justified righteous sanctification is a process being safe. That's where your leave old life behind embracing a new life following Jesus acted more and more like him, and less like he use that in glorification is when you come into the presence of the Lord like we sing that soon and very soon in Revelation 21 four talks about no more sickness no more death no more sin the more sorrow, nor pain.

That's glorification.

All three of these are the works of God, not your works can't be justified by your works. Sanctification is God working in new and glorification friend, that's his final work of God.

Salvation is a work of God, not a work of man in the new living translation Romans force six reads like this. King David spoke of this describing the happiness of an undeserving center was declared to be righteous undeserving center declared to be righteous. She really you have to understand that you're an undeserving center to be declared righteous, because if you think your undeserving center when you really don't think that your center thank you for listening to cross the bridge with David McGee will return to David's teaching in just a moment the tragedy in Benghazi. The bombings in Boston and the current unrest in Egypt are all vivid accounts of terrorism each time an event like this occurs, it often causes us to respond with fear. But it doesn't have to because God knows your future and you can to with David McGee's teaching entitled know your future immune to terrorism. You'll come to understand the realities of radical Islam while rejoicing in God's promises for your future. Don't allow fear to consume your life.

Instead, find hope with this month's special offer. Know your future be immune to terrorism know your future is available as a CD or DVD, and is our gift to you when you call today with a donation to cross the bridge ministries is because of your continued faithful support that were able to broadcast across the nation. With the life-changing word of God to help support cross the bridge and receive your CD or DVD copy of know your future call 877-458-5508 or go online to cross the bridge.com and now let's return to pastor David's verse by verse teaching in the book of Romans.

Ellis look at these next two verses. It says blessed are those who flawless veins are forgiven and who sends her cover and blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin, blessed blast.

I was a worthy use the lot back then we don't use it as much. What is it what is it mean literally blessed means happy to overflow and filled with joy. It means healthy. It means holding the Hebrew and the Greek actually, there is also cut, mean and well-off and interesting in well-off all of us think of well-off is financially well-off none is blast if your sins are forgiven you got this got that bit of your sins are forgiven, your blast doesn't matter what the economy doesn't matter what your job doesn't want a stock market, you can be blast by knowing your sins are forgiven.

I get another script for that would be happy happy some of you may be believe in the lot. I'll be happy when filling your boy, I'll be happy when I get the new job will be happy to get the new house will be happy when I get the car. I'll be happy when I get the promotion know you will know you'll you will not find happiness in those things I have known people had best jobs in world best cars in the world best thousand.

They weren't happy. I believe that life are well younger life thought I would be happy about achieved a certain success in the music world.

Well I got the degree of success is miserable. So those things whatever you're chasing you to bring you happy, some bad news, new girlfriend, new boyfriend, new husband. I sent the ring awesome thing is you can be blessed today.

You have to go and do this that and the other you can be blessed today.

If you walked in here without really knowing that your sins have been forgiven. You can walk out are so blessed not to changing your behavior.

Talk about you coming to the Lord changing what you think you think you can earn it. Keep trying to be miserable.

But if you understand can earn it and you come to them and you'll be blessed.

The question really is blast. Are you blessed your blast.

Let your heart know if your blast let your face know when you go on the public understand that your blast yeah this might be tough that maybe all my sins are don't play the victim card will simply hosted that you know what you've done more sins than you've been sinned against. I promise you that I promise you that now Jesus is wanting to bestow this grace wanting to give us this joy. Paul brings up Abraham.

Now he brings up David this is Ken. Interesting where the decide to forgive. David was it you know and and and David also got house manicotti. No credible songwriter and all these things most of us are familiar with the story, though, that David didn't always do what was right. As a matter fact, there is one time when it says interesting left all his guys were out fighting the battle and David was in his palace story starts out not looking good. Here's what they should've been out fighting. It always concerns me when somebody says what I want to take a break from servant man. This is probably not going to be good, or worse yet to take a break from attending church because what happens friend is we get in a lot of trouble when we take those breaks. I've heard people say I'm just afraid of getting burned out, and I'm glad Jesus didn't look good like that. I'm glad he did look at that hill in Calvary go all man I think bad things might happen appear August, the year of my get burned out by go up there as our model guys, and yet you know what happens as we go through life and in the name of being avoiding burnout with plates so safe that we were no longer live in a radical Christian life, but were safe from burnout found in ministry and got I've worked long days and have had some days of early heart. But here's what you're doing what God is called you to do in his power.

It's impossible to get burned out is not to happen when when I look at the life of missionaries always people is always incredible things they never got burned out. If you're doing what God is going to do in the way he called you to do it and in his power to David.

