Love Keeps Calling

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham a little later in the program will tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's brand-new book, reignite the first hears his message loud strong James. As you might expect closes abruptly, James is just that kind of a God not a lot of blood and a lot of the sugar but just straight up and his goal in the book of James is that are light our faith is to be live where to live our faith and when faith works like works and so he's very practical. He's very personal and that he could get under your skin just a little bit the coaches as challenges us, so it's not surprising that the book of James would close with an imperative me. There's no goodbye God bless you.

There is no doxology as in the case of Paul so often by just a short challenge an imperative and an invitation and imperative, and an invitation look at verse 19 of chapter 5.

My brothers is talking to the church, you and me. If anyone among you wonders from the truth, and someone brings him back let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wondering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sin, love covers love keeps calling you see in your Christian life. You are either going forward, or you're going that you can't remain static are still in the Christian life. You are either progressing or regressing progressing moving forward in your faith growing in your faith developing as a maturing believer in Christ during the moving onward and upward forward or you're going in the wrong direction you're going in the other way and there's a message here given to us by James a challenge that is so very important to the church of Jesus Christ and that is our responsibility. The imperative to go get people back to keep calling because love keeps calling their people out there who have wandered away and it is our responsibilities as believers as brothers and sisters in Christ, not to just let them go, but to love them back to Christ. James here speaks of a danger that we all must fear he says if anyone wonders from the faith.

Anyone can include well anyone.

None of us are in a spiritual status to say I'll never go back. I will never fail. I will never fall Jeremiah the prophet said the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked who can know the minute you start saying well if I know my own heart wrong. You don't know your own heart because the heart can can lie to us our own conscience can lie to us and and let him who stands.

Paul said take EB worn lest he fall. So all of us. There is the potential that there is the possibility that we could wonder from the private faith that we could spray from our faith best a danger we all face and what is the danger is the danger of drifting because typically spiritual failure. Spiritual defeat is not a blowout but a slow leak. It is a gradual decline. Typically from neglect of your faith. The book of Hebrews where were told. Do not neglect your salvation.

Don't neglect it because when we began to neglect God's word. When we began to neglect the worship of Jesus Christ as believers privately, personally and corporately when when when we when we began to neglect prayer in our life when we begin to neglect Christian friends and fellowship among God's people. It won't be long that we began drifting because of the neglect. It happened to Simon Peter, Simon Peter Bowman bodacious said I will never deny you Lord not me these other guys they may but not me. Jesus I like to tell you, Peter. But tonight deny me three times and Peter who was so strong and so powerful he melted like butter in the face of the fires of the enemy of Christ he he he wasn't praying when Jesus told him to watch and pray in the garden he fell asleep he was spiritually prideful and carnal and self-sufficient. He had learned to depend upon the Lord got too close to the enemy he got alienated he got off by himself and the first thing you know he's with Olson swearing and cursing, denying, denying the nine that even then, she's get it didn't happen overnight, but it happened over time and ask what can happen in our lives when we begin to neglect our spiritual disciplines are personal devotions went when we began to neglect the house of God. This is the only thing that that we heard many times that I can use Even when when you take a fire all our log off the fire and you said a party will belong to the fires out, so we need one another. We would burn brightly together.

We need to be near the fire in the fire of the of the church and of the gospel and and so I get really I get really concerned when I start wondering where people are when I see people gradually getting less and less involved, less engaged, you know they got there they got the place out of town now. They don't come the way they use to work like a lot of activities are our kids are in select sports and we just don't we can get there every weekend that you know there's all kinds of things. Well when I start seeing people unplugging from the church of Christ unplugging from spiritual disciplines in their life. I know that it won't be long is a slippery slope into spiritual failure into a fall into a failure so I'm beginning with a warning for all of us again think it happened to Jack Graham. It can happen to you if you happen to be, and we all must be aware of this danger, the deadly danger of drifting. Therefore keep current accounts with your God. Another thing that happens is compromise and accommodating sin. We begin to say things do things that we formally would not do the next thing you know you know what happens. We say, well, you know, my God, he doesn't condemn me for this and I'm under grace. And I can do this and and and and we start compromising our convictions and compromising our character. Why, because were drifting. That's why James here says if anyone wonders from the truth wonders from the true, the true meaning.

Jesus himself who is the embodiment of truth, the way the truth and the light.

The truth was delivered to the safe. The truth of Jesus Christ.

