Thursday 14 April 2016

Some Thoughts About True Conversion by Pastor Peter Mountain dated 10.4.16



He started his teaching using Exodus 19:1-6.  These verses were about the Israelites being delivered from Egypt and what God wants them to do.  There are lessons for us today as follows:
-          These are written for our instructions, so that we can understand the plan and purpose of God. The story of the Exodus was a pattern of what God wants to do with us.
-          The Lord had delivered the people from Egypt.  It was by grace alone not by power of works.
-          God led them to Mt. Sinai.  Here He would make a Covenant with them.
-          Notice how the Lord makes an offer to them: if you will obey and keep my Covenant..
-          Then you will be a special treasure to me above all people
-          You shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
These offers still remain  : 1 Peter 2:9 and Revelation 1:5-6
-          Notice God’s purpose has to do with a Kingdom: Matthew 9:35
-          The blessings of the kingdom of God are for those who submit to the King.
-          There is a false Gospel (or at least a half-Gospel) that is popular today. That is “Gospel-lite” rather than “Full-Gospel”.
-          “Gospel-lite” emphasis forgiveness of sins and God love’s but leave out discipleship.
-          God makes a new Covenant with us, a better one, because He give a new heart and give us , the Holy Spirit, but there is still calls to make Jesus Lord and King.
-          There is still, “If you obey and keep the Covenant Then…
-          This offer was made with powerful demonstration of God’s power and presence of God.
-          In order to receive this promise, Israel had to enter into a covenant and obey what He told them to do. ( keeping the law was not a way to earn salvation, they had been delivered from Egypt)
-          The law is the wisdom of God how to live and how to be successful in life.
-          Keeping the law is how they express their love for God and other people.
-          Matthew 22:37-40
-          It was a particle out working of faith ( Jas 2:18 )
Acts 9:3-6 Jesus spoke to blind Saul.
-          Saul was opposing the Lord. Every one of us has been in similar place, even if not so extreme.
-          Sin is rebellion, disobedience, self-will, putting ourselves above God.
-          To be delivered we must turn around.
-          Repentance and faith are really the same, we turn from sin to the Lord.
-          Saul surrendered totally, “Lord what do you want me to do? “
-          At Sinai God called the nation of Israelite to come out from the kingdom of darkness to into His kingdom.
-          It was full surrender like Paul.
-          True conversion is a full surrender to Jesus as Lord.
-          True conversion is when we ask “Lord, what will you have me to do? “
The question is: “Where do we stand this morning?”

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