He's hanging out yet. He goes out and he's on his own. His roof and is looking around and you know will lose that and I think the servants, new thought was wrong because they said, especially the life of your David and David Atwood had good common sense as well. Maricopa he didn't bring her over here went downhill from there.

Not only did he commit adultery but then he conspired to have her husband killed and he was caught up in murder and adultery. Another thing in this manner. Nathan comes to Nathan was his friend Nathan was a prophet and I think I'm going. Luther said hey, there was this got a bunch of lambs and there was this guy with one lamp. We got a bunch of lambs he's older one landless guy had what should we do about that.

David Davidson should take about execute Nathan Thornton said you're the man. Nathan continues second sample chapter 12 verse one thus says the Lord.

Nathan speaking with David here is thus says the Lord will hold I will raise up adversely against you from your own house. I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with the wind in the sight of the sun.

For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel before the sun verse 13 to Davidson the Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said that David, the Lord also has put away your sin, you shall not know sacrifices, no offerings simply come into the Lord and send I've sinned against the Lord. And Nathan says your sins are gone. The cover would an amazing thing.

What an amazing thing.

Keep your finger in Romans chapter 4 list will close in just a couple minutes we can go with me to solve 32 with this is passages quoting Psalm 32 I think it would help us to get a look at the Psalm a little bit. Psalm 32 says this is quit this first diverse. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven.

New sentence covered.

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not compute iniquity in whose spirit there is no deceit. Verse three when I kept silent mob bones grew old through my groaning all the day long for day and night your hand was heavy upon me and my vitality was turned into the drought of summer acknowledge my Cindy and my iniquity have not had.

I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Sale from back with me to Romans chapter 4 is an interesting David Szell just felt old and felt dry.

I was not happy. Some people feel depressed because either.

They've not been forgiven or is there a believer they don't keep that as a core statement is how can you be depressed at the same time regardless sins are forgiven.

Some people are anxious because they don't recognize her sins are forgiven. Or maybe they've not been forgiven. Some people get upset some people are miserable. But here's David the life you think you will like enough power working on this matter. Vermont amount company that I'll be happy using powers going to do it. David was a king over all of Israel.

If power can broaden happiness. He would've been a happy camper. Not it stuff.

I think stuff will make me happy. Lots of stuff you guys out there, maybe all over my head. Women are the right woman.

I be happy 91 that David had lots of women making mapping popular more people like me when they sing songs about David as he walked down the streets that didn't bring them happiness when running happiness know when his sins were forgiven. This passage points out a couple things number one God forgives sin and he gives righteousness apart from works for believers. God is willing to no longer counter sins against us. God is willing to no longer count our sins against us doesn't say Blessed is the man who is really trying hard to say, Blessed is the man is mostly doing things right. Blessed is the man who sins are forgiven. David said when he wasn't forgiven a filter. The dusty mate one been there done that. Whenever I wandered from the Lord for that is that's a good description field dried up and dusty so miserable at the moment to come back to the Lord. Always forget were looking at David David, a man guilty of adultery and murder because he was willing to come to the Lord say I've sinned against the Lord. He was forgiven. Every sitting here this morning. Or maybe your in Greensboro listen to the teacher maybe television or Internet or are the radio. Maybe maybes committed these things… If you come to me. I'll forgive you, is willing to forgive David of these things was a high price.

David had to pay before he was forgiven just to come to the Lord say I have sent there were still some consequences. The his behavior, but he was forgiven in an instant.

Jesus in John chapter 4 is talking with this woman at the well Samaritan she's there together water she's there in the middle of the day, which does you don't gather water in the middle of the day in the desert you see anybody she won't be around Jesus pops up and he tells her anybody drink from this water will thirst again for going be thirsty for and a lot of the things that you engage in in life. They sleep thirsty like eaten salted popcorn or salted peanuts are just leisure thirst life itself, leisure thirst is second to satisfy then Jesus says I can give you water where you're never going to thirst again another place in John chapter 7 aces anybody thirsty land come to me given the living water and out of him will flow stream of living water. Not only will your thirst be quenched, but God will use you to quench the thirst of others to affect the whole Bible winds up in Revelation 22 Jesus says the Spirit and the bride say, come, come and drink freely of the water supply friend are you sitting here this morning you thirsty little drought goodness your thirst can be quenched. You can be forgiven and I don't know if you walked in here. Blessed guarantee this, you can walk out of here. Blessed by coming to the Lord. Sing God please forgive me, friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. 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 can 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 friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again.

Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you if this was your first time praying that prayer with Pastor David we would 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. Also, if you been blessed by cross the bridge ministries would you consider supporting us with a financial gift when you call with your gift. Make sure to ask them about this month's special offer entitled know your future be immune to terrorism.

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