The truth of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. So is not just wondering from an idea or an ideal or wandering from good behavior is wandering from the truth. And when you start wondering from your faith. It won't be long until this until there is moral failure or spiritual failure of some kind.

We wonder from the fake interesting word that that James uses here for wondering if it's actually it is, is the word Greek word for planet planet like in the solar system is its reference to wondering planet and be that as it may is is the idea that things are off course is off track. Jesus spoke of this, wondering what he talked about sheep going astray.

And when when sheep go astray. They typically don't just run off from the flock, but they nibble grass over here, move a little over there. Moreover, here, nibble devil more nibble. The next thing you know it there in trouble and that's how the wondering happened the songwriter. The hymn writer said prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love the said here's my heart taken. See ceiling for that course of the aware, be alert that drifting is a dangerous dangerous position and it can happen to any of us.

That's the danger we all face but then I want you see the duty that we all have that we all must experience any. He says and one converting more one bringing back shall say so bringing back the backslider restoring the broken brother and that is a great and awesome responsibility of every member of the family of God. Notice it doesn't say if the preacher brings them back or if the evangelists reaches them, or if the professional religious teacher goes and finds them but it says if anyone meaning you and anyone, meaning all who in this body. We all have a responsibility to bring back brothers and sisters in Christ who have one way or listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message left keeps calling bring fresh passion and joy to your faith.

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Whether you're facing disappointment, doubt, depression, or heartache. Reignite offers biblical insights to encourage you in your pain and help fan the flames of faith in your life and it's our way to thank you for your gift to PowerPoint call today to get your copy of reignite as thanks for your support: 800-7954 62761 800-795-4627. You can also text the word PowerPoint 231-3131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotion our website again is Jack Graham.Margie. Now let's get back today's message.

Love keeps, right now in your mind someone you know in your circle of friends and in the church maybe out of the church, maybe in your own family. Someone who used to see it church which Encino come to think of it in a long time someone he used to walk with God in your own family who wanders away is out there in the wilderness now spiritual what you think about to get on your heart to them in your mind because what were talking about is love in action.

Faith that works because we need to do something about it. But just think about.

Now those hurt those persons who may have fallen or fail the Lord's subway wandered away.

We can do one of three things. One, we can ignore them, and that's what often happens. Unfortunately, we when people go away. We just ignore it when we forget about God doesn't want us to forget about them. He wants to forgive and he wants to use us in the process, but we just we forget about it. We're we were busy.

Well Pastor you know I got my own life busy.

I you know I just haven't thought about it is just I'm not into it. Whatever, but we are like those religious types on the road down to Jericho when the man was beaten and bruised and left to die.

They just passed by on the other side. They were in a hurry to get somewhere else, even to get the worship and I had no time they just ignored the guy broken on the side of we could do that. It happens all the time. We just ignore disinterested were apathetic. Love keeps calling love never quit God's love never quits. I love you with an everlasting love and God won't quit on anybody.aren't you glad Jesus didn't quit on you and some of you think well I maybe you're here today you hear the someone who's wandered away and in your thinking well, you know, can I really come back. Yes no mistake, the moment for the man failure isn't final unless you make it five. His love never gives up, and neither should we love keeps calling love keeps going so we should not ignore the broken fallen brother or sister.

Another thing that you can do is deplore the fallen brother sister that happens. Unfortunately, all the time among Christians and churches. Maybe you've even been the recipient of judgment and condemnation.

When we see someone fall in our tongues start wagging on our mouth starts moving and condemnation criticism well, you know that kid he came to freedom. He made a decision. He got dog but he's not here anymore. I guess it was real just forget about it. Condemnation criticism you know someone said the church is the only Army that shoots his own wounded. In Galatians chapter 6 and in verse two.

It tells us that we are to carry their one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of the better ones burdens means to carry their backpack to carry their load and do what so fulfill the law of Christ.

What is the law of Christ is the law of love. He said a new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved and how has Christ loved us unconditionally sacrificial. He is loved us and loved us more than we could possibly imagine is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. According to the Scripture the kindness of God that leads people to repent of their sin and come back. It is the kindness of God that does that for people.

How can we be on time when God is so kind most people already were out spiritually.

They already feel condemned and full of shame and in bondage to their sin and brokenness. They don't need us to pylon they need us to pray on and to carry the load to bring them back to Christ is like the girl who said you know she made some terrible mistakes and she said I already feel so bad about myself, why would I go to church and feel worse. Do you know how many people feel that way about church and churches.

They think the last place I want to go is to go get condemned by a bunch of pious sanctimonious people who will by the way are good and some of the same things that I'm we can deplore we can ignore what God has called us to do is to restore restore the brother and in order to do that. There is a disposition that we must have and that's the last point of the message. In fact, I just quoted from the Galatians chapter 6 go go to Galatians chapter 6 and verse one. So Paul says in Galatians 61 brothers. If anyone is caught in a transgression, sin, you who are spiritual should restore him. How in a spirit of gentleness, keeping watch over yourself like you to be tempted – restoration. Interestingly enough, the word therefore restore means to mend a broken bone, mend a broken bone. When you break a bone in the bone heels is restored.

James Paul's word that is stronger because the calcium in the growing in the healing stronger at the broken place than it was before. I don't know if that's true or not. I want believe is true point on making to you is what God is telling all went when people are broken and their hurting and their there is there some man here today. No big boys don't cry not going to cry but you broke your broken because you failed the Lord, you failed your family fail at your career, you just broke women in this room you're hurting and you know you don't need Christians to condemn you, you need Christians to comfort you are living in sin right now some of you are speaking to some your you know you're living in sin and shame secrets. What you need the grace of God and the grace of God's people need to hear Jesus say is a set of that woman taken in adultery go and sin no more, neither do I condemn you go and sin no more. You can have a brand-new beginning is never too late for a new beginning. And if God loves us like that if God is not finished with a we should be finished with one another, we should go with a spirit of gentleness, knowing that it were not for the grace of God that's me and with love and compassion and grace. The Bible says Peter said it.

Love covers a multitude of sins. James said it is well love covers love call love never keeps praying, never giving up keeps calling and serving. Think about that person again on your mind on your heart's away from the Lord. I think if James will not go camel needs James that he can stand here today.

He'd say okay what he can do about what you gonna do about go get it done science so just go to in Jesus name. And if this is true, it is true regarding brothers and sisters in Christ who have failed in her fallen is also true about the lost me there facing judgment. The church should be a friend of sinners. Jesus was so Jesus name we pray, we invite you love listening to PowerPoint and Granting today's message left keeps calling, chances are you faced your share of crisis meeting or even in the fight of your life right now.

Or maybe simply feeling exhausted by the busyness of life and set the spiritual strength.

Whatever your facing.

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And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop you store give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie Pastor what is your PowerPoint for today. When we are reaching out to people who wander away from the Lord that we stay humble. The truth is that but for the grace of God we would be in the same shoes as those who walked away.

None of us are above turning our backs on Christ denying Christ Simon Peter did it. And yet, he returned to be greatly used of the Lord.

If the apostle Peter, could that I Jesus is possible that I could deny Jesus as well, though I don't want to go. I promise not to their temptations so we need to realize this and stay humble and genuine and transparent with those who have walked away from their faith. For those who have fallen in fail. Also, we need to realize that it is our responsibility to not just let them go, but to love people back to Christ love people back to Christ. We are to show the same love that Christ has shown us his love keeps calling his love never gives up, and neither should we give up on people. If you have a child son or daughter. If you have a friend, fellow church member who is failed.

Don't give up on them.

Keep calling, keep praying.

Keep going keep loving is the goodness of God according to the Bible that leads people to repent of their sin is his kindness that reaches out to people how can we be unkind when God is so kind were talking about people many times are in the bondage of sin and brokenness they are facing addictions and problems that they can't get over themselves and they don't need us to pylon they need us to pray on to help them carry the load and to bring them back to Jesus. We all know people who need to hear the call of love from Christ so we should be his voice.

We should be his vehicle that he uses to go to pray to Sir earnestly pray for them to invite people. The church don't stop inviting people to church pick up that phone right now.

Our text that friend and encourage them to join you in church and tell them that you're praying for them, encourage them and then show them by your words and your deeds, that the love of Jesus keeps calling and that is today's power. Remember when you give a gift to PowerPoint today will send you Dr. Graham's brand-new book, we as our thanks. Call one 800-7954 627-1800 795-4627 also text the word PowerPoint 313131 PowerPoint 3131. Join us again next time. Dr. Graham brings a message how to boldly live out your faith outside the church. All that's next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham, PowerPoint Jacaranda, sponsored by PowerPoint ministries